Science & Technology

Citizen scientists have helped researchers solve a long-standing mystery about how parental care evolved in harvestmen. Using photos and observations from iNaturalist, scientists more than doubled the known cases of egg-guarding behavior and discovered…

Researchers found that tau is essential for turning new experiences into lasting memories by helping organize the brain’s memory-storing cells. The mouse study also revealed how abnormal tau may contribute to Alzheimer’s by disrupting both the formatio…

Researchers have recreated the physics of extracting energy from a spinning black hole using a stationary device that produces synthetic ultrafast rotation. The achievement transforms a long-standing theoretical idea into a practical experiment and cou…

Scientists discovered that extreme deep-sea pressure squeezes valuable nutrients out of sinking organic particles, providing an unexpected food source for ocean microbes. The finding could rewrite our understanding of both deep-ocean ecosystems and how…

A simple, non-invasive ultrasound treatment could one day help injured joints heal instead of remaining trapped in a cycle of damaging inflammation. Researchers at The University of Alabama in Huntsville found that continuous low-intensity ultrasound e…

Practice may do more than make perfect. Researchers found that extensive training physically reorganizes the brain, allowing learned tasks to bypass the prefrontal cortex and run through specialized circuits instead. By freeing the brain’s “thinking” c…

Why do beaches today have seashells from clams and snails instead of brachiopods? A new study suggests the answer lies in Earth’s greatest mass extinction, when warming oceans and falling oxygen levels wiped out animals that couldn’t adapt. Species wit…

Scientists have uncovered evidence that serotonin, the chemical best known for regulating mood, may also speed the progression of a common heart valve disease in some people. The research suggests that patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation wh…

Gold may have a secret self-defense system that helps it resist tarnishing. Researchers discovered that atoms on gold surfaces reorganize themselves into patterns that block oxygen from reacting with the metal, suppressing oxidation by up to a trillion…

Yale scientists discovered two neuron surface proteins that appear to help spread the toxic protein linked to Parkinson’s disease. Blocking these proteins in mice dramatically reduced disease progression, offering a potential new target for future ther…