Science & Technology
Scientists capture two DNA strands zipping together for the first time
Scientists have directly observed how two negatively charged DNA molecules can pair up despite normally repelling each other. Positively charged metal ions appear to bridge the gap, helping matching DNA helices align groove for groove like a molecular …
DNA solves the mystery of a body found in the Arctic in 1859
Scientists have used DNA from living descendants to identify four more members of the doomed Franklin expedition, including Harry Peglar, whose identity had remained uncertain for 166 years. The findings offer new clues about the sailors who survived f…
Scientists create brilliant white material without a drop of white pigment
Researchers have created a foam-based material that produces intense whiteness and water repellency without titanium dioxide pigments or PFAS chemicals. Inspired by natural structures in snow, clouds, flowers, and lotus leaves, the material uses tiny p…
Archaeologists find a 3,000-year-old Egyptian tomb before it’s too late
While clearing debris to protect ancient Egyptian tombs from flash floods, researchers near Luxor stumbled upon an unknown 3,000-year-old tomb. Its remarkably preserved paintings depict an official named Paser, his wife, religious scenes, and offerings…
Ancient teeth reveal humans were getting high 25,000 years ago
Ancient human remains from Sulawesi suggest people were habitually using the psychoactive betel nut as far back as 25,000 years ago. Researchers found both unusual tooth wear and traces of arecoline, the nut’s mind-altering compound, in the teeth of pr…
UNESCO warns there’s close to a 100% chance of a Mediterranean tsunami
The Mediterranean may seem far removed from the world’s major tsunami zones, but history and modern modeling show that destructive waves can strike the French Riviera with surprisingly little warning. Some tsunamis could reach shore in under 10 minutes…
DNA treatment cuts bad cholesterol by nearly 50% without statins
Researchers have designed a new DNA-based treatment that targets PCSK9, a protein closely tied to high LDL cholesterol and atherosclerosis. Their most effective molecule reduced PCSK9 protein by 87% in human liver cells and lowered cholesterol by 47% i…
One sugary drink a day linked to more than double the risk of stomach cancer
People who drank at least one sugar-sweetened beverage a day had roughly 2.45 times the risk of gastric cancer compared with those who rarely consumed them, according to a decades-long study of more than 112,000 U.S. adults. Artificially sweetened drin…
400,000-year-old teeth reveal a hidden link in human evolution
More than 400,000-year-old Homo erectus teeth from China may reveal a surprising link between this ancient human species, Denisovans, and some modern people. Scientists found protein mutations suggesting several East Asian Homo erectus populations belo…
Raindrops can damage paint with microscopic “lightning”
Scientists discovered that charged water droplets can damage protective coatings by releasing tiny electrical discharges when they hit a surface. The hidden effect could help explain weathering and lead to tougher coatings for cars, bridges, buildings,…