For The Better

Plate tectonics may be unique to Earth and may be an essential characteristic of habitable planets. Estimates for its onset range from over 4 billion years ago to just 800 million years ago. A new study reports evidence of a transition in multiple loca…

Human-related extinctions of the largest herbivores and carnivores are disrupting what appears to be a fundamental feature of past and present ecosystems, says a new study.

A new study asks: What are the unique chemical and geological processes at Aix-en-Provence that preserve spiders from the Oligocene Period so exquisitely?

Engineers have just demonstrated a promising new family of materials for storing flammable gases such as acetylene. These materials are nanoporous and flexible and can be modified to improve the adsorption of small molecules at the temperature and pres…

When a large ice sheet begins to melt, global-mean sea level rises, but local sea level near the ice sheet may in fact drop. A researcher illustrates this effect through a series of calculations, beginning with a simple, analytically tractable model an…

Despite the good care, a shelter can be a stressful environment for dogs. Researchers investigated if the amount of the hormone cortisol in hair indicates the levels of stress that dogs experience before, during and after their stay in the shelter.

In a novel set of experiments with mice trained to do a sequence of movements and ‘change course’ at the spur of the moment, scientists report they have identified areas of the animals’ brains that interact to control the ability to perform complex, se…

The development of new, more efficient electrochemical cells could provide a good option for carbon-free hydrogen and chemical production along with large-scale electricity generation and storage. But first, scientists must overcome several challenges,…

Physicists have managed to propel micrometer-sized drones precisely using light only. Their microdrones are significantly smaller than red blood cells.

With a comprehensive map of the wiring, researchers can now discern what information flows into the circuit to enable a key brain function.