All Stories
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Chemistry
Sugary survival skill
Scientists have discovered the trick that an African fly uses to survive dry times.
By Susan Gaidos -
Animals
Blooming jellies
Jellyfish and other gooey marine creatures are showing up in new places, and scientists are trying to discover why.
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Physics
Explainer: Understanding light and electromagnetic radiation
Here's a simple guide to the different types of electromagnetic energy that move as waves.
By Janet Raloff -
Tech
Undercover detectives
T-rays are digitally uncovering everything including potential terrorists, buried images on church walls, and subsurface flaws in the foam used to protect space shuttles.
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Health & Medicine
Blood goes stale—and fairly quickly
Doctors have long thought it safe to store donated blood for up to 42 days, but some patients do better when the blood they receive is fewer than 14 days old.
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Animals
Listening to birdsong
Among certain finches, a lady bird knows when a gentleman bird is sending subtle messages in his calls—ones that people can't detect.
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Health & Medicine
Recipe for health
Obesity is on the rise, but there are plenty of things you can do to maintain a healthy weight.
By Emily Sohn -
Animals
Animal CSI or from science lab to crime lab
Scientists are finding new ways to help stop poachers from hunting endangered animals.
By Emily Sohn -
Animals
Diving, rolling and floating, alligator style
Alligators use the muscles around their lungs in a surprising way—to help them move quickly and smoothly through the swamps and waterways in which they live.
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Health & Medicine
Mind-reading machine
Researchers have used brain scans to measure how the brain "sees" pictures—and to try to predict what a person is looking at.
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Chemistry
Explainer: What are oxidants and antioxidants?
Certain chemicals, including many in foods, fight chemical reactions that could harm cells in the body and in wildlife.
By Janet Raloff