All Stories
- Climate
UN report calls for two-pronged approach to slow climate impacts
The latest IPCC climate change report underscores an urgent need for action to avoid the worst consequences of global warming.
By Nikk Ogasa - Materials Science
A disinfectant made from sawdust knocks out deadly microbes
It’s made by pressure-cooking sawdust and water, is cheap and easy to make — and could lead to greener cleaning products than chemicals used today.
- Health & Medicine
Sickle-cell gene therapies offer hope — and challenges
Doctor Erica Esrick discusses existing treatments and an ongoing clinical trial for a gene therapy to treat sickle cell disease.
- Health & Medicine
Explainer: What is sickle cell disease?
Gene mutations can alter an individual’s hemoglobin in ways that curl their blood cells. This can cause painful sickle cell disease.
By Erin Garcia de Jesús and Janet Raloff - Animals
The end of the dinosaurs appears to have come in springtime
Fish fossils from North Dakota suggest when the Chicxulub asteroid devastated Earth, triggering the mass extinction of dinosaurs and other species.
By Sid Perkins - Health & Medicine
Explainer: The body’s immune system
An army of cells — and their protein arsenal — work to keep us safe. Several squads of special forces possess unique superpowers to disable or kill intruders.
- Tech
Scientists Say: Machine learning
Machine learning allows computers to learn new skills without programmers having to write out step-by-step instructions.
- Humans
The earliest known pants are surprisingly modern — and comfy
This 3,000-year-old garment was not only stylish but also functional. By recreating it, scientists also unraveled its complex and multicultural origins.
By Bruce Bower - Earth
The Alps’ Matterhorn shows how much even big mountains sway
Such mountain sway data can help planners map high-risk zones for peaks, bridges or any large structures.
By Peg Lopata - Humans
Is the sky really blue? It depends on what language you speak
English speakers talk about color a lot but rarely about smell. Researchers are learning how those who speak other languages sense the world and why differences arise.
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- Tech
Teen inventors say: There’s got to be a better way
Finalists in the 2022 Regeneron Science Talent Search are revamping prostheses, earthquake safety systems and air travel.