Life
- Earth
Bubbles may have sheltered Earth’s early life
For Earth’s earliest inhabitants, a bubble on the beach would have been the next best thing to a safety blanket.
- Genetics
Scientists Say: Mutation
Information in an organism is stored in a code. Here’s the word scientists use to describe a change in that code.
- Animals
Faking out whales
A false “dinner bell” can safely distract hungry whales from stealing fish from commercial fishing lines, new research shows.
- Animals
Do dogs have a sense of self?
Dogs don’t know their own reflections in a mirror, but they do recognize themselves from the scent of their own urine, a new study finds.
- Health & Medicine
The most popular stories of 2015
Our readers love to read about health and wellness. Check out which stories were most popular.
- Animals
Gene editing swats at mosquitoes
A new genetic technique can render insects that spread malaria unable to reproduce.
- Animals
Some otters wear red algae
Some sea otters in California sport coats of red algae. A new study finds the species most likely is a non-native organism from half a world away.
- Environment
Brain damage seen in potent-marijuana smokers
Brain scans of people smoking potent forms of pot showed abnormalities in white matter. Studies have not yet looked to see if these changes are also linked with changes in memory, risk of depression or other types of harm.
- Animals
Algal poison can harm sea lion memory
Sea lions exposed to toxic algae can experience seizures and brain damage. New research shows that the toxin also causes impairments to memory.
- Animals
Some fish wear an invisibility cloak
Some fish can hide in open water. How? Tiny crystals in their scales and skin help them reflect and blend in with polarized light.
- Animals
Picture This: Rare tiger becomes mom
Zolushka is the first Amur tiger to be reintroduced to the wild and have cubs. She are her two young were caught on a camera trap.
- Brain
Meditation may boost teen memory
Teens who trained in a practice called mindfulness meditation saw improvements in their ability to remember things.
