Life
- Animals
Elusive worm-lizards sport weird, spooky skulls
CT scans of these mysterious creatures turned up bizarre internal features. They could offer clues about amphisbaenians’ largely unknown behavior.
- Genetics
Scientists Say: Genetic Engineering
Genetic engineering involves adding, changing or removing certain pieces of DNA from a living thing to give it desired traits.
- Animals
Dancing spiders inspired this biologist to teach others
Inspired by his research in animal communication, Echeverri began exploring ways to teach others about science while finishing his Ph.D. Today, he shares his passion for spiders as a science communicator.
- Chemistry
Air pollution can make it harder for pollinators to find flowers
Pollutants that build up in night air can break down the scents that attract pollinating hawkmoths to primrose blooms, disrupting their pollination.
- Animals
This egg-laying amphibian feeds its babies ‘milk’
Similar to mammals, this caecilian — an egg-laying amphibian — makes a nutrient-rich, milk-like fluid to feed its babies up to six times a day.
- Animals
Among mammals, males aren’t usually bigger than females
In a study of more than 400 mammal species, less than half have males that are heavier than females.
- Health & Medicine
A new type of immune cell may cause lifelong allergies
These special memory cells were present in people with allergies and absent in those without.
- Microbes
What the weird world of protists can teach us about life on Earth
Microbes vastly outnumber multicellular life on Earth. A close-up look at protists highlights how much we don't know about the microscopic world.
- Animals
Let’s learn about animals’ bizarre sleep schedules
From reindeer that snooze while chewing to penguins that take thousands of naps each day, the animal kingdom has some truly weird sleep patterns.
- Plants
On hot summer days, this thistle stays cool to the touch
Its yellow flowers can cool themselves substantially, staying up to 10 degrees C (18 degrees F) cooler in extreme heat.
- Earth
Experiment: Can plants stop soil erosion?
Soil erosion washes pollutants into streams and rivers — but plants may help limit that.
- Psychology
You’re too distracted. Here’s why that matters and what to do about it
Science reveals the many reasons we are so distracted, from poor sleep and social media to diet and exercise. It also shows us how to take back our focus.
