How matter’s hidden complexity unleashed the power of nuclear physics
Matter is a lush tapestry, woven from a complex assortment of threads. Diverse subatomic particles weave together to fabricate the universe we inhabit. But...
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine is tied to uncommon blood clots in rare cases
In another hiccup for AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine, data suggest it is in fact linked to blood clots that have formed in the brains of...
Muon magnetism could hint at a breakdown of physics’ standard model
A mysterious magnetic property of subatomic particles called muons hints that new fundamental particles may be lurking undiscovered. In a painstakingly precise experiment, muons’...
Europe’s oldest known humans mated with Neandertals surprisingly often
When some of the earliest human migrants to Europe encountered Neandertals already living there around 45,000 years ago, hookups flourished. Analyses of DNA found...
People add by default even when subtraction makes more sense
Picture a bridge made of Legos. One side has three support pieces, the other two. How would you stabilize the bridge? Most people would...
Tiny crystals give a plain fish twinkling, colorful dots under light
As light shines steadily on a silver slip of a fish, minuscule dots on the fish start flashing: blue, yellow, blue, yellow. The bodies...
Yawning helps lions synchronize their groups’ movements
Watch a group of lions yawn, and it may seem like nothing more than big, lazy cats acting sleepy, but new research suggests that...
‘Pipe Dreams’ flushes out hope in an unexpected place: the toilet
Pipe DreamsChelsea WaldAvid Reader Press, $27 Everyone poops. But not everyone has a safe, sanitary place to do it. What’s more, existing wastewater treatments...
A spike in Arctic lightning strikes may be linked to climate change
Climate change may be sparking more lightning in the Arctic. Data from a worldwide network of lightning sensors suggest that the frequency of lightning...
New depictions of ancient hominids aim to overcome artistic biases
Depictions of extinct human ancestors and cousins are often more art than science. Take, for example, two reconstructions of the Taung child, a 2.8-million-year-old...
A new treatment could restore some mobility in people paralyzed by strokes 
What has Perseverance found in two years on Mars? 
This robot automatically tucks its limbs to squeeze through spaces 
Greta Thunberg’s new book urges the world to take climate action now