Crossword: Lab Animals
Solve the crossword from our September 2026 issue, in which we celebrate some creature features.
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
Shock wave therapy for erectile dysfunction is on the rise
A sound wave–based therapy commonly used to dislodge kidney stones is gaining traction as a treatment for erectile dysfunction.
Why Epstein-Barr is the ‘everything virus’
The Epstein-Barr virus has taken a huge toll on global health. Understanding how it works could offer ways to combat multiple sclerosis, cancer and...
Spikes, claws and stingers have no single best shape
A study of 143 piercing tools, from tusks to love darts, finds they trade off piercing ability for durability. And no one shape wins...
An unproven autism drug got a boost after a White House briefing
In fall of 2025, the Trump administration touted the drug leucovorin for autism therapy without new evidence. Dispensing of the drug to kids rose.
Static electricity is a mystery, and scientists are all charged up
Scientists are largely clueless about the origins of static electricity. A quirky group of researchers aims to change that.
A new documentary shows what growing up lion is really like
The thrilling National Geographic series, premiering August 19, follows Kio from lion cub to king.
A record-breaking star could reveal how the Milky Way’s giant black hole spins
The star passes very close to the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole and could reveal the black hole’s spin by tracking how it warps...
No refrigerator, no problem. This experimental vaccine doesn’t need it.
In early trials, a new vaccine that didn’t require refrigeration still protected against tetanus and diphtheria.
Shrews’ noses grow in winter as their brains shrink
Long-clawed shrews’ snouts temporarily grow larger in the winter. This skull reshaping may be an extreme survival strategy in cold conditions.
A choir of katydid ancestors filled the Jurassic rainforest with song 
FAO and the Global South: Advancing Agrifood Transformation through South-South and Triangular Cooperation 
DURBAN CONFERENCE, 25 YEARS ON – Paul Divakar Namala: “Solidarity and Resistance Work in the Long Run” 
Innocent-looking AI reasoning can make bad behavior harder to catch