Only a tiny fraction of our DNA is uniquely human
The genetic tweaks that make humans uniquely human may come in small parcels interspersed with DNA inherited from extinct ancestors and cousins. Only 1.5...
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
Lakes of liquid water at Mars’ southern ice cap may just be mirages
Maybe hold off on that Martian ice fishing trip. Two new studies splash cold water on the idea that potentially habitable lakes of liquid...
Human cells make a soaplike substance that busts up bacteria
When faced with bacterial invaders, some human cells dispense a surprising substance: soap. These cells, which aren’t part of the immune system, unleash a...
What 20th century science fiction got right and wrong about the future of babies
Science fiction writers have imagined just about every aspect of life in some far-off future — including how humans will reproduce. And usually, their...
Insects had flashy, noise-making wings as early as 310 million years ago
Modern insects are versatile wing conversationalists. Crickets can scrape a leg against a wing or rub two wings together. Some grasshoppers beat their wings...
Millions of kids have missed routine vaccines thanks to COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced millions of children around the world to miss out on important childhood vaccinations, increasing the risk of dangerous outbreaks...
Would dogs return the favor if you gave them treats? It’s complicated
Dogs may not be inclined to return favors to people, at least when it involves food. The result, published July 14 in PLOS ONE,...
Climate change may rob male dragonfly wings of their dark spots
Many dragonflies zip through the air with their translucent wings painted in an array of dark spots and bands. But — for males at...
Mixing trees and crops can help both farmers and the climate
Maxwell Ochoo’s first attempt at farming was a dismal failure. In Ochieng Odiere, a village near the shores of Kenya’s Lake Victoria, “getting a...
Froghoppers are the super-suckers of the animal world
To tap an unlikely source of nutrition, insects small enough to sit on a pencil eraser have to suck harder than any known creature....
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