Pollution
Tiny Robots Could Clean Up Microplastic Pollution
In a proof-of-concept study, microscopic self-propelled devices found and broke down microplastic particles
Stories by Scott Hershberger
Biology
Science News Briefs from All Over
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from around the world, including one, from the dormant volcano Llullaillaco in Chile, about a mouse that is the highest-dwelling mammal ever documented...
Policy
In Case You Missed It
Top news from around the world
Space & Physics
Science News Briefs from around the Globe
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from all over, including one from the United Arab Emirates about the the first interplanetary mission by an Arab country.
Conservation
Rapid Heat-Stress Test Identifies Resilient Corals
A new method to measure corals’ heat tolerance on-site could speed up conservation efforts
Computing
Social Media Restrictions Cannot Keep Up with Hidden Codes and Symbols
Much like spoken language, Internet memes take on shifting political meanings according to context
Policy
In Case You Missed It
Top news from around the world
Evolution
Humans Are All More Closely Related Than We Commonly Think
Humanity’s most recent common ancestor and so-called genetic isopoint illustrate the surprising connections among our family trees
EARTH
Science News from around the World
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from all over, including one from Israel about what DNA reveals about the Dead Sea Scrolls’ parchment.
Policy
In Case You Missed It
Top news from around the world
The Sciences
Algorithm Aids Search for Those Lost at Sea
A new process pinpoints ocean “attractors” to find missing travelers
EARTH
Death by Lightning Is Common for Tropical Trees
A study estimates that 200 million trees in the tropics are mowed down by lightning annually.
Biotech
New Pen-and-Ink Method Draws Health Sensors Directly on Skin
Using electronic ink and stencils, researchers created a cheap heart monitor and other health-detecting devices
Pollution
Light Pollution from Coastal Cities Reaches Seafloor
The artificial night sky brightness could harm creatures that dwell in the ocean depths
Public Health
The 1918 Flu Faded in Our Collective Memory: We Might ‘Forget’ the Coronavirus, Too
The legacy of the 20th century’s deadliest pandemic shows how large groups remember—and forget—their shared past
Space & Physics
Claims of ‘Ocean’ inside Ceres May Not Hold Water
Final results from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft suggest a brine reservoir exists within the dwarf planet, but some experts remain unconvinced
Policy
COVID-19 Vaccine Ethics: Who Gets It First and Other Issues
Contributing editor W. Wayt Gibbs spoke with Arthur Caplan, head of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s division of medical ethics, about some of the ethical issues that researchers have to consider in testing and distributing vaccines against COVID-19...
Evolution
How Do Scientists Determine the Ages of Human Ancestors, Fossilized Dinosaurs and Other Organisms?
Experts explain how radiometric dating allows them to reconstruct ancient time lines
Public Health
How to Evaluate COVID-19 News without Freaking Out
Disinformation expert Carl Bergstrom gives tips on how to stay calm and make sense of pandemic news
Evolution
One Mystery of Stonehenge’s Origins Has Finally Been Solved
Detailed testing of the chemical signature of the Neolithic monument’s most prominent large stones pinpointed where they came from
