🔬 Science News

Robert W. Fuller, a former president of Oberlin College, passed away at the age of 88. He was known for his advocacy of "rankism," a concept he defined as the abuse of rank or status. Fuller believed that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity, regardless of their position ...load more

A new brand called Rewind has launched a limited edition "9V battery-flavored" tortilla chip in Europe, starting with the Netherlands. The company aims to blend "nostalgia with exciting flavors," and the battery-inspired taste is meant to tap into a "weird universal memory" of li...load more

The article discusses a controversial plan to create artificial clouds to cool the waters around the Great Barrier Reef, a beloved but endangered ecosystem. Researchers are exploring the use of a technique called marine cloud brightening, which involves spraying fine saltwater mi...load more

The kakapo, a critically endangered flightless bird found in New Zealand, faces a unique challenge in its fight for survival. As the bird's population has slowly recovered, a concerning trend has emerged: the diversity of its parasites has significantly declined. Parasites play ...load more

In 2010, a team of researchers published a controversial paper in the journal Science, claiming that a bacterium found in California's Mono Lake could substitute arsenic for phosphorus in its DNA. This finding, known as the "arsenic life" paper, generated significant attention an...load more

UnitedHealth, a major healthcare conglomerate, has announced that it will cooperate with a federal probe into its Medicare billing practices. The company stated that it had "proactively reached out" to the Justice Department after reports of the investigation surfaced. The probe ...load more

The article discusses the critical role of forests in mitigating climate change. Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing and storing significant amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, as the global temperature rises, some forests are now becoming net emitters of greenhous...load more

The article discusses the latest observations of the exoplanet K2-18b, which had previously hinted at the possibility of life. However, new data has cast doubt on these initial findings. The study, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, used observations from the Hubble...load more

When a therapist falls ill or passes away unexpectedly, it can be a deeply unsettling experience for their clients. Therapists generally maintain a professional distance, making it challenging for clients to know how to handle such situations. The loss of a trusted confidant can ...load more

The article reports that thousands of river pollution tests have been cancelled due to staff shortages across the UK. The testing programmes affected include those monitoring the impact of the ongoing drought. Environmental agencies responsible for water quality monitoring have b...load more

The Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) has proposed allowing the use of the weedkiller dicamba on certain crops, despite a federal court's ban on some of its uses last year. Dicamba is known to drift into neighboring fields, potentially damaging crops that are not resistant...load more

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued a landmark ruling on the global climate crisis. The court declared that countries have a legal obligation to take action to address the "urgent and existential threat" posed by climate change. The case, brought by a group of sm...load more

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court, has issued a sweeping advisory opinion on climate change, acknowledging its global impact and the obligation of states to protect the environment. Although the ICJ lacks direct enforcement power, its legal r...load more

The article highlights the findings of a new global atlas of underground fungi, which reveals unexpected biodiversity hot spots. The atlas, created by an international team of researchers, provides a comprehensive overview of the distribution and diversity of fungi across the pla...load more

The U.S. government has quietly drafted a plan to transform the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a successful program that has saved millions of lives worldwide from AIDS, into a broader initiative focused on disease outbreak detection and American product sal...load more

A recent study of fossils found in the Grand Canyon has provided valuable insights into the timeline of complex life on Earth. The rock samples collected along the Colorado River contained fossils of a diverse array of marine organisms, indicating the presence of a thriving ecosy...load more

A new AI system developed by researchers can help fill the gaps in our understanding of ancient Roman texts. The system is designed to recover missing words from ancient inscriptions found on monuments, buildings, and everyday objects. Inscriptions from the Roman era often have ...load more

Researchers have discovered the presence of something akin to feathers on a 247-million-year-old reptile, a finding that could significantly impact our understanding of the origin of feathers. The reptile, known as Tribolonocerus, was not closely related to birds, suggesting that...load more

Zelig Eshhar, a pioneering Israeli scientist, passed away at the age of 84. Eshhar was renowned for his groundbreaking work in the field of immunotherapy, where he engineered immune cells to combat cancer. Eshhar's most significant contribution was the development of a hybrid T-...load more

A non-profit organization is working to bring solar power to Native American communities in New Mexico, where an estimated 15,000 households lack access to electricity. The organization, which is led by Indigenous people, is targeting the Navajo Nation and the Hopi tribe, providi...load more

North Carolina's peat bogs are potential powerhouses for carbon storage, but they require attention to reach their full potential. These bogs, which are wetland ecosystems, have been degraded over time due to various human activities, such as drainage and disturbance. However, re...load more

The city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has passed a Dark Sky ordinance to reduce light pollution and conserve energy. As part of this initiative, the city is installing adjustable streetlights that can be dimmed. The new streetlights will allow the city to control the brightness...load more

In a bold move, a group of National Science Foundation (N.S.F.) employees have signed a letter of dissent, expressing their concerns about the politicization of the agency and the hindrance of scientific progress. The letter, written anonymously due to fears of retaliation, alleg...load more

Sarah Morlok Cotton, one of the famous Morlok quadruplets, has passed away at the age of 95. The Morlok sisters gained fame during the Great Depression era for their stage performances, but their lives were marked by both success and suffering. The quadruplets, including Sarah, ...load more

Ken Pagurek, the chief of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Urban Search and Rescue program, has resigned from his position, citing the "chaos" within the agency caused by the Trump administration. According to Pagurek's colleagues, the administration's actions ha...load more

AstraZeneca, a leading U.K. pharmaceutical company, has announced plans to invest $50 billion in the United States. This move comes amidst the ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and its trading partners, with President Trump threatening tariffs on imported drugs. The invest...load more

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the United States is missing out on the "greatest economic opportunity of the century" by failing to embrace the transition to renewable energy. In a speech, Guterres criticized the "clear market distortion" in fav...load more

Archaeologists in London are working to reconstruct ancient Roman wall frescoes from a vast collection of fragmented plaster pieces. The fragments, dating back approximately 1,800 years, were discovered during excavations in the city. Without a clear reference image, the research...load more

The article discusses the real-world results of the first FDA-approved pill for postpartum depression, Zuranolone. While some women experienced a quick improvement in their symptoms, others continued to struggle with depression. Doctors are now working to understand which patient...load more

The article discusses the cultural differences in the practice of bed-sharing between parents and children, particularly between Western and Asian countries. In the United States, bed-sharing is often seen as controversial and uncommon, while in many Asian countries, it is a wide...load more

The news article discusses the potential future explosion of the star Betelgeuse and its impact on another nearby star. Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in the Orion constellation, is known for its erratic behavior and is expected to explode as a supernova at some point in the f...load more

The F.D.A. held a panel discussion to debate the potential risks of antidepressant use during pregnancy. The debate involved two opposing views: Critics of psychiatry argued that antidepressants can harm the developing fetus, advocating for a "black box" warning – the strictest ...load more

The article discusses the growing threat of climate change on the world's forests. It highlights that forest fires are becoming more frequent and intense due to the increase in severe fire weather conditions. Factors such as rising temperatures, droughts, and changes in precipita...load more

The Metals Company, a seabed-mining firm, is facing legal questions over a policy change made during the Trump administration. The Trump administration had pledged to open international waters to mining, which prompted The Metals Company to seek U.S. permits for its operations. ...load more

Here is a 190-word summary of the news article: The article discusses the history of tuberculosis (TB) in the United States, when the disease was much more common. In the past, people with TB were often sent to sanitariums, specialized hospitals that isolated patients to prevent...load more

A group of NASA employees have publicly expressed their concerns over the potential impact of budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration. In an open letter, dubbed the "Voyager Declaration," hundreds of NASA workers warned the agency's leadership about the consequences of s...load more

Researchers are exploring the potential of using genetic risk scores to predict obesity and guide prevention efforts, particularly in childhood. The study suggests that assessing an individual's genetic makeup could provide valuable insights into their predisposition to excess we...load more

The article discusses the growing presence of Chinese automakers in the Brazilian market as traditional Western manufacturers, such as Ford and Mercedes, are scaling back their operations. Key points: 1. Chinese car giants, including Great Wall Motor and BYD, are rapidly expandi...load more

The article discusses the issue of sewage spills near communities. It highlights that companies are permitted to release raw sewage into the environment during heavy rainfall or other adverse weather conditions. This practice poses significant risks to human health and wildlife. ...load more

The article highlights a concerning issue regarding organ transplants in the United States. It suggests that there is a push for more organ transplants, which is putting donors at risk. The article reports that some people have experienced rushed or premature attempts to remove t...load more

The news article discusses the process of organ donation, which can save lives but is often misunderstood by the public. Key points: - Organ donation is widely supported, but many people are unsure about the details of the process. - When someone signs up to be an organ donor, t...load more

The rapid transition to green technology, particularly the surge in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, has led to an increasing demand for lithium, a crucial component in battery production. This increased demand is contributing to another environmental crisis, as the mining and ext...load more

The article discusses the challenges in designing an effective flash flood alert system in the United States. It highlights the recent devastation caused by flash floods in various regions, including the Northeast, Midwest, and central Texas, where over 130 lives were lost earlie...load more

The article discusses how an ancient legal principle, known as the public trust doctrine, could shape the future of America's beaches as they face the impacts of sea-level rise. The public trust doctrine, established in Roman times, holds that certain natural resources, such as t...load more

Sarepta Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, has refused the FDA's request to stop shipping its muscular dystrophy drug, Elevidys. The FDA had asked Sarepta to halt all shipments of the therapy after three patients died from liver failure after taking Elevidys or a similar ...load more

According to the article, wasps are making a strong comeback this summer after a relatively cooler year in 2024. The increased wasp population is attributed to the favorable weather conditions, which have provided them with ample food sources and breeding opportunities. The arti...load more

The article highlights a concerning trend in the health insurance industry - the increasing denial of drug claims by major private insurers. According to the data presented, there has been a steady rise in the number of rejected claims, providing a rare glimpse into the opaque na...load more

Robert Alvarez, a nuclear-waste safety advocate, passed away at the age of 76. Alvarez, a self-taught expert, dedicated decades of his life to exposing issues in the production of atomic weapons, working both in the non-profit sector and the government. Throughout his career, Al...load more

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has warned that the Trump administration's proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could hinder the development of new drugs. The CBO report suggests that the administration's budget...load more

The article discusses a Chinese fossil that provides insights into the evolution of birdsong in dinosaurs. The fossil, believed to be a close relative of modern birds, suggests that this dinosaur species may have been capable of producing complex vocalizations similar to birdsong...load more