Science
Superblack material reflects less than 0.4% of visible light
Superblack material reflects less than 0.4% of visible light Researchers at the University of Notre Dame have developed a new superblack material that reflects less than 0.4% of visible light across the full spectrum. The material, made from microscopic, sheer-walled “caves” just 10 microns wide, is robust, low-cost, and easy to customize, unlike many other […]
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Study sheds new light on the moon’s biggest impact crater
Study sheds new light on the moon’s biggest impact crater A new study published in Nature sheds light on the moon’s biggest impact crater, the South Pole-Aitken basin (SPA), which was formed around 4.3 billion years ago. The research reveals that SPA was likely formed by an asteroid impact coming from the north, contrary to […]
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Signatures meant more in Mesopotamia than they do now − what cylinder seals say about ancient and modern life
Signatures meant more in Mesopotamia than they do now − what cylinder seals say about ancient and modern life Cylinder seals were an early form of signature used by ancient Mesopotamians, particularly in Iraq, around 2350-2150 B.C.E., and are considered a crucial utilitarian object that served as a means of signing documents. The seals were […]
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SETI’s ‘Noah’s Ark’ – a space historian explores how the advent of radio astronomy led to the USSR’s search for extraterrestrial life
SETI’s ‘Noah’s Ark’ – a space historian explores how the advent of radio astronomy led to the USSR’s search for extraterrestrial life The advent of radio astronomy led to the USSR’s search for extraterrestrial life, which became known as the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) during the Cold War era. In the early 1960s, Soviet […]
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Seashells from centuries ago show that seagrass meadows on Florida’s Nature Coast are thriving
Seashells from centuries ago show that seagrass meadows on Florida’s Nature Coast are thriving Seagrass meadows on Florida’s Nature Coast are thriving, as evidenced by seashells from centuries ago that show a stable ecosystem despite human impacts. The shells of mollusks found in these meadows provide valuable information about the habitat and its history, allowing […]
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James Watson exemplified the best and worst of science – from monumental discoveries to sexism and cutthroat competition
James Watson exemplified the best and worst of science – from monumental discoveries to sexism and cutthroat competition James Watson was a pioneering molecular biologist who co-discovered the structure of DNA with Francis Crick, winning the 1962 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for their groundbreaking work. Watson’s discovery revolutionized our understanding of genetics and […]
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Forests on land kicked off life in the deep sea
Forests on land kicked off life in the deep sea Forests that evolved on land around 400 million years ago played a crucial role in sparking life in the deep sea, according to new research. The study found that the deep ocean didn’t become permanently oxygenated until about 390 million years ago, much later than […]
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Brewery waste can be repurposed to make nanoparticles that can fight bacteria
Brewery waste can be repurposed to make nanoparticles that can fight bacteria Brewery waste can be repurposed to make nanoparticles that fight bacteria, offering a potential solution to antibiotic resistance. The brewing process generates large amounts of waste, including spent grains, hops, and yeast, which are often discarded or used as animal feed, but could […]
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25 Years of the International Space Station: What archaeology tells us about living and working in space
25 Years of the International Space Station: What archaeology tells us about living and working in space The International Space Station (ISS) has been continuously occupied by at least two people for 25 years, making it a unique example of international cooperation and a remarkable achievement in space exploration. A team of archaeologists, led by […]
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Woven baskets aren’t just aesthetically pleasing – materials science research finds they’re sturdier and more resilient than stiff containers
Woven baskets aren’t just aesthetically pleasing – materials science research finds they’re sturdier and more resilient than stiff containers Researchers at the University of Michigan have discovered that woven baskets are sturdier and more resilient than stiff containers due to their ability to bend before breaking. The team designed a series of small woven units […]
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Why does matter exist? New clues may help explain
Why does matter exist? New clues may help explain New research suggests that neutrino oscillation behavior may have led to an increase in the matter-to-antimatter ratio, potentially explaining why matter persists in the universe. The Fermilab NOvA scientific collaboration and the T2K project in Japan found that neutrinos can oscillate between different flavor states, which […]
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Water bears survive cosmic radiation with one DNA-protecting protein – learning how could boost human resilience, too
Water bears survive cosmic radiation with one DNA-protecting protein – learning how could boost human resilience, too Tardigrades, also known as water bears or moss piglets, are microscopic creatures that can survive extreme conditions such as boiling heat, freezing cold, and crushing pressure, making them one of the toughest animals on Earth. A newly discovered […]
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Solar storms have influenced our history – an environmental historian explains how they could also threaten our future
Solar storms have influenced our history – an environmental historian explains how they could also threaten our future Solar storms have been influencing human history for centuries, from causing telegraph outages in the 19th century to threatening modern civilization’s existence. A series of powerful solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) can cause geomagnetic storms […]
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Hurricane Melissa turned sharply to devastate Jamaica − how forecasters knew where it was headed
Hurricane Melissa turned sharply to devastate Jamaica − how forecasters knew where it was headed Hurricane Melissa turned sharply to devastate Jamaica on Oct. 28, 2025, bringing Category 5 winds and causing widespread destruction. The hurricane’s sharp turn was predicted by forecasters due to a combination of atmospheric steering currents and the Bermuda high-pressure system, […]
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Book challenges ideas about why whales sing
Book challenges ideas about why whales sing University at Buffalo professor Eduardo Mercado III challenges the long-held scientific consensus that whales sing as a courtship display. Mercado’s new book “Why Whales Sing?” proposes an alternative explanation: whales use their songs to explore and scan their surroundings, effectively using sound as sonar. The sonar hypothesis directly […]
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AI reveals which predators chewed ancient humans’ bones – challenging ideas on which ‘Homo’ species was the first tool-using hunter
AI reveals which predators chewed ancient humans’ bones – challenging ideas on which ‘Homo’ species was the first tool-using hunter Researchers used AI to analyze tooth marks on ancient human fossils from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, which challenged the long-held idea that Homo habilis was the first tool-using hunter. The study found that the tooth marks […]
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Aging chimps show human-like cognitive decline
Aging chimps show human-like cognitive decline Aging chimpanzees may be showing signs of human-like cognitive decline, similar to Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study published in eLife. The researchers observed that older female chimpanzees who used to be skilled at cracking nuts with stones were confused and faltered in performing tasks, suggesting a decline […]
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Jupiter may have reshaped our solar system in dramatic ways
Jupiter may have reshaped our solar system in dramatic ways Jupiter’s rapid early growth may have reshaped our solar system in dramatic ways, carving out rings and gaps that explain why many primitive meteorites formed millions of years after the first solid bodies. The study suggests that Jupiter’s immense gravity created “cosmic traffic jams” in […]
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Giant ground sloths’ fossilized teeth reveal their unique roles in the prehistoric ecosystem
Giant ground sloths’ fossilized teeth reveal their unique roles in the prehistoric ecosystem Giant ground sloths, which lived in what’s now Southern California as far back as 35 million years ago, played vital roles in shaping ecosystems across the Americas before their extinction at the end of the Pleistocene. Researchers analyzed fossilized teeth from two […]
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Even before they can read, young children are visualizing letters and other objects with the same strategies adults use
Even before they can read, young children are visualizing letters and other objects with the same strategies adults use Young children as young as 3 years old are using the same problem-solving strategies as adults when solving mental rotation tasks, such as visualizing objects spinning or flipping in space. Research using eye-tracking technology found that […]
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Dinosaur ‘mummies’ help scientists visualize the fleshy details of these ancient animals
Dinosaur ‘mummies’ help scientists visualize the fleshy details of these ancient animals Dinosaur “mummies” have been found in Wyoming’s Lance Formation, providing scientists with a unique opportunity to visualize the fleshy details of these ancient animals. The mummies are not like human mummies, which preserve dehydrated skin. Instead, they appear to be made of a […]
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A flexible lens controlled by light-activated artificial muscles promises to let soft machines see
A flexible lens controlled by light-activated artificial muscles promises to let soft machines see A team at Georgia Tech has developed an adaptive lens made of soft, light-responsive materials that can give soft robots vision. The lens, called the photo-responsive hydrogel soft lens (PHySL), uses a hydrogel material that contracts in response to light to […]
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Space exploration in the backyard, on a budget – how NASA simulates conditions in space without blasting off
Space exploration in the backyard, on a budget – how NASA simulates conditions in space without blasting off NASA uses analog missions to simulate conditions in space without blasting off, allowing scientists to study human spaceflight and test techniques for future missions. Analog missions are conducted in extreme environments on Earth that replicate elements of […]
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How AI can improve storm surge forecasts to help save lives
How AI can improve storm surge forecasts to help save lives Achieving accurate storm surge forecasts is crucial for saving lives and reducing property damage from hurricanes. Storm surge can quickly inundate coastal areas, causing devastating effects. The current method of forecasting storm surge relies on hydrodynamic models, which use physics-based equations to compute projected […]
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‘Space tornadoes’ could cause geomagnetic storms – but these phenomena, spun off ejections from the Sun, aren’t easy to study
‘Space tornadoes’ could cause geomagnetic storms – but these phenomena, spun off ejections from the Sun, aren’t easy to study Researchers have discovered “space tornadoes” called flux ropes that can cause geomagnetic storms, which can damage satellites and disrupt power grids. The discovery was made by simulating space weather events using computer models, which revealed […]
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Why are elements like radium dangerous? A chemist explains radioactivity and its health effects
Why are elements like radium dangerous? A chemist explains radioactivity and its health effects Radium is a highly radioactive element that can be found in small amounts in the Earth’s crust and oceans. It emits invisible radiation that can damage cells and lead to health problems, including cancers. The radioactivity of an element is caused […]
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Why and how does personality emerge? Studying the evolution of individuality using thousands of fruit flies
Why and how does personality emerge? Studying the evolution of individuality using thousands of fruit flies Fruit flies, like all animals, have unique personalities that emerge from their individual experiences and genetic makeup. A study using thousands of fruit flies found that even simple behaviors, such as turning left or right in a maze, can […]
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What led to the rise and fall of Classic Maya cities?
What led to the rise and fall of Classic Maya cities? The rise and fall of Classic Maya cities was influenced by multiple factors, including climate downturns, intergroup conflict, and strong economies of scale. The study, led by University of California, Santa Barbara archaeologist Douglas Kennett, used population ecology theory to quantify the drivers of […]
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Our team of physicists inadvertently generated the shortest X-ray pulses ever observed
Our team of physicists inadvertently generated the shortest X-ray pulses ever observed Physicists at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have generated the shortest X-ray pulses ever observed, clocking in at 60-100 attoseconds. The new X-ray laser pulses were created using a technique called Rabi cycling, which splits energy levels into different frequencies, allowing for the generation […]
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New method uses collisions to break down plastic for recycling
New method uses collisions to break down plastic for recycling Researchers have developed a new method to break down PET plastic using mechanical forces instead of heat or harsh chemicals. The method, called mechanochemical recycling, uses collisions to convert PET back into its basic building blocks, opening a path toward faster and cleaner recycling. The […]
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