The first necks may owe more to the beginnings of walking than to looking around, according to models showing how little our early ancestors could move their heads. In fish, the shoulders attach directly to the skull, so looking left or right means turning the whole body. Some of the animals making the transition from […]
Tiny Magnets Implanted in Muscles Are Giving Prosthetic Hands a Remarkable New Ability
Tiny magnets implanted in muscles are helping a prosthetic hand feel like it is opening and closing naturally. You can close your eyes, make a fist, or reach for an object without ever needing to look at your hand. That seemingly effortless ability depends on a hidden sense called kinesthesia, which tells the brain how […]
“Strangest of Its Kind”: Scientists Uncover a Bizarre Bacterial Self-Destruct Switch
An unusual bacterial defense uses DNA to switch on toxin production, suggesting a new way to build molecular tools that control genes. nb An infected bacterium can protect its neighbors by destroying itself before the virus inside it has a chance to multiply. Bacterial immune systems called retrons trigger this sacrifice when they detect particular […]
Scientists Discover a Strange Insect in the Himalayas Where No One Expected It
A newly identified Himalayan wormlion challenges the idea that its genus lives only in the tropics, raising the possibility of undiscovered relatives on nearby mountain slopes. In rain-sheltered patches of sand and soil on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, wormlion larvae build funnel-shaped pits to catch prey. Larvae belonging to this group were first […]
Scientists Reverse 60 Years of Aging in Human Cells, Turning 80-Year-Old Cells Into 20-Year-Olds
Cells from an 80-year-old were reprogrammed to a molecular age below 20, and the slow-motion reset could help reveal how cellular rejuvenation works. What if scientists could turn back the biological clock of an 80-year-old human cell, making it behave like one from someone younger than 20? Researchers in Germany have accomplished just that, reversing […]
Scientists Uncover a Hidden Secret That Could Transform Chemical Manufacturing
A hidden variable in chemical reactions could hold the key to cleaner and more efficient manufacturing. Scientists have identified a hidden factor that can determine whether a chemical reaction succeeds or fails. By controlling tiny changes in acidity near electrodes, researchers dramatically improved the production of valuable chemical ingredients, raising the proportion of the desired […]
NASA’s Artemis I Reveals a Surprising Radiation Mystery Near the Moon
Radiation near the Moon can pass straight through the body, yet preliminary Artemis I measurements suggest a smaller-than-expected increase in exposure compared with low Earth orbit. Beyond Earth’s protective magnetic field, astronauts face a constant bombardment of high-energy particles from deep space. But how much radiation would they actually absorb during a journey around the […]
A Solar Storm Heading Toward Earth Suddenly Changed in Ways Scientists Didn’t Predict
Scientists have uncovered surprising behavior inside a powerful solar eruption that challenges existing models and could change how researchers predict space weather. A massive eruption on the Sun sent a cloud of magnetized plasma racing toward Earth, where it underwent an extraordinary transformation. Over a distance of just 13 million miles, the cloud expanded by […]
Why Do Some People Get Fevers After Vaccines? Scientists May Have Found the Answer
The microbes in your gut may help explain why you develop a fever after a vaccine while someone else feels fine. Two people can receive the same vaccine and have very different experiences. One develops a fever and feels miserable for a day, while the other barely notices anything. Scientists have long sought to understand […]
Scientists Discover a Protective Gene That Could Help Keep the Brain Young
Boosting a protective gene helped aging mice preserve memory, suggesting that strengthening the brain’s own defenses could offer a way to delay cognitive decline in people. Some older adults remain cognitively resilient even when their brains show signs of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers investigating the biological mechanisms behind this resilience have identified a gene called Pla2g2f […]