Bumblebees Bite Plants to Force Them to Flower (Seriously)
The behavior could be an evolutionary adaptation that lets bees forage more easily
Stories by Jim Daley
‘Breakthrough’ COVID-19 Tests Are Currently Cheap, Fast—and Not Very Accurate
Antigen-based assays could be used in the home, but critics say their error rates are still an issue
CRISPR Gene Editing May Help Scale Up Coronavirus Testing
An inexpensive assay based on the technique can provide yes or no answers in under an hour—perhaps even in the home soon
Winged “PigeonBot” Flies with Real Feathers
A flying robot reveals how birds stay aloft and could inspire next-generation drones
Ocean Species Are Shifting toward the Poles
Changes in species abundance can throw food chains out of whack and put livelihoods at risk
Here’s How Coronavirus Tests Work—and Who Offers Them
PCR-based tests are being rolled out in hospitals nationwide, and the Food and Drug Administration is fast-tracking novel approaches as well
How to Triage Patients Who Need Intensive Care
A new computer model analyzes when to admit people to intensive care units—and when to move them out—which could help doctors handle the coronavirus surge
Three Fourths of Dogs Are Angst-Ridden—and Owners May Be Partly to Blame
Overly cautious humans and genetics may contribute to behavior problems in a survey of 13,700 Finnish animals
Deadly Air Pollution Doesn’t Respect State Borders
U.S. federal authorities have recently been reluctant to step in to mediate cross-border air quality issues among states
Old Drug, New Tricks: Existing Medicines Show Promise in Fighting Cancer
Dozens of compounds approved for other purposes can kill cancer cells selectively
Gene Therapy Arrives
After false starts, drugs that manipulate the code of life are finally changing lives
Strange Superconductor Sends Electrons Both Ways
A new material’s strange properties could be useful in future quantum computers
Ancient “Chewing Gum” Reveals a 5,700-Year-Old Microbiome
Archaeologists reconstructed a Neolithic woman’s complete genome and oral microbiome from a piece of birch tar she chewed
Now Hear This: New Fossils Reveal Early Ear-Bone Evolution
A change in chewing led to the emergence of the mammalian middle ear
What Makes a Song? It’s the Same Recipe in Every Culture
Humans everywhere bring together pitch, tempo and the like in a similar fashion
Trump’s Nativist Rhetoric Scares Immigrants Away from Seeking Medical Care
A quarter of surveyed Latino patients said they knew someone who did not go to the hospital because of fear of deportation
How Do We Prevent Pets from Becoming Exotic Invaders?
Outlawing possession does not appear to stem the release of alligators, snakes and other problematic species
Scientists Tripped People for Science
An elaborate setup allowed researchers to study how people stumble and recover
Silent Skies: Billions of North American Birds Have Vanished
Though waterfowl and raptor populations have made recoveries, bird populations have declined since 1970 across nearly all habitats
Deforestation Intensifies Warming in the Amazon Rain Forest
Slash-and-burn farming may actually harm local crops as a result of increased temperatures
