Space & Physics
A Quantum Pioneer Unlocks Matter’s Hidden Secrets
Physicist Gil Lonzarich has sparked a revolution in the study of phase transitions driven by quantum fluctuations
Stories by Nature magazine
Conservation
Roads Are Slicing Up Giant Pandas’ Habitat
Panda populations are rising, but the species has less living space today than three decades ago
Weather
Hurricanes Harvey and Irma Send Scientists Searching for Data
Even before getting their own lives settled, teams collect information on storm behavior and their effects on the ecosystem
Environment
Massive Iceberg's Split Exposes Hidden Ecosystem
Biologists rush to study creatures living beneath Larsen C ice shelf before they disappear
Space & Physics
High-Energy Cosmic Rays Come from Outside Our Galaxy
Giant observatory announces long-awaited result
Sleep
Jellyfish Caught Snoozing Give Clues to Origin of Sleep
The brainless marine creatures are the simplest organisms known to seek slumber
Biology
Sexual Competition among Ducks Wreaks Havoc on Penis Size
When forced to compete for mates, some birds develop longer penises and others almost nothing at all
Neuroscience
Researchers Unite in Quest for “Standard Model” of the Brain
Modeled on big physics projects, International Brain Lab will bring together preeminent neuroscientists to probe a single behavior
Space & Physics
Seismologists Stumped by Mystery Shock after North Korea Nuclear Test
A second jolt felt minutes after this month's detonation continues to confound researchers
Engineering
The New Economy of Excrement
Entrepreneurs are finding profits turning human waste into fertilizer, fuel and even food
Biology
Massive Genetic Study Shows How Humans are Evolving
Analysis of 215,000 people's DNA suggests variants that shorten life are being selected against
Biology
Bacterial “Aphrodisiac” Sends Single-Celled Organism into Mating Frenzy
Researchers surprised to observe bacterial protein triggering a switch from asexual to sexual behavior
Policy
Budget Battle Looms for U.S. Science Programs
Competing spending priorities in the House and Senate could push funding negotiations into December
Space & Physics
Trump Finally Nominates a New Leader for NASA
James Bridenstine, a member of Congress, has long pushed for the U.S. to return to the moon
Biotech
Doubts Raised about Gene-Editing Study in Human Embryos
Alternative explanations challenge whether CRISPR–Cas9 technique actually fixed a genetic mutation as claimed
Policy
Nature Videos Help to Calm Inmates in Solitary Confinement
Controversial experiment ignites debate over whether scientific work could be used to justify harsh prison tactics
Evolution
Skeleton Plundered from Mexican Cave Was One of the Americas' Oldest
Rock-encased bone shard left behind by thieves allowed researchers to determine that the remains are probably more than 13,000 years old
Climate Change
U.S. Energy Agency Asked Scientists to Scrub References to Climate Change
Researchers were told to censor descriptions of projects funded by a Department of Energy laboratory
Space & Physics
Rumors Swell over New Kind of Gravitational Wave Sighting
Gossip over colliding neutron stars has astronomers in a tizzy
Policy
U.S. Science Envoy Resigns to Protest Trump Policies
Energy researcher Daniel Kammen faults president's positions on climate change, energy and his failure to condemn white supremacists
