
A String of Italian Earthquakes Hints at Forecasts for One Type of Quake
The geology governing “sequence” quakes suggests scientists could, in theory, forecast the follow-up quakes
First published in 1869, Nature is the world's leading multidisciplinary science journal. Nature publishes the finest peer-reviewed research that drives ground-breaking discovery, and is read by thought-leaders and decision-makers around the world.

A String of Italian Earthquakes Hints at Forecasts for One Type of Quake
The geology governing “sequence” quakes suggests scientists could, in theory, forecast the follow-up quakes

Sex Redefined: The Idea of 2 Sexes Is Overly Simplistic
Biologists now think there is a larger spectrum than just binary female and male

All Systems Go for Second-Ever Mission to Enter Mercury's Orbit
European and Japanese double probe, BepiColombo, will take seven years to reach the solar system’s innermost planet

Revolutionary Microscopy Technique Nets Most Lucrative Prize in Science
The Breakthrough awards, each worth U.S. $3 million, honor advances in the life sciences, physics and mathematics

Giant Leap for Gene-Based Testing Estimates Risk of Heart Disease, Breast Cancer and Others
This new approach to predictive medicine takes genomics research by storm, but still generates controversy

Hubble Telescope Stops Collecting Data after Mechanical Fault
A malfunctioning gyroscope has temporarily hobbled the aging space observatory

Limiting Warming to 1.5° Celsius Will Require Drastic Action, IPCC Says
Humanity has a limited window to avoid the more dire effects of climate change, according to a new climate report

Economists Who Changed Thinking on Climate Change Win Nobel Prize
The ideas of William Nordhaus and Paul Romer have shaped today's policies on greenhouse gas emissions

Science and the Supreme Court: Cases to Watch in 2018
The death penalty, uranium mining and the endangered dusky gopher frog are among the topics that justices will consider this year

Japan Set to Allow Gene Editing in Human Embryos
Draft guidelines permit gene-editing tools for research into early human development, but would discourage manipulation of embryos for reproduction

CERN Suspends Italian Physicist Over Remarks Seen as Sexist
The University of Pisa and the European Research Council also said that they are opening investigations into Alessandro Strumia’s conduct

What the Nobels Are—and Aren’t—Doing to Encourage Diversity
The prize-awarding academies are making changes to their secretive nomination processes to tackle bias, but some say the measures don’t go far enough

Japanese Mission Becomes First to Land Rovers on Asteroid
Twin probes from Hayabusa2 mission have sent back their first pictures from Ryugu’s surface

Discovery of Galileo’s Long-Lost Letter Shows He Edited His Heretical Ideas to Fool the Inquisition
Document shows he lied about his alterations

Reimagining of Schrödinger's Cat Breaks Quantum Mechanics—and Stumps Physicists
In a multi-“cat” experiment the textbook interpretation of quantum theory seems to lead to contradictory pictures of reality, physicists claim

South Africa Pushes Science to Improve Daily Life
Sweeping policy changes aim to refocus research efforts on poverty, unemployment, drought and other national problems

The Quest to Conquer Earth’s Space Junk Problem
Zombie satellites, rocket shards and collision debris are creating major traffic risks in orbits around the planet. Researchers are working to reduce the threats posed by more than 20,000 objects in space

CERN's Pioneering Mini-Accelerator Passes First Test
Physicists achieve powerful acceleration by "surfing" electrons on proton waves over short distances

U.S. Is Woefully Unprepared for Nuclear Strike
Its health system lacks the capacity to respond to attacks that use high-powered modern weapons

Asteroid Ryugu Poses Landing Risks for Japanese Mission
Mission planners have chosen the first landing sites on boulder-strewn body for Hayabusa 2 and its rovers to touch down

The Battle for the Soul of Biodiversity
An ideological clash may undermine a crucial assessment of the world’s disappearing plant and animal life

World’s First Wind-Mapping Satellite Set to Launch
Data from the long-awaited Aeolus mission will address a major gap in the global forecasting system

Climate Change Has Doubled the Frequency of Ocean Heat Waves
Extreme heat events wreak havoc on marine ecosystems and will only get worse in coming decades

Autism and DDT: What 1 Million Pregnancies Can—and Can't—Reveal
Analysis finds prenatal exposure to the pesticide is associated with a higher risk of severe autism with intellectual impairment