
Tools from China are Oldest Hint of Human Lineage Outside Africa
2.1-million-year-old stone tools suggest hominins reached East Asia much earlier than thought
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.

Tools from China are Oldest Hint of Human Lineage Outside Africa
2.1-million-year-old stone tools suggest hominins reached East Asia much earlier than thought

Controversial CRISPR “Gene Drives” Tested in Mammals for the First Time
Experiments in mice suggest the technology has a long way to go before being used for pest control in the wild

Use of “Smart Drugs” on the Rise
European nations see biggest increases in use of stimulants such as Ritalin by people seeking brain-boosting effects

There's No Limit to Longevity, Says Study Reviving Human Life Span Debate
The findings counter some previous work

Top U.S. Court Upholds Trump Travel Ban: Student Visas Already in Decline
In 5-4 ruling, Supreme Court allows government to bar visitors and immigrants from seven nations

New Human Gene Tally Reignites Debate
The controversy over how many genes are contained in the human genome continues to simmer

Controversial Alcohol Study Cancelled by U.S. Health Agency
An investigation by the U.S. National Institutes of Health finds missteps that put the industry-funded project’s credibility in doubt

Asteroid Battle: Tech Entrepreneur Doubles Down on Critique of NASA Mission
Nathan Myhrvold argues that the scientific approach of the landmark NEOWISE space-rock mission is deeply flawed

World Cup Ban on Radioactive Chemicals Frustrates Russian Biochemistry Labs
Security measures implemented in advance of the event have affected some scientists

Microsoft’s Purchase of GitHub Leaves Some Scientists Uneasy
They fear the online platform will become less open, but other researchers say the buyout could make GitHub more useful

The Battle behind the Periodic Table's Latest Additions
Four new elements were added in 2015, but some researchers say the announcement was premature

Hurricanes Slow Their Roll around the World
Storms' slowdown means more rain, and potentially more damage, for populated areas

EPA Science Advisors Question “Secret Science” Rule on Data Transparency
Independent board will review agency decisions to repeal or change climate regulations and rules on the use of non-public data

“Reprogrammed” Stem Cells Approved to Mend Human Hearts in Pilot Study
Three patients in Japan will receive the experimental therapy in the next year

Muons: The Little-Known Particles Helping to Probe the Impenetrable
The ubiquitous particles are helping to map the innards of pyramids and volcanoes, and spot missing nuclear waste

Hybrid Human–Chicken Embryos Illuminate Key Developmental Milestone
A new technique could replace the need for human embryos in some lab experiments

The Truth about Hans Asperger's Nazi Collusion
Neuroscientist Simon Baron-Cohen absorbs the grave revelations in a study on a pediatrician enmeshed in autism's history

AI Re-Creates Activity Patterns That Brain Cells Use in Navigation
Deep-learning algorithm spontaneously mimicked the activity of specialized neurons that tell us where we are in space

Universe’s Coolest Lab Set to Open Quantum World
NASA’s Cold Atom Laboratory will allow physicists to play with quantum phenomena like never before

Colombia after the Violence
Peace efforts in Colombia have ended 50 years of intense conflict. Now, scientists are studying former fighters and victims as they attempt to heal

Particle Physicists Turn to AI to Cope with CERN’s Collision Deluge
Can a competition with cash rewards improve techniques for tracking the Large Hadron Collider’s messy particle trajectories?

Astronomers Spot Helium on Exoplanet for First Time
After more than a decade of searching, scientists finally detect the element billowing out of a gas giant

Scientists Downsize Bold Plan to Make Human Genome from Scratch
Genetic construction project shifts focus to making virus-resistant human cells

Universe’s First Moments Mimicked with Ultracool Atoms
Physicists see the hallmarks of cosmic expansion in a ring of cold atoms