Presidential Debates Have Shockingly Little Effect on Election Outcomes
The upcoming debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump may be one of the least consequential in decades, experts say
Stories by Rachel Nuwer
Old Seaweed Reveals Secret of Monterey Sardine History
Decades-old specimens solve a long-standing mystery
Online Reptile Trade Is a Free-for-All That Threatens Thousands of Species
More than one third of all reptile species, including highly endangered ones, are sold internationally, primarily as pets
Fish Eggs Survive Journey through a Duck
New research suggests one way fish might spread to distant waters
Why Trump-Favoring Voters Ignored a Deadly Hurricane Warning
Rush Limbaugh and other conservative pundits’ “hurricane skepticism” in 2017 may have influenced individuals’ decision to pack up the car or shelter in place
Experimental Blood Test Detects Cancer up to Four Years before Symptoms Appear
The assay looks for stomach, esophageal, colorectal, lung and liver malignancies
Americans Increase LSD Use—and a Bleak Outlook for the World May Be to Blame
Millennials and older adults lead the surge while Gen Z stays on the sidelines
A Gene May Help Discern Language Tone Differences: Is It Shí or Shì?
Subtle variations in our DNA may have led to the modulation of pitch to convey word meaning
Earliest ‘Chickens’ Were Actually Pheasants
A new analysis ruffles the story of poultry domestication
Livestock, Pets and People Will Dominate Future Fossils
The bones of humans and their domesticated animals will overwhelm biodiversity in the fossil record
The Camera Will See You Now: New Tech Takes Wildlife Vitals from Afar
Measuring zoo animals’ heart and breathing rates from a distance keeps them—and humans—safe
Scientists Solve a Deadly TB Mystery
Tools used to reconstruct the rise of drug-resistant tuberculosis could also be applied in real time to ward off would-be epidemics
To Stop Wildlife Crime, Conservationists Ask Why People Poach
A novel study in Nepal shines light on why people commit wildlife crime and how others might be dissuaded from doing so in the future
Study Reveals Loss of Laos’s Final Tigers
Even bountiful habitat will not save species if poaching cannot be stopped
Ocean Acidification Could Eat Away at Sharks’ Teeth and Scales
The fishes’ ability to swim and feed could be compromised
Conservation after Conflict in Colombia
Seeking a sustainable economy, the country wants to capitalize on its astonishing biodiversity
Wildlife Trade Entangles Nearly a Fifth of the Planet’s Vertebrate Animals
In the first global estimate of its kind, researchers tally an incredible 5,600 species harvested for commercial use—and predict which ones could be next
Frogs Make Their Homes in Elephant Footprints
The massive herbivores shape the environment for living creatures around them—including some of the smallest animals
A Once Common Gecko Is Vanishing from Parts of Asia
With millions of tokay geckos trapped each year for use in traditional Chinese medicine, conservationists are calling for international protections
Environmental Activists Have Higher Death Rates Than Some Soldiers
Killings of those protecting nature are highest in countries with corruption and weak rule of law
