Science News from around the World
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from all over, including one from Israel about what DNA reveals about the Dead Sea Scrolls’ parchment.
Biology12481 articles archived since 1845
These Small Mammals Snort to a Different Tune
Hyraxes, which live in Africa and the Middle East, punctuate their songs with snorts. And the snorts appear to reflect the animals’ emotional state. Jason G. Goldman reports.
This ‘Small World’ Is Packed with Animated Beauty
Nikon’s Small World in Motion competition captures creatures and forces that are invisible to the naked eye.
Why Pet Pigs Are More like Wolves Than Dogs
Given an impossible task, a dog will ask a human for help, but a wolf will not seek help—and neither will a pet pig.
Structure and Chemistry Dictate How Cicada Wings Repel Water and Kill Bacteria
A new analytical process shows how chemicals affect the nanostructures of an insect’s wings
Molecular Medicine Keeps Mice Mighty in Microgravity
An experimental gene treatment aboard the International Space Station demonstrates how rodents—and humans—might stay buff beyond Earth
Discoverer of Neural Circuits for Parenting Wins $3-Million Breakthrough Prize
Biologist Catherine Dulac netted one of four big life sciences awards. Also announced were one for mathematics and two for physics
An Immune Protein Could Prevent Severe COVID-19—if It Is Given at the Right Time
The antiviral interferon might help early but exacerbate disease in later stages
Cells Solve an English Hedge Maze with the Same Skills They Use to Traverse the Body
A study reveals the Pac-Man-like strategies adopted by different cell types when making long journeys through an organism
Blood Test Allows Safer Turtle Sex Determination
A new process could help conservationists save imperiled species
Bread Science: A Yeasty Conversation
“Baking is applied microbiology,” according to the book Modernist Bread . During pandemic lockdowns, many people started baking their own bread. Scientific American contributing editor W...
How Birds Evolved Their Incredible Diversity
An analysis of 391 skulls shows that birds evolved surprisingly slowly, compared with their dinosaur forerunners
Warbler Species Fires Up Song Diversity
Hermit warblers in California have developed 35 different song dialects, apparently as a result of wildfires temporarily driving them out of certain areas.
The Ocean Carries ‘Memories’ of SARS-CoV-2
We’ve been looking in the wrong place for a deeper understanding of the virus
A 429-Million-Year-Old Trilobite Had Eyes like Those of Modern Bees
A rare cracked fossil shows the world through ancient eyes
The Science of Sourdough: How Microbes Enabled a Pandemic Pastime
Scientists peer into those jars on the kitchen counter to find out what’s really happening
Construction Process Builds Brain Circuits
A novel technique turns brain cells into circuit components
The World’s Highest-Dwelling Mammal Lives atop a Volcano
Scientists spotted a mouse at the summit of Llullaillaco, a 22,000-foot-tall volcano on the border of Chile and Argentina. Julia Rosen reports.
Weird Mystery Seeds Arriving by Mail Sprout Biodiversity Concerns
An invasive plant expert explains what could happen if enigmatic seeds shipped from China are released
Translucent Frog Optics Create Camo Color
Rather than undergoing active chameleonlike color changes, glass frogs’ translucency allows light to bounce from their background and go through them—making their apparent color close to their setting...
