Science / Science & Exploration

  1. How the humble slime mold helped physicists map the cosmic web

    Despite similarities, "We don't think the universe was created by a giant slime mold."

  2. New battery chemistry results in first rechargeable zinc-air battery

    Zinc is very cheap and abundant; battery tech could be great for power grids.

  3. Basking shark families go on road trips in search of fine dining

    Genetic tagging offers insight into the secret lives of basking sharks.

  4. That time physicist John Wheeler left classified H-bomb documents on a train

    The whereabouts of the documents remains a mystery to this day.

  5. With the right catalyst, we might make jet fuel from CO₂

    As carbon capture gets cheaper, new applications could look attractive.

  6. New virus variant found in Colorado while UK struggles to limit it

    UK approves another vaccine, this one from AstraZeneca, as new COVID variant spreads.

  7. Private party app pulled from App Store by Apple

    "Secret party app" also pulled from TikTok after posting videos of unmasked ragers.

  8. Protecting great apes from the unknown effects of COVID-19

    People who study and care for 'em take lockdown-style measures to limit transmission risk.

  9. Coverage of “wooden satellites” misses the point

    Even if it works, the wood will remain in orbit, too.

  10. Did Columbus find early Caribs in 15th century Caribbean? Jury is still out

    Two studies, published 11 months apart, yield conflicting results.

  11. Why AI is so power-hungry

    It takes a lot of energy for machines to be trained with data sets.

  12. All I want for Christmas is an awesome new curriculum

    Revitalizing a curriculum in the middle of a chaos-inducing pandemic? Sure.

  1. Antibodies and SARS-CoV-2 infections: The more the better

    Oxford University Hospital tracked infections in 12,500 of its healthcare workers.

  2. Study sheds new light on polar explorer’s final hours, 100+ years later

    Black smudge in Jørgen Brønlund's diary showed he desperately tried to light a fire.

  3. Like Titan, Pluto’s atmosphere is hazy, but for a different reason

    Simple organic ices dominate, rather than bigger organic molecules.

  4. Archaeologists excavate ancient Roman takeout counter at Pompeii

    A 2,000-year-old quick-serve restaurant had a lot in common with modern ones.

  5. Plastic pipes are polluting drinking water systems after wildfires

    And it's a risk in urban fires, too.

  6. Dark Archives: Come for the floating goat balls, stay for the fascinating science

    Explore the macabre history of "anthropodermic bibliopegy": books bound in human skin

  7. Divers recover a WWII Enigma Machine from the Baltic Sea

    Divers trying to clean fishing nets come up with a bit of history.

  8. Rising to meet the tide against the threat of coastal flooding

    Faster and more accurate forecasts can save lives and property.

  9. Scientists ID potential biomarkers to peg time of death for submerged corpses

    The levels of certain proteins in bones can reveal how long a body has been in water.

  10. Parthenogenesis: How females from some species can reproduce without males

    Some species experience spontaneous parthenogenesis, best documented in zoo settings.

  11. Study: children’s belief in Santa Claus is more nuanced than you think

    Santa falls into an ambiguous category between "real" and "nonreal" for many children

  12. Google develops an AI that can learn both chess and Pac-Man

    MuZero handles both rules-based and open-ended games.

  1. Trump admin. agrees to pay Pfizer $1.95B for 100M more vaccine doses

    Agreement means Pfizer will provide a total of 200M doses, with option for 400M more.

  2. For Biden administration, Fauci’s in, but Birx is not

    Birx was widely seen as too accommodating to Trump but got sidelined anyway.

  3. Rocket Report: SN9 rolls to the launch pad, SLS “wet dress” test ends early

    "It has surely been a year of challenges."

  4. The omnibus bill was packed with energy and environment policy

    DOE gets a long list of clean energy R&D projects.

  5. Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings have unique microbiomes, study finds

    Research could help slow down deterioration of aging artwork, unmask counterfeits.

  6. SARS-CoV-2’s spread to wild mink not yet a reason to panic

    A monitoring program picked up a single case and no indications of wider spread.

  7. “America’s doctor,” Anthony Fauci, gets Moderna vaccine

    Fauci was vaccinated alongside NIH director and HHS secretary.

  8. Russia’s space chief is hopping mad over most recent US restrictions

    "The first thing they did is spit into the Samara well."

  9. Yukon gold miner unearths a mummified Ice Age wolf pup

    Look upon the face of an Ice Age predator, and say "Aww."

  10. What we know about the new SARS strain that’s shutting down the UK

    Policy is to treat it like a potential threat, but the emphasis is on "potential."

  11. Russia’s space chief cannot seem to get “gentle” SpaceX out of his mind

    "I wonder if gentle SpaceX is able to work in such conditions?"

  12. Second COVID vaccine approved for use in the US

    More vaccines will help ease shortages, work through priority list.