Reef rehab could help threatened corals make a comeback
Coral reefs are bustling cities beneath tropical, sunlit waves. Thousands of colorful creatures click, dash and dart, as loud and fast-paced as citizens of any metropolis. Built up in tissue-thin…
There’s a new way to stop an earthquake: put a volcano in its path
Editor’s note: Science has retracted the study described in this article. The May 3, 2019, issue of the journal notes that a panel of outside experts convened by Kyoto University…
Eyes offer window into brain’s timekeepers
The eyes may reveal whether the brain’s internal stopwatch runs fast or slow. Pupil size predicted whether a monkey would over- or underestimate a second, scientists report in the Nov.…
Young planets carve rings and spirals in the gas around their suns
Growing planets carve rings and spiral arms out of the gas and dust surrounding their young stars, researchers report in three papers to be published in Astronomy & Astrophysics. And…
There’s something cool about Arctic bird poop
Seabird poop helps the Arctic keep its cool, new research suggests. The droppings release ammonia into the atmosphere, where it reacts with other chemicals in the air to form small…
Bacteria help carnivorous plants drown their prey
Bacteria may be a meat-eating plant’s best friends thanks to their power to reduce the surface tension of water. The carnivorous pitcher plant Darlingtonia californica releases water into the tall…
Bird plus goggles equals new insight into flight physics
A bird in laser goggles has helped scientists discover a new phenomenon in the physics of flight. Swirling vortices appear in the flow of air that follows a bird’s wingbeat.…
Cell biologists learn how Zika kills brain cells, devise schemes to stop it
SAN FRANCISCO — Cell biologists are learning more about how the Zika virus disrupts brain cells to cause the birth defect microcephaly, in which a baby’s brain and head are…
Cells snack on nanowires
Human cells can snack on silicon. Cells grown in the lab devour nano-sized wires of silicon through an engulfing process known as phagocytosis, scientists report December 16 in Science Advances.…
Meat-eating pitcher plants raise deathtraps to an art
Tricking some bug into drowning takes finesse, especially for a hungry meat eater with no brain, eyes or moving parts. Yet California pitcher plants are very good at it. Growing…