Evidence over alarm. Research over anecdote.
Genuinely interesting science stories — discoveries, research, and ideas worth knowing about.
7,881 articles
I am one of Hobart's many residents who traveled to a nearby beach to witness Neil the seal—an animal that has been receiving global attention for his wild personality and humorous antics.
Long before scientists began studying them in the lab, mind-altering substances were already being gathered from plants, fungi and even animals for use in rituals, healing practices and mental health treatment. Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science have now managed to bring together in a single organism five psychedelic substances that in nature are scattered across the tree of life.
Rotaxanes are dumbbell-shaped mechanically interlocked molecules in which one or more ring-shaped molecules are threaded through a linear segment, known as the axle. To keep the ring from sliding off, two bulky groups, sometimes called stoppers, are added to the ends of the axle. Making a rotaxane has always been as challenging as its structure suggests.
  submitted by   /u/EchoOfOppenheimer [link]   [comments]
Hillslopes in Arctic regions with frozen soils can host a suite of geometric patterns, from circles and stripes to polygonal patterned ground. They can also have solifluction patterns, or markings left behind when partially thawed permafrost slips and flows down a slope. Solifluction patterns look like pairings of flat, terraced soil—like a big staircase—and rounded lobes of soil at the terrace's base.
Far beneath the surface of the ocean lies the largest and least explored habitat on Earth. The deep sea is cold, dark, highly pressurized—and home to a huge amount of undiscovered life.
For researchers on the hunt for the genetic roots of disease, the cost of deep whole-genome sequencing makes it challenging to conduct large genetic studies involving thousands of participants, which are needed to reveal new genetic insights. So scientists at the Broad Institute came up with a clever approach, called the Blended Genome Exome (BGE), that lowers the cost of sequencing by 75% and is becoming one of the most commonly used sequencing methods at the Broad.
Since gravitational waves were first detected in 2015, instruments including LIGO, Virgo and KAGRA have picked up a steady stream of signals from colliding black holes, building a catalog that now numbers in the hundreds. Yet despite this wealth of data, a fundamental question has remained stubbornly unresolved: How do these black holes actually form?
I had a thought that just clicked into place to myself, and I need to share it to see if I’m way off base or if this is actually where we’re heading. It’s about the true, final form of AI functionality. We talk about AI predicting the stock market or weather, but I think that’s just the shallow end of the pool. Let me explain with a simpler example first. Think about the UFC. Right now, in the official video game, they create digital doppelgängers of the fighters. Let's say, they take stats:
Nature is beautiful, powerful and essential. But nature is not always gentle. The same biological world that gives rise to forests, coral reefs and human life also produces infections, cancer, genetic disease, crop blights and toxins. Natural processes can heal, sustain and inspire, but they can also destroy.
Artifical precariousness is death to society The wealthy want to stay wealthy and everyone strives to become wealthy, because wealth in our society means you have the “freedom” to not contribute to someone elses goal. The wealthier you are compared to others, the more you can contribute to your own goal and the less you have to contribute to a common goal. This is what we define as power. Power over resources, be they human or material. It gives you the “freedom” of doing things without anyone e
  submitted by   /u/EchoOfOppenheimer [link]   [comments]
Why do some coral reefs weather marine heat waves better than others? A new study published in Scientific Reports shows that the answer may lie not only in local ocean conditions, but also in climate patterns that span entire ocean basins. By combining long-term ocean observations with chemical records preserved in coral skeletons, the researchers reveal how large-scale climate oscillations regulate the natural cooling that can help protect coral reefs during marine heat waves. First author Dr.
The Euclid space telescope has spotted the oldest quasars—the brightest objects in the universe—ever discovered, deepening a cosmic mystery that has been puzzling scientists.
Nanocrystals are already used in millions of devices, including televisions, laptops and displays, and are considered key materials for the next generation of quantum, sensing and solar technologies. However, they have not yet fully realized their potential. One major reason is their inherent heterogeneity: A single solution contains billions of nanocrystals whose properties can differ substantially. Although these particles can be characterized, important quality parameters are typically access
Wahhhhh. ScienceAlert stories are written, fact-checked, and edited by humans, never generated by AI. Don't miss a story, subscribe here.
ScienceNew climate evidence adds context to these long voyages.
  submitted by   /u/EchoOfOppenheimer [link]   [comments]
The hormone appears to be involved in impulse control. ScienceAlert stories are written, fact-checked, and edited by humans, never generated by AI. Don't miss a story, subscribe here.
  submitted by   /u/AeneasKurtz [link]   [comments]
Firefighters battling a wildfire in southern Spain that killed 12 people began to contain the blaze Saturday as the hardest-hit village remained deserted, with charred vegetation and blackened homes a grim reminder of the inferno that sent terrified people fleeing their homes.
Typhoon Bavi was downgraded to a severe tropical storm Sunday after making landfall in eastern China, where authorities had evacuated nearly 2 million people in its path.
Hovering over the volcano, a buzzing drone pauses in front of a laser beam on the crater's edge as researchers test whether the devices can measure gases to predict eruptions.
"So many important endocrine functions beyond just reproduction." ScienceAlert stories are written, fact-checked, and edited by humans, never generated by AI. Don't miss a story, subscribe here.
Rideshare and delivery platforms operate in an unusually fluid labor market. Drivers can log off, switch apps or stop working at any moment, making engagement unpredictable. Companies often respond with bonuses, surge pricing and promotions, yet inconsistent commitment remains a challenge. Research suggests the problem is not only financial; platform design strongly influences drivers' decisions about when and where to work.
Some 44 million Americans were under a heat wave warning Saturday as temperatures in the Rocky Mountains and northern Plains of the United States were expected to hit 43°C (110°F) over the weekend.
  submitted by   /u/EchoOfOppenheimer [link]   [comments]
imagine being 85 and AI can instantly reconstruct every version of yourself from decades of texts, videos, and voice notes. Forgetting used to be part of growing up   submitted by   /u/teenagebluez [link]   [comments]
I'm not talking about simple scientific research stations, what I mean is real colonization with big cities and people born outside Earth.   submitted by   /u/AdFit4532 [link]   [comments]
During the winter of 2025–2026, 24% of Dutch honeybee colonies were lost. The upward trend observed in recent years therefore continues. This is the fourth consecutive year in which winter mortality has exceeded 20%. The figures are based on the annual survey of Dutch beekeepers. The results show substantial regional differences. Groningen recorded the highest winter losses, at 41.5%, while Overijssel had the lowest figure, at 16.9%.