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Stories from Christian Thorsberg

Electrodes, placed above and below the injury, provide electric stimulation during rehabilitation, in this artist's rendering of the new Arc-Ex device.

New Device Delivers Electric Pulses to Help Patients Regain Movement After Spinal Cord Injuries

Alongside physical therapy, the electric stimulation helped patients with tetraplegia improve mobility in their arms and hands in a small trial

An orange tributary of the Kugororuk River.

Alaska’s Rivers Are Turning Orange as Thawing Permafrost Releases Metals Into Waterways

A new study identifies at least 75 Arctic streams where minerals, especially iron, are staining water with a rusty hue

Euclid’s new image of star-forming region Messier 78, a nebula that lies in the constellation Orion.

See Five Dazzling New Images of the Cosmos, Captured by Europe’s Space Telescope

With its visible and infrared photography, Euclid—known as the “dark universe detective”—is helping astronomers better understand dark matter and dark energy

This gold earring found at an Iron Age archaeological site had been stashed inside a pottery jar, which sits behind it.

Did Hannibal’s Army Burn Down This Ancient Mountain Settlement?

In a scorched village in Spain, archaeologists discovered a hidden gold earring that suggests residents foresaw a coming attack around the time of the Second Punic War

Larinioides sclopetarius, commonly known as bridge spiders, are orb-weavers that listen to the environment through their webs.

How Spider Silk Could Inspire Microphones of the Future and Revolutionize Sound Design

Spiderwebs can pick up vibrations in air flow caused by sound waves, and researchers say microphones designed this way could become more sensitive and compact

A bright green fireball is captured on camera over Cáceres, Spain, by the European Space Agancy. Officials say the object was a comet and likely broke up over the Atlantic Ocean.

Watch a Blue-Green Comet Illuminate Skies Over Spain and Portugal

The colorful fireball mesmerized onlookers—and its unexpected appearance surprised astronomers who are hoping to better predict when space rocks enter Earth’s atmosphere

Latyr Sy, a Senegalese percussionist and singer, was one of 75 researchers who played music for the study.

Why Do Humans Sing? Traditional Music in 55 Languages Reveals Patterns and Telling Similarities

In a global study, scientists recorded themselves singing and playing music from their own cultures to examine the evolution of song

A protein-DNA interaction, modeled by AlphaFold 3.

Google Releases A.I. That Can Predict How the Human Body’s Molecules Behave, Boosting Drug Discovery Research

Called AlphaFold 3, the latest update of the software models the interactions of proteins with DNA, RNA and other molecules for the first time

Teal Helms (right) and volunteer Gali Begim (left) perform intake assesments on a brown pelican at the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center in Huntington Beach, California.

Hundreds of Starving Brown Pelicans Are Turning Up on California Beaches, Puzzling Wildlife Rescuers and Scientists

By all available accounts, there isn’t a lack of ocean forage

A pterosaur cranium fossil is among the donated artifacts that will be on display and studied behind the scenes when the museum reopens in 2026.

More Than 1,000 Fossils, Including Rare Dinosaurs, Gifted to Brazil’s National Museum Following Fire

The massive donation was made by Burkhard Pohl, a Swiss-German collector, as the museum works to replenish its collections after a devastating blaze in September 2018

Human-caused biodiversity loss is a major factor that could contribute to more frequent and severe disease outbreaks, according to a new study.

Biodiversity Loss Increases the Risk of Disease Outbreaks, Analysis Suggests

Researchers found that human-caused environmental changes are driving the severity and prevalence of disease, putting people, animals and plants at risk

Toxins from the Colorado River toad have been ingested by some for their psychedelic and medicinal effects.

A Modified Psychedelic Toad Toxin Reduces Signs of Depression and Anxiety in Mice, Study Suggests

Colorado River toads produce a psychoactive toxin that some have claimed has medical benefits. The new research suggests these benefits could be achieved without hallucinations

Dice snakes feigned their own deaths with a variety of mechanisms, including filling their mouths with blood (shown right).

Dice Snakes Fake Their Own Deaths With Gory, Poop-Filled Theatrics

When attacked by a predator, the reptiles can play dead with convincing detail, employing blood and feces for the show

Memorable, large images and scenes are associated with a longer perception of time, a new study suggests.

Are Days Passing Too Quickly? Memorable Experiences Might Help Dilate Your Sense of Time, Research Suggests

How we process time is linked to things we see, according to a new study, which found memorable, non-cluttered imagery can make moments seem to last longer

Ellen Ochoa was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White House last week, becoming the tenth astronaut to receive the country's highest civilian honor.

Ellen Ochoa, Former NASA Astronaut and First Hispanic Woman in Space, Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

The former Johnson Space Center director logged four space shuttle flights and 1,000 hours in orbit over her 30-year career

More than 1,000 sea lions gathered at San Francisco's Pier 39 last week, marking the largest congregation of the marine mammals at the city's Fisherman's Wharf in about 15 years.

More Than 1,000 Sea Lions Gather at San Francisco’s Pier 39, the Largest Group in 15 Years

The pinnipeds came to the area to feed on anchovies and herring as they prepare for breeding season

In more than 20 years of field research, Rakus is the first orangutan to be observed using a medicinal plant to treat wounds.

In a First, an Orangutan Healed His Own Wound Using a Known Medicinal Plant

The primate named Rakus chewed up yellow root and applied it to an open facial wound, closing the sore within days

The driverless race cars were controlled with cameras, advanced processing units and sensors.

World’s First Race of A.I.-Driven Cars Was Filled With Spins, Swerves and Stops

Though the cars could not compare to human drivers, the event may help improve self-driving technology, experts say

A coal-fired power plant in Germany, which derives about 27 percent of its national electricity from coal.

Seven Major Nations Agree to Phase Out Coal by 2035, Though Vague Language Leaves Wiggle Room

The wealthy, industrialized countries set a flexible schedule to cut one of the dirtiest fossil fuels from their economies

A close-up of the "mane" of the Horsehead Nebula, located some 1,300 light-years from Earth. This view was captured by the James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument.

See New Images of the Horsehead Nebula, Captured in Striking Detail by the James Webb Telescope

The beautiful infrared imagery features one of the best known locations in space to study the evolution of stars and interstellar matter

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