New Research

New Research

One-Tenth of Native Mammals in Australia Are Extinct: Blame Cats And Foxes

No other country on Earth has lost a greater proportion of land mammals over the last two centuries; now, a new study zeros in on the cause

February 11, 2015

New Research

Human Languages Skew Positive

We’re all a bunch of pollyannas

February 11, 2015

New Research

Lynchings Were Even More Common in the South Than Previously Thought

A group of criminal justice reformers find 700 more lynchings in the segregated South than previously recorded

February 10, 2015

New Research

Pulsing Stars Flicker in a Pattern Close to the Golden Ratio

The famed ratio, which shows up in art, architecture and nature, can also be found in space

February 10, 2015

New Research

Gene Changes Make Humans’ Sense of Taste Unique

Our ability to eat bitter plants help distinguish us from our ancestors and chimpanzees today

February 9, 2015

New Research

The Universe’s Oldest Stars Likely Lit Up Way Later Than Once Thought

Data gathered by the European Space Agency’s Planck telescope indicates that the universe was dark for about 550 million years after the big bang

February 9, 2015

New Research

Has Facebook Become the Internet?

The social network’s worldwide reach is leading to some serious confusion

February 9, 2015

New Research

Chimpanzees May Have Their Own Form of Bilingualism

Humans aren’t the only primates capable of learning new “words” for the same object

February 9, 2015

New Research

A Setback for HIV Prevention Trial: Getting People To Take the Medicine

Women didn’t take their preventative medications, even those proven to work, for fear of side effects

February 6, 2015

New Research

Pigeons’ Brains Work Kind of Like Ours

A small study showed impressive categorizing abilities in three pigeons

February 6, 2015

New Research

Before Agriculture, Human Jaws Were a Perfect Fit for Human Teeth

The emergence of agricultural practices initiated major changes to the jaw structure of ancient humans, leading to dental problems we still experience

February 6, 2015

New Research

How Space Travel Can Damage Our Immune Systems

Research finds that living in low-gravity conditions can take a toll that goes far beyond an aversion to dehydrated foods

February 6, 2015

New Research

Life-Giving Rain Also Spreads Deadly Plant Disease

High-speed cameras show how leaf flexibility influences raindrop dispersal into the air — along with pathogens picked up from infected plants

February 5, 2015

New Research

Creating Drought-Tolerant Plants By Hacking Their Natural Responses

Which new technique will help plants survive with less water?

February 5, 2015

New Research

North America’s Trees Create Some of the World’s Hottest Forest Fires

What makes certain forest fires especially destructive?

February 5, 2015

New Research

A Green Sea Slug Steals Power From Algae

The discovery makes this a true plant-animal hybrid

February 4, 2015

Scientists Have Imaged the Base of a Tectonic Plate

The discovery of a slippery layer off the coast of New Zealand could help explain plate movement

February 4, 2015

New Research

1 in 3 Would Rather Die Early Than Take a Daily Pill

New research shows a third of people would trade years of their life to avoid taking daily meds

February 4, 2015

New Research

Cockroaches Have Personalities, Too

Feel guilty the next time you crush a cockroach

February 4, 2015

New Research

The Great Barrier Reef Is Doing So Badly, Scientist Are Testing Genetic Modification to Help It Survive

As the health of the Great Barrier Reef declines, scientists are hoping “assisted evolution” might keep its coral alive

February 4, 2015