This New Record in Laser Beam Stability Could Help Answer Physics’ Biggest Questions

Scientists are on a mission to create a global network of atomic clocks that will enable us to, among other things, better understand the fundamental laws of physics, investigate dark matter, and navigate across Earth and space more precisely.   However, to be at their most effective, these clocks will need to be reliably and … Read more

This Is How Toddlers Know if People Share a Special Bond, And It’s Gross

The thought of sharing an ice cream cone with a stranger can trigger feelings of disgust – however that’s often not the case with someone close to us, such as a romantic partner or child.   A new study in the journal Science on Thursday shows that children are aware of this dynamic from a … Read more

‘Space archaeology’ research on the ISS will help design better space habitats

A unique archaeological study of crew culture within the International Space Station (ISS) will focus on the orbiting habitat as a “microsociety in a miniworld.” This inside look at the ISS, called the International Space Station Archaeological Project (ISSAP), is expected to supply new insight into human life in space and issues of habitation design. … Read more

It’s Time to Upgrade Your Mask, Experts Say. Here’s Why

With the rapid spread of Omicron, many countries are rethinking their COVID mask advice for the community. Respirators have been mandatory in public places in Austria for a year. Now, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests respirators be considered for greater protection, for instance, on public transport or in enclosed crowded … Read more

Indonesia’s massive research reform triggers layoffs and protests | Science

On 3 January, Isabella Apriyana grabbed her phone to take a picture of her lab bench and post it on Twitter. “A gloomy Monday morning in the beginning of the year,” she tweeted. Apriyana, a research assistant who helped prominent geneticist Herawati Sudoyo map the genomes of Indigenous groups across Indonesia, had just lost her … Read more

Scientists Taught a Goldfish How to Drive Its Tank Around, And It’s Adorable

Goldfish may have short memories but, according to an Israeli university study, they might be able to drive. Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev found that a goldfish’s innate navigational abilities allowed it to steer a robotic vehicle towards a terrestrial target if given a food reward.   To conduct their unusual experiment, the … Read more

We Thought This Cell Death Phenomenon Was Irreversible, But We Were Wrong

Pyroptosis, a type of programmed cell death related to infection and an inflammation response, can actually be stopped and managed, according to new research – whereas it was previously thought that the process was irreversible once it gets going.   Killing off cells with pyroptosis is something the body uses to stay healthy, though such … Read more

COVID-19 Vaccines Saved Over 240,000 American Lives in Just 6 Months, Study Finds

COVID-19 vaccines saved nearly 241,000 lives in the United States and prevented more than 1 million virus-related hospitalizations in the first six months of the country’s inoculation program, according to a new research model.    A research letter, published Tuesday in the peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA Network Open, found coronavirus vaccinations also prevented more than 14 … Read more

Microbes in The Ocean Depths Can Make Oxygen Without Sun. This Discovery Could Be Huge

For most of life on Earth, oxygen is essential, and sunlight is usually needed to produce that oxygen. But in an exciting twist, researchers have caught a common, ocean-dwelling microbe breaking all the rules.   Scientists have found that a microbe called Nitrosopumilus maritimus and several of its cousins, called ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA), are able to … Read more

New Math Research Group Reflects a Schism in the Field

A new organization called the Association for Mathematical Research (AMR) has ignited fierce debates in the math research and education communities since it was launched last October. Its stated mission is “to support mathematical research and scholarship”—a goal similar to that proclaimed by two long-standing groups: the American Mathematical Society (AMS) and the Mathematical Association … Read more