Rising water temperatures, acidification, and deoxygenation are disrupting marine ecosystems worldwide. These changes threaten culturally and economically significant species, ultimately endangering the livelihoods that depend on them. To manage marine species struggling with climate change, it is essential to identify the most vulnerable ecosystems and species.A study conducted by the University of California, Santa Cruz, aims to help Californian fisheries adapt by developing climate-ready mana ...read more

What are the odds of humanity emerging, well, anywhere? Conventional wisdom says that our emergence, evolution, and development on Earth were extremely improbable. But a new model says that humans gaining a foothold here wasn’t that difficult — and it’s not outside the realm of possibility that intelligent life could develop elsewhere in the universe, according to a paper in Science Advances.“This is a significant shift in how we think about the history of life,” Jennifer Macalady, a P ...read more

The finale of a star’s life has enthralled scientists for years, yet questions continue to surround the explosions of white dwarf stars — the most common path that stars take during the later stages of their evolution. New research, however, has shed light on the astounding variety of ways that a white dwarf star can explode, capturing almost 4,000 of these events scattered across the distant universe. The explosions were detailed in a dataset and a collection of 21 associated studies publi ...read more

Hawaii is home to some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. Striking blue waters, lush jungles, and pristine beaches make it a paradise. It’s also home to other unique inhabitants, such as sea turtles, dolphins, and… plastics? According to a new study from the University of Hawai‘i (UH) at Mānoa, plastics are becoming the most prevalent form of pollution in the ocean, which can be detrimental to marine species and their habitat. However, researchers from UH discovered a fungus fro ...read more

Romance is in the air today — and also predicted to be in space tonight. The conditions are perfect for a Valentine’s Day date with the aurora borealis on February 14, 2025. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says a solar wind stream is heading toward Earth just in time for the star-crossed lovers to gaze upon it together.Northern Lights CreationAuroras occur when electrons from space enter Earth’s magnetic field and collide with atoms and molecules in the upper atm ...read more

The world’s biggest particle accelerator, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), sits in a circular tunnel about one hundred meters beneath the Swiss French border near Geneva. It is huge—some 17 kilometers in circumference—and capable of accelerating sub-atomic particles to energies of 10^12 electronVolts (Tera eV or TeV), the highest ever achieved. Constructed in the 1990s and switched on in the noughties, the LHC is getting old and physicists now want to smash particles together at even highe ...read more

Ancient peoples didn't have the luxury of air-tight containers to keep insects out of food, screens to keep insects out of the house, or a local pest control specialist that could help keep your home pest-free. These menacing pests could cause much more than an inconvenience. They could spoil food stores or ruin crops. However, archeologists have found that ancient people had their own ways of coping with bugs, rodents, and other annoyances. Ancient people weren't about to let these pests ruin ...read more

One would expect a mummy to smell moldy, musty, and mildewy. But the first study to systematically sniff the wrapped human remains report much more pleasant scents, describing whiffs as "woody," "spicy," and "sweet," according to a report in in Journal of the American Chemical Society.“The smell of mummified bodies has for years attracted significant interest from experts and the general public, but no combined chemical and perceptual scientific study has been conducted until now,” lead auth ...read more

Space missions take a toll on astronauts’ bodies, especially when it comes to bone and joint health, but jumping exercises may mitigate damage and even improve physical conditioning. A recent study showed that knee cartilage was strengthened in mice that engaged in jumping workouts, a benefit that scientists think could possibly extend to humans. This type of training could become a crucial preventative measure for astronauts, who often experience weakening of cartilage due to low gravity in s ...read more

Lake Mead and Lake Powell could be in for another record year for low water levels as a snow drought persists throughout the Western U.S. With minimal snowfall in the last two months, the Colorado snowpack will likely not provide an abundant water supply to the lakes. And the snow drought could impact crucial drinking water sources.Why are Lake Mead and Lake Powell Important Lake Mead and Lake Powell are crucial reservoirs that provide water to several states, including California, Nevada, Ari ...read more