The moon is something all people on Earth, no matter where or when they’ve lived, have in common. Even modern city dwellers who rarely get a glimpse of the stars (outside a major power outage) can be struck silent with awe at the sudden appearance of the full moon over a nearby building or the reflection of the moon in a puddle of water.That we all share the moon does not mean that we imagine it the same way, however. In our myths and stories, the moon plays many different roles. The mythologi ...read more

Spiders may give some people the creeps, but they’re also one of the most fascinating creatures on Earth. With more than 50,000 known species, these eight-legged arthropods are found all around the world, and each species has unique characteristics and behaviors. From their vision to their webs to their eating habits, spiders have plenty of surprises in store. Here are 11 fun facts about spiders that will help you see them in a whole new light.1. Are Spiders Insects?Though spiders share some s ...read more

When invasive species start obliterating a habitat, humans in the area often seek to eradicate the invader. People set up nets, lay traps, and aim firearms at the offenders.Sometimes, these efforts aren’t enough, particularly if the invasion is widespread. More creative means are needed, and in recent years, ecologists have turned to novel ways to stop destructive species.Identifying Invasive SpeciesThe Federal government defines invasive species as any type of harmful “alien species” that ...read more

In just a few years, brand-name injectable drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound have rocketed to fame as billion-dollar annual sellers for weight loss as well as to control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.But the price of these injections is steep: They cost about US$800-$1,000 per month, and if used for weight loss alone, they are not covered by most insurance policies. Both drugs mimic the naturally occurring hormone GLP-1 to help regulate blood sugar a ...read more

Archeologists have gotten increasingly better at reading the dirt. Over time, they’ve learned to pull more and more data from smaller and smaller samples of Earth. A technique called microstratigraphy pushes that concept to the limit. It allows archeologists to detect miniscule traces of human and animal presence that conventional excavation techniques may have missed.Although not considered a new methodology, a team applied it to a site in Southeast Asia and reconstructed the ground condition ...read more

One definitive way to link ecological changes to evolution would require a time machine. Traveling both backward and forward would allow observers to see how particular animals adapt to changes in climate, environment, or other variables.Since no such machine exists — except in the movies — a group of researchers leaned on the next best thing: data and experiments. By doing so, this group is the first to link ecological changes to a species’ adaptation — a phenomenon known as "speciation ...read more

Palo santo has quickly become a mainstay and trendy product sought after for its stated spiritual and medicinal properties, as well as its fragrant scent. Literally meaning “holy wood” in Spanish it’s related to the same family of plants as frankincense and myrrh and its uses dates back hundreds of years.Where Palo Santo Comes FromPalo santo, also known by its scientific name of Bursera graveolens, comes from a shrub or tree that is native to tropical dry forests in many South and Central ...read more

The 2024 Nobel Prize in chemistry recognized Demis Hassabis, John Jumper, and David Baker for using machine learning to tackle one of biology’s biggest challenges: predicting the 3D shape of proteins and designing them from scratch.This year’s award stood out because it honored research that originated at a tech company: DeepMind, an AI research startup that was acquired by Google in 2014. Most previous chemistry Nobel Prizes have gone to researchers in academia. Many laureates went on to fo ...read more

If your jaw dropped as you watched the latest AI-generated video, your bank balance was saved from criminals by a fraud detection system, or your day was made a little easier because you were able to dictate a text message on the run, you have many scientists, mathematicians, and engineers to thank.But two names stand out for foundational contributions to the deep learning technology that makes those experiences possible: Princeton University physicist John Hopfield and University of Toronto com ...read more

My Octopus Teacher — a documentary about the smarts of cephalopods — inspired a team of engineers to create materials that can grab and release objects with rough and irregular surfaces. Those novel materials, which have many potential uses — from helping people with disabilities to better grab objects to creating robots to assist in underwater cleanup — are presented in an Advanced Science report.Michael Bartlett, the lead investigator in the study and engineering professor at Virginia ...read more