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News, research analysis and evidence-based explanation. 20 stories in this section.
Titanium dioxide exists in two crystal structures with radically different properties: rutile scatters light and resists weathering, while anatase drives photocatalytic reactions that break down pollutants. Understanding this duality has …
Researchers have shown that quantum fluctuations in a vacuum can raise the transition temperature of an ultrathin superconductor by up to 5.4%, suggesting a new way to control quantum materials …
Chemical traces left by sponges indicate animal life may predate the oldest undisputed animal fossils by more than 200 million years, pushing the origin of animals to before 635 million …
A newly described mammal from the Cretaceous of China had the lifelong ability to replace its teeth, a trait thought to be lost in early mammals, challenging assumptions about the …
New research from the University of Chicago finds that countries with more domestic cats tend to report higher happiness levels, while greater exposure to the cat-associated parasite Toxoplasma gondii is …
A remarkably preserved fossil from the Gobi Desert reveals that zhelestids were not early relatives of modern placental mammals, but belonged to a separate Cretaceous lineage.
More than 12,000 fossils from ancient Australian rocks show that early eukaryotes lived only where oxygen was available, strengthening the case that the gas was essential to the emergence of …
A chemical signature long read as evidence of a planet-wide change in Earth's carbon cycle may instead reflect local magma, hydrocarbons, and methane-eating microbes, researchers report.
Researchers found that a magnet-producing bacterium extended the average lifespan of C. elegans worms by more than 43 percent while protecting their neurological and intestinal health, with much of the …
Researchers have identified two previously unknown sea spider species in the Salish Sea, including a hairy-legged, red-eyed creature that grooms itself with comb-like appendages and another that is frequently covered …
Researchers sequenced Thomas Jefferson's genome from a lock of hair taken shortly after his death and compared it with DNA from Sally Hemings's living descendants, adding new genetic weight to …
A landmark genetic and fossil study indicates that bats first evolved in Europe, reshaping the mammal family tree and offering new insights for virus and cancer research.
Leopardus tilcayo, a spotted wildcat smaller than a housecat, becomes the first new cat species formally described by science in roughly 100 years, with implications for taxonomy and conservation.
Researchers have identified a previously unknown gentoo penguin species in the remote Kerguelen Islands, showing that gentoos comprise four distinct species. Warming oceans could eliminate suitable habitat for several island …
Researchers have described two previously unrecognized large stick insect species from tropical Queensland and restored a third to full species status, a finding that highlights how much remains unknown about …
Stanford researchers say the human brain develops from two distinct cellular systems, suggesting evolution merged two ancient nervous systems with different functions. The finding also enabled lab-grown human hindbrain neurons, …
Scientists have developed ultra-bright nanoparticles that can detect tiny amounts of chemicals and tell apart molecules that look almost identical, potentially offering a cheaper way to catch dangerous drug impurities …
Researchers have found that cat urine contains a durable chemical signature made of 13 unusual fatty acids, potentially used for scent-based recognition across the cat family. The compounds may also …
A 150-million-year-old sauropod fossil from Spain has been confirmed as the first Diplodocus ever discovered outside North America, suggesting dinosaurs moved between continents during the Late Jurassic.
A newly identified nonvenomous snake from New Guinea has been named Lielaphis slashi in honor of Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, a lifelong reptile enthusiast. Genetic testing and physical differences …
