If you think only humans engage in disinformation, think again. Here is a stunning example of a beetle manipulating the odors emitted from a rotting corpse to keep it hidden from competitors.
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Science + Tech – Articles, Analysis, Opinion
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A biologist explains what proteins do in viruses, how they interact with human cells, how the vaccine delivers mRNA into the cell and how antibodies protect us.
When planes fly from east to west, they are flying against a river of air called a jet stream. These air currents can make your flight longer or shorter, depending on which way you are going.
Encrypted messaging services like Telegram provide virtual dark corners where far-right extremists can recruit, organize and plan unhindered.
The microbes in your gut influence how your immune system reacts to bacteria and viruses. A severe immune reaction is deadly; a small one lets the virus win. The right balance may depend on your diet.
The spread of tawny crazy ants may be driven, in part, by their need for calcium. The calcium-rich limestone bedrock of the lower U.S. Midwest may provide ideal conditions for populations to explode.
Facial recognition, social media and location tracking give law enforcement a leg up in a monumental investigation.
Lifestyle medicine targets the root of chronic diseases like obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Experts explain why everyone should embrace these free prescriptions for good health.
For some sand-dwelling plants, stickiness is a defense tactic that keeps predators at bay.
COVID-19 has been found in pets, zoo animals and in a wild mink in Utah. Monitoring wildlife for COVID-19 is important for animals and humans, both of whom face risks from a jumping virus.
As invasive species transform the world, frontline agencies take solace that species needing unique partners can’t invade alone. A new study on figs shows they may find new partners to invade anyway.
Banning extremists from social media platforms can reduce hate speech, but the deplatforming process has to be handled with care – and it can have unintended consequences.
Smart people can have really bad ideas – like selectively breeding human beings to improve the species. Put into practice, Galton’s concept proved discriminatory, damaging, even deadly.
A biologist who studies the evolution of diseases explains what’s different about the two new virus strains that have been found recently, and what that means for vaccine effectiveness.
Massive vaccine distribution efforts take a lot of coordination. The rollout of the Salk polio vaccine in the US in 1955 holds lessons for those delivering COVID-19 shots today.
‘Orphan drugs’ with high price points are being tested as treatments for COVID-19. There’s a better way to spur low-cost innovation for new drugs.
AI algorithms can solve hard problems and learn incredible tasks, but they can’t explain how they do these things. If researchers can build explainable AI, it could lead to a flood of new knowledge.
A biologist explains where proteins come from and what role the 20,000 or so proteins in your body play in keeping you alive and kicking.
Anti-nutrients naturally occur in food and can block the amount of other nutrients available for your body to use. But their effects aren’t all bad, which is why they’re undergoing an image makeover.
Millions of supporters of Donald Trump flocked to the far-right social media platform, where hate speech and calls for violence thrive. The US Capitol insurrection could be the platform’s undoing.
Who cares what happens to bootprints on the Moon? All humans should. And thankfully the US Congress and president agree.
Wi-Fi has become a fundamental part of modern digital life, but its foundation is the same as the technology that allowed your great-grandparents to listen to their favorite radio programs.
Too much screen time doesn’t leave enough time for other important parts of growing up. Predicting which little kids will likely grow into heavy tech users could help target educational campaigns.
With vaccine shortages looming, experts are debating whether it is important to receive two doses or whether it’s better to give one dose to more people and give a second when the supply is better.
Consumers can turn plastic waste into valuable products at minimal cost using the open source technologies associated with DRAM – distributed recycling and additive manufacturing.