Science
News and updates from the science team. Topics include genetics, infectious disease, psychology, and more.
The debate that will steer the future of consciousness — and us.
University scientists helped build factory farming. Now, some want to protect its “social license to operate.”
Scientists spent ages mocking panpsychism. Now, some are warming to the idea that plants, cells, and even atoms are conscious.
The debate over maternal deaths, explained.
The latest in Science
We’re probably all listening to music too loudly, alas.
Scientists are testing futuristic tools to dismantle antibiotic resistance.
Countless rare animals lurk under the logs in the Appalachian Mountains.
Retracted studies and new treatments reveal the confusing state of Alzheimer’s research.
Lighter, less greasy, more effective sunscreen exists. So what’s the hold up stateside?
More animals can occasionally reproduce asexually than scientists realized.
A new study reveals elephants are more like humans than we realized. What does that mean for the movement for their rights?
Japan’s early-warning system shows a few extra seconds can save scores of lives.
Mindfulness is one thing. Jhāna meditation is stranger, stronger, and going mainstream.
The anatomy of a heat wave, from “heat domes” to megadroughts.
Blood-based biopsies could make screening less icky — if we can make them more accurate.
Obesity will go down, electric cars will go up, and a nuclear bomb might just fall.
The ominously perfect meme marked the splintering of our shared reality.
Dopamine detoxing, hacking, and fasting: Is any of it real?
It's not there yet — but we should be concerned.
Runaway pets — and possibly some zoo escapees — have fueled the spread of invasive snakes across the island. It’s an environmental catastrophe in the making.
Decades of citizen science are finally translating into clinical trials for psychedelic pain treatments.
Scientists are getting better at predicting the sun’s antics.
It’s not as complicated as it seems, but there’s one key hurdle.
New regulations are a win for safe synthetic DNA.
In forests across the United States, two “broods,” of these noisy insects will crawl out from their underground dwellings to sprout wings, mate, lay eggs, and die.
How to summon a cicada.
The debate over the Anthropocene epoch, explained.
Cicadas will hear the call of spring. And then you’ll hear their mating calls, too.
Here’s what’s worrying experts right now about H5N1’s spread among dairy cows — and what isn’t.
The costly procedure was supposed to give women a new kind of freedom. Is that what it really offers?
High temperatures across the US have the potential to increase risks for drought, wildfires, and hurricanes.
How a neighborhood project to count squirrels bound me to my wild kin.
Menstruation affects the body and mind in countless ways. A new study is just the beginning.
How industrial meat and dairy trap us in an infectious disease cycle.
For the last 100 years, we’ve only had one TB vaccine — and it leaves a lot to be desired.
Even the most poetic words can’t capture the full richness of our minds. So scientists are turning to numbers.
Long after the disaster, residents of East Palestine still fear for their safety.
Eclipses inspire awe, create opportunities for science — and cause angst among energy-grid operators.
From why this year is so special to tips for watching, we’ve got you covered.
Don’t worry if you missed the 2024 eclipse. There will be more.
Why we need to take seemingly small earthquakes seriously