NASA’s one-ton rover, which for the past 12 years has been searching for the building blocks of life on Mars, has discovered something never before detected on the red planet: pure sulfur. And it all happened by chance. “Finding a field of stones mad

Using a combination of computer simulations and experimental studies, a team of researchers is uncovering vital clues into how breast cancer cells invade breast tissue. In traditional mouse models that are used to study breast cancer invasion, resear

Airbnb hosts who smile in their profile photos can get more bookings, a new study shows. Hosts with a smile see an average increase in bookings of 3.5%. Smiling hosts, especially those with higher uncertainty in their listings, e.g., hosts with less

The brain chemical orexin is crucial when we choose between sport and the tasty temptations that beckon everywhere we turn, according to research in mice. This research finding could also help people who find it difficult to motivate themselves to ex

Researchers have discovered that the manufacturing and disposal of lithium ion batteries is a large and growing source of environmental contamination from a sub-class of so-called “forever chemicals.” Since the discovery of GenX in the Cape Fear Rive

A new, air-powered computer sets off alarms when certain medical devices fail. The invention is a more reliable and lower-cost way to help prevent blood clots and strokes—all without electronic sensors. Described in a paper in the journal Device, the

Researchers have developed a new method for autonomous aerial robot exploration and multirobot coordination inside abandoned buildings. It could help first responders gather information and make better-informed decisions after a disaster. An estimate

New research digs into how a legal loophole allows unsafe ingredients in US foods. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is tasked with overseeing the safety of the US food supply, setting requirements for nutrition labeling, working with companies

The creators of two new copyright protection tools are helping artists fight back against generative artificial intelligence. If you’ve spent any time playing with modern artificial intelligence (AI) image generators, it can seem like an almost magic

Rising sea temperatures are causing increasing signs of stress and threatening the existence of one of the world’s most diverse and valuable marine ecosystems, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, according to a new study. Coral reef expert Thomas DeCarlo

Researchers say more hot days put an additional 250 million older people at risk as climate change accelerates. If you’re reading this, congratulations—you survived the world’s hottest day ever recorded. On Monday, July 22, 2024, the daily global ave

In a new review paper, researchers analyzed dozens of previous studies on long COVID to examine the number and range of people affected, the underlying mechanisms of disease, the many symptoms that patients develop, and current and future treatments.

The tech community is more strongly divided in how they feel about artificial intelligence than the general public, according to a study of Reddit discourse following the launch of ChatGPT. Researchers from the University of Rochester led by Jiebo Lu

A recent Supreme Court decision to block a federal rule curbing interstate air pollution further complicates efforts to reduce emissions and adds to an already disproportionate burden on “downwind” states, according to new research. “Toxic air pollut

Researchers have developed a rapid, noninvasive tool to track the neurons and biomolecules activated in the brain by psychedelic drugs. The protein-based tool, which is called Ca2+-activated Split-TurboID, or CaST, is described in research in Nature

Researchers have created earpieces that identify brain activity associated with relaxation and drowsiness. Everyone gets sleepy at work from time to time. But for people whose jobs involve driving or working with heavy machinery, drowsiness can be ex

Every millisecond matters for the athletes gathered in Paris for the Summer Olympics, and track and field athletes compete on a surface designed to produce record-breaking performances. Mondo athletic tracks have been underneath the feet of Olympians

Researchers have come up with a rapid, efficient, and environmentally friendly method for selective lithium recovery from battery waste using microwave radiation and a readily biodegradable solvent. The “white gold” of clean energy, lithium is a key

After scrolling social media, you might be tempted to ditch your typical oral care regimen in favor of melted coconut oil, or other similar oils, for a practice known as oil pulling. A method of traditional Ayurvedic medicine native to India, oil pul

New research uses artificial intelligence to identify traits of Grammy award-winning songs. Whether it’s the Oscars, the Tonys, or the Grammys, observers annually make predictions as to which actor, film, musical, or song will win these coveted award

A new robot can sever its own limbs to escape tricky situations. Self-amputation may seem like a drastic move, but it’s a survival tactic that’s proved particularly handy for numerous creatures. Roboticists have drawn inspiration from lizards, crabs,

An autonomous underwater vehicle, deployed to monitor a glacier in Antarctica, has yielded the first detailed maps of the underside of an ice shelf, revealing clues to future sea level rise. “We have previously used satellite data and ice cores to ob

In the face of growing demand for meat-based diets across the globe, new research conducted has uncovered a systematic connection between the number of animals grown for meat and zoonotic disease outbreaks. The study in the Australian Journal of Agri

A new study in hamsters indicates vaccines targeting the nose and mouth may be key to controlling spread of respiratory infections. The lightning-fast development of COVID-19 vaccines just months after the virus appeared was a triumph of modern scien

A new study underscores the importance of school-based coaches who provide ongoing professional development to teachers. School-based coaches specialize in areas such as classroom management, behavior, literacy, math, technology integration or specia

Inspired by the paper-folding art of origami, engineers have discovered a way to make a single plastic cubed structure transform into more than 1,000 configurations using only three active motors. The findings could pave the way for shape-shifting ar

A new study uses artificial intelligence to predict which breast cancer patients are most at risk for developing chronic pain. A third of cancer patients face chronic pain—a debilitating condition that can dramatically reduce a person’s quality of li

What role do new-generation high-tech running spikes—sometimes called super spikes—play in athletic performance? Probably a big one, new research suggests. For the study, published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, re

By diving into the sun’s corona, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe has ruled out S-shaped bends in the sun’s magnetic field as a cause of the corona’s searing temperatures, according new research. The sun’s crown-like atmosphere can be 200 times hotter than

Bees can recognize human faces, but there’s a bit more to the story, says David Tarpy. Recently Tarpy, a professor of applied ecology at North Carolina State University and all-around beekeeping expert, sat down with the Audio Abstract podcast to tal