The death of Vulcan: Study reveals planet is actually an astronomical illusion caused by stellar activity
A planet thought to orbit the star 40 Eridani A—host to Mr. Spock's fictional home planet, Vulcan, in the "Star Trek" universe—is really a kind of astronomical illusion caused by the pulses and jitters of the star itself, a new study shows......»»
Only 15% of Steam users have played games released in 2024, but why?
Steam's end-of-the-year review reveals that 15% of users' total playtime was devoted to games released in 2024......»»
Study reveals right whales live 130 years—or more
New research published in Science Advances reveals that right whales can survive for more than 130 years—almost twice as long as previously understood......»»
Structural analysis reveals how human eyelashes promote water drainage
Throughout human evolution, body and facial hair have notably diminished, yet eyelashes have remained a distinguishing feature. The physiological or functional purpose of eyelashes—traditionally thought to be for catching dust or filtering air—ha.....»»
Inequality weakens local governance and public satisfaction, study finds
Local governments in developing countries are crucial for providing public services that promote human development and address challenges like extreme weather, unemployment and crumbling infrastructure. Yet, they often face difficulties in implementi.....»»
Researchers take "significant leap forward" with quantum simulation of molecular electron transfer
Researchers at Rice University have made a meaningful advance in the simulation of molecular electron transfer—a fundamental process underpinning countless physical, chemical and biological processes. The study, published in Science Advances, detai.....»»
New MacBook Air OLED timeline reveals two unfortunate drawbacks
Last week we received word that the MacBook Pro would be getting OLED and lose its notch starting in 2026. That same report also detailed the OLED timeline for Apple’s other products, and it doesn’t look great for the MacBook Air in two key ways......»»
New electron microscopy technique reveals complex spin structures at femtosecond timescales
Plasmons are collective oscillations of electrons in a solid and are important for a wide range of applications, such as sensing, catalysis, and light harvesting. Plasmonic waves that travel along the surface of a metal, called surface plasmon polari.....»»
Heterogeneous host populations drive evolution of more virulent pathogens, modeling study shows
The evolution of pathogens has received attention in a wide range of scientific fields, such as epidemiology, demography, and evolutionary ecology. Understanding pathogen evolution is particularly urgent for rapidly evolving pathogens, such as SARS-C.....»»
Water and gruel—not bread: Discovering the diet of early Neolithic farmers in Scandinavia
At a Neolithic settlement on the Danish island Funen dating back 5,500 years, archaeologists have discovered both grinding stones and grains from early cereals. However, new research reveals that the inhabitants did not use the stones to grind the ce.....»»
Avalanches, icy explosions and dunes: NASA is tracking New Year on Mars
Instead of a winter wonderland, the Red Planet's northern hemisphere goes through an active—even explosive—spring thaw. While New Year's Eve is around the corner here on Earth, Mars scientists are ahead of the game: The Red Planet completed a tri.....»»
AI-driven approach reveals hidden hazards of chemical mixtures in rivers
Artificial intelligence can provide critical insights into how complex mixtures of chemicals in rivers affect aquatic life—paving the way for better environmental protection......»»
Global study reveals phenological divergence between plants and animals under climate change
A collaborative study reveals the distinct mechanisms by which plants and animals respond to climate change in their life-cycle phenology. This research, led by Piao Shilong's team and Zhang Yao's team from the Institute of Carbon Neutrality at Pekin.....»»
Programming cells: New RNA tool enhances precision in synthetic genetic circuits
Researchers have successfully developed a modular synthetic translational coupling element (SynTCE), significantly enhancing the precision and integration density of genetic circuits in synthetic biology. Their study was recently published in the jou.....»»
Hisense reveals a Sony Bravia Theater Quad competitor ahead of CES 2025
Hisense got a head-start on CES 2025 by revealing its new HT Saturn wireless Dolby Atmos home theater system......»»
Latest gravitational wave observations conflict with expectations from stellar models
Almost 300 binary mergers have been detected so far, indicated by their passing gravitational waves. These measurements from the world's gravitational wave observatories put constraints on the masses and spins of the merging objects such as black hol.....»»
Chang"e-6 farside basalts reveal a reinforced lunar dynamo
The evolution of the lunar dynamo is crucial for understanding the moon's deep interior structure, thermal history, and surface environment. A study by Chinese scientists conducted paleomagnetic analyses on basalts returned by the Chang'e-6 mission a.....»»
Active particles reorganize 3D gels into denser porous structures, study shows
Colloidal gels are complex systems made up of microscopic particles dispersed in a liquid, ultimately producing a semi-solid network. These materials have unique and advantageous properties that can be tuned using external forces, which have been the.....»»
Your black plastic kitchen utensils aren"t so toxic after all: But you should still toss them, group says
A recent study that recommended toxic chemicals in black plastic products be immediately thrown away included a math error that significantly overstated the risks of contamination, but its authors are standing by their conclusions and warn against us.....»»
Russia-Ukraine War"s unexpected casualties: Hungry people in distant nations
The war in Ukraine is causing hunger thousands of miles from the battlefields, according to a study in Communications Earth & Environment. Nearly three years of war in the "breadbasket of the world" has left croplands destroyed and forced laborers wh.....»»
New research finds that your smartwatch band is laced with toxic forever chemicals
A study has revealed the presence of dangerous forever chemicals in bands sold by top brands. Interestingly, the more expensive they are, the higher the risk......»»