Life

Health, science, climate, and society-focused reporting.

Briefing: ‘Drinking from a fetid pond’: superbug-creating genes found in UK’s largest lake

Strategic angle: Genes capable of creating antibiotic-resistant superbugs have been detected in Lough Neagh, which supplies drinking water for 40% of Northern Ireland.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Gut bacteria that make serotonin may hold the key to IBS

Strategic angle: Researchers have identified two gut bacteria that can produce serotonin, a key chemical that regulates bowel movements.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Australia added to global sharks and rays database

Strategic angle: A global database documenting the location of critical habitats for sharks, rays, and chimeras has recently expanded to include Australia.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Scientists warn Australia’s “zombie tree” could vanish within a generation

Strategic angle: A newly identified Australian tree, dubbed the “zombie” tree, is alive but unable to reproduce due to myrtle rust, threatening its survival.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Why swimmers still dive in: Research shows how UK communities navigate polluted waters

Strategic angle: More than 7.5 million people immerse themselves in lakes, rivers, seas and lidos every year in the UK, despite pollution risks.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Microplastics may be quietly damaging your brain and fueling Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Strategic angle: New research suggests that tiny plastic particles could trigger inflammation and damage in the brain.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Top brass in China reaffirm goal to be world leaders in tech, AI

Strategic angle: Chinese leadership emphasizes commitment to technological and artificial intelligence supremacy.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: iMetalX emerges from stealth with technology to model resident space objects

Strategic angle: Northern California startup iMetalX Inc. announces collaboration with Psionic for autonomous navigation technology.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Horse IVF milestone in Florida: Frozen-thawed sperm fertilizes an egg

Strategic angle: A breakthrough in equine reproductive technology offers new hope for performance horses unable to conceive naturally.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Simple water trick cuts diesel engine pollution by over 60%

Strategic angle: Scientists are exploring a surprisingly simple way to clean up diesel engines: adding tiny droplets of water to the fuel.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: In a South Carolina swamp, researchers uncover secrets of firefly synchrony

Strategic angle: In the middle of the old-growth forests of Congaree National Park in South Carolina, fireflies put on an otherworldly display every May.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Our Sun may have escaped the Milky Way’s center with thousands of twin stars

Strategic angle: Scientists have uncovered evidence that our Sun may have traveled across the Milky Way as part of a massive migration of Sun-like stars billions of years ago.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Improperly disposed wet wipes could shed microplastics in rivers

Strategic angle: Wet wipes, often flushed down toilets, may contribute to microplastic pollution in waterways.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Dragonfly mission begins rotorcraft integration, testing stage

Strategic angle: Dragonfly integration and testing activities are officially underway, preparing the rotorcraft lander for launch and extreme space conditions.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: New DNA tools outperform traditional methods for detecting genetic risk in wildlife

Strategic angle: Innovative genetic techniques offer better solutions for managing wildlife populations at risk of extinction.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Volunteers Find Oddly High Solar Flare Rates

Strategic angle: A new study reveals unexpected patterns in solar flare activity, highlighting the role of strong magnetic fields on the Sun's surface.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Researchers realize room-temperature two-dimensional multiferroic metal

Strategic angle: A breakthrough in multiferroic materials could lead to advancements in electronics and spintronics.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Extra Extra! Extra Data Stream Added to the Daily Minor Planet!

Strategic angle: The Daily Minor Planet citizen science project is expanding with new data from the Bok 2.3-meter telescope.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: From guesswork to guidance: How machine learning speeds dopant design for water-splitting photocatalysts

Strategic angle: Researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo utilize MLIP calculations to identify suitable dopants for innovative photocatalytic materials.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: EPA Chief Meets Bayer CEO Over Supreme Court Fight

Strategic angle: Top US regulators discuss litigation issues regarding glyphosate weed killer.

Editorial Staff Mar 13