The small predatory West Atlantic trumpetfish swims close by to the much larger herbivorous stoplight parrotfish to get near its prey | Continue reading
There were at least 361,103 sewage spills into English rivers last year, but there are several things we can do to clean up the mess - as a society and from your own home | Continue reading
Blood tests for Alzheimer’s risk are finally here, so what are the pros and cons of taking a test? | Continue reading
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Small, flat “metalenses” are made up of billions of nano-sized components, and they could image the cosmos using less space on a satellite than bulkier traditional devices | Continue reading
Researchers have been trying to determine if a material called LK-99 really is a superconductor at room temperature and pressure. Here's what is making it so difficult | Continue reading
Some patterns of gene expression in umbilical cord blood are associated with childhood obesity, suggesting that these markers could identify newborns at risk of developing the condition | Continue reading
An AI that analyses live video from California’s statewide wildfire detection system could speedily focus human attention on possible wildfires | Continue reading
The MorphoLander drone carrier, which holds smaller "worker bee" drones, could be useful in search-and-rescue missions or industrial surveys | Continue reading
Injecting CO2 underground might increase pressure along geological faults and cause earthquakes, but a report concludes the risk is minimal for a proposed CO2 storage site near Vancouver Island | Continue reading
A study that filmed people's skin while they watched emotional videos found that most of them incorrectly reported when they did or did not have goosebumps | Continue reading
The pygmy right whale doesn't go on long migrations for food or reproduction, unlike most other species of baleen whale | Continue reading
Asteroids are far weirder than we had imagined – landing on one wouldn't go as you expected, says astronomer Phil Plait | Continue reading
A new image of the Ring Nebula from the James Webb Space Telescope is revealing its intricate internal structure, which could help us learn what the sun will look like when it dies | Continue reading
Insights into how Death Valley’s Tidestromia oblongifolia tolerates such high temperatures could help researchers to engineer crops that can survive global warming | Continue reading
Trees in rainforests that grow far away from others of the same species may be more likely to survive than close neighbours if they're protected from insects and fungal pathogens that target those specific trees | Continue reading
The unprecedented scale of wildfires in Canada since May has already produced double the carbon emissions of the previous record-holding year as well as displacing tens of thousands of people from their homes | Continue reading
Extraordinarily high-energy gamma rays have been found emanating from the sun, and none of our theoretical models can explain why there are so many of them | Continue reading
A thin, multi-layered film inspired by the structure of vibrant blue butterfly wings could help vehicles reduce energy used for cooling | Continue reading
Honeybees exposed to continuous artificial light get much less sleep, and this may affect their ability to pollinate plants | Continue reading
Anemones have special cells that shoot stinging barbs for protection or to hunt prey – decisions about when to release them and where to aim is based on the activity of calcium ion channels similar to those in human neurons | Continue reading
US schools could nearly halve the carbon emissions of the lunches they offer by only serving beef once a month and replacing the highest emitting meal a week with a vegan option. | Continue reading
Shooting powerful lasers at thin gold flakes has revealed how the precious metal generates its own faint glow – and might help us better control chemical reactions used in energy storage | Continue reading
Disrupted brain signals have previously been linked to ADHD in children, with the link now being found in young adults, improving researchers' understanding of the condition | Continue reading
Deepfake audio can trick people even when they know they might be hearing an AI-generated voice – AI-powered detectors may need to step up to help people distinguish deepfakes from authentic human speech | Continue reading
Taking on too many commitments can leave us exhausted and full of regret. David Robson shares an easy trick to make more space in your schedule | Continue reading
The way conversation shapes our worlds and holds them together is cunningly teased apart by Shane O'Mara, a professor of experimental brain research | Continue reading
Why did entire communities of scientists reject groundbreaking theories, even those backed by sound evidence? It's a question of bias, says Dan Levitt | Continue reading
The threat of AI-authored content hangs over many creative industries. Journalists, actors and screenwriters need to push back against automation, says Annalee Newitz | Continue reading
There is still much to discover in the ocean's depths, from exotic creatures and rare minerals to the secrets of our ancient climate, says a fascinating new book by Susan Casey | Continue reading
Six months of preparation are needed to display the space shuttle in a vertical position at the California Science Center | Continue reading
Experts are right to be wary of claims that a room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor has been found, but the flurry of new research to confirm the finding could result in a genuine breakthrough | Continue reading
Drawn from Isaac Asimov's novels, Foundation is set in a world where an empire ruled by clones is under threat. Can the new series avoid fizzling out like Game of Thrones, asks an anxious Bethan Ackerley | Continue reading
A whale that lived around 39 million years ago could have weighed as much as 340 tonnes, according to analysis of a partial skeleton found in Peru | Continue reading
The Maillard reaction, which generates flavoursome compounds during cooking, probably helps lock carbon away in the seabed, boosting oxygen in the atmosphere | Continue reading
A different form of a gene called CHD1L found in people with African ancestry has been linked to lower HIV levels in people infected with the virus, and the discovery could open the door to improved treatments | Continue reading
Detecting the permanent imprints left by colliding black holes would reveal a universe saturated with infinite symmetries – and narrow the possibilities for a theory of quantum gravity. | Continue reading
Researchers are moving quickly to test if a material called LK-99 really is a superconductor at room temperature and pressure. Several labs have already announced results | Continue reading
Altering the gut microbiome via probiotics could one day help people to maintain a certain level of fitness and reduce the rate of their biological ageing | Continue reading
Helical bumps on artificial fibres can carry 2000 times more water than the volume of the bumps themselves, which could help people harvest drinking water from the air | Continue reading
By analysing charred remains of a Jerusalem building, archaeologists have uncovered details of how it was burned down by Babylonian invaders in 586 BC | Continue reading
A fossil discovered in Canada reveals that jellyfish developed the swimming stage of their life cycle more than half a billion years ago | Continue reading
After accidentally turning the Voyager 2 spacecraft away from Earth and losing contact with it, NASA engineers have now heard a “heartbeat signal” that shows it is still okay | Continue reading
Higher exposure to lead in childhood is associated with a greater likelihood of criminality, a review of 17 studies has found, but whether the element is causing the behaviour rather than just being associated with it is unknown | Continue reading
A chemical process that produces methane without living organisms could have warmed up the young Earth – and may complicate the search for life elsewhere | Continue reading
Tobacco budworm moth males gather a sweet-smelling chemical from flowers and release it from hairy appendages when they are near females to make themselves more attractive | Continue reading
Unexpectedly, the eastern Pacific Ocean is cooling. If this “cold tongue” continues, it could reduce greenhouse gas warming by 30 per cent – but also bring megadrought to the US | Continue reading
Could we bore a hole through the centre of Earth? What would it be like to fling yourself through it? The Dead Planets Society podcast digs deep into the potential hazards | Continue reading