Photographs with a shallow depth of field trick the brain into assuming that the subject is small and close-up, and experiments show how effective this illusion can be | Continue reading
The mass extinction at the end of the Permian Period wiped out many plants. Fossils of millipedes from that era have been found alongside ancient mammal carcasses, suggesting that mass plant die-off may have driven them to be carnivorous | Continue reading
Injecting gene-edited heart cells into rats with damaged hearts kept more of them alive and had them exercising for longer – and tests in humans could start in 2025 | Continue reading
The last accepted sighting of the South Island kōkako was in 1967, and it was declared extinct in 2007 – but a potential sighting that same year led to its reclassification, and a charitable trust set up to find it has been searching for the bird ever since | Continue reading
Synchronised blinking may reflect a certain cognitive state that professional racers have when controlling a fast-moving car | Continue reading
After experimental stem cell therapy, people who required assistance walking due to symptoms of progressive multiple sclerosis saw their mobility improve | Continue reading
A simple mechanical system built from aluminium rods uses vibrations to encode information, mimicking quantum computing in a non-quantum system | Continue reading
An analysis of 30 years of monitoring data shows an upward trend in the population of insects and other invertebrates in English rivers, which may be linked to lower levels of zinc and copper | Continue reading
Our brain's high energy demands, particularly in certain key areas, may have enabled us to evolve uniquely advanced cognitive traits | Continue reading
Animals fleeing predators can take advantage of the "human shield effect" where they seek refuge in human-dominated spaces – but for bobcats and coyotes in Washington state, conflict with humans is three times as likely to lead to death | Continue reading
In tests with a rat, the e-skin patch conveyed touch and pressure signals to the brain, prompting the animal to move its muscles | Continue reading
Many sources claim sexual kissing spread worldwide from South Asia 3500 years ago, but there is evidence it was practised in ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt much earlier than that | Continue reading
Long periods of extreme weather caused by El Niño events have a severe and long-lasting economic impact for the hardest-hit nations, an analysis has found | Continue reading
Used diapers could be a source of building materials, as they can be recycled to replace the sand normally used in concrete | Continue reading
An octopus in an aquarium has been filmed going from deep sleep to thrashing and releasing ink - an anti-predator response that suggests it was dreaming about being attacked | Continue reading
Plans etched into stone tablets depict vast hunting traps called desert kites built 9000 years ago, showing a mastery of geometry long before the invention of writing | Continue reading
Researchers have discovered a long-standing connection between temperatures in the Pacific Ocean and the health of arid grasslands in the US Southwest – but climate change seems to have broken it | Continue reading
We used to think "synanthropic" animals like raccoons, foxes and ravens started living alongside people around the time of the agricultural revolution, about 10,000 years ago. But it could have been much earlier, says Michael Marshall | Continue reading
Declaring ageing a disease could hold back efforts to find genuine treatments that tackle age-related illnesses like osteoporosis and dementia | Continue reading
An enticingly designed addition to the American Museum of Natural History in New York aims to connect all forms of life, from leafcutter ants to humans. Its engaging exhibits look sure to win more fans for the natural world | Continue reading
The 19th-century British botanist used an early photographic technique to document plants and algae, and in 1843 released the first ever book illustrated with photographs | Continue reading
A poignant documentary tells the paradoxical story of a vast, remote cave in Vietnam that looks likely to turn into a major tourist attraction | Continue reading
The pungent flavour of wild garlic probably evolved as a defence against herbivory, but it doesn’t deter garlic-loving humans, says Sam Wong | Continue reading
Is whipping up drama from everyday life down to personality? Or could it be caused by something deeper that warrants investigation? Scott Lyons's new book explores what might fuel those who thrive on the dramatic | Continue reading
Equine sports are increasingly under fire from animal rights activists, but science should be the focus for those who demand changes to the likes of horseracing and Olympic events, says Christa Lesté-Lasserre | Continue reading
An argument that has been raging among biologists for over a decade – whether comb jellies or sponges were the first group to split off from the common ancestor of all animals – has a new twist, thanks to an analysis of genetic patterns | Continue reading
The ink could one day be used to provide automatic camouflage by turning green in forests and sand-coloured in deserts | Continue reading
A variety of drugs, including metformin, rapamycin and a host of new senolytics, are finally showing promise in clearing out zombie cells that cause age-related diseases. Here's what you need to know | Continue reading
From Dune to Babylon 5, the Eragon author reveals five inspirations behind his new adult science fiction novel, Fractal Noise | Continue reading
Salty snacks taste great, but combining them with cola can enhance the flavour even further - and now we know why | Continue reading
The UK’s Met Office says there is now a 66 per cent chance average global temperatures will be more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels in at least one of the next five years | Continue reading
Skywalker gibbons remember the locations of the most desirable foods and set off earlier when they want to eat fruit for breakfast | Continue reading
Shin pain is common for runners, but it's unclear what parts of training most contribute. It turns out that pressure on shin bones is more severe when runners up their pace compared to when they train on hills | Continue reading
The true cause of "shin splints" still isn't well understood, but a contributing factor may be that running fast puts more strain on shin bones than tackling inclines does | Continue reading
A report from the World Health Organization contradicts current mainstream health advice to choose food and drinks with sweeteners instead of sugar | Continue reading
A new high-definition virtual meeting pod by Finnish company Framery aims to recreate face-to-face conversations at a distance. Are these the future of video calls – and can they really reduce the need for business travel? | Continue reading
To improve cybersecurity we need to understand how hackers really think, as well as how they code, says cyber-lawyer Scott Shapiro. That's why he's teaching everyone how to hack | Continue reading
To improve cybersecurity we need to understand how hackers really think, as well as how they code, says cyber-lawyer Scott Shapiro. That's why he's teaching everyone how to hack | Continue reading
Tiny capsules burst open when hit with ultrasound waves, releasing chemicals that destroy films of bacteria like those found on teeth | Continue reading
This simulation models a huge number of atoms in detail with the help of artificial intelligence | Continue reading
A genetic alteration that extends the life of mice can be transferred to other mice via blood stem cells, and this could soon be tested in humans as a cancer treatment | Continue reading
The writers' strike was initially about compensation in an era of streaming services. Now the role of AI has also become a major point of contention in negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and companies such as Disney and Netflix | Continue reading
Certain kinds of "forever chemicals" can be dismantled using bacteria found in wastewater. This points to a possible way of making more of these compounds biodegradable | Continue reading
The finding suggests existing theories about the cause of dementia may need to be rethought | Continue reading
The Search for Lost Birds project has already tracked down two species on its top 10 list. But is this focus on a handful of potentially extinct birds really good for conservation? | Continue reading
Stephen Marche worked with ChatGPT and other AI tools to craft this thriller. The prose is plodding and the final twist leans heavily on a Sherlock Holmes story – but this is an interesting experiment | Continue reading
Alopecia makes it harder for fur seals to keep warm, and the condition may be the result of hotter temperatures making it tough to find their preferred prey | Continue reading
Lacking a set bed and wake time may influence our body's various psychological processes, affecting our health. Alternatively, irregular sleep habits could be caused by a pre-existing medical condition that itself raises the risk of death over a given period | Continue reading