Animals
‘Night Magic’ invites you to celebrate the living wonders of the dark
In the book ‘Night Magic,’ Leigh Ann Henion writes of encounters with salamanders, bats, glowworms and other life-forms nurtured by darkness.
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Cover Story
The fruit fly revolutionized biology. Now it’s boosting science in Africa
African researchers are using Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies to advance studies of genetics, biomedicine, developmental biology, toxicology and more.
Reviews & Previews
Science Visualized
Paleontology
Despite new clues, this ancient fish has stumped scientists for centuries
The 50-million-year-old Pegasus volans isn't closely related to seamoths or oarfish, like some researchers have suggested. But what is it?
Notebook
Animals
Here’s how an arthropod pulls off the world’s fastest backflip
While airborne, globular springtails can reach a spin rate of 368 rotations per second, high-speed camera footage shows.
More Stories from the October 5, 2024 issue
- Space
2 spacecraft caught the waves that might heat and accelerate the solar wind
Data from NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and ESA’s Solar Orbiter might have cracked an enduring solar riddle. But not everyone yet agrees.
- Quantum Physics
A quantum computer corrected its own errors, improving its calculations
The corrected calculation had an error rate about a tenth of one done without quantum error correction.
- Physics
A nuclear clock prototype hints at ultraprecise timekeeping
Nuclear clocks could rival atomic clocks and allow for new tests of fundamental physics. A new experiment demonstrates all the ingredients needed.
- Planetary Science
The Webb telescope’s peek into a stellar nursery finds baby planets too
Images by the James Webb telescope of six Jupiter-sized worlds, one of which may have a moon-forming disk, reveal clues into how planets and stars form.
- Animals
This spider uses trapped fireflies to lure in more prey
Male fireflies trapped in the spider’s web flash femalelike lights, possibly luring in other flying males and allowing the arachnid to stock up on food.
- Animals
Scientists piece together clues in a shark ‘murder mystery’
A missing porbeagle shark was likely killed by a great white. It’s the first known case of adult porbeagles being hunted by a predator, scientists say.
- Health & Medicine
A new drug shows promise for hot flashes due to menopause
Two clinical trials found that the nonhormonal drug elinzanetant eased hot flashes and improved sleep, two common menopause symptoms.
- Animals
Bumblebees lose most of their sense of smell after heat waves
A few hours in high temps reduced the ability of antennae to detect flower scents by 80 percent. That could impact the bees’ ability to find food.
- Climate
Zigzag walls could help buildings beat the heat
A corrugated exterior wall reflects heat to space and absorbs less heat from the ground, keeping it several degrees cooler than a flat wall.
- Physics
Mayo is weirdly great for understanding nuclear fusion experiments
Mayonnaise’s texture is perfect for mimicking what a fusion fuel capsule goes through after it’s blasted with lasers.
- Anthropology
Ancient DNA unveils a previously unknown line of Neandertals
DNA from a partial skeleton found in France indicates that European Neandertals consisted of at least two genetically distinct populations.
- Space
50 years ago, satellites threatened astronomers’ view of the cosmos
As satellite launches ramp up and the spacecraft clog the skies, astronomers fear for their data.
