Many trans or nonbinary individuals grapple with gender dysphoria, an enduring distress caused by a conflict between the sex assigned at birth and the gender they identify with. Among a myriad of…
Author: Carolyn Gramling
Some leaves in tropical forests may be getting too hot for photosynthesis
Like people, leaves have their limits when it comes to heat. Scientists first reported in 1864 that the leaves of some plants could survive up to 50° Celsius, only to perish beyond…
Turning plastic waste into low-cost hydrogen fuels
As the impacts of the ongoing climate crisis and environmental challenges like pollution and ecosystem degradation become increasingly evident, the need for innovative solutions that address these complex issues on multiple fronts…
‘The Deepest Map’ explores the thrills — and dangers — of charting the ocean
The Deepest MapLaura TretheweyHarper Wave, $32 In 2019, the multimillionaire and explorer Victor Vescovo made headlines when he became the first person to visit the deepest parts of all five of Earth’s…
How Kenya is helping its neighbors develop geothermal energy
The dusty town of Naivasha sits within the Great Rift Valley, where the African continent is being divided into two. About 90 kilometers northwest of Kenya’s capital city of Nairobi, Naivasha welcomes…
When discussing flora and fauna, don’t forget ‘funga’
Fungi. They grow between toes, on bread and in the shower. But the organisms also produce food and medicine and act as ecosystem maids by decomposing dead matter — benefits that are…
Emperor penguins lost thousands of chicks to melting ice last year
Thousands of emperor penguins in western Antarctica lost their chicks last year, largely due to receding sea ice, satellite data suggest. Over the last two years, sea ice has reached record lows…
In a ‘perfect comeback,’ some birds use antibird spikes to build their nests
It’s the Mad Max dream of a bird’s nest: A menacing composite of metal, clay, twig and plastic. Spotted in a sugar maple tree in Antwerp, Belgium, the gnarly architecture brims with…
No more needles, an oral insulin medication could be on the horizon
Insulin is a life-saving medication, helping to control blood sugar levels in diabetic patients. Although not a cure, this breakthrough has saved millions of lives, providing treatment for a disease that was…
Repairing broken circuits in the brain could help treat Parkinson’s disease
Scientists delve into how repairing dysfunctional brain circuits in Parkinson’s can offer another path forward for new treatment strategies. Parkinson’s is a debilitating disease marked by loss of brain cells that produce…