NASA makes history with the first demonstration of controlled flight on another planet. NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter captured this shot as it hovered over the Martian surface. Image: NASA What started as…
Oxygen biosignature alone does not indicate life on other planets
Oxygen is a promising exoplanet biosignature, but several scenarios exist in which a lifeless, rocky planet could evolve to have non-biological oxygen in its atmosphere. Image credit: Daniel Olah on Unsplash Are…
Researchers translate the music hidden in spider webs
From better 3D printers to cross-species communication and otherworldly music, scientists unlock the hidden, musical language of spiders. Cross-sectional images of a spider web were combined and translated into music. Isabelle Su…
Researchers chill antimatter for the first time
By cooling antimatter to absolute zero, physicists may finally be able to answer questions that could fundamentally alter our understanding of the universe. An artistic illustration of the movement of an antihydrogen…
Inspired by the pufferfish, this hydrogel purifies water using nothing but sunlight
This method of purification under natural sunlight opens a new paradigm in clean water production using renewable solar energy. As population growth is expected to continue, with an increase to roughly 9.7…
Pioneers in Science: Barbara McClintock
A story of persistence, Barbara McClintock rocked the foundation of genetics with her controversial ideas, forming our understanding of “jumping genes” and the dynamic nature of the genome. Illustration by Kieran O’Brien…
Delaying second dose of COVID-19 vaccine has benefits in the short term, but depends on immunity
The strength of immune responses after the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines could make or break this strategy and policy makers need to be able to adapt. Image credit: Mat Nato Unsplash…
Could planets with underground oceans be concealing alien life?
Planets that contain subsurface oceans could be a potential treasure trove of life, expanding the number of habitable planets in the galaxy. The surface of Enceladus, captured by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft; Image…
“Evolution‐on‐a‐chip” device helps reveal mutations that lead to superbugs
A well-based microfluidic device allows researchers to generate important data that are needed to better understand the parameters that influence evolution in bacteria to combat antibiotic resistance. Image credit: Kersten Rabe et…
What COVID-19 vaccine should I get? Whichever one you are offered, say experts
Image credit: Pexels Just a year ago, as the SARS-CoV-2 virus began to take hold of the world, a vaccine to curb the pandemic seemed a far-off hope. Nevertheless, researchers around the…