One of the earliest apex predators, and perhaps the freakiest to ever haunt the sea, may have also been a delicate eater. For decades, paleontologists have assumed that the long-extinct Anomalocaris canadensis…
Tear-resistant rubbery materials could pave the way for tougher tires
A new material design could reduce pollution where the rubber meets the road. Strategically adding weak points along microscopic chains called polymers actually makes them harder to tear, researchers report in the…
Dust from a shrinking Great Salt Lake may be accelerating Utah’s snowmelt
Utah’s trademarked “greatest snow on earth” may be getting dirtier — and melting faster — due in part to dust blowing off newly exposed lakebed from the shrinking Great Salt Lake. Snow…
Tracing life’s origins with early Earth chemistry
Billions of years ago, Earth was a vastly different planet characterized by a harsh environment that could not support life. Volcanic eruptions, lightning storms, and the constant bombardment of meteorites and comets…
Micromachines destroy bacterial biofilms in hard-to-reach places
Magnetic hydrogel micromachines break up biofilms and release antibiotics, combating biofilm infections associated with medical devices. Biofilms are slimy films made up of microorganisms and other substances that can grow on a…
The snow forest of North America may be about to shrink
One of nature’s woody behemoths — the North American snow forest — may soon begin shrinking. The continent’s boreal forest reposes in subarctic latitudes, spanning much of Alaska and Canada. Scientists had…
Nobel Laureate John B. Goodenough dies at 100
Goodenough’s visionary efforts in developing lithium ion batteries played an instrumental role in revolutionizing the way we generate, store, and use energy. Renowned scientist and Nobel Laureate, John B. Goodenough, passed away…
Irrigation may be shifting Earth’s rotational axis
Runoff from irrigation has moved so much water from land to sea that Earth’s rotation might have measurably shifted. Computer simulations suggest that from 1993 through 2010, irrigation alone nudged the North…
Portable 3D-printed sensor detects low concentrations of water pollutants
3D-printed sensor detects low concentrations of pesticides, offering a cost-effective and portable solution for water monitoring. Monitoring water pollution is of the utmost importance to maintaining ecosystems, safeguarding human health, and ensuring…
The Amazon might not have a ‘tipping point.’ But it’s still in trouble
The shore of a sea of nearly 400 billion trees winds through the central Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Here, the Amazon rainforest rubs up against the Cerrado, the world’s largest savanna….