Science & Technology News
Cutting Salt May Lower Blood Pressure as Much as Medication
A new study confirms the blood pressure-lowering power of a low-sodium diet
Cosmic lights in the forest
One small material, one giant leap for life on Mars: New research takes us a step closer to sustaining human life on the red planet
Eyeless Cave Spiders Can Still 'See' the Light
Some species of cave-dwelling spiders lack eyes but still maintain the ability to sense light, which likely protects them from the arid environments at the sunny mouths of caves
How Search Engines Boost Misinformation
Data voids in search results can lead down rabbit holes that bolster belief in fake news
New At-Home STI Test Could Help Stop the Spread of Infection
Experts hope a recent FDA approval for the first commercial at-home test for sexually transmitted diseases may help increase access to testing and curb rising rates
New Class of Antibiotics Discovered Using AI
A deep-learning algorithm helped identify new compounds that are effective against antibiotic-resistant infections in mice, opening the door to AI-guided drug discovery
See the Best Science Graphics of 2023
Some of our favorite stories this year are best told visually
The Real Story Behind 'White Lung Pneumonia'
Separate outbreaks of pneumonia in children have cropped up in the U.S., China and Europe. Public health experts say the uptick in cases is not caused by a novel pathogen
Ringing in the holidays with ringed planet Uranus
How Dangerous Is Iceland's New Volcanic Eruption?
Lava spewed from volcanic fissures in Iceland as a long-awaited eruption finally began, potentially threatening a power plant and the nearby town of Grindavík
Why Do Christmas Songs Get Stuck in Your Head So Easily?
If holiday music seems designed in a lab to get stuck on repeat inside your head for all of December, well, it kind of is
Do Fainter Lines on Home COVID Tests Mean You're Getting Better?
The colors of lines on COVID tests can show whether you’re getting healthy or staying sick—if they’re interpreted the right way
The Biggest Health and Medicine Stories of 2023
From new uses for weight-loss drugs to the first CRISPR gene editing therapy, these were some of the most impactful health stories of the year
First Atlas of Every Mouse Brain Cell Could Improve Neuro Disease Treatments
Several research teams have created an atlas of the mouse brain. The map, which has more than 5,300 cell clusters, should help to improve the treatment of brain diseases
Lost 'Woolly Dog' Genetics Highlight Indigenous Science
“Woolly dogs” that were kept by the Coast Salish peoples are now extinct, but researchers were able to see their importance written in the genome of the only known pelt
Scientists measure the distance to stars by their music
An Experimental Treatment Could Help COVID Smell Distortion
An injection that targets nerves in the neck appears to relieve parosmia related to COVID infection in some people, but more rigorous studies are needed
How to See Halos, Sun Dogs and Other Delights of the Daytime Sky
Ice crystals suspended in the air put on a gorgeous show if you know when and where to look