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Animals

Animals under Antarctic ice?

Data suggest a web of lake organisms might thrive deep under ice; scientists struggle to make sense of the new report.

Physics

Going against the flow

Tea leaves and other particles can sometimes float upstream.

Tech

Perfect reflections

Physicists have built a mirror that Snow White’s wicked stepmother would certainly not appreciate. It offers a perfect reflection.

Microbes

Some dirt won’t hurt

It could even lower risks of serious allergic disease.

Environment

Home, plastic home

Some ocean life is moving into floating piles of plastic trash.

Brain

Respecting the body’s clocks

Daily rhythms affect everything from the time we wake to how well we perform in sports.

Brain

Explainer: What is jet lag?

Traveling across time zones can disrupt circadian rhythms.

Microbes

The power of microbes

A living animal is never alone. Its body — like yours — is home to trillions of microbes, or tiny single-celled organisms. Those microbes aren’t just hitchhiking. They can play an important role in separating species, researchers now report.

Physics

A light twist

A new spin on fiber optics packs hefty data into a small space.