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  1. Tech

    This squirrel-like robot has some serious hops

    Salto the jumping robot has a claw-like gripper. Like a squirrel, it can adjust its movement to help it stay balanced to stick a landing on "branches."

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  2. Animals

    The ‘bone collector’ caterpillar wears its prey as camouflage

    For months, the caterpillar scavenges spider webs for scrapped insect body parts to cover its protective case. Later, that case will serve as its cocoon.

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  3. Chemistry

    Scientists Say: Chiral

    Many biological molecules come in a left- and right-handed form — and biology plays favorites.

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  4. Planets

    A giant, busted planet fuels a nebula’s mysterious glow

    This Helix Nebula is like a colorful explosion frozen in time. Its center seems to be steadily radiating X-rays.

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  5. Life

    Research without lab animals? New tech is making it possible

    For decades, scientists have worked to phase out the use of animals in research. AI, ‘lungs’ on a chip and more are bringing that goal closer.

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  6. Animals

    Tick, tick, tick. In a first, a shark is heard making noise

    The undersea world can host a symphony of fish grunts, hums and growls. Now add tooth-clacking sharks to the score.

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  7. Environment

    Eco-friendly sunscreen? That’s bananas!

    Bananas make their own natural sunscreens. A teen thinks these could work to protect our skin as well, while being safe for aquatic life.

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  8. Health & Medicine

    Three U.S tick species may trigger a mysterious red-meat allergy

    This little-known allergy, known as alpha-gal syndrome, is potentially deadly. Here’s what we know about it — and how to avoid the tick bites that seem to cause it.

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  9. Tech

    You can ‘grab’ these virtual displays and manipulate them midair

    Such interactive floating graphics and virtual objects could be used to make more immersive video games and museum exhibits.

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  10. Earth

    Scientists Say: Caldera

    These gigantic craters form when a volcanic eruption empties magma chambers underneath, allowing the mountain to crumble into the void.

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  11. Space

    A nearby star system is likely sending lots of comets our way

    This Alpha Centauri system loses comets and dust particles, but it produces only about 10 of the several trillion meteors that Earth sees each year.

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  12. Plants

    Magnets mimic gravity’s guiding hand for plants growing in space

    Without constant gravity, plants waste energy twisting and coiling, trying to reach toward the sun. Teen ISEF finalists might have found a solution.

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