Life
- Agriculture
The ultimate genealogical search hunts for our earliest ancestors
The complex search to identify humans’ most distant cousins is long, complex and far from straightforward. It’s also far from over.
- Archaeology
Genetics show humans likely trace back to Africa
Our history began looking ever more complex once geneticists revealed our ancestors picked up new DNA as they traveled across time and continents.
- Animals
Baleen whales eat — and poop — a lot more than we thought
The amount of food that some whales eat and then poop out suggests these animals have a powerful influence over ocean ecosystems.
- Brain
Want to improve your reading skills? You might just need more space
A simple change by publishers and Web designers could help kids — both with and without dyslexia — read faster and better.
- Ecosystems
Leaky sewer pipes pollute urban streams and bays with drugs
Scientists find that leaking sewer pipes around Baltimore, Md., spew thousands of doses of medicines into the Chesapeake Bay and other waterways.
- Plants
Let’s learn about meat-eating plants
Carnivorous plants use a variety of strategies to lure in and capture their prey, from sticky traps to jawlike leaves.
- Climate
Here’s how some sea-loving trees ended up far from the coast
This “relict ecosystem” that’s more than thousands of years old moved inland due to warming and a rise in sea levels.
- Animals
Here’s why ducklings swim in a row behind mom
Baby ducks save energy by surfing their mother’s waves, but only if they do it in an orderly line.
- Brain
Concussion patients should avoid screen time for first two days
Teens may find it hard to avoid screen time, but data from a new study suggest it can speed their recovery.
- Plants
Scientists Say: Phloem
Phloem is tissue that delivers food, made in leaves during photosynthesis, to the rest of a plant.
- Animals
Bloodthirsty vampire bats prefer drinking with friends
Vampire bats were known to bond with others in their roost. Now, research suggests bonded bats often drink blood from animals together.
- Brain
Ask the experts: How to create a top-notch science fair project
Five finalists in the Broadcom MASTERS middle-school competition reveal how they created nationally competitive projects.
