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Stressed out? Your dog may feel it too, study suggests
When dog owners go through a stressful period, they’re not alone in feeling the pressure. | 6 June 2019
Library of spider silk could hold secrets for new materials
The library could become an important storehouse of information for designing new pesticides and better materials. | 14 Aug. 2019
NASA plans to send a drone to Saturn’s largest moon
NASA is sending a drone called Dragonfly to explore Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.| 27 June 2019
Scientists get peek into how some fish change sex as adults
If in the beginning there was male and female, fish seem to have forgotten the memo.| 10 July 2019
Here’s a fact: We went to the moon in 1969
Fifty years after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, some people insist it never happened.| 11 July 2019
Scientists crack secret of fish’s deadly, transparent teeth
A deep-sea fish can hide its enormous, jutting teeth from prey because its chompers are virtually invisible.| 5 June 2019
War wrecked an African ecosystem. Ecologists are trying to restore it
Predators and prey roam Gorongosa in Mozambique once again, but there’s still a long way to go. | 5 May 2019
A global survey finds that the Arctic Ocean is a hot spot for viruses
Knowing where viruses are illuminates where carbon may be sinking. | 25 April 2019
Warm, dry winds may be straining Antarctica’s Larsen C ice shelf
Autumn melting could be a warning sign. | 18 April 2019
NASA’s Twins Study reveals effects of space on Scott Kelly’s health*
A comparison with his twin looks at the impact of long-term spaceflight on the human body. | 11 April 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
Tiny pumpkin toadlets have glowing bony plates on their backs
Researchers suggest the structures may help the deaf frogs communicate. | 3 April 2019
Bacteria can be coaxed into making the toughest kind of spider silk
The engineered stands could help design more sturdy materials. | 2 April 2019
50 years ago, drug abuse was higher among physicians than the public
Excerpt from the April 5, 1969 issue of Science News. | 28 March 2019
Edibles are tied to more severe health issues than smoking marijuana
People who ingest the drug are more likely to have psych or heart problems than those who inhale it. | 25 March 2019
Women have a new weapon against postpartum depression, but it’s costly
The newly approved drug brexanolone simulates a natural steroid to alleviate symptoms. | 22 March 2019
Meet India’s starry dwarf frog — a species with no close relatives
The new frog represents a new species, genus and potentially even a new family. | 18 March 2019
Review: ‘Epic Yellowstone’ captures the thriving ecosystem of the world-famous park
A new documentary series highlights the interactions of predator, prey and environment. | 17 March 2019
How helpful gut microbes send signals that they are friends, not foes
The finding in mice may help explain why a body’s immune system doesn’t kill beneficial bugs. | 7 March 2019
Tiny bits of iron may explain why some icebergs are green
The emerald ice may help shuttle an essential nutrient around marine food webs. | 6 March 2019
Sleeping in on the weekend can’t make up for lost sleep*
Lack of Zs increased weight, late-night munchies and insensitivity to insulin. | 1 March 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
What spiders eating weird stuff tell us about complex Amazon food webs*
Rare views of invertebrates munching on vertebrates include a tarantula and an opossum. | 28 Feb. 2019
*Also read a version of this written for students
The world’s largest bee has been rediscovered after 38 years*
The walnut-sized female bee was found on an island in Indonesia. | 21 Feb. 2019
*A version of this story written for students reeled in more than 50% of site views for the week
A deer-sized T. rex ancestor shows how fast tyrannosaurs became giants*
The newly discovered fossil’s name, Moros intrepidus, means ‘the harbinger of doom’. | 21 Feb. 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
Why some Georgia O’Keeffe paintings have ‘art acne’*
A new imaging technique could help art curators track destructive bumps over time. | 16 Feb. 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
A new 2-D material uses light to quickly and safely purify water*
In tests, it killed 99.9999 percent of the bacteria in contaminated water. | 12 Feb. 2019
*Story topped "science" thread on Reddit
2018 was the fourth-hottest year on record, and it’s getting even hotter*
As warmer temperatures mess with global rainfall patterns, the U.S. East saw record rains. | 6 Feb. 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
A space rock collision may explain how this exoplanet was born
Convincing evidence for such collisions outside the solar system is rare.| 4 Feb. 2019
Giant pandas may have only recently switched to eating mostly bamboo
The switch to a bamboo diet occurred some 5,000 years ago, not 2 million years ago as thought. | 31 Jan. 2019
How light-farming chloroplasts morph into defensive warriors
Scientists have identified the protein that summons the cellular energy factories to battle. | 28 Jan. 2019
Young emperor penguins brave icy, winter waters in their first year
The young birds head north to warmer waters before returning to winter in Antarctica. | 23 Jan. 2019
This rediscovered Bolivian frog species survived deadly chytrid fungus*
The species was feared to be extinct, except for one lonely male. | 17 Jan. 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
Desalination pours more toxic brine into the ocean than previously thought
The supersalty water is a by-product in producing potable water. | 14 Jan. 2019
Floating seabirds provide a novel way to trace ocean currents
Data from GPS trackers on shearwaters matched those collected by buoys and other tools. | 10 Jan. 2019
Dracula ant’s powerful pincers snap shut at record speed
Fangs are feeble next to the fastest appendages in the animal world. | 12 Dec. 2018
Five years of record warmth intensify Arctic's transformation*
Sea ice is the thinnest it's been at any time in the last 30 years, and wild reindeer and caribou populations continue to decline. | 11 Dec. 2018
*Story picked-up by Scientific American
Epic storm roils a tranquil region of Neptune
Amateur astronomers help to track a disturbance in the icy planet’s atmosphere. | 5 Dec. 2018
Pacific Ocean set to spawn an El Niño this winter
World Meteorological Organization predicts a weak- to moderate-strength event that could bring heavy rains and drought to various parts of the world. | 27 Nov. 2018
​
Back from the brink: Endangered whales, giraffes and gorillas make gains
Population increases demonstrate the benefits of investing in conservation, says the International Union for Conservation of Nature. | 22 Nov. 2018
​
Termite mounds dating back millennia can be seen from space
Mounds of excavated dirt number into the millions and tower up to four metres tall. | 19 Nov. 2018
​
Molecular net fishes sugar from blood
Synthetic tool that binds to glucose could prove useful for people with diabetes. | 15 Nov. 2018
​
Science candidates prevail in US midterm elections
Trump administration’s controversial science and environment policies could come under extra scrutiny as Democrats gain in Congress. | 6 Nov. 2018
​
Rogue chemicals threaten positive prognosis for ozone hole
Researchers hunt for the source of a mysterious rise in ozone-depleting chemicals in Earth’s atmosphere. | 2 Nov. 2018
​
A once-lush country on the verge of total deforestation
The mountains of Haiti could be stripped of trees completely in under two decades. | 30 Oct. 2018
​
Space crews’ grey matter shrivels during long stays in orbit
Seven months after cosmonauts landed, some brain tissues had recovered but others had not. | 24 Oct. 2018
​
Dandelion seeds fly using ‘impossible’ method never before seen in nature*
The seeds contain a lot of open space, which seems to be the key to sustaining flight. | 17 Oct. 2018
*One of Nature's top 20 most-read articles for 2018
​
Why an elephant’s tail is a feeble fly-swatter
Tails serve as effective non-lethal weapons against pests.| 17 Oct. 2018
​
Russian space agency to investigate Soyuz rocket crash
A Russian cosmonaut and a US astronaut are safe after their rocket, bound for the International Space Station, malfunctioned. | 11 Oct. 2018
​
Healthy mice from same-sex parents have their own pups
Advance reveals genetic factors that require mammals to reproduce using two sexes. | 11 Oct. 2018
​
Spacecraft beware: huge spines of ice might guard a glimmering moon
Touchdowns on Jupiter’s moon Europa, which might host life, could be risky.| 8 Oct. 2018
​
This miniature drug factory fits on a few lab benches
Automated system takes only 80 hours to turn out hundreds of doses of a medical product made by living organisms.| 3 Oct. 2018
​
How extremely dry skin safeguards African elephants
Imaging reveals mounds under the skin that help to create cooling channels.| 2 Oct. 2018
​
Syphilis cases in US newborns spike to 20-year high
Nearly 1,000 babies were born with the infection in 2017. | 1 Oct. 2018
​
Yellowstone grizzly bears back under endangered-species protections
Judge rules that the US government didn’t consider the best available science when it removed the animals from the endangered-species list. | 25 Sep. 2018
​
World’s first animal was a pancake-shaped prehistoric ocean dweller
Fossils of ancient sea creatures answer a long-standing question about how animals became bigger and more complex. | 20 Sep. 2018
​
Ice-tracking satellite launches after ten years in the works
NASA mission will measure changes in ice thickness in unprecedented detail. | 15 Sep. 2018
​
Ten years after the economic crash, R&D funding is better than ever
The funding by businesses dipped after the crash, offset in some regions by rises in government funding.| 13 Sep. 2018
​
NASA probe will track melting polar ice in unprecedented detail
The Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite can measure changes in ice thickness to within half a centimetre. | 10 Sep. 2018
​
Meagre ranks of anti-flu drugs look set to grow
A compound thwarts the influenza virus by blocking viral replication.| 5 Sep. 2018
​
Meal of poo makes naked mole rats motherly
Oestrogen in a queen mole rat’s droppings might induce her minions to care for her pups.| 28 Aug. 2018
​
US government failing to provide recovery plans for some endangered species
US agencies have no official recovery plans for almost one-quarter of the plants and animals protected under the landmark Endangered Species Act. | 24 Aug. 2018
​
230-million-year-old turtle fossil deepens mystery of reptile's origins
Two-metre-long specimen could help researchers pin down how and when turtles developed traits such as their shell. | 22 Aug. 2018
​
‘Green revolution’ crops bred to slash fertilizer use
Researchers have identified a molecule that increases plant growth while reducing the need for nitrogen.| 15 Aug. 2018
​
US Congress leaves science agencies hanging — again
Lawmakers have just 11 working days to complete a 2019 funding plan before their 1 October deadline.| 10 Aug. 2018
​
Hunger’s toll looks set to grow with tough action on climate change
Carbon taxes and related policies could lead to worse food shortages than climate change alone.| 31 July 2018
​
Push to weaken US Endangered Species Act runs into roadblocks*
Policymakers have tried, unsuccessfully, to change this law for decades.| 27 July 2018
*Story picked-up by Scientific American
​
3D image reveals hidden neurons in fruit-fly brain
Researchers hope the data will speed the understanding of how the brain affects behaviour.| 19 July 2018
​
US national parks have just as much air pollution as major cities
Study finds that the air in areas such as Yosemite National Park isn’t as pristine as it seems.| 18 July 2018
​
Tropical forest tells a tale of ecological resilience and human tragedy
The sixteenth-century destruction of indigenous people left an imprint on an ecosystem.| 16 July 2018
​
What makes a man attractive? Hint: Look at his limbs
Strip everything away and one luring—maybe evolutionary—piece remains, a new study finds: how proportional his body is, especially his legs.| 16 May 2018
​
Whale skulls act like antennas, CT scans reveal
Two researchers determined how baleen whales such as humpbacks hear their low-frequency chatter, and they found some bone-rattling results.| 23 April 2018
​
This ‘muscular’ mayfly has arms like airplane wings
Their inverted shape means water flowing over the leg pushes the young insect toward the ground | 17 Jan. 2018
​
Why some bats hunt during the day
Bats that brave the daylight are teaching us about why most of their kin are nocturnal in the first place.| 28 Nov. 2018
​
California Sea Lions Keep Getting Shot by Fishermen
Despite legal protections for sea lions, fishermen resort to lethal force to keep them from stealing their catch.| 17 Aug. 2018
​
Why Beetles Fly Like Superman
The insects use their legs to initiate turns, confirming something scientists have long suspected | 16 Nov. 2017
​
Darwin’s finches fall prey to a blood-sucking parasite
An invasive fly could mean the loss of bird species on the Galápagos Islands. To save them, scientists may introduce another invasive insect.| 18 May 2018
​
Organs grown to order*
Genetic advances may make it possible to grow transplantable tissues in other species, solving immunity and availability issues, but raising ethical concerns.| 3 March 2018
*Story picked-up by Discover Magazine
​
An invisible liver disease balloons into view
Fat buildup in the body’s liver can lead to scarring and worse. In step with obesity and diabetes, incidence is on the rise and a race for a cure is on.| 19 Feb. 2018
​
Lawrence Berkeley scientists find a cool way to save water
Saving water may be as simple as changing the type of roof you have | 4 June 2018
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Fingers crossed there won’t be anything to be crabby about this season
With their pots stacked high and boat decks washed, commercial crab fishermen along the Central Coast are prepped for this year's crab season.| 9 Nov. 2017
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Human-induced trauma on sea animals a concern
Rising tensions about human-wildlife conflict has put many on edge about human interactions with the sea’s wildlife. And a new study gives good reason.| 8 Dec. 2017
​
More hepatitis A cases reported in Monterey County
Another case of hepatitis A was reported this week in Monterey County, bringing the total to four times as many as have been reported in previous years| 6 Dec. 2017
​
Professional bird watchers perch at Point Pinos
The data they collect serves an important purpose in understanding how bird populations are changing, especially on the backdrop of climate change. | 29 Nov. 2017
​
Dozens of animals adopted from SPCA for Monterey County during Black Friday special
The nonprofit held its annual Black Friday event on Friday when people looking to adopt a pet could do so for the price of their choosing. | 24 Nov. 2017
​
Blue whale sightings aplenty in Monterey Bay this week*
It’s the first time in 30 years, some say, that such an event has happened, and it may not last for long.| 17 Nov. 2017
*Story picked-up by The Mercury News
​
Commercial crab season is open, quality of catch still to be determined
Commercial crab fishermen have pulled up their anchors and set out to sea. Now it’s a matter of waiting to see what they’ll bring back.| 15 Nov. 2017
​
Monterey Comic Con hosts Flash, Thor, Storm Troopers and local business owners
The benefits of a local base are not only that the hallways are filled with local enthusiasts cladded as their favorite heroes, but also local businesses| 10 Nov. 2017
​
Botswana artists visit, get inspiration at Aquarium
Two worlds collided last week as three San artists from Botswana stood at the Monterey Bay Aquarium to see an underwater world they never knew existed.| 6 Nov. 2017
​
Moss Landing researchers win grant
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories have won one of 32 grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Sea Grant Program.| 2 Nov. 2017
​
First man in Monterey County to receive tiny pacemaker keeps up big fitness routine
Butch Johnson became one of the first people in California to receive a state-of-the-art pacemaker about the size of a large vitamin.| 20 Oct. 2017
​
Monning: Monterey Hotel Apartments an affordable housing project done right
Local officials took the opportunity to express their pride in creating more affordable housing at a time when that issue is top of mind for many.| 13 Oct. 2017
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Water forum: Listening to global answers that might work locally
Researchers, policymakers, innovators, and members of the public gathered to discuss what is likely the most pressing issue for the Central Coast: water.| 6 Oct. 2017
​
Students spread the anti-bullying message
Students were busy inscribing a tapestry of positive words and phrases on the blacktop in an effort to raise awareness about bullying prevention.| 4 Oct. 2017
​
Reference: Hope Mars Mission - Launching the Arab World into the Space Race
When the UAE president announced that his country would make a satellite to study Mars' atmosphere, he set an unprecedented goal for the Arab world. | 21 Oct. 2019
​
Reference: Betta Fish - The Dazzling Siamese Fighting Fish
In Thailand, people call betta fish "pla kat," which means "fighting fish," and it couldn't be a more appropriate name. | 3 Oct. 2018
​
Reference: The Four Fundamental Forces of Nature
The forces and interactions we experience seem infinite. But they all stem from just four fundamental forces of nature. | 1 Oct. 2019
​
Reference: Axolotls - The Adorable, Giant Salamanders of Mexico
When the Aztecs settled the Valley of Mexico, they found a large salamander where they built their capital. They called the salamander "axolotl". | 19 Sept. 2019
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Reference: Exomoons - Satellites orbiting Planets beyond Our Solar System
Exomoons are moons beyond our solar system and could potentially harbor life, but they're extremely hard to find. | 19 Nov. 2018
​
Reference: What is the U.S. Space Force?
The United States Space Force addresses growing concerns of foreign threats, but it could cost the country billions of dollars. | 10 Oct. 2018
​
Reference: ICESat-2 -- Tracking Earth's Ice with Unparalleled Detail
ICESat-2’s innovative technology provides scientists the most detailed view of ice yet while building upon 15 years of constant ice monitoring. | 13 Sep. 2018
​
Extreme seasonal changes in Amazon river levels threaten forest conservation by indigenous people
A result of climate change, these extremes are directly impacting local wildlife and the indigenous people who protect the forest, a new study shows.| 4 Dec. 2017
​
Scientists engineer microbes to form 'memories' of their environment
Microbes like bacteria aren’t conscious enough to form memories, but a group of scientists developed a new way for them to do so at the genetic level.| 22 Dec. 2017
​
Coastal erosion threatens archaeological sites along Greenland's fjords
Hundreds of archaeology sites lie along the shores of Greenland’s fjords and coasts, but coastal erosion may drop many of them into the ocean| 15 Dec. 2017
​
Lava-filled blocks on Venus may indicate geological activity
A global view of some well-known features on Venus’s surface may indicate it’s capable of crustal motion, and that motion might even be happening today| 15 Dec. 2017
​
Surprise! Exam scores benefit from months of regular sleep
Getting enough consistent, quality sleep accounted for nearly a fourth of the differences in students’ exam scores in class.| 3 Jan. 2020
Like Magneto? Microcrystals give magnets superpower over living cells
New iron-rich protein crystals could help researchers better understand the nerve cells that control movement and sensation. All they need are magnets.| 17 Dec. 2019
Library of spider silk could hold secrets for new materials
The library could become an important storehouse of information for designing new pesticides and better materials. | 14 Aug. 2019
Memories of watching Apollo 11: ‘You could hear a pin drop’
Fifty years after the moon landing, that day is still deeply etched in the memories of many. | 18 July 2019
Scientists find new way to kill disease-carrying mosquitoes
Scientists say they nearly eliminated disease-carrying mosquitoes on two islands in China using a new technique.| 17 July 2019
Here’s a fact: We went to the moon in 1969
Fifty years after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, some people insist it never happened.| 11 July 2019
Scientists get peek into how some fish change sex as adults
If in the beginning there was male and female, fish seem to have forgotten the memo.| 10 July 2019
Don’t recall Apollo 11? Global festivities have you covered
There’s no shortage of events and exhibits celebrating the historic moon landing. | 1 July 2019
NASA plans to send a drone to Saturn’s largest moon
NASA is sending a drone called Dragonfly to explore Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.| 27 June 2019
AP-NORC poll: Asteroid watch more urgent than Mars trip
Americans prefer a space program that focuses on potential asteroid impacts, scientific research over sending humans back to the moon. | 20 June 2019
Scientists take a peek behind those sad puppy dog eyes
Research suggests over millennia of dog domestication, people preferred pups that could pull off that sad look. | 17 June 2019
Long-distance trip: NASA opening space station to visitors
NASA announced that the orbiting outpost is now open for business to private citizens.| 7 June 2019
Stressed out? Your dog may feel it too, study suggests
When dog owners go through a stressful period, they’re not alone in feeling the pressure. | 6 June 2019
Scientists crack secret of fish’s deadly, transparent teeth
A deep-sea fish can hide its enormous, jutting teeth from prey because its chompers are virtually invisible.| 5 June 2019
War wrecked an African ecosystem. Ecologists are trying to restore it
Predators and prey roam Gorongosa in Mozambique once again, but there’s still a long way to go. | 5 May 2019
A global survey finds that the Arctic Ocean is a hot spot for viruses
Knowing where viruses are illuminates where carbon may be sinking. | 25 April 2019
Warm, dry winds may be straining Antarctica’s Larsen C ice shelf
Autumn melting could be a warning sign. | 18 April 2019
NASA’s Twins Study reveals effects of space on Scott Kelly’s health*
A comparison with his twin looks at the impact of long-term spaceflight on the human body. | 11 April 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
Tiny pumpkin toadlets have glowing bony plates on their backs
Researchers suggest the structures may help the deaf frogs communicate. | 3 April 2019
Bacteria can be coaxed into making the toughest kind of spider silk
The engineered stands could help design more sturdy materials. | 2 April 2019
50 years ago, drug abuse was higher among physicians than the public
Excerpt from the April 5, 1969 issue of Science News. | 28 March 2019
Edibles are tied to more severe health issues than smoking marijuana
People who ingest the drug are more likely to have psych or heart problems than those who inhale it. | 25 March 2019
Women have a new weapon against postpartum depression, but it’s costly
The newly approved drug brexanolone simulates a natural steroid to alleviate symptoms. | 22 March 2019
Meet India’s starry dwarf frog — a species with no close relatives
The new frog represents a new species, genus and potentially even a new family. | 18 March 2019
Review: ‘Epic Yellowstone’ captures the thriving ecosystem of the world-famous park
A new documentary series highlights the interactions of predator, prey and environment. | 17 March 2019
How helpful gut microbes send signals that they are friends, not foes
The finding in mice may help explain why a body’s immune system doesn’t kill beneficial bugs. | 7 March 2019
Tiny bits of iron may explain why some icebergs are green
The emerald ice may help shuttle an essential nutrient around marine food webs. | 6 March 2019
Sleeping in on the weekend can’t make up for lost sleep*
Lack of Zs increased weight, late-night munchies and insensitivity to insulin. | 1 March 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
What spiders eating weird stuff tell us about complex Amazon food webs*
Rare views of invertebrates munching on vertebrates include a tarantula and an opossum. | 28 Feb. 2019
*Also read a version of this written for students
The world’s largest bee has been rediscovered after 38 years*
The walnut-sized female bee was found on an island in Indonesia. | 21 Feb. 2019
*A version of this story written for students reeled in more than 50% of site views for the week
A deer-sized T. rex ancestor shows how fast tyrannosaurs became giants*
The newly discovered fossil’s name, Moros intrepidus, means ‘the harbinger of doom’. | 21 Feb. 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
Why some Georgia O’Keeffe paintings have ‘art acne’*
A new imaging technique could help art curators track destructive bumps over time. | 16 Feb. 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
A new 2-D material uses light to quickly and safely purify water*
In tests, it killed 99.9999 percent of the bacteria in contaminated water. | 12 Feb. 2019
*Story topped "science" thread on Reddit
2018 was the fourth-hottest year on record, and it’s getting even hotter*
As warmer temperatures mess with global rainfall patterns, the U.S. East saw record rains. | 6 Feb. 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
A space rock collision may explain how this exoplanet was born
Convincing evidence for such collisions outside the solar system is rare.| 4 Feb. 2019
Giant pandas may have only recently switched to eating mostly bamboo
The switch to a bamboo diet occurred some 5,000 years ago, not 2 million years ago as thought. | 31 Jan. 2019
How light-farming chloroplasts morph into defensive warriors
Scientists have identified the protein that summons the cellular energy factories to battle. | 28 Jan. 2019
Young emperor penguins brave icy, winter waters in their first year
The young birds head north to warmer waters before returning to winter in Antarctica. | 23 Jan. 2019
This rediscovered Bolivian frog species survived deadly chytrid fungus*
The species was feared to be extinct, except for one lonely male. | 17 Jan. 2019
*Also read a version of this story written for students
Desalination pours more toxic brine into the ocean than previously thought
The supersalty water is a by-product in producing potable water. | 14 Jan. 2019
Floating seabirds provide a novel way to trace ocean currents
Data from GPS trackers on shearwaters matched those collected by buoys and other tools. | 10 Jan. 2019
Dracula ant’s powerful pincers snap shut at record speed
Fangs are feeble next to the fastest appendages in the animal world. | 12 Dec. 2018
Five years of record warmth intensify Arctic's transformation*
Sea ice is the thinnest it's been at any time in the last 30 years, and wild reindeer and caribou populations continue to decline. | 11 Dec. 2018
*Story picked-up by Scientific American
Epic storm roils a tranquil region of Neptune
Amateur astronomers help to track a disturbance in the icy planet’s atmosphere. | 5 Dec. 2018
Pacific Ocean set to spawn an El Niño this winter
World Meteorological Organization predicts a weak- to moderate-strength event that could bring heavy rains and drought to various parts of the world. | 27 Nov. 2018
​
Back from the brink: Endangered whales, giraffes and gorillas make gains
Population increases demonstrate the benefits of investing in conservation, says the International Union for Conservation of Nature. | 22 Nov. 2018
​
Termite mounds dating back millennia can be seen from space
Mounds of excavated dirt number into the millions and tower up to four metres tall. | 19 Nov. 2018
​
Molecular net fishes sugar from blood
Synthetic tool that binds to glucose could prove useful for people with diabetes. | 15 Nov. 2018
​
Science candidates prevail in US midterm elections
Trump administration’s controversial science and environment policies could come under extra scrutiny as Democrats gain in Congress. | 6 Nov. 2018
​
Rogue chemicals threaten positive prognosis for ozone hole
Researchers hunt for the source of a mysterious rise in ozone-depleting chemicals in Earth’s atmosphere. | 2 Nov. 2018
​
A once-lush country on the verge of total deforestation
The mountains of Haiti could be stripped of trees completely in under two decades. | 30 Oct. 2018
​
Space crews’ grey matter shrivels during long stays in orbit
Seven months after cosmonauts landed, some brain tissues had recovered but others had not. | 24 Oct. 2018
​
Dandelion seeds fly using ‘impossible’ method never before seen in nature*
The seeds contain a lot of open space, which seems to be the key to sustaining flight. | 17 Oct. 2018
*One of Nature's top 20 most-read articles for 2018
​
Why an elephant’s tail is a feeble fly-swatter
Tails serve as effective non-lethal weapons against pests.| 17 Oct. 2018
​
Russian space agency to investigate Soyuz rocket crash
A Russian cosmonaut and a US astronaut are safe after their rocket, bound for the International Space Station, malfunctioned. | 11 Oct. 2018
​
Healthy mice from same-sex parents have their own pups
Advance reveals genetic factors that require mammals to reproduce using two sexes. | 11 Oct. 2018
​
Spacecraft beware: huge spines of ice might guard a glimmering moon
Touchdowns on Jupiter’s moon Europa, which might host life, could be risky.| 8 Oct. 2018
​
This miniature drug factory fits on a few lab benches
Automated system takes only 80 hours to turn out hundreds of doses of a medical product made by living organisms.| 3 Oct. 2018
​
How extremely dry skin safeguards African elephants
Imaging reveals mounds under the skin that help to create cooling channels.| 2 Oct. 2018
​
Syphilis cases in US newborns spike to 20-year high
Nearly 1,000 babies were born with the infection in 2017. | 1 Oct. 2018
​
Yellowstone grizzly bears back under endangered-species protections
Judge rules that the US government didn’t consider the best available science when it removed the animals from the endangered-species list. | 25 Sep. 2018
​
World’s first animal was a pancake-shaped prehistoric ocean dweller
Fossils of ancient sea creatures answer a long-standing question about how animals became bigger and more complex. | 20 Sep. 2018
​
Ice-tracking satellite launches after ten years in the works
NASA mission will measure changes in ice thickness in unprecedented detail. | 15 Sep. 2018
​
Ten years after the economic crash, R&D funding is better than ever
The funding by businesses dipped after the crash, offset in some regions by rises in government funding.| 13 Sep. 2018
​
NASA probe will track melting polar ice in unprecedented detail
The Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite can measure changes in ice thickness to within half a centimetre. | 10 Sep. 2018
​
Meagre ranks of anti-flu drugs look set to grow
A compound thwarts the influenza virus by blocking viral replication.| 5 Sep. 2018
​
Meal of poo makes naked mole rats motherly
Oestrogen in a queen mole rat’s droppings might induce her minions to care for her pups.| 28 Aug. 2018
​
US government failing to provide recovery plans for some endangered species
US agencies have no official recovery plans for almost one-quarter of the plants and animals protected under the landmark Endangered Species Act. | 24 Aug. 2018
​
230-million-year-old turtle fossil deepens mystery of reptile's origins
Two-metre-long specimen could help researchers pin down how and when turtles developed traits such as their shell. | 22 Aug. 2018
​
‘Green revolution’ crops bred to slash fertilizer use
Researchers have identified a molecule that increases plant growth while reducing the need for nitrogen.| 15 Aug. 2018
​
US Congress leaves science agencies hanging — again
Lawmakers have just 11 working days to complete a 2019 funding plan before their 1 October deadline.| 10 Aug. 2018
​
Hunger’s toll looks set to grow with tough action on climate change
Carbon taxes and related policies could lead to worse food shortages than climate change alone.| 31 July 2018
​
Push to weaken US Endangered Species Act runs into roadblocks*
Policymakers have tried, unsuccessfully, to change this law for decades.| 27 July 2018
*Story picked-up by Scientific American
​
3D image reveals hidden neurons in fruit-fly brain
Researchers hope the data will speed the understanding of how the brain affects behaviour.| 19 July 2018
​
US national parks have just as much air pollution as major cities
Study finds that the air in areas such as Yosemite National Park isn’t as pristine as it seems.| 18 July 2018
​
Tropical forest tells a tale of ecological resilience and human tragedy
The sixteenth-century destruction of indigenous people left an imprint on an ecosystem.| 16 July 2018
​
What makes a man attractive? Hint: Look at his limbs
Strip everything away and one luring—maybe evolutionary—piece remains, a new study finds: how proportional his body is, especially his legs.| 16 May 2018
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Whale skulls act like antennas, CT scans reveal
Two researchers determined how baleen whales such as humpbacks hear their low-frequency chatter, and they found some bone-rattling results.| 23 April 2018
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This ‘muscular’ mayfly has arms like airplane wings
Their inverted shape means water flowing over the leg pushes the young insect toward the ground | 17 Jan. 2018
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Why some bats hunt during the day
Bats that brave the daylight are teaching us about why most of their kin are nocturnal in the first place.| 28 Nov. 2018
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California Sea Lions Keep Getting Shot by Fishermen
Despite legal protections for sea lions, fishermen resort to lethal force to keep them from stealing their catch.| 17 Aug. 2018
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Why Beetles Fly Like Superman
The insects use their legs to initiate turns, confirming something scientists have long suspected | 16 Nov. 2017
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Darwin’s finches fall prey to a blood-sucking parasite
An invasive fly could mean the loss of bird species on the Galápagos Islands. To save them, scientists may introduce another invasive insect.| 18 May 2018
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Organs grown to order*
Genetic advances may make it possible to grow transplantable tissues in other species, solving immunity and availability issues, but raising ethical concerns.| 3 March 2018
*Story picked-up by Discover Magazine
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An invisible liver disease balloons into view
Fat buildup in the body’s liver can lead to scarring and worse. In step with obesity and diabetes, incidence is on the rise and a race for a cure is on.| 19 Feb. 2018
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Lawrence Berkeley scientists find a cool way to save water
Saving water may be as simple as changing the type of roof you have | 4 June 2018
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Fingers crossed there won’t be anything to be crabby about this season
With their pots stacked high and boat decks washed, commercial crab fishermen along the Central Coast are prepped for this year's crab season.| 9 Nov. 2017
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Human-induced trauma on sea animals a concern
Rising tensions about human-wildlife conflict has put many on edge about human interactions with the sea’s wildlife. And a new study gives good reason.| 8 Dec. 2017
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More hepatitis A cases reported in Monterey County
Another case of hepatitis A was reported this week in Monterey County, bringing the total to four times as many as have been reported in previous years| 6 Dec. 2017
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Professional bird watchers perch at Point Pinos
The data they collect serves an important purpose in understanding how bird populations are changing, especially on the backdrop of climate change. | 29 Nov. 2017
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Dozens of animals adopted from SPCA for Monterey County during Black Friday special
The nonprofit held its annual Black Friday event on Friday when people looking to adopt a pet could do so for the price of their choosing. | 24 Nov. 2017
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Blue whale sightings aplenty in Monterey Bay this week*
It’s the first time in 30 years, some say, that such an event has happened, and it may not last for long.| 17 Nov. 2017
*Story picked-up by The Mercury News
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Commercial crab season is open, quality of catch still to be determined
Commercial crab fishermen have pulled up their anchors and set out to sea. Now it’s a matter of waiting to see what they’ll bring back.| 15 Nov. 2017
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Monterey Comic Con hosts Flash, Thor, Storm Troopers and local business owners
The benefits of a local base are not only that the hallways are filled with local enthusiasts cladded as their favorite heroes, but also local businesses| 10 Nov. 2017
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Botswana artists visit, get inspiration at Aquarium
Two worlds collided last week as three San artists from Botswana stood at the Monterey Bay Aquarium to see an underwater world they never knew existed.| 6 Nov. 2017
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Moss Landing researchers win grant
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories have won one of 32 grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Sea Grant Program.| 2 Nov. 2017
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First man in Monterey County to receive tiny pacemaker keeps up big fitness routine
Butch Johnson became one of the first people in California to receive a state-of-the-art pacemaker about the size of a large vitamin.| 20 Oct. 2017
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Monning: Monterey Hotel Apartments an affordable housing project done right
Local officials took the opportunity to express their pride in creating more affordable housing at a time when that issue is top of mind for many.| 13 Oct. 2017
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Water forum: Listening to global answers that might work locally
Researchers, policymakers, innovators, and members of the public gathered to discuss what is likely the most pressing issue for the Central Coast: water.| 6 Oct. 2017
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Students spread the anti-bullying message
Students were busy inscribing a tapestry of positive words and phrases on the blacktop in an effort to raise awareness about bullying prevention.| 4 Oct. 2017
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Reference: Hope Mars Mission - Launching the Arab World into the Space Race
When the UAE president announced that his country would make a satellite to study Mars' atmosphere, he set an unprecedented goal for the Arab world. | 21 Oct. 2019
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Reference: Betta Fish - The Dazzling Siamese Fighting Fish
In Thailand, people call betta fish "pla kat," which means "fighting fish," and it couldn't be a more appropriate name. | 3 Oct. 2018
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Reference: The Four Fundamental Forces of Nature
The forces and interactions we experience seem infinite. But they all stem from just four fundamental forces of nature. | 1 Oct. 2019
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Reference: Axolotls - The Adorable, Giant Salamanders of Mexico
When the Aztecs settled the Valley of Mexico, they found a large salamander where they built their capital. They called the salamander "axolotl". | 19 Sept. 2019
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Reference: Exomoons - Satellites orbiting Planets beyond Our Solar System
Exomoons are moons beyond our solar system and could potentially harbor life, but they're extremely hard to find. | 19 Nov. 2018
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Reference: What is the U.S. Space Force?
The United States Space Force addresses growing concerns of foreign threats, but it could cost the country billions of dollars. | 10 Oct. 2018
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Reference: ICESat-2 -- Tracking Earth's Ice with Unparalleled Detail
ICESat-2’s innovative technology provides scientists the most detailed view of ice yet while building upon 15 years of constant ice monitoring. | 13 Sep. 2018
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Extreme seasonal changes in Amazon river levels threaten forest conservation by indigenous people
A result of climate change, these extremes are directly impacting local wildlife and the indigenous people who protect the forest, a new study shows.| 4 Dec. 2017
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Scientists engineer microbes to form 'memories' of their environment
Microbes like bacteria aren’t conscious enough to form memories, but a group of scientists developed a new way for them to do so at the genetic level.| 22 Dec. 2017
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Coastal erosion threatens archaeological sites along Greenland's fjords
Hundreds of archaeology sites lie along the shores of Greenland’s fjords and coasts, but coastal erosion may drop many of them into the ocean| 15 Dec. 2017
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Lava-filled blocks on Venus may indicate geological activity
A global view of some well-known features on Venus’s surface may indicate it’s capable of crustal motion, and that motion might even be happening today| 15 Dec. 2017
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