The blood holds clues to understanding long COVID
When I talk to immunologist Paul Morgan, he’s on the hunt for potentially life-altering drugs. He’s got a call with a…
Here’s why pain might last after persistent urinary tract infections
Urinary tract infections are painful, inconvenient and incredibly common. For decades, doctors haven’t had any leads on why, even after…
The desert planet in ‘Dune’ is plausible, according to science
Frank Herbert’s science fiction novel Dune has been praised for its worldbuilding. Herbert created complex societies, religions and economic systems…
Giant tortoise migration in the Galápagos may be stymied by invasive trees
After trudging upslope for weeks, a giant tortoise slows its hundreds of cumbersome kilograms to a stop. Dense woods defended…
More than 1 billion people worldwide are now estimated to have obesity
It’s no secret that global obesity rates have been rising over the past few decades. But a new analysis quantifies…
Waterlogged soils can give hurricanes new life after they arrive on land
Once a hurricane makes landfall, it’s usually the beginning of the end for the storm. But a tropical cyclone passing…
Odysseus’ historic moon mission comes to an end
Odysseus has exceeded engineers’ expectations during its odyssey on the moon. NASA confirmed that the spindly solar-powered robotic lander, built…
A genetic parasite may explain why humans and other apes lack tails
A genetic parasite may have robbed humans and other apes of their tails. Around 25 million years ago, this parasite,…
Why large language models aren’t headed toward humanlike understanding
Apart from the northward advance of killer bees in the 1980s, nothing has struck as much fear into the hearts…
The Brazilian flea toad may be the world’s smallest vertebrate
A Brazilian flea toad’s head is too tiny to bear its many crowns. Scientists have bestowed the frog — which…
