News
Updated 25 Oct, 06:30
20 articles
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The human voice
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses the power of the human voice, hopeful advances in treating stiff person syndrome and new controversy about using AI in mathematics.
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Why did humans’ brains surpass chimps’? A tiny foe might help explain it
A viral infection from millions of years ago may have influenced chimp brain evolution through DNA leftovers in the genome.
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Eating too much sugar on antibiotics could squash helpful gut bacteria
In people being treated for blood cancer, consuming sugar while on antibiotics boosted harm to the diversity of the gut microbiome.
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Electric stoves could help people with asthma breathe easier
Switching to an electric stove from a lung-irritating gas one may improve asthma symptoms. But if you’re stuck with gas, reducing exposure may help.
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A nanoparticle revealed the tiny impact of a single gas atom
The force exerted by a gas usually results from many atoms or molecules at once. But scientists isolated the force of a lone particle.
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Was van Gogh’s ‘The Starry Night’ a flight of fancy or a real sky?
Vincent van Gogh'spainted the iconic work in the summer of 1889. Now researchers claim to have pinned down which night the stars were from.
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This ‘living drug’ could change the course of autoimmune disease
If given the green light by the FDA, a CAR T cell therapy from Kyverna Therapeutics would be the first approved treatment for stiff person syndrome.
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AI could turn scientific papers into research assistants
An AI ‘virtual author’ can help scientists use a paper’s methods on new data. But it’s not going to match a human author’s expertise.
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A lifesaving medication is not behind the drop in U.S. overdose deaths
A possible reason for the overdose deaths drop is more use of naloxone, which reverses opioid overdoses. But while still a key tool, its use fell too.
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Peek into hidden worlds revealed by the 2026 Nikon Small World contest
This year’s photomicrography contest captured the wonders of the very small, from flying ink droplets to the most adorable jumping spider you've ever seen.
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What can minerals tell us about Earth’s past? This geologist is finding out
Smithsonian geologist Gabriela Farfan studies corals, gemstones and other minerals for clues to changing oceans and environments.
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Rule breaking by just a few people can be contagious
People are more likely to mimic — or even surpass — rule breakers than rule followers, a study finds. But real-world consequences may keep people in line.
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A quantum computing feat brings the ‘megaquops’ era a step closer
Error correction creates qubits that glitch only 5 out of a million times, the first step toward a new phase for quantum computing.
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AI can give you your voice back
People who have lost the ability to talk are finding new voices with technology. This technological feat is changing what it means to lose a voice.
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These tiny snakes cartwheel to escape danger
New videos offer a closer look at a rare and bizarre escape behavior in some Southeast Asian snakes.
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Japan’s sample return mission to Phobos may also collect some Mars dust
Japan’s MMX mission will be the first to the moons of Mars and it aims to bring back precious rock samples — perhaps even indirectly from Mars.
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Horned dinosaurs’ weapons evolved to handle the forces of combat
New simulations reveal which battle moves the skulls of horned dinosaurs could take — and which might have been a very bad idea.
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Artemis II results show how much science people can do at the moon
We’ve studied the moon with robotic spacecraft for decades. What do human observers add? Artemis II’s first science results offer some answers.
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Crossword: Time lines
Solve the crossword from our November 2026 issue, in which we cultivate an understanding of growth curves.
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Many American diets may not include enough of this essential nutrient
With the proliferation of fancy salts and changing dietary habits, there are signs people aren’t getting enough of the crucial mineral iodine.