The science & discovery headlines that matter, in one email every morning. Free.
It is one of the great questions of mathematics: What does "infinity" actually mean? Which infinities are larger than others? Can infinities be arranged in a sequence, like the rungs of an endless ladder, so that for any two of them we can always say which one lies above the othe
Scientists have developed a remarkable new membrane that separates crude oil at room temperature, using the oil itself to create microscopic filtration channels. The breakthrough could cut refining energy consumption by nearly 32%, carbon emissions by almost 38%, and operating co
Scientists at Lancaster University have observed the hidden tongue movements accompanying a centuries-old change in English speech—offering a rare glimpse of language transforming in real time. Linguists have used ultrasound imaging to observe one of these changes as it unfolds i
A new route to calculating gluon production in proton–nucleus collisions and more — today's news signal.
In the theoretical study of proton-nucleus collisions, the colliding projectiles can be described as streams of color charges moving along their respective trajectories. These color charges couple to gluons, which then produce the particles that are observed in the final state (g
Entrepreneurs who struggle to recognize and make sense of their own emotions are less likely to feel attached to their businesses and less committed to achieving their goals, particularly in high-stress periods, according to new research from the University of Bath School of Mana
The European Union's Omnibus reform has exempted most of the companies it once covered from mandatory sustainability reporting under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). It has also dropped plans for tougher "reasonable" assurance checks on green claims, which
One of NASA's premier space telescopes plunged to Earth on Wednesday, ending its 22-year investigation of the universe's biggest explosions.
The gig economy is rapidly growing, and scholars are still working to understand the conditions gig workers encounter. Julieta Aguilar at the University of Kentucky, U.S., and Dr. Jeremy Reynolds at Purdue University, U.S., examined experiences of harassment in the gig economy. T
For Belding's ground squirrels, adult females are more likely to survive from year to year if they live near more adult female kin—but neither males nor young females get the same boost from nearby family. Jill Mateo and colleagues at the University of Chicago, U.S., report these
In today's interconnected world, millions of people move between two or more languages every day. They may negotiate at work in one language, speak with family in another and follow news, entertainment and social media across several others.
Human feet are much stiffer than those of other primates, which means they limit midfoot bending during walking. The evolutionary reasons for this are not entirely clear. One idea is that the features that stiffen the foot evolved to make upright walking less effortful.
Newton's theory of gravity has described the tides accurately for centuries. But could a tiny trace of Einstein's general relativity also be hidden in them? In a new study, a mathematician at Freie Universität Berlin has outlined how a targeted approach could be used to search fo
NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory took its last look at the sky on Oct. 20, 2026, while orbiting about 171 miles (275 kilometers) above Earth. NASA ended the telescope's mission three days later, because Swift had sunk so low that drag from the thin air there meant its telesc
The federal government is pushing for a "digital detox" in schools.
Around 4.5 billion years ago, a planet-sized object collided with the newly formed Earth, throwing out the debris that would later form the moon. The collision left Earth spinning extremely fast, with days lasting just two to five hours. Yet existing models of how Earth's first c
A Dutch family doctor named Tibor Poelmann posted a petition on an online forum for general practitioners (GPs) in 2021. He wanted their pension fund to stop investing in oil and gas. It quickly gathered 1,200 signatures.
Large pedestrian crowds generate distinctive seismic signals depending on their collective behavior, according to a new study that includes data from Tokyo schools and outdoor gatherings in the United States and Israel. These seismic signals are strongest in the 1–2 hertz frequen
Most young children like sharks, with almost seven in 10 describing them in a positive light, but a new study has found that associations between sharks and fear become more common as children get older.
It is one of the great questions of mathematics: What does "infinity" actually mean? Which infinities are larger than others? Can infinities be arranged in a sequence, like the rungs of an endless ladder, so that for any two of them we can always say which one lies above the othe
A new research paper describes a statistical framework that resolves significant calculation biases caused by artificial intelligence in econometric models. The method, two-step extraction, removes estimation bias when researchers measure the business or economic effects of varia
Johns Hopkins researchers searching the expanse of the universe for the existence of the first black holes are zeroing in on little red dots that may hold the key to the theoretical phenomenon.
Scientists have developed a remarkable new membrane that separates crude oil at room temperature, using the oil itself to create microscopic filtration channels. The breakthrough could cut refining energy consumption by nearly 32%, carbon emissions by almost 38%, and operating co
There are no woodpeckers on the Hawaiian Islands, but a little yellow bird called the 'akiapōlāʻau (Ah-key-ah-pole-ah-ow) has evolved an unusual beak to drill into branches to find food.
