Science

Simulating solar flares on a scale the size of a banana, U.S. National Science Foundation-supported researchers at Caltech have parsed out how these massive explosions blast potentially harmful energetic particles and X-rays into the cosmos. Coronal loops are arches of plasma that protrude from the surface of the sun, aligned along magnetic field lines. The … Read more

Biologists took a close look at the tails of luna moths, Actias luna, to test their role in predation and sexual selection. Scientists have known that luna moths — and other related silk moths — use their long, trailing tails to misdirect bat attacks. Now, researchers have taken the next step: understanding how. “They have … Read more

Because of their considerable efficiency, catalysts made of just a few atoms show great promise in the field of water treatment. In a new study, researchers looked into optimizing the performance of these catalysts and making them viable for practical use.  The findings, by Yale University’s Jaehong Kim and colleagues, are published in the Proceedings of … Read more

Cape Cod’s salt marshes are as iconic as they are important. These beautiful, low-lying wetlands are some of the most biologically productive ecosystems on Earth. They play an outsized role in nitrogen cycling, act as carbon sinks, protect coastal development from storm surge, and provide critical habitats and nurseries for many fish, shellfish and coastal … Read more

A detailed “body scan” of Malaspina Glacier, one of Alaska’s most iconic glaciers, revealed that its bulk lies below sea level and is undercut by channels that may allow ocean water to gain access should its coastal barrier erode. That makes the glacier vulnerable to seawater intrusion and may cause it to retreat faster than … Read more

Bacteria are literally everywhere — in oceans, in soils, in extreme environments like hot springs and even alongside and inside other organisms, including humans. They’re nearly invisible, yet they play a big role in almost every facet of life. Despite their abundance, surprisingly little is known about many microorganisms that have existed for billions of … Read more

Research on the impacts of climate change often considers its effects on people separately from impacts on ecosystems. But a new study is showing just how intertwined we are with our environment by linking our warming world to a global rise in conflicts between humans and wildlife. The research, led by scientists at the University … Read more

The idea of journeying inside the human body to solve health problems has been around at least since science fiction popularizations, but the approach to medicine has yet to become real. Now, researchers at Caltech have developed what they describe as GPS for smart pills, small enough to travel through the human body and help … Read more

Scientists have discovered extensive, ancient deep-sea coral reefs in the Galápagos Marine Reserve — the first of their kind to be documented inside the marine protected area since it was established in 1998. The reefs, found at a depth of 400-600 meters (1,310-1,970 feet), are at the summit of a previously unmapped seamount in the … Read more

There is much more to avian biodiversity in the United States than the number of different species living in a region or community, but birds’ ecosystem contributions — assessed through measures of their diet, body structure and foraging methods — are much tougher to study. With hundreds of species migrating south for the winter and … Read more