Category: Science

A new study from Japan suggests that individuals who are easily distracted by their smartphones may experience more intense physiological reactions and have a weaker connection with their bodily sensations. Researchers at Hokkaido University explored the impact of smartphone-related attention on both mental focus and physical response. The results, published in Communications Psychology, reveal that individuals…

The Amazon rainforest has long been a source of gold and controversy. As long as demand for gold is high, contemporary gold particles are becoming ever smaller and harder to extract. That has led an increase in artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM), especially in Peru’s Amazon, where mercury is used regularly to extract gold,…

The dire wolf, the legendary predator made famous by the series Game of Thrones, went extinct over 13,000 years ago. But now, researchers from Colossal Biosciences say they’ve created gray wolf pups carrying key genetic traits of the extinct species, which potentially makes this the first successful step in de-extinction. The three pups — two males named Romulus and Remus, and a female named Khaleesi —…

Health officials in California are raising concerns after three people died from hantavirus, the same rare and deadly illness that claimed the life of Betsy Arakawa, wife of actor Gene Hackman, earlier this year. A Tragic Cluster of Cases The new deaths occurred in Mammoth Lakes, a rural town in Mono County, where health officials say the…

Formerly the UK’s favorite river, the River Wye now suffocates under pollution resulting from industrial chicken rearing. Spanning 150 miles between the Welsh hills and the Severn Estuary, this once-tranquil watercourse has suffered a drastic downturn in recent years, and experts warn the situation may become even worse shortly. How Chicken Farming Is Damaging the…

A unique light-producing enzyme found in a Brazilian firefly has led to the creation of a powerful new biosensor that can track changes inside human and animal cells. The discovery could help scientists study diseases, test drug toxicity, and even understand how cells react to different materials. A Color-Changing Glow With a Purpose The enzyme, referred to…

MIT researchers have created a quicker, scalable method to produce cancer-killing nanoparticles, bringing this promising treatment closer to human clinical trials. The medicine-carrying particles are engineered to attack tumors directly, bringing medicine to where it’s needed, with fewer side effects from conventional chemotherapy. Until now, though, making them in bulk has been a significant hurdle….

When the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano erupted underwater near Tonga in 2022, scientists expected it to warm the planet. Instead, it had the opposite effect, it cooled the Southern Hemisphere by 0.1°C, according to a new study led by researchers at UCLA. Why the Eruption Was Expected to Heat Things Up? The eruption sent a massive plume of…

A newly discovered asteroid once sparked global concern with a small chance of hitting Earth, but now, scientists say the real risk might be to the moon. The asteroid, called 2024 YR4, was first spotted in December 2024. Just a month later, on January 29, 2025, it triggered a first-ever warning alert from the International Asteroid Warning…

It might sound like science fiction, but geologists have discovered that the bottom of the North American continent is slowly dripping away, like blobs of rock melting and sinking deep into the Earth. What’s Happening Under Our Feet? Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin made the surprising discovery using new seismic imaging technology. They found…