Giant trees have tricks to work around drought

Daring tree climbers and researchers have challenged a major assumption in tree drought biology.  In rainforests on the Southeast Asian island of Borneo, water transport systems of a colossal, dominating…

‘Stellar death is not the end’: James Webb Space Telescope glimpses the fate of the solar system in a weird exoplanet orbiting a dead star

Astronomers have used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to observe an oddball gas giant exoplanet orbiting a dead star, a white dwarf, located some 80 light-years away. This “life…

Stress Accelerates Immune Aging by Altering the Microbiome

Summary: Researchers have demonstrated a definitive brain-gut-bone marrow axis in mice that explains this destructive link. The data reveals that chronic psychological stress suppresses key executive and emotional regions of…

The natural history of every U.S. state is on display at a new D.C. exhibit

The Smithsonian Natural History Museum’s latest exhibit, “From These Lands,” connects visitors with America’s natural history.

The animal behind most aggressive wildlife encounters may surprise you

A bear might seem like the scariest thing you could run into in a national park. But a new study suggests maybe you should be more worried about elk.   Out of nearly 3,000 wildlife…

Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs, yet its presence is ubiquitous in social settings and celebrations

Few substances are as deeply woven into everyday life as alcohol. It is a fixture at holiday celebrations, work-related social gatherings, sporting events, airports, and brunch or dinner tables. A…

How did it feel to be an American colonist in 1776? Probably itchy, achy and slightly nauseated

Trade the tricorn hats, bonnets and homespun shirts for flip flops, sneakers and soccer jerseys, and the intrepid revolutionaries of 1776 would have looked a lot like the people of…

How health insurers get a free pass to deny coverage from a 52-year-old law meant to protect worker pensions

Florence Corcoran, an employee of South Central Bell Telephone Company, was eight months into a high-risk pregnancy when her obstetrician recommended she spend the final month on bed rest in…

In Guatemala, Indigenous women build climate resilience with old and new farming methods

In Guatemala’s southwest region lies a large lake with a storied history. Lake Atitlán is one of Central America’s most critical local sources of drinking water, and is surrounded by…

Study Supports and Expands the Primate Brain Lag Hypothesis

Summary: A new study has completely revived and expanded this lost chapter of human evolution. Leveraging modern molecular genetic dating and advanced phylogenetic statistical modeling, researchers revisited the classic dataset.…