A second version of bird flu is infecting cows. What does that mean?

While the risk to humans of exposure from cows or milk remains low, this new flu spillover from birds into cows raises the need for continued surveillance.

NASA CubeSat finds new radiation belts after May 2024 solar storm

The May 2024 solar storm created two extra radiation belts, sandwiched between the two permanent Van Allen Belts. One of the new belts, shown in purple, included a population of…

How mantis shrimp deliver punishing blows without hurting themselves

Mantis shrimp are famous for their ultrafast, powerful punches used to dispatch prey. They can land volley after shell-splintering volley, without major injury to their own nerves or flesh. That’s…

When is the deadline for countries to submit 2035 climate plans?

China, the EU and India are among big polluters set to miss this month’s deadline for new targets as concerns grow of a “softening” in climate ambition The head of…

Anti-LGBTQ+ policies harm the health of not only LGBTQ+ people, but all Americans

In 2024, state legislatures introduced an all-time record of 533 bills targeting LGBTQ+ populations. These policies create a patchwork of legal landscapes that vary widely between and within states, affecting…

Quantum simulator combines digital and analog modes to calculate physical processes with unprecedented precision

Extinct moa ate purple trufflelike fungi, fossil bird droppings reveal

For the first time, ancient DNA from droppings left by New Zealand’s flightless moa identifies actual species of fungi the doomed birds ate. The snacks, including purple lumps of a…

US dodged a bird flu pandemic in 1957 thanks to eggs and dumb luck – with a new strain spreading fast, will Americans get lucky again?

In recent months, Americans looking for eggs have faced empty shelves in their grocery stores. The escalating threat of avian flu has forced farmers to kill millions of chickens to…

Researchers observe a phase transition in a 1D chain of atoms using a quantum simulator

Gold electrodes create electro-magnetic fields that trap dozens of ions in a chain geometry just above the surface of the electrodes. Laser beams (not shown) then induce interactions between the…

Air pollution clouds the mind and makes everyday tasks challenging, researchers discover

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain People’s ability to interpret emotions or focus on performing a task is reduced by short-term exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution, potentially making everyday activities,…