Honey bees can normally keep their hives perfectly climate-controlled, but extreme heat can overwhelm their defenses. During a scorching Arizona summer, researchers found that high temperatures caused damaging temperature fluctuations inside hives, leading to population declines. Smaller colonies were hit hardest, experiencing the most severe swings. As global temperatures rise,...
Blog
Scientists discover what’s linking floods and droughts across the planet
Scientists tracking Earth’s water from space discovered that El Niño and La Niña are synchronizing floods and droughts across continents. When these climate cycles intensify, far-apart regions can become unusually wet or dangerously dry at the same time. The study also found a global shift about a decade ago, with...
A shocking amount of plastic is floating in city air
Plastic pollution is not just in oceans and soil. Scientists have now found enormous amounts of microscopic plastic floating through urban air, far exceeding earlier estimates. Road dust and rainfall play a major role in moving these particles through the atmosphere. The findings suggest the air may be one of...
A new test reveals which antibiotics truly kill bacteria
Some antibiotics stop bacteria from growing without actually killing them, allowing infections to return later. Scientists at the University of Basel created a new test that tracks individual bacteria to see which drugs truly eliminate them. When tested on tuberculosis and other serious lung infections, the method revealed big differences...
Ocean Temperatures Reached Another Record High in 2025
A new international analysis published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences on 9 January finds that the Earth's ocean stored more heat in 2025 than in any year since modern measurements began.
What Past Global Warming Reveals About Future Rainfall
"Proxies" in geologic record show rainfall was more intense, but less regular during the Paleogene.
Brown University Neuroscientists Help Identify a Biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease Progression
Researchers at the Carney Institute for Brain Science have identified electrical activity in the brain that could predict progression to Alzheimer’s disease.
The oxygen you breathe depends on a tiny ocean ingredient
Microscopic ocean algae produce a huge share of Earth’s oxygen—but they need iron to do it. New field research shows that when iron is scarce, phytoplankton waste energy and photosynthesis falters. Climate-driven changes may reduce iron delivery to the oceans, weakening the base of marine food chains. Over time, this...
Decoding the perfect steak: The hidden DNA behind Wagyu’s legendary marbling
A groundbreaking cattle genome has given researchers their clearest look yet at what makes Wagyu beef so special. By uncovering hundreds of new genes and hidden genetic variations, scientists can now pinpoint traits linked to marbling, health, and productivity with far greater accuracy. The advance could boost profits for beef...
This wild fruit is getting a CRISPR makeover
Scientists have used CRISPR to give the goldenberry a modern makeover, shrinking the plant by about a third and making it easier to farm. Goldenberries are tasty and nutritious but notoriously unruly, with bushy plants that complicate harvesting. By editing a few key genes and selectively breeding the best-tasting fruits,...