NASA releases spectacular image to celebrate James Webb Space Telescope
NASA is marking the anniversary of the JWST’s scientific debut with the release of a spectacular new image.
By Joel AchenbachHow do you calm a rattlesnake? Give it a friend, scientists say.
Researchers at California’s Loma Linda University found that rattlesnakes are less stressed when they’re near another snake.
By Kyle MelnickA mind-bending discovery about our universe
Compared to the chaos of Earth, outer space can seem serene. But, thanks to a recent discovery, we now know that the very fabric of the cosmos is being pushed and pulled by gravitational waves — waves powerful enough to distort space-time.
By Reena Flores, Gabe O'Connor and Sean CarterSea lions are biting people. They’re sick from toxic algae, officials say.
Hundreds of aggravated sea lions have emerged on Southern California beaches after consuming toxic algae, researchers say.
By Kyle MelnickGene editing helped crack a 100-year-old mystery about cancer
Research using CRISPR gene editing revealed that scientists from more than a century ago were right: Extra chromosomes inside cancer cells help drive tumors.
By Carolyn Y. JohnsonThe FDA just approved another gene therapy. Here’s what to know about them.
Gene therapy could treat a wide variety of medical problems. It's expensive, though, and not every use is approved. Here's what to know.
By Shera Avi-YonahSusan Love, surgeon who crusaded against breast cancer, dies at 75
She co-founded the National Breast Cancer Coalition and sought to eradicate the disease, which remains the second deadliest cancer for women in the U.S.
By Harrison SmithBears chased their dogs. These 60-somethings jumped in and got injured.
A 64-year-old woman from Porter, Maine, punched a black bear in the nose after it emerged from the forest chasing her dog. The bear fought back.
By Annabelle TimsitVanilla the chimp was born in a lab. At 28, she saw the open sky.
A video of Vanilla the chimpanzee taking in the blue sky at a Florida sanctuary went viral. It captured the end of a long journey that began in a lab cage.
By Daniel WuThree peregrine falcon chicks take flight at Harpers Ferry
It marks the first time in years that an entire brood of peregrine falcon chicks has survived and fledged from cliffs that were once a historic breeding site.
By Dana HedgpethIn the U.S., the world’s deadliest animal is on the move
Mosquitoes' ranges are spreading in the United States and across the globe as the planet warms, sparking concern that they will exact an even deadlier toll.
By Shannon OsakaStudy maps potential African swine fever outbreak in southeastern U.S.
USDA officials warn that the arrival of African swine fever could force a halt in pork product exports, catastrophic price drops and the need to cull herds.
By Erin BlakemoreIn a major discovery, scientists say space-time churns like a choppy sea
The claim of a gravitational wave background suggests the universe is constantly roiled by violent events that happened over the past 13 billion years.
By Joel Achenbach and Victoria JaggardWoman dies after stepping on fire ants at her Georgia home
Cathy Weed, 43, was at her home in Lawrenceville, Ga., when she died because of a severe allergic reaction she had to fire ants, her family said.
By Timothy BellaJohn Goodenough, part of Nobel trio in lithium battery hunt, dies at 100
Dr. Goodenough helped make the battery that powered the mobile tech revolution and the rise of electric vehicles.
By Brian MurphyHumans have used enough groundwater to shift Earth’s tilt
Pumping groundwater for drinking and irrigation has had a noticeable effect on the entire planet, data shows.
By Aara'L YarberFirouz Naderi, NASA official who put rovers on Mars, dies at 77
The missions he led vastly expanded human understanding of the Red Planet and made him a hero to fellow Iranian Americans.
By Emily LangerSigns of butchery, possible cannibalism found on ancient human relative’s bone
Cannibalism is not unusual in the animal kingdom, but the closer the practice gets to Homo sapiens, the more complex and uncomfortable the questions it raises.
By Mark JohnsonAustralian bush fires to blame for years-long La Niña affecting U.S.
Within about a month, the fire’s emissions had encircled the globe, the researchers write.
By Erin BlakemoreLED lights are meant to save energy. They’re creating glaring problems
Cities are swapping traditional light bulbs for more energy-efficient brighter LEDs. The rise of these blue LEDs are creating problems for our night sky and our health.
By Kasha Patel, Kati Perry, Daniel Wolfe and Emily Sabens