Latest in Science

Australia downgrades Great Barrier Reef outlook from ‘poor’ to ‘very poor’ due to warming oceans

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority's condition report is the latest bad news for the 345,400 square kilometer colorful coral network off the northeast Australian coast

Aug 30

Hunter's Moon: How and where to watch the lunar marvel over the next three days

A follow up to the September's Harvest Moon, the Hunter's Moon will be visible in the sky for the next three days.

Oct 13

Lithium-ion batteries to dark matter, the remarkable breakthroughs that were awarded the Nobel Prize this year

The discoveries have shaped our understanding of the universe and have made technologies such as mobile phones, laptops and electric vehicles a reality

Oct 11

Sunlight can break down polystyrene in just decades, instead of thousands of years as expected earlier, finds study

It was earlier thought that polystyrene took thousands of years to degrade, however, now the study has found that sunlight can do the job in just decades or centuries.

Oct 11

Experts warn of a sea empty of fish as annual tuna catch spikes to 6 million tonnes on back of global demand

The tuna fishing rate rose by 1,000 percent in the past 60 years and this is unsustainable, says a study published in Fisheries Research.

Oct 11

Four US companies among the twenty largest polluters since 1965, says climate report

Of the 20 industries listed, four are US-based: Chevron Corporation, ExxonMobil, Peabody Energy and ConocoPhilips.

Oct 10

Climate-induced events can spark more intense wildfires at a higher frequency, says study

The study team says wildfires are part of the ecosystem and these should be managed so that the effects on human health and well-being are minimized.

Oct 9

Disney gives out $6million to 80 nonprofits, conservation efforts to cover sarus cranes to angel sharks

The fund, which was created in 1995, has granted approximately $86 million to nonprofits till date.

Oct 9

Draconid and Southern Taurid meteor showers peak back to back and here's what to look out for and get the best view

These meteors called fireballs because of their brightness will make an entrance this week. Meteors appear on all parts of the sky and the best way to view them is by lying flat on a surface or just sitting on a chair.

Oct 7

Investing $1.8 trillion globally in five areas to adapt to climate change can bring $7.1-trillion worth benefits

Experts from the Global Commission on Adaptation say it is not too late, and adaptation can produce significant economic returns

Oct 4

Over 45% of Australia’s coastal marine ecosystems have been damaged by extreme climate

Stating that the average recovery time for major species groups is 10 to 15 years, the researchers warn that habitat recovery is unlikely if the number of severe climate events increases

Sep 30

Giant exoplanet found around red dwarf star challenges the 'core accretion model' of planet formation

The planet probably formed from an unstable disc around the young star, which broke up into clumps; This contrasts with how the majority of massive planets are believed to form, where a planet grows slowly as gas falls onto a solid core

Sep 26

Artificial intelligence could be just as accurate in detecting diseases as health professionals, says study

Since just a few studies were of sufficient quality to be included in the analysis, researchers say that the real power of AI in medicine and diagnostics is yet to be determined

Sep 24

Three billion fewer birds in North America since 1970, suggesting a widespread ecological crisis

US and Canada have lost more than 1 in 4 birds in the past 50 years, and population loss is not restricted to rare and threatened species, but includes many widespread and common ones

Sep 19

Dust from giant asteroid crash caused ice age 466 million years ago and boosted biodiversity on Earth

Dust from the 150 km asteroid that was crushed between Jupiter and Mars filled the entire inner solar system leading to a unique ice age and, subsequently, to higher levels of biodiversity

Sep 18

Astronomers discover one of the most massive neutron stars ever measured, packing 2.17 times the mass of the sun

The neutron star, called J0740+6620, was detected approximately 4,600 light-years from Earth and is only around 15 miles across

Sep 16

Violent video games are often blamed for school shootings when perpetrators are white and not black

Studies confirm the notion that racial stereotyping leads people to accept school shootings by black perpetrators without seeking external explanations. When the shooter is white, people often blame video games as the person’s race does not fit their stereotype of a violent perpetrator.

Sep 16

Tardigrades lost on moon after spacecraft crash can survive for years in cryptobiotic state but not colonize: Experts

These tiny creatures, probably the toughest animals on Earth, were onboard a private mission to the moon, which crash-landed in April

Sep 13

Hubble captures Saturn in all its ringed glory in surreal picture of planet

The image reveals an unprecedented clarity only seen previously in snapshots taken by NASA spacecraft visiting the distant planet, says NASA.

Sep 13

Oumuamua part 2: Astronomers have likely discovered a second interstellar object, called Borisov

Called C/2019 Q4 (Borisov), the comet was first detected on August 30 by Gennady Borisov, an amateur astronomer at the MARGO observatory in Nauchnij, Crimea

Sep 13

Astronomers discover water on Earth-like planet sparking hopes of finding life on other planets

The exoplanet K2-18b is about eight times more massive than the Earth and is located in the habitable zone of the star it orbits

Sep 12

First images of giant radio-emitting bubbles to throw more light on supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way

These features, which were captured by the MeerKAT telescope, were formed from a violent eruption near the supermassive black hole several million years ago, say scientists

Sep 11

Artists who paint with their feet have 'toe maps' in their brains that can be used to develop advanced prosthetic limbs

Researchers studied two foot artists, born without arms, to examine if a lifetime of highly-changed experiences can cause new body maps in the brain

Sep 10

How did the dinosaurs die out? New evidence from asteroid impact site confirms global climate change the cause

The finding supports the hypothesis that the impact started wildfires, triggered tsunamis and blasted a lot of sulfur into the atmosphere that blocked the sun, causing global cooling and leading to the extinction of the dinosaurs

Sep 9

Plastic forks, knives, and spoons make it to the list of top ten items that dominate beach trash

According to the 2018 International Coastal Cleanup, cigarette butts that contain plastic filters topped the list

Sep 5

Humans messed up planet and altered environment 'substantially' at least 3000 years ago, much earlier than believed

An international study challenges prevailing opinions and potential dates for the start of the Anthropocene, the period during which human activity became a dominant influence on climate change and the global environment.

Aug 29

No single gay gene linked to same-sex behavior, says study

Same-sex sexual behavior is similar to other personilty traits such as one’s height and is shaped by a combination of multiple factors such as genes, environment, and culture

Aug 29

Climate change significantly impacting floods by making them increasingly severe

A recent study, which analyzed river flow data from thousands of locations across Europe over 50 years, provides the most definitive evidence yet of the link between climate change and flooding

Aug 28

Norovirus kills 200,000 annually, but now armed with just a smartphone scientists can detect tiny amounts of the pathogen

Current methods to detect the virus in small quantities require lab settings, which are time-consuming and very expensive. The new finding is expected to tackle these difficulties.

Aug 27

Scientists say Trump's nuke-the-hurricanes plan not practical as radioactive fallout could be disastrous

Apart from the humongous energy requirement, the NOAA says brute force might not even alter the storm and the released radioactive substances would fairly quickly move with the tradewinds to affect land areas and cause devastating environmental problems.

Aug 26

Urban stormwater could release harmful chemicals to ground and surface water posing risk to human health, aquatic life

The researchers from the US Geological Survey and the US Environmental Protection Agency found 11 types of polluting and toxic substances in more than 90% of the samples

Aug 22

Red flag laws may play decisive role in preventing mass shootings like Dayton and El Paso

Red flag laws create mechanisms for family members and law enforcement officers to move quickly and get guns out of the hands of people who are at imminent risks to the safety of themselves or others

Aug 19

Men more likely to victim-blame women who are sexually harassed as they have greater empathy for male perpetrators

A new study debunks the widely assumed argument that men lack empathy for female victims as researchers find that empathy for the male sexual harasser is a more consistent explanation

Aug 19

From circus-like shows to wildlife selfies, animals are routinely abused and exploited at zoos, aquariums for entertainment

World Animal Protection documented cruel and demeaning performances and activities in over 1,200 zoos and aquariums and found that 75% of venues offered at least one type of animal visitor interaction, including some "horrific" cases

Aug 16

Scientists find microplastics in Arctic snow, suggesting significant air pollution even in remote locations

Analysis shows microplastics are transported by the atmosphere and then washed out of the air, especially by snow even in such remote regions like the Arctic and the Alps. Researchers call for urgent studies on its effects on human and animal health.

Aug 14

A quarter of the world’s tropical land could disappear by the end of the century if global demand for animal products continues to grow

The production of animals has the highest footprint in terms of agricultural land use and a reduction in meat and dairy consumption can help protect natural land in regions of the world that harbour high numbers of species.

Aug 14

Weak political response to mass gun violence in US could be a product of culture

When researchers compared the US and New Zealand’s responses to gun violence, they found that the two countries are ‘worlds apart’ when it comes to reacting to and preventing firearm violence

Aug 13

Species Wars: Sharks are now significantly smaller and rarer in areas closer to human population

The body size and the number of sharks and other marine predators fall by 5% and 20% respectively at distances less than 1,250 km from human activity

Aug 12

Rapid, high ocean temperature spikes occurring at double the expected rate affecting marine ecosystems and humans

The researchers, who identified these extreme ocean temperature "surprises" all over the world, say it will reduce diversity and productivity of marine ecosystems.

Aug 11

Earth’s biggest creatures on the brink of extinction as freshwater animals decline by 88%

Scientists, for the first time, have quantified the decline of freshwater megafauna and found that their global populations have declined hugely from 1970 to 2012

Aug 9

Climate crisis: Simply reducing pollution will not save planet as agriculture is also revealed to be major culprit

A UN panel report prepared by 107 experts from 52 countries says that better land management can contribute to tackling climate change

Aug 8

Climate change: Extreme ocean heatwaves are destroying coral at an alarming rate, shocking new data reveals

Researchers show for the first time what really happens to corals during intense heatwaves and they reveal that it's not just coral animals that are affected

Aug 8

Trump and Republicans blame video games for El Paso and Dayton mass shootings, but science says there is no link

Multiple studies have said that there is no evidence to support the theory that video games trigger violent behavior

Aug 6

More people die defending the environment in a year than soldiers in some war zones

According to a study, 4 people are killed every week defending the environment, a number that has doubled in 15 years

Aug 6

Black men 2.5 times more likely to be killed by police violence in US than white men

A research team estimated the risk of being killed by police use of force in the US by age, race, and sex, and found that across all groups, fatality risk peaked between the ages of 20 and 35 years

Aug 5

Milky Way is not flat but warped and twisted, shows a detailed three-dimensional map of galaxy

New research provides a crucial and the most detailed map for studies of our galaxy’s stellar motions and the origins of the Milky Way’s disk. 

Aug 2

Climate Change: How our need to be cool is killing the planet

Researchers predict that global energy needs will increase 25% by 2050, mainly anticipated to arise from cooling and air-conditioning usage

Aug 1

Human trafficking victims distrust police and rarely seek help as they think force is biased, ill-trained

Researchers examined police responses to human trafficking crimes in three US communities that varied in region, population size, and crime rates to determine why victims are reluctant to seek help

Aug 1

Elephants face a jumbo threat as ivory poaching rides on ten-fold rise in prices after trade ban

Despite the international ivory trade ban of 1989, poaching associated with the trade is estimated to cause an 8% annual loss in the world elephant population.

Jul 31