Life

Health, science, climate, and society-focused reporting.

Briefing: Study documents record 118-kilometer dispersal by young female fisher in New Hampshire

Strategic angle: Researchers at the University of New Hampshire have documented the farthest trek of a young female fisher moving 118 kilometers from Durham to Lincoln.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Scientists discover giant swirling plumes hidden deep inside Greenland’s ice sheet

Strategic angle: New research reveals the formation of mysterious plume-like structures through thermal convection in Greenland's ice.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Study finds abusive bosses can make workers feel 'dehumanized,' fueling burnout

Strategic angle: New research reveals the profound impact of toxic leadership on employee perception and well-being.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Bacteria that generate electricity: How a shellfish-based gel could monitor wastewater and food

Strategic angle: Microbial bioelectronic sensors utilize living bacteria to create electrical signals in response to target substances, offering advantages over traditional biosensors.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: New Panama tree species identified after 25 years is already endangered

Strategic angle: A newly discovered tree species in Panama faces immediate threats despite being identified only recently.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Pi Day: From rockets to cancer research, here's how the number pi is embedded in our lives

Strategic angle: Math nerds and dessert enthusiasts unite to celebrate Pi Day every March 14, the date that represents the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: A lab mistake at Cambridge reveals a powerful new way to modify drug molecules

Strategic angle: Cambridge scientists have discovered a light-powered chemical reaction that allows for safer modifications of complex drug molecules.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Scientists discover ancient DNA “switches” hidden in plants for 400 million years

Strategic angle: Researchers uncover a vast archive of plant DNA, revealing over 2.3 million regulatory sequences.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Gut bacteria that make serotonin may hold the key to IBS

Strategic angle: Researchers have identified two gut bacteria that can produce serotonin, a key chemical that regulates bowel movements.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Australia added to global sharks and rays database

Strategic angle: A global database documenting the location of critical habitats for sharks, rays, and chimeras has recently expanded to include Australia.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Scientists warn Australia’s “zombie tree” could vanish within a generation

Strategic angle: A newly identified Australian tree, dubbed the “zombie” tree, is alive but unable to reproduce due to myrtle rust, threatening its survival.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Why swimmers still dive in: Research shows how UK communities navigate polluted waters

Strategic angle: More than 7.5 million people immerse themselves in lakes, rivers, seas and lidos every year in the UK, despite pollution risks.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Microplastics may be quietly damaging your brain and fueling Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Strategic angle: New research suggests that tiny plastic particles could trigger inflammation and damage in the brain.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: Top brass in China reaffirm goal to be world leaders in tech, AI

Strategic angle: Chinese leadership emphasizes commitment to technological and artificial intelligence supremacy.

Editorial Staff Mar 14

Life

Briefing: iMetalX emerges from stealth with technology to model resident space objects

Strategic angle: Northern California startup iMetalX Inc. announces collaboration with Psionic for autonomous navigation technology.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Horse IVF milestone in Florida: Frozen-thawed sperm fertilizes an egg

Strategic angle: A breakthrough in equine reproductive technology offers new hope for performance horses unable to conceive naturally.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Simple water trick cuts diesel engine pollution by over 60%

Strategic angle: Scientists are exploring a surprisingly simple way to clean up diesel engines: adding tiny droplets of water to the fuel.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: In a South Carolina swamp, researchers uncover secrets of firefly synchrony

Strategic angle: In the middle of the old-growth forests of Congaree National Park in South Carolina, fireflies put on an otherworldly display every May.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Our Sun may have escaped the Milky Way’s center with thousands of twin stars

Strategic angle: Scientists have uncovered evidence that our Sun may have traveled across the Milky Way as part of a massive migration of Sun-like stars billions of years ago.

Editorial Staff Mar 13

Life

Briefing: Improperly disposed wet wipes could shed microplastics in rivers

Strategic angle: Wet wipes, often flushed down toilets, may contribute to microplastic pollution in waterways.

Editorial Staff Mar 13