Social insects and humans share the trait of divvying up tasks, as do some fish. Researchers find that it emerges naturally, and it often doesn’t take a boss to keep things in order.
The Knotty Economics of Student Loan Debt
People in the US owe a whopping $1.7 trillion for higher education. An economist weighs in on how to deal with the ballooning college tab.
People in the US owe a whopping $1.7 trillion for higher education. An economist weighs in on how to deal with the ballooning college tab.
What Can We Do About Ultraprocessed Foods?
Researchers are figuring out the features of these foods that harm our health — and proposing ways ahead.
Researchers are figuring out the features of these foods that harm our health — and proposing ways ahead.
Animal CSI: Forensics Comes for the Wildlife Trade
Scientists are using the latest in DNA fingerprinting to combat the multibillion-dollar business of trafficking plants and animals.
Scientists are using the latest in DNA fingerprinting to combat the multibillion-dollar business of trafficking plants and animals.
What Would Signal Life on Another Planet?
Astronomers have long debated what kind of chemistry might serve as a bona fide alien biosignature. With the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, those ideas may be put to the test.
Astronomers have long debated what kind of chemistry might serve as a bona fide alien biosignature. With the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, those ideas may be put to the test.
It’s Way Past Time to Stop Police ‘Testilying’
OPINION: The culture of deception in US courts needs to end
OPINION: The culture of deception in US courts needs to end
How Climate Change Could Make Fungal Diseases Worse
Disease-causing fungi are likely to thrive in a warmer, stormier world — and more of them might be poised to make the leap to infecting people
Disease-causing fungi are likely to thrive in a warmer, stormier world — and more of them might be poised to make the leap to infecting people
What Can Cities Do to Survive Extreme Heat?
Urban heat waves are getting worse, but better data and timely government action could make them less deadly.
Urban heat waves are getting worse, but better data and timely government action could make them less deadly.
Zooming In on the Brains of Babies
New tools are helping neuroscientists investigate why early life is such a crucial time for neural development.
New tools are helping neuroscientists investigate why early life is such a crucial time for neural development.
Teens Can Have Excellent Executive Function — Just Not All the Time
Adolescents’ brains are highly capable, if inconsistent, during this critical age of exploration and development. They are also acutely tuned into rewards.
Adolescents’ brains are highly capable, if inconsistent, during this critical age of exploration and development. They are also acutely tuned into rewards.
Zoos Need to Change
Opinion: To justify their existence, they must make conservation their top priority.
Opinion: To justify their existence, they must make conservation their top priority.
The Psychopathic Path to Success
Psychopathic tendencies may be present to some extent in all of us. New research is reframing this often sensationalized and maligned set of traits and finding some positive twists.
Psychopathic tendencies may be present to some extent in all of us. New research is reframing this often sensationalized and maligned set of traits and finding some positive twists.
Reviving a Famously Polluted California Lake
Clear Lake, the state’s largest freshwater body of water, is fouled each year by algal blooms, one of many assaults endured by the battered ecosystem. Can a multipronged plan help it recover?
Clear Lake, the state’s largest freshwater body of water, is fouled each year by algal blooms, one of many assaults endured by the battered ecosystem. Can a multipronged plan help it recover?
Dead Trees Around the World Are Shocking Scientists
Forests once deemed resilient are suffering surprising die-offs. To predict the fate of the world’s woods in the face of climate change, researchers need to understand how trees die.
Forests once deemed resilient are suffering surprising die-offs. To predict the fate of the world’s woods in the face of climate change, researchers need to understand how trees die.
The Living Things That Feast on Plastic
Scientists are scouring garbage sites around the world for bacteria, fungi and even insects that harbor enzymes that could be harnessed for breaking down various polymers. It’s early days, but if the efforts can be efficiently scaled-up, such biological recycling could put a dent in the plastic waste problem.
Scientists are scouring garbage sites around the world for bacteria, fungi and even insects that harbor enzymes that could be harnessed for breaking down various polymers. It’s early days, but if the efforts can be efficiently scaled-up, such biological recycling could put a dent in the plastic waste problem.
The Underappreciated Benefits of Wild Bees
Native pollinators are key to both ecology and agriculture, but have yet to get their due.
Native pollinators are key to both ecology and agriculture, but have yet to get their due.