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Looking for LUCA, everyone’s shared ancestor

Scientists want to identify your earliest ancestor. And to do that, they have to look back in time. Way, way back. Let’s climb up your family tree. The first people…

Hurricane Katrina shaped this coastal ecologist’s life and work

Being from New Orleans, La., Elliott White Jr. has a clear understanding of the importance of healthy wetland ecosystems. He was 12 when Hurricane Katrina struck the Louisiana coast, which is home…

Let’s learn about adrenaline

Imagine a situation that makes your heart race. Maybe it’s sitting down to take a test. Or stepping on stage to perform in a recital. Or working up the nerve…

Massive underground lava tube found on Venus

Venus, though hidden from view by dense clouds, is slowly giving up some of its secrets. One of them is a lava tube beneath its surface. This type of cave…

How do bacteria protect each other from antibiotics?

Abstract Bacteria do not live alone. They crowd together and form tiny “neighborhoods.” In these neighborhoods, some bacteria can resist antibiotics. They break down the medicine and create “safe zones.”…

Scientists Say: Clone

Clone (noun or verb, “CLONE”) The word clone has a couple of different, but related, meanings. A clone may be a genetic copy of an individual. That is, an organism…

Sneaky: AI auto-complete may be shaping our views

Today, we can barely write an email or text without AI trying to finish our sentences. Even programs like Microsoft Word have auto-complete functions that use AI to predict what…

This tool-using cow stunned scientists with her smarts

A deck brush can be a good tool for the right task. Just ask Veronika, a Brown Swiss cow. She uses both ends of a deck brush to scratch various…

Meet CLA, a naturally ‘healthy’ fat in burgers, ice cream and more

Many meat and dairy products from cows and sheep contain an unusual type of fat. Due to the chemical bonds between their carbon atoms, these fats resemble saturated types such…

Here’s what nutrition experts say about dietary fat

American dietary guidelines have gotten an overhaul. In January, the U.S. federal government unveiled a new food pyramid. Unlike the classic food pyramid, the new one is an upside-down triangle.…