Science

By Jeanna Bryner Earth’s most abundant mineral lies deep in the planet’s interior, sealed off from human eyes. Now, scientists for the first time have gotten a glimpse of the material in nature, enclosed inside a 4.5-billion-year-old meteorite. The result: They have characterized and named the elusive mineral. The new official name, bridgmanite, was approved …

By Kelly Dickerson A treasure trove of bronze and marble statues, gold jewelry and ancient scientific instruments may be buried in sand, hundreds of feet below the Aegean Sea, and a team of explorers is going after the 2,000-year-old hoard using the most advanced diving suit ever built. Later this year, scientists and divers plan …

By Dan Vergano   Humanity’s genetic split from an ape-like ancestor came about 13 million years ago, far earlier than the long-supposed era of a common ancestor of early humans and apes, suggests a first study of chimp gene mutations. Along with shining a new genetic light on human origins, the findings published on Thursday …

By Karen Weintraub   Though one country politically, the genetics of indigenous Mexicans shows that their ancestors were very distinct groups that mixed remarkably little. A study published today in Science found more genetic isolation than expected among these populations. “You can clearly differentiate each of the native American groups one from the other,” said Carlos Bustamante, a …

By Brian Clark Howard   Chile’s government canceled a controversial plan for five dams on two of Patagonia‘s wildest rivers Tuesday, after an eight-year battle between environmentalists and developers. Chile’s Committee of Ministers overturned the environmental permits for the HidroAysén project, which would have put dams on the Baker and Pascua Rivers, flooding 5,900 hectares of …

By Laura Parker   Consider this: The amount of global trash is expected to rise every year for the rest of the century. With no intervention, the growing garbage heap won’t even peak by 2021. Since most marine debris originates on land, that grim prognosis, say researchers at the University of Georgia, could spell disaster …

By Nancy Shute If you’ve Googled tennis elbow or plantar fasciitis or Achilles tendon pain you’ve almost certainly come across platelet-rich plasma, a treatment that uses a person’s own blood to create an injection intended to speed healing. You’ve also probably come across names like Kobe Bryant, Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal and Alex Rodriguez, pro …

By Agata Blaszczak-Boxe   A herpes virus that infects humans originated in chimpanzees before it jumped into our early human ancestors, according to a new study. Researchers found that herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infected hominids before their evolutionary split from chimpanzees 6 million years ago, whereas herpes simplex 2 (HSV-2) was transferred from ancient chimpanzees to human …

By NASA   NASA is returning to the bottom of the ocean. Twice this summer, aquanauts participating in the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) will conduct activities on the ocean floor that will inform future International Space Station and exploration activities. These studies provide information that correlates directly to life aboard the space station, …

By Rebecca Morelle   Crustaceans may be able to experience some emotions, a study published in the journal Science suggests. Researchers in France have found that crayfish seem to show anxiety, a feeling previously thought to be too complex for these primitive animals. It follows a number of studies that suggest that crustaceans can also feel pain. Some …

By Alexandra Sifferlin   Scientists have figured out a way to modify malaria-carrying mosquitos so they only produce males After six years of trying, scientists have discovered a way to genetically modify mosquitoes so they produce sperm that will only conceive male offspring. Female mosquitoes are the ones who bite people and pass along malaria, …

By Melissa Hellmann   Overbearing parents may be putting their children at a greater risk of using drugs A study conducted in six European countries reveals that children who have strict parents are more likely to smoke cannabis, as well as use tobacco and alcohol. The team, led by the European Institute of Studies on Prevention, observed …