The very existence of left-handedness seems to defy Darwin. According to the theory of evolution by natural selection (in very simplified terms), a species should retain the characteristics necessary for survival and reproduction
A spacecraft slowed the orbit of a pair of asteroids around the sun by more than 10 micrometers per second — the first time human activity has altered the orbit of a celestial
A look inside the brains of extraordinarily sharp elderly people reveals clues about their unusual abilities. Deep in these exceptional brains were signs of what some scientists believe to be newborn nerve cells,
Robotic hands are getting their nails done. Researchers have designed a new three-fingered robotic hand whose digits come with a rigid fingernail on soft material. The design gives the robotic hand the ability
In midlife, women are told to expect disruption. Sleep may become lighter, nights can feel warmer, and energy harder to come by. Hormones shift, and the body adjusts. But for a large number
A rapid koala rebound in southeastern Australia is also boosting their genetic variation, showing one way out of an extinction death spiral. After nearly disappearing from the region over a century ago, the
Senior physics writer Emily Conover has a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Chicago. She is a two-time winner of the D.C. Science Writers’ Association Newsbrief award and a winner of the
Homegrown chickpeas could be on the menu for future astronauts. With help from compost and symbiotic fungi, chickpea plants grow and produce seeds in simulated lunar dirt, researchers report March 5 in Scientific
Several key tech companies signed a nonbinding pledge at the White House on Wednesday that the Trump administration claims will ensure that tech companies do not pass the cost of data centers on
Global oil and gas prices have skyrocketed following the US attack on Iran last weekend. But another key global supply chain is also at risk, one that may directly impact American farmers who
