Life

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

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Briefing: Liquids can fracture like solids—researchers discover the breaking point

Strategic angle: In a development that could shift our basic understanding of fluid mechanics, researchers from Drexel University have reported that, given the right circumstances, it is possible to induce a simple liquid to fracture like a solid object.

Editorial Staff Mar 28

Briefing: After 20 years, scientists finally explain the Crab Pulsar’s strange “zebra stripes”

Strategic angle: New research reveals the cosmic mechanics behind the enigmatic radio wave patterns of the Crab Pulsar.

Editorial Staff Mar 28

Briefing: Popular sugar substitute linked to brain damage and stroke risk

Strategic angle: New research reveals potential dangers of erythritol, a common sugar substitute.

Editorial Staff Mar 28

Briefing: Artemis II astronauts arrive at Florida launch site for first moon trip in 53 years

Strategic angle: The astronauts set to become the first lunar visitors in more than half a century arrived at their launch site Friday, joining the towering rocket that stands poised to blast off next week and send them around the moon.

Editorial Staff Mar 28

Briefing: Cambridge offers botany course that inspired Darwin after rare archive uncovered

Strategic angle: University’s botanic garden will use study materials created by John Stevens Henslow, the naturalist’s mentor, 200 years ago.

Editorial Staff Mar 28

Briefing: Scientists say we’ve been looking in the wrong place for human origins

Strategic angle: A fossil ape discovered in northern Egypt is reshaping the story of human evolution.

Editorial Staff Mar 28

Briefing: Why use living cells? Researchers are making chemicals with enzymes alone

Strategic angle: Exploring the role of enzymes in the biofuels economy and chemical production.

Editorial Staff Mar 28

Briefing: Watch the Earth split in real time: Stunning footage captures a 2.5-meter fault slip in seconds

Strategic angle: A massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar in March 2025, but what makes this event extraordinary is what happened next.

Editorial Staff Mar 28

Briefing: Land animals evolved from ocean ancestors—new study unravels the genetics behind the transition

Strategic angle: A new study explores the genetic adaptations that enabled ancient organisms to transition from water to land.

Editorial Staff Mar 28

Briefing: Artemis 2 astronauts arrive at KSC

Strategic angle: The four Artemis 2 astronauts arrived in Florida for final preparations ahead of their upcoming launch.

Editorial Staff Mar 28

Briefing: Ancient bones show dogs have been woven into human life for nearly 16,000 years

Strategic angle: New findings reveal the deep-rooted relationship between humans and dogs, dating back millennia.

Editorial Staff Mar 27

Briefing: Quasi-liquid layer controls growth mechanisms of ice-like materials

Strategic angle: Research reveals how clathrate hydrates form and their potential technological applications.

Editorial Staff Mar 27

Briefing: Ultrafast microscopy sheds light on metallic nanoframe behavior

Strategic angle: Argonne and Northwestern University scientists teamed up to understand how light interacts with metallic nanoframes, with implications for biosensing, quantum information science and beyond.

Editorial Staff Mar 27

Briefing: I Am Artemis: Erik Richards

Strategic angle: Listen to this audio excerpt from Erik Richards, Near Space Network Mission Manager, discussing his role in NASA’s first crewed Artemis mission.

Editorial Staff Mar 27

Briefing: NASA Selects Intuitive Machines to Deliver Artemis Science, Tech to Moon

Strategic angle: NASA has awarded Intuitive Machines $180.4 million to support lunar exploration under the Artemis program.

Editorial Staff Mar 27

Briefing: The Big Bee Project brings natural history collections into the 21st century

Strategic angle: Museum collections are evolving to meet modern research needs.

Editorial Staff Mar 27

Briefing: Medicaid Enrollment and Unwinding Tracker

Strategic angle: This tracker presents the most recent Medicaid data on renewals and disenrollments available for each state as well as monthly enrollment data during the unwinding period.

Editorial Staff Mar 27

Briefing: New technique reveals body-wide cellular processes

Strategic angle: A groundbreaking method allows for the study of gene expression across the entire body, enhancing our understanding of biology and therapeutics.

Editorial Staff Mar 27

Briefing: NASA’s Environment and Energy “Blue Marble” Awards Categories

Strategic angle: Recognizing excellence in environmental management and planning.

Editorial Staff Mar 27

Briefing: Some ticks can survive from 1 to 3 weeks on home flooring

Strategic angle: A new study reveals that ticks can live indoors for an extended period, raising concerns about indoor infestations.

Editorial Staff Mar 27