Is NASA falling out of love with Mars?
Editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses NASA's rocky relationship with Mars exploration.
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Here's why the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool went green so fast
The reflecting pool turned an interesting shade of green awfully fast. Here is why.
A 2011 earthquake bounced a seismic wave off Earth’s core, nudging Japan east
The wave's round trip to Earth's core set off a fault slip along Japan's plate boundaries, revealing a seismic hazard scientists hadn't recognized.
A textbook assumption about early land vertebrates may be wrong
Three species that lived about 308 million years ago challenge the idea that the first land vertebrates underwent amphibian-like metamorphosis.
The truth about brain rot, according to science
Emerging research suggests overusing digital devices can be harmful, especially to mental health. But does being overly online truly rot our brains?
A deadly fungus that can infect cats and people is spreading
It’s just a matter of time before Sporothrix brasiliensis reaches the U.S. a CDC expert says.
A ‘Super El Niño’ may be on the way. What does that mean?
Past super El Niños have brought bad flooding, deadly fires and disease outbreaks. Climate experts already expect “shockingly high” temps this winter.
The oldest known plague outbreak struck hunter-gatherers 5,500 years ago
Plague DNA in ancient graves near Siberia's Lake Baikal suggests the disease threatened people long before farming and crowded settlements.
How real is the Cyclops in ‘The Odyssey’?
The iconic one-eyed monster coming to movie screens in July in The Odyssey might have more in common with tiny water critters than with humans.
NASA seems to be backing away from hunting for life on Mars
Viking 1 kicked off the search for Martian life 50 years ago. Now NASA’s shifting priorities are putting the quest in limbo.
A blood test for dementia may tell you if you have more than one type
AI helped researchers develop an experimental blood test that might let doctors diagnose overlapping dementias.
Chinese money plant leaves hide a mathematical pattern
Tiny water-secreting pores appear to organize the major veins of the plant leaves into an arrangement known as a Voronoi diagram.
El Niño turns crumbling California pier into climate battleground over what to save — and who pays
Rep. Sam Liccardo wants to rebuild the Pacifica pier with help from the federal government. But does investing in this kind of infrastructure make sense?
The North Atlantic’s ‘cold blob’ may signal a major current’s decline
A cold blob of water in the North Atlantic points to a weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, researchers report.
Otherworldly music albums feature space weather data
A science-art team uses research data to make music featuring sounds of Antarctica and outer space
Why more male than female newborns may get the crucial vitamin K shot
Vitamin K lowers the risk of bleeding, including in a circumcision. That procedure may explain a disparity in which infants are more likely to get the shot.
Oliver Tree, musician and Santa Cruz native, dies in helicopter crash
The genre-defying singer-song writer and Santa Cruz native, was one of six killed when two helicopters collided Sunday morning in Brazil.
Infant formula recalled after California baby sickened with botulism
Nara Organics recalled its baby formula after a California child and two others were sickened by potentially fatal infant botulism, federal officials said.
Scientists find a whale graveyard in the Indian Ocean that's millions of years old
Scientists have documented a whale graveyard in the Indian Ocean with some carcasses dating back 5.3 million years, and it's supporting a thriving community of marine life.
NorCal braces for dry, dangerous fire season as SoCal faces typical conditions
Fire officials are bracing for an active fire season in Northern California as high temperatures dry out forests. Southern California will likely see a typical season.
No, mastic gum won’t reshape your jaw
Chewing gum made from mastic resin is a Greek staple that has some benefits for the mouth and gut. But it won’t change your face shape.
Here’s what would happen if you tried to break a photon in half
A mathematical model shows that attempting to sever a fundamental particle of light could conjure new ones out of thin air.
Crossword: Power play
Solve the crossword from our July 2026 issue, in which we encourage our readers to up their game.
A new method could spot fentanyl variants no one has cataloged yet
Researchers used machine learning to help predict chemical signatures for over 1 billion possible fentanyls, including variants never seen before.
A popular sunscreen ingredient can finally be sold in the United States
The FDA will allow bemotrizinol in sunscreen. The chemical is long-lasting and defends against solar radiation that ages skin.
Warning of cuts to medical services, L.A. County health officials ask state for emergency funds
Measure ER isn't enough, according to the head of L.A. County's Department of Health Services, which has joined other California health systems in lobbying for emergency funds.
Songs prep the brains of finches yet to hatch for a hot world
Adult finches make "heat calls" as the temperature rises. Exposure to the song prepares their unhatched young's brains for the heat.
Neuroscientists left the lab to study memory loss. The results were surprising
Using smartphone-based tools, researchers find that older adults’ recollections of past events may remain more intact than previously thought.
Clocks made from an atomic nucleus just ticked on for the first time
First dreamed up decades ago, the world's first nuclear clocks are set to improve quickly, becoming more precise and aiding the hunt for dark matter.
Measles has no treatments. Changing that may not be easy
Vaccination remains the priority, but some researchers are looking for drugs to fight the virus in people who don't get the shot.
UC Davis favored less qualified Black, Latino med school applicants, Justice Department claims
The U.S. Justice Department said an investigation by its Civil Rights Division found racial bias in admissions at UC Davis' School of Medicine.
A new guideline links care for heart, kidney and metabolic diseases
A guideline treats heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes and obesity as connected conditions under one umbrella: CKM syndrome.
Engineered hookworms could one day dispense drugs from inside your gut
In a first, researchers genetically modified hookworms. It’s a step toward turning the parasites into living pharmacies.
Sleep and exercise may dampen genetic drivers of heart disease
Over time, immune cells acquire mutations that promote atherosclerosis. Lifestyle changes may offset these DNA glitches, new mouse data suggest.
Earth’s stratosphere is a mysterious superhighway for microbes
Well-known microbes that grow on our crops, our gardens, even our skin have been found thriving at two to three times the flying height of a commercial jetliner.
Why new dads shouldn't panic about low testosterone
While a plummeting hormone level can trigger depression and irritability, experts say a modest decline can make men more invested, less stressed co-parents.
These birds clack their wing bones together to woo mates at night
During courtship, male scissor-tailed nightjars crack their wings together to make a sharp snapping sound. It's the result of colliding arm bones.
Frozen squirrel poop hints at sights and smells of Ice Age ecosystems
DNA preserved in ancient scat reveals what Yukon ground squirrels ate and what animals shared their world.
Santa Monica Mountains' last steelhead trout survived the Palisades fire — and even had babies
Scientists feared the Santa Monica Mountains' last endangered steelhead trout were wiped out by the Palisades fire. Then, they found them alive in Topanga Creek.
AI cracked an Erdős math problem. Now experts want guardrails
The result is correct but challenges core norms of mathematics: checking proofs, crediting ideas and keeping research open to everyone.
A drug may help people on GLP-1 meds preserve muscle
In a clinical trial, an experimental antibody reduced lean-mass loss in people on a GLP-1 drug. Whether that improves health is unclear.
Some pterosaurs may have boasted bold iridescence
A new analysis of a 120-million-year-old fossil suggests at least one pterosaur species shimmered in iridescent greens and magentas.
Scientists probe cosmic visitor from deep space, come up empty in search for alien life
The object, called 3I/ATLAS, is only the third interstellar visitor ever detected passing through our Solar System.
One label, many risks: how grouping Asian Americans hides deadly cancer patterns
A nationwide effort that includes many California researchers seeks to find out why some Asian American communities have high rates of certain cancers.
L.A. region begins the year with the smoggiest first 5 months in a decade
So far this year, the South Coast air basin, which includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, has seen 39 days when the concentration of lung-irritating ozone exceeded the federal standard, according to preliminary state air quality data.
Pacifica pier cracks, another coastal casualty as seas continue to rise
The Pacifica Municpal Pier was abruptly closed Thursday after city workers found cracks and missing concrete. It's one more coastal landmark that has begun to crumble as the ocean slowly rises around it.
This tiny, blue octopus is new to science
The deep-sea octopus is fully mature despite fitting in a palm, a trait researchers think may help it reproduce faster than larger relatives.
Honeybees and shrimp are now getting vaccinated
A shrimp vaccine for commercial use could protect the environment and prove vaccines aren’t just for vertebrates.
NASA declares MAVEN, its Mars atmosphere orbiter, dead
Over more than a decade at Mars, the orbiter revealed how the solar wind strips away the planet’s atmosphere — and why the world lost its water.
Remote workers feel isolated. Back-to-office mandates are not a fix
Making social connection part of job design, whether people work remotely, hybrid or in-person, is key to supporting employees‘ well-being.
Even quiet black holes create winds, new Milky Way observations reveal
New observations suggest the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way’s core is blowing gas away from the central behemoth.
Bumblebees can solve problems on their own
With no training, bumblebees can work out how to use a ball like a ladder to feed on sugar from an out-of-reach flower.
Emergency room visits during heat waves available to the public in 'near-real time' in L.A. County
A new dashboard makes public for the first time heat-related deaths and emergency room visits in near-real time.
Curbing Congo’s Ebola outbreak is hampered by unknowns about the virus
Answers to key questions could help public health officials develop Ebola treatments, predict the outbreak’s trajectory and prevent a future one.
A secret to making a queen bee may lie in the wax around it
Queen-cell wax helps shape honeybee queen development, challenging the idea that royal jelly alone makes a queen, a new study suggests.
Microsoft’s quantum chip got an upgrade. Critics are still skeptical
Swapping materials in its Majorana 2 chip boosted the effectiveness of quantum bits that rely on the math of topology to reduce errors, Microsoft says.
Ötzi the Iceman’s remains yielded ‘viable’ yeasts in the lab
The cold-loving yeasts from Ötzi’s remains suggest the Iceman’s microbiome may not be completely frozen in time.
Competition to run JPL comes at fraught moment of federal budget cuts, project overruns, management missteps
A competitive contract isn't necessarily a bad thing, experts say. But the administration's anti-science record raises suspicion.
Nearly 400,000 Californians cancel health coverage after losing federal aid
Facing higher premiums and the loss of federal subsidies, 374,000 Californians canceled their health insurance coverage in the first three months of the year.
The math of choosing a restaurant meal is revealed in Richard Feynman’s notes
Physicist Richard Feynman turned a lunch dilemma into a math problem. Researchers finally cracked his notes and found people approximate his solution on their own.
A tiny part of your brain may still listen under anesthesia
Tones, oddball sounds and words can spark brain cell responses, hinting at nuanced processing without consciousness.
More young people are looking to AI chatbots for mental health help
A new survey estimates 8 million young people use AI chatbots for help when stressed, angry or sad, an increase from 2024.
A new pancreatic cancer pill may be a game changer for patients
Daraxonrasib, which nearly doubled patients' survival time, fights the disease in a new way. It bear-hugs a cancer protein that drives cell growth.
Europa may not vent water into space after all
The debate could reopen in 2030 when NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft gets the closest view of the icy moon’s surface.
Here’s how to make an origami torus with the fewest folds possible
A mathematician found the most efficient way to fold paper into a doughnutlike shape.
Homing pigeons may use a surprising navigation mechanism
How animals navigate by Earth's magnetic field is hotly debated. New research in pigeons points to iron-laden liver immune cells as the compass.
A $4 tongue swab test detects tuberculosis within 30 minutes
The new test may catch active tuberculosis in those with low access to health care or who have trouble making the phlegm needed for traditional tests.
Can DEET attract mosquitoes? A lab study offers clues
Lab experiments suggest mosquitoes can smell DEET and learn to associate it with food, but it’s unclear whether that happens in the wild.
AI bots ignore evidence. Can we trust them with science?
Scientists rethink their ideas after experiments. AI agents struggle to learn from evidence and recognize when an idea is obviously incorrect.
Grapefruit-sized hail may become more common in a warmer world
A global model suggests that climate change could make hailstones larger and more damaging in many regions, especially at mid-to-high latitudes.
Huge volcanic eruption offers clues to fighting climate change
The South Pacific blast may have consumed its own methane — but using this idea against the greenhouse gas is controversial.
Parental mental health — not medication — drives autism correlation, new study finds
A new study finds no evidence that antidepressant medications cause autism.
Even careful scuba divers can damage coral reefs
Hours of diving videos and hundreds of survey responses reveal the common diver mistakes that can cause irreversible reef damage.
Why is hantavirus so deadly? It’s not what you may think
Andes hantavirus causes deadly lung failure, but its method of attack differs from other respiratory illnesses. The details might inform future treatments.
Solar flares may show predictable warning signs hours before erupting
Scientists spotted patterns hours before a major solar flare, a discovery that could help forecast dangerous eruptions.
Potential crack found on Garden Grove chemical tank, reducing explosion risk
Orange County fire official says a potential crack found on a pressurized chemical tank in Garden Grove might alleviated internal pressure, reducing risk of a catastrophic explosion.
Some experts say they've never seen bees swarm so early — and that's concerning
A warm winter and dry spring could be making bees more vulnerable.
The science of us
Editor in chief Nancy Shute introduces a new social sciences column that explores what it means to be human.
Caltech could lose control of JPL for the first time
The action forces Caltech to compete for control of the La Cañada Flintridge institution it has managed since NASA's inception in 1958.
Ultrasound aimed at the brain offers new hope for Parkinson’s patients
A noninvasive treatment called high-intensity focused ultrasound helped relieve the shaking, stiffness and pain that accompany Parkinson’s disease.
Congo prepared for Ebola. Now a rare strain is exposing gaps in readiness
As Congo’s Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak grows, public health responders are turning to old-school tactics to fight it as scientists search for new tools.
Physics explains why gold stays pristine
Metals like copper oxidize — reacting with oxygen in the air — but gold doesn’t, thanks to a quick switch in atom arrangement on its surface.
Math puzzle: The Ant Goes Marching
Solve the math puzzle from our June 2026 issue, where an ant navigates the surface of various objects to find the shortest path to her dinner.
How house design can curb childhood illnesses in Africa
Experimental houses with screens, rainwater systems and ventilation reduced malaria, diarrhea and infections among children in Tanzania.
Feds declare Eaton fire was a cleanup success. Their testing shows otherwise
In announcing its findings, the EPA cited federal lead standards only, and not California's more stringent thresholds.
New tools may help diagnose Parkinson’s earlier than ever
From special pens to earwax evaluations, a plethora of emerging diagnostics could one day be a major boon for people with the debilitating disease.
One mystery of the Great Pyramid’s longevity has finally been solved
Differences in how the pyramid and surrounding soil vibrate, along with design choices, have protected the structure from earthquakes.
Screening all kids for type 1 diabetes can catch more cases early
Identifying children with early signs of type 1 diabetes makes a difference to their health. A new study suggests wider screening is effective.
Seabirds weren’t fooled by a scarecrow-like buoy with rotating eyes
A tall buoy with a rotating pair of eyes was supposed to scare birds away from caught fish. Like scarecrows, it didn't work for long.
How to scout a safe summer swimming hole
Best practices, including checking public E. coli reports and keeping your head above water can keep you safe while swimming.
An ancient moonpocalypse may explain Neptune’s odd moon Nereid
Neptune’s oddball moon Nereid may be the sole remnant of an earlier system, formed near the planet rather than being pulled in from afar.
‘Morbid’ doesn’t want you to fall for antiaging hype
Scientist Saul Justine Newman debunks high-profile longevity research and antiaging “medicine” in a new book.
The outlook for a climate-regulating ocean current is…not good
An ocean current called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation will weaken by 50 percent by 2100. The question is what to do about it.
How a SoCal native became one of NASA's most valuable assets
Victor Glover, who grew up in the Inland Empire, is now the only pilot to have flown NASA's Orion capsule.
Damaged DNA can spread between human cells. What could that mean for cancer?
DNA can voyage along intercellular highways called tunneling nanotubes. It’s a phenomenon that could potentially spread tumor DNA to healthy cells.
AI-powered whale-spotting tech may help save San Francisco Bay’s gray whales
An AI trained to use thermal images to detect whale body heat could help warn ships at risk of colliding with the marine mammals.
What freediving can reveal about human health — and our limits
The practice of freediving is teaching physiologists how humans stretch their physical and mental limits, which in turn may improve treatments for lung and heart ailments.
Antarctic plants may face a growing fungal threat from warming soils
Soil DNA from Chile to the Antarctic Peninsula ties warmer climates to more plant fungal pathogens, with abundance projected to double by 2100.
A ‘jar’ jammed with human bones may solve Laos’ ‘Plain of Jars’ mystery
The remains of at least 37 people in an ancient stone 'jar' in northeastern Laos suggest that thousands similar jars were used in burials.
After Dobbs, miscarriage care looked different in states with abortion bans
States with abortion bans are trending away from evidence-based miscarriage treatment that includes mifepristone, compared with states without bans.
Meet ‘Snuffleupagus,’ a newfound fish sporting shaggy camouflage
Found near Australia, Solenostomus snuffleupagus is a shaggy swimmer that closely resembles Mr. Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street .
As ocean temperatures spike, more dead sea birds are washing up on California shores
Brown pelicans and other coastal birds are appearing at rescue centers in droves as Pacific heat wave broils coastal waters
19 Legionella bacteria infections linked to Kaiser Bay Area hospital
The 19 infections were linked to Kaiser's medical center in Santa Clara. Most of those who fell sick are recovering at home, Kaiser said in a statement last week.
3 countries. 16 stadiums. 104 matches. 2026 World Cup set to become 'most polluting' games ever
The expanded number of teams at this year's men's World Cup will help make the games the worst for the climate in history, mainly because of massive air travel.
Never-ending storms make for good plot twists. Could they plague Earth?
While the thunderstorms in The Legend of Zelda defy physics, plenty of places on Earth experience extreme weather.
L.A. County health officials confirm fifth measles case this year
Officials have confirmed a measles case in a Los Angeles County resident who recently traveled internationally.
Female rats like a different kind of tickling than males
Female rats prefer gentler tickling, a finding that could reshape animal happiness research.
AI can take the friction out of life, but some effort can be good
Technologies, including chatbots, promise to make life easier. But removing the friction, or effort involved in thinking, has costs.
Water drops on soap bubble films act like merging galaxies
Water droplets on soap films orbited and merged like colliding galaxies, a technique that could help scientists study the cosmos.
A Greenland explorer will eat only decaying seal for a month
British chef Mike Keen will ski across Greenland eating only fermented seal. Researchers will study how the Inuit diet shapes gut health.
Our understanding of Charles Darwin continues to evolve
Historian Janet Browne’s Darwin: A Biography lifts the curtain on the private life of Charles Darwin, one of science’s most controversial pioneers.
Crabs’ sideways walk may have evolved just once
A study of 50 crab species in Japan traces the iconic sideways walk to a single ancestor, suggesting the trait drove the group's remarkable diversity.
Two chemicals in everyday California air may pose 'unacceptable' cancer risk, findings suggest
California health officials have released new scientific findings that suggest the health risks from exposure to two chemicals present in ambient air, acrolein and ethylene oxide, are worse than previously known.
Hantavirus strikes a cruise ship, Californians at risk: Is this the start of something much worse?
The MV Hondius was the epicenter of the first-ever deadly outbreak of hantavirus aboard a modern cruise ship. Was this a freak occurrence, or a sign of things to come?
Footage shows Central Valley dairy workers kicking young calves, pulling them with pliers
Workers at Agresti Calf Ranch in the Central Valley also were spotted removing animals' horns, apparently without anesthesia.
Hantavirus fears heighten with 4 Californians exposed to the disease. Is the alarm warranted?
California passengers from the hantavirus-stricken cruise ship have returned to the U.S. Infectious disease experts break down the potential risk.
Californian exposed to hantavirus aboard cruise ship resides in Bay Area, officials say
A Bay Area resident stuck on a cruise ship with a deadly hantavirus outbreak has returned to Santa Clara County and is being monitored by health officials.
Trees that survived L.A.'s wildfires are dying at alarming rate. Can they be saved?
A preliminary survey found 20% of street trees that survived the 2025 fires have gone missing in the past year. Local advocates blame a lack of watering and careless contractors.
Californians were aboard hantavirus-stricken cruise ship. Is there a risk to the public?
California residents were among the 147 passengers and staff aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship when it was stricken by a suspected outbreak of hantavirus that has left three dead.
Physicians, politicians, activists call for emergency declaration on the Tijuana River
Activists and experts say the time is ripe to activate bipartisan legislation to address pollution in the Tijuana River.
Dirty mind? Study suggests gut movement may flush excess material from our brains
Research on mice suggests movement in the abdomen moves fluid through the brain.