Skin conditions such as psoriasis often flare up in the same spots throughout one’s life. Now scientists think they know why
Sperm whales help one another give birth, new study finds
Sperm whales are known to socialize, but scientists were stunned when they saw a group of sperm whales gather as one of them gave birth
AI chatbots are sucking up to you—with consequences for your relationships
A new study of AI sycophancy shows how asking agreeable chatbots for advice can change your behavior
Arctic sea ice hits lowest winter level on record
The Arctic sea ice maximum this year effectively tied for the lowest ever on record, with major implications for polar ecosystems and global warming
Human sperm get lost in space, pioneering study finds
Researchers put human sperm inside a uterus-like simulation under zero gravity conditions. It did not go well
What happens when AI starts checking mathematicians’ work
A start-up has surprised the scientific community with a breakthrough: translating a modern proof into a programming language for verification using AI. But not everyone is celebrating
Does red-light therapy work? What the research says
People are buying helmets, face masks, vests and beds that emit long-wavelength light. Beneath the hype, there is some interesting biology.
Why mathematicians are boycotting their biggest conference
More than 1,500 mathematicians are demanding that their field’s most prestigious meeting be moved from the U.S.
Inside NASA’s audacious plan to save a doomed space telescope
NASA’s Swift space telescope is doomed to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere later this year. A daring mission to boost it to safety could have big implications for science
How hacked surveillance cameras are fueling assassinations in Iran
Security feeds and traffic cameras have helped guide some of the most audacious targeted killings in modern history. Security researchers say the underlying vulnerabilities cover the planet and are easy to exploit