Rachel Nuwer is a science journalist and author. Her latest book is I Feel Love: MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World (Bloomsbury, 2023). Follow her on X @RachelNuwer
Why Animals Living on Islands Are at Greater Risk of Extinction
Warm-blooded island species tend to evolve a slower metabolic rate compared with their mainland counterparts, making it harder for them to bounce back when under stress
Atom-Thick Gold Coating Sparks Scientific ‘Goldene Rush’
Ultrathin gold was achieved with the help of a century-old sword-making technique
This Strange Fungal Condition Makes You Drunk without Drinking
Greater awareness is needed around auto-brewery syndrome, which can cause dangerous accidents and trigger social ostracism if it is not correctly diagnosed
Crows Rival Human Toddlers in Counting Skills
Counting crows proclaim “caw, caw, caw, caw” when staring at the number four
Lifting the Veil on Near-Death Experiences
What the neuroscience of near-death experiences tells us about human consciousness
How Ugandan Tobacco Farming Inadvertently Threatens Spread of Bat-Borne Viruses
By cutting trees in response to international demand for tobacco, farmers induced wildlife to start eating virus-laden bat guano
Decades-old Cans of Salmon Reveal Changes in Ocean Health
Researchers used tinned fish to reconstruct parasitic population change, giving new meaning to the phrase “opening a can of worms”
Males Aren’t Larger Than Females in Most Mammalian Species
A new study corrects a biased assumption promoted by Charles Darwin 150 years ago and repeated ever since
Scientists Thought Only Humans Learn Complex Behaviors from Others. They Were Wrong
New studies in bees and chimps challenge the long-held assumption that only humans can learn from innovative peers
Why Insects Are Attracted to Light at Night
Contrary to popular lore, insects do not confuse artificial light for the moon
Missing Russian Data Is Harming Arctic Research at a Critical Time
Russia makes up nearly half the terrestrial Arctic, but global collaboration with researchers there has ground to a halt since the invasion of Ukraine
Thousands of U.S. Cities Could Become Virtual Ghost Towns by 2100
These projected findings about depopulation in U.S. cities are shaped by a multitude of factors, including the decline of industry, lower birth rates and the impacts of climate change
This Powerful Psychedelic Shows Promise for Relieving Traumatic Brain Injury
In combat veterans, a single dose of ibogaine improved symptoms of TBI, PTSD, depression and anxiety
Scientists Finally Invent Heat-Controlling Circuitry That Keeps Electronics Cool
A new thermal transistor can control heat as precisely as an electrical transistor can control electricity
Sniffing Women’s Tears Makes Men Less Aggressive
For the first time, researchers have used behavioral measures, brain imaging and molecular biology to test how odorless chemicals from human tears affect people
Dog ‘Language Geniuses’ Are Rare but Apparently Real
A subset of exceptional pooches can identify by name more than 100 different objects, mostly toys
Funding for Research on Psychedelics Is on the Rise, Along with Scientists' Hopes for Using Them
As interest and support for psychedelic research grows, scientists share their hopes for the future.
Do You Need to ‘Trip’ for Psychedelics to Work as Medicine?
Psychedelic researchers are engaged in heated debate over whether the mind-altering effects of the drugs are necessary for realizing their therapeutic potential.
The Search for New Psychedelics
As companies join the hunt, can the field of mind-altering synthetic substances stay true to its original pioneering spirit of wonder, curiosity and connection?
Some Patients Who ‘Died’ but Survived Report Lucid ‘Near-Death Experiences,’ a New Study Shows
In some cardiac arrest patients, a flurry of brain activity during life-saving CPR may be a sign of a “near-death experience”
How a Color-Changing Hogfish Knows whether Its Skin Is White, Brown or Polka-Dotted
A hogfish may provide the first example of a vertebrate with specialized light-detecting cells that reside outside the central nervous system
Octopuses Redesign Their Own Brain When They Get Chilly
Hyperintelligent octopuses just got weirder: scientists have found the cephalopods can recode their brain when temperatures change
Cute and Ugly Pygmy Lorises Are Actually Two Different Species
It turns out there are two species of mysterious, venomous pygmy lorises
Gorillas’ Resilience after Early-Life Trauma Holds Lessons for Humans
A young mountain gorilla who is able to survive the tough early years may live as long or longer than peers who coasted through their youth without incident