Science
Plants under attack leave behind a surprising call for backup
When insect pests get the munchies, some plants call in the microbes. Gnawing fly larvae provoke cowpea plants to release chemicals into the soil…
Shock wave therapy for erectile dysfunction is on the rise
Some men in the United States seeking relief for erectile dysfunction aren’t getting prescriptions for Viagra. Instead, they’re flocking to health…
Why Epstein-Barr is the ‘everything virus’
Citations K. Bjornevik et al. CD4+ T cells reactive to Epstein-Barr virus late lytic antigens are enriched in individuals with multiple sclerosis…
An unproven autism drug got a boost after a White House briefing
In 2025, the number of children receiving a drug promoted — but unproven — for autism treatment grew, especially toward the end of the year. A new…
A record-breaking star could reveal how the Milky Way’s giant black hole spins
There’s a new speed demon in the galaxy. Astronomers spotted a star that reaches top speeds of 25,000 kilometers per second, about 8 percent the…
A new documentary shows what growing up lion is really like
Becoming a king of lions is as dramatic in real life as it is in the movies. A new four-part documentary series, Lion, captures the journey of a cub…
No refrigerator, no problem. This experimental vaccine doesn’t need it.
The vast majority of existing vaccines need to be kept cold, a costly and logistical challenge that limits access to millions of people living in…
Shrews’ noses grow in winter as their brains shrink
This nose grows. During harsh Japanese winters, long-clawed shrews’ snouts temporarily expand. The seasonal swelling is the opposite of the…
What Spider-Man gets right — and wrong — about turning off superpowers
Note: Slight spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. A plot device in the new Spider-Man movie is real-world science. A trick used to turn off…
Snail slime does many jobs thanks to calcium
Not all slime is created equal. A species of land snails tweaks its slime’s chemical recipe to create five different varieties of mucus, using each…