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New Lizard Shows Evolution’s Predictability
A newly discovered anole on the island of Hispaniola confirms that the buildup of ecological communities can follow predictable patterns.
Handicapping the 2018 Fields Medal
Peter Scholze is a favorite to win one of the highest honors in mathematics for his contributions in number theory and geometry.
Rumors Cast Doubt on Diphoton Bump
Rampant rumors and a new analysis undercut hopes of a major discovery at the Large Hadron Collider.
The Universe Is Not a Snowflake
Nature’s laws are beautiful because they strike a compromise between boring symmetry and confusing asymmetry, physicists say.
How to Grow Metal-Eating Microbes
Metal-eating microbes get energy from rocks and could teach us about life on other worlds — but first scientists had to learn how to grow them in the lab.
Interstellar Find Adds Life to Old Debate
Figuring out how these molecules form in the deep recesses of interstellar space might illuminate the origins of one of life’s distinguishing features.
LIGO Reports Second Black-Hole Merger
The spokesperson for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory called it “a promising start to mapping the populations of black holes in our universe.”
The Downside to Neanderthal DNA
How interbreeding among early hominins harmed humans but may have slowed the Neanderthals’ decline.
A Glimpse Through a Cosmic Keyhole
What could cause galaxies millions of light years apart to all spew material in the same direction?