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Biologists Search for New Model Organisms
The bulk of biological research is centered on a handful of species. Are we missing a huge chunk of interesting biology?
Mining Black Hole Collisions for New Physics
The physicist Asimina Arvanitaki is thinking up ways to search gravitational wave data for evidence of dark matter particles orbiting black holes.
A Debate Over the Physics of Time
According to our best theories of physics, the universe is a fixed block where time only appears to pass.
Three Puzzles Inspired by Ramanujan
Insights from the mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan give us a number of ways to explore the infinite.
Faster Evolution on a Warmer Earth
When life first emerged roughly 4 billion years ago, DNA may have been a much more malleable molecule.
A Bird’s-Eye View of Nature’s Hidden Order
Scientists are exploring a mysterious pattern, found in birds’ eyes, boxes of marbles and other surprising places, that is neither regular nor random.
Hope That an Old Drug Might Treat Zika
Scientists are having a difficult time finding a treatment for the Zika virus in part because so few drugs are safe for pregnant women. But one antibiotic has shown promise.
A Quasicrystal’s Shocking Origin
By blasting a stack of minerals with a four-meter-long gun, scientists have found a new clue about the backstory of a very strange rock.
New Insights Into How Zika Harms the Brain
Researchers are racing to understand how the Zika virus causes birth defects. Their first results have revealed tantalizing clues about how the virus interferes with the developing brain — and how it might be stopped.