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An Explorer of Abyssal Depths Looks to Oceans on Other Worlds

June 7, 2023

The marine geochemist Chris German brings decades of experience studying seafloor hydrothermal vents to NASA’s preparations for visits to other ocean worlds in our solar system.

What Is the Nature of Consciousness?

May 31, 2023

Consciousness, our experience of being in the world, is one of the mind’s greatest mysteries, but as the neuroscientist Anil Seth explains to Steven Strogatz, research is making progress in understanding this elusive phenomenon.

How 3D Changes in the Genome Turned Sharks Into Skates

May 30, 2023

Changes in the 3D structure of their genome gave skates and rays their distinctive winglike fins and pancake flatness.

Is It Real or Imagined? How Your Brain Tells the Difference.

May 24, 2023

New experiments show that the brain distinguishes between perceived and imagined mental images by checking whether they cross a “reality threshold.”

Memories Help Brains Recognize New Events Worth Remembering

May 17, 2023

Memories may affect how well the brain will learn about future events by shifting our perceptions of the world.

A Mutation Turned Ants Into Parasites in One Generation

May 8, 2023

A new genetics study of ant “social parasites” shows how complex sets of features can emerge rapidly and potentially split species.

How a Human Smell Receptor Works Is Finally Revealed

May 1, 2023

After decades of frustration, researchers have determined how an airborne scent molecule links to a human smell receptor.

How Pools of Genetic Diversity Affect a Species’ Fate

April 25, 2023

A new, deeper understanding of how the breeding structure of species affects their genetic diversity is giving conservationists better tools for saving animals.

Why the Brain’s Connections to the Body Are Crisscrossed

April 19, 2023

In all bilaterally symmetrical animals, from humans down to simple worms, nerves cross from one side of the body to the opposite side of the brain. Geometry may explain why.

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