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A New Physics Theory of Life
An MIT physicist has proposed the provocative idea that life exists because the law of increasing entropy drives matter to acquire lifelike physical properties.
Under Pressure, Does Evolution Evolve?
Some organisms respond to stress by driving up their mutation rate. Are they evolving specific mechanisms to enhance evolution in times of crisis?
A Missing Genetic Link in Human Evolution
Mysterious episodes of genetic duplication in our great ape ancestors may have paved the way for human evolution.
The Secret Language of Plants
Striking evidence that plants warn each other of environmental dangers is reviving a once ridiculed field.
Inside a Brain Circuit, the Will to Press On
A rare brain stimulation study suggests that a brain circuit known as the “salience network” contributes to differences in our ability to overcome challenges and cope with stress.
Tracking the Evolution of Cancer, Cell by Cell
Analyzing individual cancer cells could reveal the answer to some of the disease’s most enduring mysteries.
RNA’s Secret Life Outside the Cell
Circulating RNAs carry messages for plants and invertebrates. Do they do the same for us?
In Brain’s ‘Rich Club,’ Meetings of the Mind
Neuroscientists have identified a network of highly linked brain regions that could prove essential in integrating information and facilitating higher-order cognitive tasks.
Our Bodies, Our Data
New technologies have launched the life sciences into the age of big data. Biologists must now make sense of their windfall.