Research News

Water levels at Lake Powell, the United States' second-largest reservoir, have dropped by more than 150 feet during the ongoing megadrought.

Study finds Western megadrought is the worst in 1,200 years

6:01pm February 14, 2022

by Nathan Rott

In tree ring records dating back to AD 800, the only multidecade drought that came close to today's was in the 1500s. Researchers say climate change is a factor and the U.S. must plan for less water.

This synthetic fish is powered by human heart cells. Scientists say that they could help lead the way toward building replacement hearts from human tissue.

Watch these robotic fish swim to the beat of human heart cells

8:15pm February 10, 2022

by Jon Hamilton

Tiny, robotic fish powered by human heart cells suggest that scientists are getting closer to their goal of building replacement hearts from living tissue.

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Researchers explore how Neanderthals used fires inside caves.

Science

How to build a fire inside, according to Neanderthals

10:55am February 08, 2022

Early humans seemed to strike the perfect balance in situating their hearths in the cave, preserving ample sitting and cooking space while avoiding the worst effects of smoke.

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Paradoxical kinesia is a phenomenon familiar to Peter Strick, chair of neurobiology and scientific director of the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute. He and a team of other scientists hypothesize that there is a brain circuit that remains intact in

A brain circuit tied to emotion may lead to better treatments for Parkinson's disease

11:24am February 07, 2022

by Jon Hamilton

The symptoms of Parkinson's disease can vanish briefly in the face of stress or a strong emotion. Now scientists are searching for a treatment based on this phenomenon, a form of the placebo effect.

Science

Building a fire in a cave is not easy — early humans figured out how

4:40pm February 04, 2022

Early humans seemed to strike the perfect balance in situating their hearths in the cave, preserving ample sitting and cooking space while avoiding the worst effects of smoke.

A colorized electron microscope image from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases shows a single human immunodeficiency virus budding from a human immune cell.

Discovery of HIV variant shows virus can evolve to be more severe — and contagious

2:10pm February 04, 2022

by Melody Schreiber

Findings from a new study help answer questions about why some people get more severe and transmissible HIV than others — and serve as a reminder that viruses don't always weaken over time.

Flared natural gas is burned off at a natural gas plant. Methane, the main ingredient in natural gas, can leak from natural gas plants and pipelines.

A satellite finds massive methane leaks from gas pipelines

6:05pm February 03, 2022

by Dan Charles

A satellite has detected massive leaks of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, from natural gas plants and pipelines. Most of these releases are deliberate, resulting from sloppy pipeline repairs.

Male song sparrows don't bore their audience with the same old song.

The song sparrow might be nature's best DJ

6:55am February 02, 2022

Instead of playing the same old tune, male song sparrow's sing a variety of songs to keep potential mates interested.

Gas stoves emit pollution into your house and are connected to a production and supply system that leaks the powerful greenhouse gas methane during drilling, fracking, processing and transport.

Gas stoves leak climate-warming methane even when they're off

5:49pm January 27, 2022

by Jeff Brady

A study finds tiny leaks from loose fittings added up to more emissions than when stoves were in use. The impact of U.S. gas stoves on climate change amounts to the same effect as a half-million cars.

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A glass is filled in with water on April 27, 2014 in Paris. Scientists studying what makes us thirsty have found the body checks in on our water consumption in several different ways.

Thirsty? Here's how your brain answers that question

10:15am January 27, 2022

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists have shown that the brain uses multiple checkpoints to make sure we get enough water, but not too much