Life

Health, science, climate, and society-focused reporting.

Briefing: SpaceX and Reflect Orbital plans would 'permanently scar' night sky, researchers warn

Strategic angle: The Royal Astronomical Society raises concerns over the impact of satellite launches on ground-based astronomy.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: New Moog Innovations for the Satellite Market on Full Display at SATELLITE 2026 Conference

Strategic angle: Moog Inc. showcases cutting-edge technologies for satellite applications at the upcoming conference.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: Plastic bottles transformed into Parkinson's drug using bacteria

Strategic angle: A pioneering method converts waste plastic into a vital medication for Parkinson's disease.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: A new class of molten planet stores abundant sulfur in a perpetual magma ocean

Strategic angle: A study led by the University of Oxford reveals a new type of planet beyond our solar system with significant sulfur reserves in a magma ocean.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: Could reduced air pollution from climate mitigation boost crop yields and lower hunger risk?

Strategic angle: An international research team found that climate mitigation consistent with the 1.5 °C target could raise global hunger risk in 2050 by 17% compared to a baseline scenario.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: Cells can sense 10x farther than expected and it may explain cancer spread

Strategic angle: Scientists have discovered that cells can sense far beyond the surfaces they touch, shedding light on cancer cell behavior.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: Archaeologists untangle how Bronze Age textiles were made

Strategic angle: Analysis and reconstruction of a warp-weighted loom from the second millennium BC site of Cabezo Redondo, Spain, provides an unprecedented glimpse into the development of textile technology in the Bronze Age western Mediterranean.

Editorial Staff Mar 16

Life

Briefing: Starcloud files plans for 88,000-satellite constellation

Strategic angle: An orbital data center startup is seeking approval from the Federal Communications Commission for a constellation of as many as 88,000 satellites.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: Pesticides from flea treatments and sheep dips found at damaging levels in Welsh rivers

Strategic angle: New research reveals alarming levels of pesticides in Welsh rivers, posing potential environmental risks.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: 'Life is a miracle,' but learning from disasters isn't: Lessons from Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami

Strategic angle: Exploring the impact and lessons learned from the catastrophic events in Japan.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: Rising seas threaten barrier islands, but seabird guano could speed recovery

Strategic angle: Research reveals how seabird droppings can aid the recovery of coastal ecosystems threatened by rising sea levels.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: New microscope offers sharper view into momentum space

Strategic angle: A groundbreaking microscope enhances our understanding of electron behavior in materials.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: Avalanche risks are rising—researchers say governance must rise with them

Strategic angle: A new study reveals that effective governance and preparedness are crucial in mitigating the impact of increasing avalanche risks.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: Models warn Thwaites Glacier could rival entire Antarctic ice loss by 2067

Strategic angle: The future of one of Antarctica's most iconic glaciers could be far more dramatic than scientists previously thought.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: Physicists break longstanding high-temperature superconductivity record at ambient pressure

Strategic angle: A breakthrough by researchers at the University of Houston could revolutionize superconductivity applications.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: North America 'heat dome' left winners and losers: Study

Strategic angle: A new study reveals the ecological impact of North America's 2021 heat wave, highlighting both catastrophic and unexpected consequences.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: TESS discovers a super-Earth exoplanet orbiting nearby star

Strategic angle: Astronomers have found a new super-Earth exoplanet using TESS, located 83 light years away.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: Could a recently detected ultra-high-energy neutrino be linked to new physics?

Strategic angle: Neutrinos are extremely lightweight and electrically neutral particles that rarely interact with ordinary matter, potentially carrying information about high-energy cosmic events.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: Notions of 'Christendom' often miss the mark: Medieval Europe's ideas about faith and power were not so simple

Strategic angle: Exploring the complexities of faith and power in Medieval Europe beyond simplistic notions of 'Christendom'.

Editorial Staff Mar 15

Life

Briefing: ATCA Observations Probe Peculiar Pulsar Wind Nebula Vela X

Strategic angle: Astronomers utilize the Australia Telescope Compact Array to explore the enigmatic Vela X pulsar wind nebula.

Editorial Staff Mar 15