A 430-million-year-old fossil has rewritten leech history, showing they are at least 200 million years older than previously believed. Unlike today’s bloodsucking leeches, their ancient ancestors likely hunted small marine animals using a tail sucker rather than piercing skin. ​A 430-million-year-old fossil has rewritten leech history, showing they are at least 200 million years older …

Before they sucked blood, leeches were ocean hunters Read More »

Despite public promises by many fossil fuel firms that they are investing in the green transition, it turns out that they have made little contribution to the growth of renewable energy ​Despite public promises by many fossil fuel firms that they are investing in the green transition, it turns out that they have made little …

Top 250 oil and gas firms own just 1.5% of the world’s renewable power Read More »

The skeleton of King Richard III, which was found beneath a car park more than a decade ago, has well-preserved teeth, allowing scientists to sequence his oral microbiome ​The skeleton of King Richard III, which was found beneath a car park more than a decade ago, has well-preserved teeth, allowing scientists to sequence his oral …

King Richard III’s oral microbiome hints he had severe gum disease Read More »

The first ever transplantation of a pig’s liver into a living person helps us better understand how animal organs can be used to prolong, or even save, lives ​The first ever transplantation of a pig’s liver into a living person helps us better understand how animal organs can be used to prolong, or even save, …

Pig liver transplant into a living person edges it closer to the norm Read More »

New research shows green tea may help the body burn fat and balance blood sugar. In a study with obese mice, it improved metabolism and muscle health without harming lean animals. Scientists say its powerful plant compounds work together to regulate fat and energy use. The findings hint that green tea could be a natural …

Scientists reveal green tea’s fat-burning secret Read More »

A new pill called baxdrostat may offer hope for people whose blood pressure stays high even after taking standard medications. In a recent study, the drug lowered blood pressure and also seemed to protect the kidneys by reducing signs of damage. Doctors say this could help millions of people with chronic kidney disease, a condition …

New pill could finally control stubborn high blood pressure Read More »

Fungi may have shaped Earth’s landscapes long before plants appeared. By combining rare gene transfers with fossil evidence, researchers have traced fungal origins back nearly a billion years earlier than expected. These ancient fungi may have partnered with algae, recycling nutrients, breaking down rock, and creating primitive soils. Far from being silent background players, fungi …

The billion-year reign of fungi that predated plants and made Earth livable Read More »

Making electrons flow like a liquid is difficult, but inside graphene researchers forced them to move so fast that they created dramatic shockwaves ​Making electrons flow like a liquid is difficult, but inside graphene researchers forced them to move so fast that they created dramatic shockwaves Making electrons flow like a liquid is difficult, but inside …

Electrons inside graphene have been pushed to supersonic speeds Read More »

Older men are more likely to pass on disease-causing mutations to their children because of the faster growth of mutant cells in the testes with age ​Older men are more likely to pass on disease-causing mutations to their children because of the faster growth of mutant cells in the testes with age Older men are more …

Selfish sperm see older fathers pass on more disease-causing mutations Read More »

A memory chip just 10 atoms thick has been tested in a lab and integrated into conventional chips, demonstrating a technology that could improve the capacity of our devices ​A memory chip just 10 atoms thick has been tested in a lab and integrated into conventional chips, demonstrating a technology that could improve the capacity …

Memory chips just 10 atoms thick could vastly increase capacity Read More »