Nature

A trove of arboreal fossils pushes back the origin of modern forests and sophisticated tree roots At  three trillion strong, Earth’s trees are estimated to outnumber the stars in the Milky Way. These woody wonders sponge carbon dioxide out of the skies, brace soil against erosion, cycle water through ecosystems and support countless forms of life. […]

Astronomers announced Thursday that they had detected the most promising “hints” of potential life on a planet beyond our Solar System, though other scientists expressed scepticism. There has been vigorous debate in scientific circles about whether the planet K2-18b, which is 124 light years away in the Leo constellation, could be an ocean world capable of hosting

The colossal squid, a mysterious creature lurking in the Antarctic abyss, has finally made a cameo, a cohort of scientists say. You may have heard of the giant squid, which is famous from mariners’ legends and for its epic battles with sperm whales,The colossal squid is even bigger and more mysterious. It’s so elusive, living in the deep ocean

The Death of Life: What Happens After the End of the World? If the world were to end, what would remain? Not the monuments we built, not the cities that once bustled, and not the digital archives that documented our triumphs and tragedies. The end of the world is not just the collapse of buildings

The greatest threat to honey bees isn’t much larger than a pinhead. But left unchecked, the varroa mite—a blind, eight-legged parasite—can kill enough bees to doom an entire colony. Now, researchers report that a strain of honey bee bred to fight back survives much better than standard commercial colonies, even under the stressful conditions of

The latest drugs for Alzheimer’s disease may add years of independence to the lives of patients, but possibly only for some. A new analysis of clinical data suggests female brains may not respond to some of these novel medications as well as male brains.In an 18-month-long phase 3 clinical trial, the intravenous drug lecanemab slowed cognitive decline by as much as 27 percent compared

On March 29, the Moon is going to enter perigee – the point in its elliptical orbit that brings it closest to Earth. This is known as a supermoon, famous for appearing in the sky as a larger-than-usual luminous orb, and presenting some excellent astrophotography opportunities.Here’s the kicker, though: The March 29 supermoon is during the Moon’s new

A previously unknown species of wasp with an abdomen reminiscent of a Venus flytrap has been discovered in 99-million-year-old Kachin amber, and entomologists have never seen anything like it.While the insect’s front half would pass for that of a modern wasp, its unique rear end would raise a hymenopteran eyebrow. “Nothing similar is known from any other