The pandemic is forcing sign language to evolve
Sign language users are adapting to the limitations of video conferencing platforms, which have become more popular due to the pandemic.
Surgery robot could make hysterectomies less painful
The FDA has approved its first surgery robot for use during a vaginal hysterectomy, which is less invasive than the abdominal approach.
SpaceX Starship SN10 lands successfully — then blows up
SpaceX Starship SN10 successfully landed after a high-altitude test launch — a first for one of the massive rockets — but it blew up a few minutes later.
Tom Cruise deepfake is the work of a pro VFX artist
The Tom Cruise deepfake featured in a series of TikToks that went viral was created by a professional VFX artist.
A new device can use your body heat to increase battery life
Researchers have developed a low-cost wearable device that can turn body heat into energy — improving battery life for your essential devices.
A tiny house village for the homeless is coming to Minnesota
This tiny house village for homeless people is designed to overcome traditional shelters' limitations and help residents stay safe during the pandemic.
Researchers have discovered how SARS-CoV-2 is mutating
SARS-CoV-2 mutations, which cause new variants of the virus, are eluding the virus’s proofreader. New research shows why.
“Heart in a box” gives 6 kids second chance at life
For the first time, TransMedics’ “heart in a box” machine has been used to help children in need of heart transplants, with great success.
First-of-its-kind pilot study uses MDMA for alcohol addiction
A small, first-of-its-kind study has piloted the use of MDMA for alcohol addiction therapy.
Smartphones can track your blood sugar levels
The ability to easily monitor blood sugar levels would allow everyone to have more control over their own metabolic health — not just people with diabetes.
Solar probe snaps surprising photo of the surface of Venus
The Parker Solar Probe has taken an image of the surface of Venus that may change what we thought we knew about the planet — or possibly the probe itself.
Radioactive bone cement may help treat spinal tumors
External radiation can damage bones and cause side effects. Radioactive bone cement directly into the spine may be a better option.
Your guide to the Clubhouse app and how to get an invite
The Clubhouse app is surging in popularity. Here’s what you need to know about the audio-focused social networking platform.
Cone snail venom may help treat malaria
Clumps of infected red blood cells can make malaria dangerous even after its parasite is treated. Cone snail venom may one day help.
See 25,000 supermassive black holes in one map of the sky
Astronomers used supercomputers and an international network of antennas to create a map of 25,000 supermassive black holes.
Fuel tests to begin for world’s largest fusion reactor
At the JET nuclear fusion reactor, scientists are testing a fuel that could power a $25 billion nuclear fusion device.
A new bird flu is infecting people. Here’s what we know.
The H5N8 bird flu virus has reportedly infected seven poultry farm workers in Russia. Here’s what we know about the new avian flu threat.
After 360,000 years, extinct cave bear's DNA is still readable
Scientists have sequenced the DNA from the ear bone of an ancient cave bear, an extinct relative of the polar and brown bears.
Soft robots could get stronger by pumping iron
Soft robots could get more muscular with a new soft gel that becomes tougher when subjected to vibration.
Futuristic city will be a testbed for robots & autonomous cars
Toyota has broken ground on Woven City, a futuristic city prototype where the technologies of tomorrow can be tested en masse.
Cancer survivor joins first all-citizen private spaceflight
The crew aboard the first all-citizen private spaceflight, Inspiration4, includes a billionaire, a childhood cancer survivor, and maybe you.
FDA: One-shot COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective
FDA experts confirm that Johnson and Johnson’s one-shot COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, putting it a step closer to authorization.
NASA’s Mars helicopter phoned home. Here’s what’s next.
NASA’s Mars helicopter Ingenuity has survived the journey to the Red Planet. Here’s what’s next for the first-of-its-kind aircraft.
Meet the chess AI you might actually beat
Maia is a chess AI designed to play like you, not crush you. Predicting the most human decisions may pave the way for AI to train and work with us.
Metahuman lets you create photorealistic, animated digital humans
Epic has released a new character creation tool in Unreal Engine, called MetaHuman Creator, that helps you render an almost endless selection of near-photorealistic digital people.
Targeted wetland restoration efforts could cut nitrogen pollution in half
Researchers used computer models to evaluate wetland restoration scenarios and found that strategic wetland placement is the key to cleaning up water pollution.
World’s first COVID-19 human challenge study is a go
Researchers have gotten the green light to deliberately infect people with the coronavirus as part of the world’s first COVID-19 human challenge study.
Massive green hydrogen projects are underway
Large-scale ventures are a big step toward testing whether we can create a marketplace for green hydrogen in a way that makes economic sense.
Diabetes drug shows promise as obesity treatment
The diabetes drug semaglutide shows promise as an obesity treatment, helping people lose an average of 34 pounds in a recent trial.
Stamp-sized wearable health monitor can do it all
Researchers at UCSD have developed a wearable health monitor that can measure both cardiovascular and biochemical signals at once.
New amputation surgery technique may lead to better control of prosthetics
A new amputation surgery technique developed at MIT reconnects muscle pairings and may lead to better prosthetic control — and less pain.
Light-driven levitation could lift probes to the edge of space
A new light-driven levitation technique can lift objects large enough to carry sensors to the understudied mesosphere near the edge of space.
The world’s fastest-growing plant could help solve food scarcity and climate change
Scientists have uncovered the genetic underpinnings of the duckweed, the fastest growing plant, and it could help optimize future crops.
New intelligent material could become a “quantum brain”
Scientists created an intelligent material that acts as a brain by physically changing when it learns. This is an important step toward achieving a "quantum brain.”
The hunt for a universal coronavirus vaccine
A universal coronavirus vaccine that protects against multiple coronaviruses could stop the next potential pandemic from ever starting.
This planetoid is officially the farthest known object in our solar system
A planetoid nicknamed Farfarout is officially the most distant known object in our solar system — but its reign might not last for long.
A virus invisibility cloak makes AAV gene therapy safer
Researchers have figured out a way to cloak the AVV so it can sneak past the human immune system and deliver its gene therapy payload undetected.
Scientists use CRISPR to create neanderthal mini-brains in a lab
Scientists modified brain tissue from modern humans to carry a gene that once belonged to Neanderthals.
New Google tool lets you experience synesthesia
Google’s new online tool lets you experience synesthesia like the abstract artist Vasily Kandinsky, who could hear colors and see sounds.
Black-footed ferret is first cloned US endangered species
A black-footed ferret clone could inject a much-needed dose of genetic diversity into her species, which is on the brink of extinction.
Study: Strong immunity without Pfizer vaccine’s second dose
The Pfizer vaccine's second dose might not be as necessary as thought — and ultra-cold storage of the COVID-19 vaccine might not be necessary at all.
Virtual patients help doctors improve bedside manner
The Virti platform lets doctors and med students interact with computer-generated virtual patients so they can improve their bedside manner.
Perseverance’s Mars landing was a success
NASA’s Perseverance rover successfully executed its Mars landing, ending a seven-month journey — and kicking off an epic exploration mission.
NASA’s Perseverance Rover is mic’d up
Two microphones on the Mars rover, Perseverance, are designed to record audio during its EDL sequence and subsequent mission.
Gators and guineafowl may help us understand how dinosaurs moved
Using x-ray 3D-imaging techniques, researchers are turning to gators and guineafowl to better understand how dinosaurs moved.
Electric flying car races get the green flag
Airspeeder is bringing electric flying car racing to the skies in 2021.
“This DNA is not real”: Why scientists are deepfaking the human genome
Researchers taught an AI to make artificial genomes, which could advance genetic research without compromising the privacy of individuals.
Building infrastructure on Mars is tricky — these bugs could help
Landing on Mars is just the beginning — to live there, we'll need to invent Martian concrete.
Fecal transplants help shrink cancer patients’ tumors
Fecal transplants made advanced melanoma patients who initially didn’t respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors responsive to the cancer treatment.
Nike unveils its first hands-free sneaker: The GO FlyEase
The GO FlyEase is Nike’s first completely hands-free sneaker — and the design was inspired by a letter from a teenage boy with cerebral palsy.
This ice cream is made from lab-grown vegan milk
Disappointed by available milk alternatives, the startup Perfect Day developed lab-grown vegan milk that’s molecularly identical to the kind from cows.
Biologist infects himself with parasites in pursuit of hookworm vaccine
A marine biologist intentionally infected himself with parasitic hookworms and documented it in Tweets and pictures that will make your skin crawl.
These mutant zebrafish are growing arm bones
While studying mutant zebrafish, scientists discovered that a single genetic mutation caused the fish to start developing the beginnings of arms.
Brain mapping: Explained
The brain is a difficult place to work. How can brain mapping help open the black box between your ears?
Oral ketamine treatment reduced suicidal thoughts: Pilot study
A new, small study in Australia suggests that oral ketamine treatment may help treat suicidal thoughts.
Elon Musk offers $100 million for direct carbon capture tech
A new Xprize competition funded by Elon Musk offers $100 million in prizes for scalable direct carbon capture technology.
Trees and insects helped create Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine
Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine was nearly 90% effective in a U.K. trial — and the ingredients for the promising subunit vaccine came from insects and trees.
Smart stem cells made from fat have the power to heal
Researchers have reprogrammed human fat cells into adaptive smart stem cells that can lie dormant and heal various tissues.
Fauci predicts universal COVID-19 vaccine availability by April
Anthony Fauci expects April will be “open season” for COVID-19 vaccines. Here’s why his prediction about COVID-19 vaccine availability appears accurate.
Diy factory turns plastic waste into super-strong bricks
Kenyan startup Gjenge Makers turns plastic waste into plastic bricks that are stronger, lighter, and cheaper than their concrete counterparts.
Two new Mars missions just reached the Red Planet
Two of the three Mars missions expected to reach the Red Planet in February 2021 have successfully completed the journey.
Electricity and chemistry could give biofuels a big boost
Scientists found an easier way to produce a chemical reaction important in making biofuels, possibly lowering the cost of biofuel production.
Google trends reveal a boredom pandemic. How can we help?
Google trends showed that online searches for subjects linked to boredom and loneliness jumped dramatically, according to a study.
Cloud-based quantum computing, explained
Cloud-based quantum computing is making the cutting-edge tech available to people today, not years from now when the systems are more readily available.
Ask the crowd: When can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Volunteers are creating online tools powered by crowdsourced data to help people answer the question: where and when can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Can CRISPR engineer immunity to avian flu in chickens?
An outbreak of avian flu in chickens can mean millions of birds dead and billions of dollars lost. This startup wants to engineer flu-resistant poultry.
Man's double hand & face transplant may be first to succeed
Five months post-surgery, a double hand and face transplant recipient shows no signs of transplant rejection, suggesting the procedure was a success.
AI brings Vince Lombardi back to life for Super Bowl ad
Using face-swapping AI, the NFL has created a Super Bowl ad in which iconic coach Vince Lombardi delivers a message of unity 50 years after his death.
Are we scratching the surface of what an old vaccination method can do?
Smallpox vaccine was administered by scratching the skin. Mice suggest this old-school method may work better against other respiratory viruses as well.
This company wants to use CRISPR to fix your celiac disease
Sufferers of celiac end up with some pretty lack-luster pastries. A startup thinks CRISPR can help.
Friendly little mice are helping us understand the effects of LSD
Researchers at McGill have discovered the mechanisms behind the sociable effects of LSD in mice.
New 3D bioprinting technique creates bone with living cells
A new 3D bioprinting technique could let doctors print new bone containing living cells right inside a patient’s body.
HIV drugs appear to prevent the #1 cause of vision loss in seniors
An HIV drug appears to prevent dry macular degeneration, suggesting that drug repurposing could be a viable strategy for treating the incurable disease.
Can a lab-grown uterus treat infertility?
A bioengineered uterus could open up treatment options for women facing infertility.
3D-printed halo helps dog adjust to life without eyesight
The owner of a blind dog named Sienna used 3D printing to custom-build a device that would stop the diminutive Pomeranian from running into walls.
New program offers $400,000 in science startup funding
The newly announced Sci-Founder Fellowship program is offering $400,000 in science startup funding to up to eight teams of early-career scientists.
Nuclear fusion inspires new rocket thruster design
A new rocket thruster design that uses magnetic fields could lead to far faster space travel — the kind that could let us explore places beyond Mars.
Biofuel rocket launch is a first in aerospace
Startup bluShift has successfully launched a biofuel rocket, proving that biofuels could be the future of more sustainable spaceflight.
Science and art collide over a giant field of leeks
Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde’s new GROW installation features multicolored LED lights dancing over a field of leek plants.
America’s first funeral home for composting human remains is open for business
After a decade of planning and a successful bid to change Washington state law, Recompose, a funeral home that composts human remains, is finally open.
AI can find endangered elephants from space
A breakthrough technology uses artificial intelligence to track large animals from space, even in complex terrain.
Icelandic rocks hold clues to Mars’ ancient climate
Water once flowed on Mars. But was ancient Mars’s climate hot and wet, or dry and glacial? Iceland may hold the answer.
Designer DNA hunts down multiple myeloma in mice
Researchers have developed designer DNA that kills cancer stem cells at their roots, showing early signs of success preventing relapse in mice.
Can we decentralize the internet?
A decentralized internet could make the internet faster and less vulnerable to censorship.
New vaginal ring reduces risk of HIV and pregnancy
A vaginal ring that serves double duty as both long-term contraception and convenient HIV prevention showed promise in a small study.
MIT's AI predicts new strains of HIV, coronavirus
As coronavirus mutations pop up around the world, researchers at MIT are using language-recognizing AI to try and predict what could be next.
New brain implant can be charged wirelessly
A new brain implant contains wireless charging tech that could eliminate the need for surgeries to remove and replace drained batteries.
Mount Sinai is opening a psychedelic research center
A pacesetting institution, the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is opening a psychedelic research center focusing on MDMA and trauma.
This cloudless “hot Jupiter” is unlike any known exoplanet
Astronomers have discovered a first-of-its-kind cloudless hot Jupiter — and it could expand our understanding of exoplanet formation.
Predicting which birds can cause Lyme disease spread
Lyme disease spreads via infected ticks, some of whom pick it up from birds. But which birds may carry the disease to new places?
Johnson and Johnson's coronavirus vaccine is 66% effective
Data from phase 3 trials of Johnson and Johnson's coronavirus vaccine suggests the vaccine is ready to go to the FDA for approval.
Lab-grown wood is taking shape at MIT
A newly demonstrated technique for making lab-grown wood could overcome several shortcomings of traditional logging, if it's scalable.
First AR-assisted knee replacement in America is a success
The United States’ first AR-assisted knee replacement surgery was a success, marking another milestone for the use of AR in healthcare.
Sophia the Robot will be mass-produced this year
Hanson Robotics is going to begin mass-producing Sophia the robot in 2021, making the social robot available to help combat the pandemic.
Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster targets mutant strain
Moderna is trialing a COVID-19 vaccine booster designed to increase protection against a South African strain of the coronavirus.
Deep brain stimulation can treat OCD without drugs
Stimulating the brain with electricity could be a treatment for OCD. Researchers test electrical stimulation to reduce compulsive behavior.
Total artificial heart approved for sale in Europe
The European Commission has approved the sale of Carmat’s total artificial heart, which is designed for patients with end-stage heart failure.
Personalized skin cancer vaccine is made from tumor cells
A personalized skin cancer vaccine developed from melanoma survivors’ own tumor cells has shown promise in a small trial.
Can science save the northern white rhino?
The northern white rhino species is down to just two members, both female. Can science bring it back from the brink of extinction?
An AI has discovered new craters on Mars
An AI trained to spot signs of fresh craters on Mars in photos of the Martian surface has already discovered dozens of new impacts.