🧬 Latest in Biology

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• What to know about Jared Isaacman, the billionaire private astronaut leading NASA
  Trump withdrew Isaacman's nomination in May, citing the billionaire's donations to Democrats and ties to Elon Musk. He was renominated last month and confirmed by a 67-30 Senate vote on Wednesday.
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• Italy makes a surprising discovery ahead of the Winter Olympics: dinosaur tracks
  A nature photographer stumbled upon thousands of 210-million-year-old dinosaur tracks in Italy's central Alps, near where some Olympic skiing and snowboarding events will be held in February.
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• From bird droppings to holiday kisses: How we ended up under the mistletoe
  The etymology of mistletoe — a plant with small, oval evergreen leaves and waxy white berries — may strike some as repugnant.
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• Trump's rush to build nuclear reactors across the U.S. raises safety worries
  A new program at the Department of Energy is pushing the development of nearly a dozen new reactor designs at breakneck speed.
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• Only two species can survive in Great Salt Lake? Scientist says — hold my Nalgene
  Scientist Julie Jung set out on a hike along the Great Salt Lake to find nematodes. She ended up discovering a new species.
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• Orange rivers and melting glaciers: federal report shows rapid change in the Arctic
  This year's Arctic Report Card from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration finds that the northernmost part of the Earth is warming faster than the global average, leading to melting glaciers, shifting fish populations, and rivers running orange.
  
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• Skywatchers rejoice: The Geminids meteor shower peaks tonight
  The Geminids meteor shower appears every December, but it will peak this year on Saturday, the 13th.
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• A new study reveals an unprecedented discovery of new species
  There are roughly 2.5 million known species on the planet, but scientists estimate that's only a fraction of the biodiversity on Earth. A new study shows we're finding new species like never before.
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• Fewer characters on TV had abortions this year — and more stories reinforced shame
  Researchers at the University of California San Francisco track how abortion comes up on television. They say the trends from 2025 are concerning.
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• Amputees often feel disconnected from their bionic hands. AI could bridge the gap
  Sensors and artificial intelligence help a prosthetic hand act more like a natural one, new research shows.
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• Celestron Showdown: Battle of the 10x42's
  We tested every single pair of Celestron 10x42 binoculars so you don't have to — find out which one comes out on top.
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• Science news this week: Japan laser weapon trial, comet 3I/ATLAS bids farewell, and AI solves 'impossible' math problems
  Dec. 20, 2025: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.
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• Scientists build 'most accurate' quantum computing chip ever thanks to new silicon-based computing architecture
  Researchers say they have created the world's first scalable atomic quantum processor that achieves record-breaking 99.99% fidelity.
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• Scientists spot 'unprecedented celestial event' around the 'Eye of Sauron' star just 25 light-years from Earth
  Scientists watching the nearby Fomalhaut star system have directly seen two protoplanets smash together for the first time. Then, they saw it happen again.
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• What's the fastest a human can grow?
  Humans grow tall in spurts, but what's our fastest period of growth?
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• Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is rapidly moving away from us. Can we 'intercept' it before it leaves us forever?
  3I/ATLAS has passed its closest point to Earth, meaning we will soon lose sight of it for good. Some scientists want to send a spacecraft to chase down the alien comet — or the next interstellar object.
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• Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS makes closest pass of Earth. Where's it heading next?
  Everyone's favorite interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, flew past Earth overnight, coming within about 168 million miles (270 million kilometers) of our planet.
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• Save 72% with our exclusive Norton VPN deal and get set for travel over the holidays and into 2026
  Get a quality VPN for less, so you can stream and browse with confidence from any location.
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• AI is solving 'impossible' math problems. Can it best the world's top mathematicians?
  AI is making gains in solving pure math problems. Can it crack the hardest problems in mathematics?
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• 1,400 years ago, Nubians tattooed their toddlers. Archaeologists are trying to figure out why.
  More than a dozen mummies of kids with facial tattoos were found at an archaeological site in Christian-era Nubia.
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• Japan trials 100-kilowatt laser weapon — it can cut through metal and drones mid-flight
  A new high-power laser system will soon be sent to sea for its first tests under maritime conditions.
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• Stargazing over the Christmas holidays 2025: 10 great reasons to look up
  Your guide to the best sights the night sky has to offer from Dec. 20, 2025, to Jan. 4, 2026 — and the gear you'll need to see them.
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• This “mushroom” is not a fungus, it’s a bizarre plant that breaks all the rules
  Balanophora is a plant that abandoned photosynthesis long ago and now lives entirely as a parasite on tree roots, hidden in dark forest undergrowth. Scientists surveying rare populations across East Asian islands uncovered how its cellular machinery shrank but didn’t disappear, revealing unexpected similarities to parasites like malaria. Some island species even reproduce without sex, cloning themselves to colonize new habitats. This strange survival strategy comes with risks, leaving the plant highly vulnerable to habitat loss.
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• Ancient oceans were ruled by super predators unlike anything today
  Long before whales and sharks, enormous marine reptiles dominated the oceans with unmatched power. Scientists have reconstructed a 130-million-year-old marine ecosystem from Colombia and found predators operating at a food-chain level higher than any seen today. The ancient seas were bursting with life, from giant reptiles to rich invertebrate communities. This extreme complexity reveals how intense competition helped drive the evolution of modern marine ecosystems.
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• From biting flies to feathered dinosaurs, scientists reveal 70 new species
  Researchers announced over 70 new species in a single year, including bizarre insects, ancient dinosaurs, rare mammals, and deep-river fish. Many were found not in the wild, but in museum collections, proving that major discoveries can still be hiding in plain sight.
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• Your body feels cold in two different ways
  Researchers have uncovered that the body uses different molecular systems to sense cold in the skin versus internal organs. This explains why surface chills feel very different from cold experienced deep inside the body.
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• A flesh-eating fly once eradicated is moving back toward the U.S.
  California researchers are preparing for the possible return of the New World screwworm, a parasitic fly that feeds on living flesh and once devastated U.S. livestock. By monitoring traps and educating veterinarians and farmers, they hope to stop the pest before it gains a foothold.
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• Living cells may generate electricity from motion
  Cells may generate their own electrical signals through microscopic membrane motions. Researchers show that active molecular processes can create voltage spikes similar to those used by neurons. These signals could help drive ion transport and explain key biological functions. The work may also guide the design of intelligent, bio-inspired materials.
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• A new way to prevent gum disease without wiping out good bacteria
  Scientists are uncovering a surprising way to influence bacteria—not by killing them, but by changing how they communicate. Researchers studying oral bacteria found that disrupting chemical signals used in bacterial “conversations” can shift dental plaque toward healthier, less harmful communities. The discovery could open the door to new treatments that prevent disease by maintaining a balanced microbiome rather than wiping bacteria out entirely.
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• Why consciousness exists at all
  Consciousness evolved in stages, starting with basic survival responses like pain and alarm, then expanding into focused awareness and self-reflection. These layers help organisms avoid danger, learn from the environment, and coordinate socially. Surprisingly, birds show many of these same traits, from subjective perception to basic self-awareness. This suggests consciousness is far older and more widespread than once believed.
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• Giant sea monsters lived in rivers at the end of the dinosaur age
  Giant mosasaurs, once thought to be strictly ocean-dwelling predators, may have spent their final chapter prowling freshwater rivers alongside dinosaurs and crocodiles. A massive tooth found in North Dakota, analyzed using chemical isotope techniques, reveals that some mosasaurs adapted to river systems as seas gradually freshened near the end of the age of dinosaurs. These enormous reptiles, possibly as long as a bus, appear to have hunted near the surface, perhaps even feeding on drowned dinosaurs.
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• Male bonobos use hidden clues to boost mating success
  Male bonobos have an impressive ability to detect when females are most fertile, even though the usual visual cues are unreliable. Researchers tracking wild bonobos in the Congo discovered that males skillfully interpret a mix of swelling timing and a female’s reproductive history to pinpoint the optimal moment for mating. By blending these clues, they overcome nature’s misleading signals and maximize their chances of fathering offspring.
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• Researchers find how plants survive without sunlight or sex
  The study reveals how Balanophora plants function despite abandoning photosynthesis and, in some species, sexual reproduction. Their plastid genomes shrank dramatically in a shared ancestor, yet the plastids remain vital. Asexual reproduction appears to have evolved repeatedly, helping the plants survive in isolated, humid forest habitats. The research highlights surprising resilience in these bizarre parasitic species.
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• A grad student’s wild idea triggers a major aging breakthrough
  Senescent “zombie” cells are linked to aging and multiple diseases, but spotting them in living tissue has been notoriously difficult. Researchers at Mayo Clinic have now taken an inventive leap by using aptamers—tiny, shape-shifting DNA molecules—to selectively tag these elusive cells. The project began as an offbeat conversation between two graduate students and quickly evolved into a collaborative, cross-lab effort that uncovered aptamers capable of binding to unique surface proteins on senescent cells.
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• LISTEN: Cliff Bampton recounts a lifetime of wildlife management
  From failing student to conservation chief
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• More than 60,000 penguins starve to death in South Africa
  Following sardine stock collapse from overfishing and the climate crisis, penguins have nothing to eat
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• Why are porcupines disappearing?
  Even though state bounties ceased more than four decades ago, numbers have failed to rebound
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• Agency’s move likely to ignore indirect wildlife impacts
  Proposed shift in ESA consultation processes could narrow analysis of project impacts
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• Code switching vampire bats mimic their closest friends
  The creatures change their vocalizations based on their friend groups
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• Freeze-proof frogs think winter is coming—but is it?
  Gray treefrogs stock up on antifreeze when days get shorter, even if climate change keeps temperatures high
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• CITES votes to limit African hornbill trade
  Slow-breeding birds face declining populations due to rapidly growing global trade
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• How will ESA rollback impact threatened species?
  Proposed changes to the ESA will individualize protections for threatened species
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• Jungle cats take to trees to avoid food fights
  Wild felines specialize on different prey in different layers of the rainforest
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• LISTEN: ESA rule changes, explained
  What do the proposed changes to the Endangered Species Act mean for wildlife professionals?
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