Life

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

Briefing: Chinese startup tests flexible robotic arm in space for on-orbit servicing

Strategic angle: A Chinese commercial company has conducted an on-orbit demonstration of a flexible robotic arm, marking progress toward capabilities for satellite servicing, refueling and debris removal.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Briefing: Women are being shut out of workplaces because of a hidden time gap, new research shows

Strategic angle: A new study reveals that women face a significant disadvantage in the workplace due to time constraints compared to men.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Briefing: How squid survived Earth’s biggest extinction and took over the oceans

Strategic angle: Scientists have cracked a mystery about squid and cuttlefish evolution through genome analysis.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Briefing: March of the Harmattan

Strategic angle: Strong winds in March 2026 carried Saharan dust across northwestern Africa and toward the Canary Islands, reducing visibility and prompting alerts.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Artemis II's long countdown: A space historian explains why it has taken over 50 years to return to the moon

Exploring the lengthy journey back to lunar exploration and the historical context behind it.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Briefing: NASA’s asteroid Bennu sample reveals a hidden chemical patchwork

Strategic angle: Scientists studying Bennu samples have discovered that its chemistry is far from uniform, revealing distinct regions shaped by past water activity.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Briefing: Inside the high-stakes decisions of the NFL draft

Strategic angle: On NFL draft day, every team has the chance to win—or lose—big. With millions of dollars on the line and just minutes to make a final decision on each pick, a single choice can shape a franchise for years.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Briefing: Why a social media ban for teenagers misses the point

Strategic angle: Exploring the deeper issues behind teenage smartphone addiction.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Briefing: 'One Plant Health Concept' connects tradition and technology to address plant diseases in Africa

Strategic angle: An article published in CABI Agriculture and Bioscience advocates for a diverse approach combining indigenous knowledge and modern technologies to combat plant diseases in Africa.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Briefing: Seven missions launched to test optimized data transfer from space

Strategic angle: Eight CubeSats and one payload supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) have reached orbit to improve data transmission and processing.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Briefing: Uranus mission concept CASMIUS to probe ice giant secrets

Strategic angle: The ice giant Uranus is one of the most fascinating objects in the solar system, with its sideways rotation and intricate ring system.

editorial-staff Apr 1

Life

Briefing: Great hammerheads maintain peak hunting across wide temperature swings, biologging data suggest

Strategic angle: These ocean predators are masters of the 'thermal hustle,' maintaining peak hunting performance across a surprisingly wide range.

editorial-staff Mar 31

Life

Briefing: How medieval chess created a space in which players, regardless of race, could engage as equals

Strategic angle: Exploring the role of medieval chess in fostering equality among players of diverse backgrounds.

editorial-staff Mar 31

Life

Briefing: Targeting the tiniest divide: Research reveals potential vulnerability in bacterial reproduction

Strategic angle: A Université de Montréal study uncovers a new mechanism in bacterial reproduction that could be targeted by future antibiotics.

editorial-staff Mar 31

Life

Briefing: Racetrack-shaped lasers developed for bright, stable frequency combs

Strategic angle: A new, miniature laser source could revolutionize precision measurement and communication technologies.

editorial-staff Mar 31

Life

Briefing: Introducing a new citizen science nature app that's geared towards the scientific community

Strategic angle: PlantNet offers a wealth of data for identifying plants and understanding biodiversity.

editorial-staff Mar 31

Life

Briefing: Cast your vote for the best sci-fi spaceship and then watch debaters duke it out at Space Symposium

Strategic angle: Voting ends April 14. Resistance is futile – you must comply.

editorial-staff Mar 31

Life

Briefing: NASA Probe Data Suggests a More Complex Sun's Magnetic Engine

Strategic angle: A new study reveals differing reactions of protons and heavy ions to solar magnetic reconnection events, indicating a complex magnetic engine behind the solar wind.

editorial-staff Mar 31

Life

Briefing: Chiral Metasurfaces Guide Twisted Light into Free Space

Strategic angle: Innovative technology harnesses the angular momentum of light for advanced applications.

editorial-staff Mar 31

Life

Briefing: Crushing Soda Cans and the Mathematics of Corrugation Formation

Strategic angle: Exploring the science behind why objects squash in specific ways under pressure.

editorial-staff Mar 31