Life

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

Briefing: CDC Leadership in Limbo as Trump Administration Misses Nomination Deadline

Strategic angle: The search for a new CDC director continues past the statutory deadline, raising concerns about public health leadership.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Motivations behind violent extremism uncovered in new global study

Strategic angle: New research from the University of St Andrews reveals the complexities of human readiness for intergroup violence.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Scientists engineer a 'Trojan Horse' to conquer aggressive brain cancer

Strategic angle: A precision-engineered nanoplatform developed by researchers aims to tackle glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: RNA-guided CRISPR system activates gene expression

Strategic angle: Researchers from Purdue and Columbia University unveil a new gene-editing system that enhances gene activation capabilities.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Finding order in disorder: New mechanism amplifies transverse electron transport

Strategic angle: A groundbreaking study reveals that electrons can move more efficiently in disordered materials, challenging long-held beliefs about electrical transport.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Metrics

Strategic angle: Explore the FY25 Services Catalog and Service Level Agreements.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Why some reefs recover faster than others—mathematical model spotlights coral recruitment patterns

Strategic angle: A new mathematical model reveals insights into coral recruitment patterns, shedding light on reef recovery dynamics amid climate-driven disturbances.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Plastic washing at recycling plants can spike phthalates in wastewater, study suggests

Strategic angle: A new study reveals that cleaning plastics at recycling facilities may lead to increased levels of harmful chemicals in wastewater.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Parental advice on interacting with police varies widely by race

Strategic angle: Advice from parents on how to interact with police differs significantly across racial lines, highlighting disparities in societal experiences.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Shell-cracking turtles defied mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous period

Strategic angle: The mass extinction at the boundary between the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods was catastrophic, wiping out much of life on Earth.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: California considers seal of approval for foods that are not ultra-processed

Strategic angle: A California bill would allow 'not ultraprocessed' labels on foods, even as scientists debate definitions and courts question the legality of similar laws.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Amazon wildfire emissions may be up to three times higher than estimated

Strategic angle: Fires in central South America are intensifying due to drought and deforestation, with 2024 marking a peak in wildfire activity.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Terran Orbital Introduces New Star Tracker Product Line at SATSHOW 2026

Strategic angle: Terran Orbital Corporation unveils innovative star tracker technology at the annual SATSHOW event.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Bhattacharya addresses CDC director role, works to bolster staff morale in first all-hands meeting

Strategic angle: Bhattacharya faced tough staff questions on job cuts and fallout from the shooting attack on the agency.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Rare mountain gorilla twins born in DR Congo: park authorities

Strategic angle: In a rare occurrence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, twin mountain gorillas were recently born in the Virunga National Park, renowned for its biodiversity but threatened by conflict.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: A captive chimp's instrumental performances hint at the evolution of vocal externalization

Strategic angle: Ayumu, a 26-year-old chimpanzee, showcases musical talent, shedding light on human vocal evolution.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Significant grade inflation may be occurring in graduate education, according to decades' worth of data

Strategic angle: Analysis of two decades of student data at a large U.S. university suggests that grade inflation exists in graduate education.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Heart failure is common. A quick MRI could improve diagnosis and guide treatment

Strategic angle: A new MRI method measures cardiac oxygen use in three minutes without catheters or radiation, offering a simpler way to study heart failure and metabolism.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Dancing to invisible choreography, quantum computers can balance the noise

Strategic angle: Large-scale quantum computers are on the horizon, but noise in quantum hardware remains a significant challenge.

editorial-staff Mar 25

Life

Briefing: Factcheck: Nine false or misleading myths about North Sea oil and gas

Strategic angle: The Iran war has triggered another fossil-fuel energy crisis, with surging global prices and increasing misinformation.

editorial-staff Mar 25