Life

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

Briefing: Changing shower and toilet habits could help close England's five billion-liter water gap, research finds

Strategic angle: A new report suggests that altering daily water usage habits could significantly reduce England's water shortfall.

Editorial Staff Mar 19

Life

Briefing: Australia’s “Red Centre” Turns Green

Strategic angle: Abundant rainfall in February and March 2026 transformed the desert landscape of Central Australia.

Editorial Staff Mar 19

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Briefing: More and more teachers and students are using AI, even though it might do more harm than good

Strategic angle: K-12 teachers and students across the country are increasingly using AI in and out of classrooms.

Editorial Staff Mar 19

Life

Briefing: Some 'designer' crossbreed dogs may have more problem behaviors than pure breeds

Strategic angle: A study reveals that certain designer crossbreeds exhibit more undesirable behaviors compared to their purebred counterparts.

Editorial Staff Mar 19

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Briefing: School phone policies not silver bullet for student outcomes

Strategic angle: A new UK study reveals mixed effects of smartphone bans in schools on student well-being and social interactions.

Editorial Staff Mar 19

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Briefing: New DNA base editor minimizes bystander edits while maintaining high efficiency

Strategic angle: A groundbreaking advancement in gene editing technology enhances precision while reducing unintended changes.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

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Briefing: How to stop panic buying: Research finds COVID lesson

Strategic angle: Panic buying doesn't just respond to shortages—it creates them. Lessons from COVID-19 are vital for preventing future frenzies.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

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Briefing: New ice core studies expand histories of greenhouse gases and ocean temperature to 3 million years

Strategic angle: New analyses of ancient ice from Antarctica are extending Earth's climate records and enhancing understanding of climate change over 3 million years.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

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Briefing: FDA’s top infectious disease regulator to depart agency

Strategic angle: Adam Sherwat, the director of the Office of Infectious Diseases in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, is leaving the agency.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

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Briefing: Global insect rescue plan requires new technology to ensure success

Strategic angle: Cameras and AI tools are essential for tracking the effectiveness of global efforts to save insects.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Clearing circular RNA from cells extends lifespan, C. elegans study reveals

Strategic angle: Researchers at KAIST uncover how removing circular RNA can enhance longevity in C. elegans.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Ancient climate records reveal a wetter Levant that may have guided early humans out of Africa

Strategic angle: A new study suggests that historical weather patterns in the Levant played a crucial role in human migration.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Plant survival under three simultaneous stressors may hinge on a single protein

Strategic angle: Researchers at the University of Missouri have discovered certain proteins may be the key to saving plants' lives when multiple stressors hit at the same time.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Is glass a solid or a super slow liquid?

Strategic angle: Physicists create equilibrium glassy phase from rod-shaped particles, challenging traditional views on glass behavior.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Rocket Lab wins $190 million Pentagon deal for hypersonic test flights

Strategic angle: The contract is for 20 hypersonic flight missions over four years.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Dolls beat tablets at building social understanding, six-week study suggests

Strategic angle: Research indicates that playing with dolls fosters empathy and social skills in children more effectively than tablets.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Scientists turn rubber waste into new materials and capture CO₂

Strategic angle: Researchers at the University of St Andrews have unveiled two breakthrough techniques for chemically recycling nitrile-rubber products.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Cell-inspired sensor can monitor blood for 10 hours without sensitivity loss

Strategic angle: A breakthrough sensor developed by La Trobe University tracks molecular changes in blood, enabling real-time personalized medicine.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Scientists Discover New Bee Species Dependent on Texas Shrub

Strategic angle: Entomologists unveil a new mining bee species closely tied to cenizo, Texas's official state shrub.

Editorial Staff Mar 18

Life

Briefing: Durable dual-atom catalyst enables high-temperature CO₂ to CO conversion

Strategic angle: A breakthrough in carbon dioxide conversion technology could pave the way for more efficient synthetic fuel production.

Editorial Staff Mar 18