SCIENCE

May 03 2026SCIENCE

Psychedelics and the Fight Against Authoritarian Thinking

Research has shown that certain psychedelic drugs can lower people’s tendency to support strict, top‑down authority. However, these studies were small and not always well controlled. Because of that uncertainty, scientists are calling for bigger experiments with stricter designs to see if the eff

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May 03 2026SCIENCE

Hidden worlds in everyday machines surprise scientists

A strange black substance found in a research ship's steering system turned out to be more than just dirt. After a routine algae-tracking mission in the Great Lakes, crew members spotted a tar-like leak coming from the vessel's rudder shaft - the mechanical part that controls steering. Instead of ig

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May 03 2026SCIENCE

How Prairie Dogs Dig: Muscle Secrets Behind Their Burrows

Prairie dogs are famous for their underground homes, built by generations of digging. These tunnels serve as safe spots from predators and as meeting places for their tight-knit groups. But how do their bodies handle all that work? Scientists recently studied nine black-tailed prairie dogs to uncove

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May 02 2026SCIENCE

New Design Boosts Colorful Quantum‑Dot Lights

Scientists have found a way to make quantum‑dot LEDs that shine brighter and last longer. The trick is to insert a special layer called a bilateral charge‑generation layer, or CGL. This layer has two parts that work together: one made from PEDOT:PSS and ZnO, the other from TAPC and HAT‑CN.

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May 02 2026SCIENCE

Smart Liposomes that Light Up to Fight Tough Bacterial Wounds

Scientists have built a new kind of tiny bubble that can sneak into stubborn bacterial layers and burn them away with light. The bubble is wrapped in a sugar shell made of hyaluronic acid, a substance that naturally appears in our skin. When the bubble reaches an infected wound, enzymes called hyalu

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May 02 2026SCIENCE

New Creatures Added to Pacific Aquarium’s Ocean Health Tracker

The Long Beach aquarium has refreshed its free Marine Species Report Card, a public guide that shows how California’s coastal wildlife are doing. After two years of work, the original 30‑species list now grows to include three more: the cabezon fish, the horn shark and the sheep crab. The report

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May 02 2026SCIENCE

Alaska’s Climate Shift: A Personal Farewell

For three decades, deadlines have been a constant companion, shaping the rhythm of my work. The pressure once felt like an ache, but repeated exposure turned it into a familiar habit. I have spent many years navigating the complex world of scientific communication, sharing findings with local newspa

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May 02 2026SCIENCE

Lightning Secrets: How Trees Glow Before a Storm

When the air feels itchy and your hair jumps, it might mean a storm is coming. Scientists noticed a faint blue light that sometimes appears on tree tops during heavy weather. This glow, called corona discharge, is a tiny electric spark that can be seen when the sky splits into two layers of charge.

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May 02 2026SCIENCE

Parrots Learn New Foods by Watching Their Friends

In city parks and gardens, a group of wild cockatoos discovered that trying new snacks can be safer when they see other birds doing it first. Scientists set up experiments in five different roosting spots across Sydney, where they offered colored almonds that the parrots had never tasted before.

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May 02 2026SCIENCE

How our bodies burn fat when cold—and why obesity might block this effect

The body has a clever trick to stay warm in cold weather: it burns fat to generate heat. This process, called adaptive thermogenesis, acts like a built-in heater but also helps fight obesity. Scientists recently discovered a protein called Feimin that plays a key role in turning on this fat-burning

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