Science

Some species of hummingbird are adapting to urban life by undergoing evolutionary changes in their anatomy, influenced by the proliferation of artificial drinking fountains. According to some biologists, this might show that these birds are on their way to becoming commensal with humans—benefiting from living closely alongside them—like pigeons have …

From ancient remedies to your Amazon cart, mushroom supplements have traveled a circuitous road. They nourish the body, enhance the mind, and occasionally poison the unlucky. Their biochemical adaptability has intrigued Eastern cultures for centuries. The West has been slow to embrace mushrooms until the 21st century, propelled in part …

Over that period, the research team watched as the south polar region darkened going into winter and the north polar region brightened as summer approached. By observing the planet at four different points in time, years apart, they could see how the gradual shifting of the seasons affected the planet. …

Statistically, men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, with about 18 million more men living with the condition worldwide. This doesn’t tell the whole story. When women do get a diagnosis, they’re often older and have a higher body fat mass. They’re also more …

If you look at the Milky Way through a powerful telescope, you’ll notice that close to the center of the galaxy there are elongated filaments that seem to outline its spiral shape. Scientists have a nickname for these structures: “galactic bones.” Recently, astronomers found that one of the Milky Way’s …

When you swap two paraparticles, these hidden properties change in tandem. As an analogy, imagine that these properties are colors. Start with two paraparticles, one that’s internally red and another that’s internally blue. When they swap places, rather than keeping these colors, they both change in corresponding ways, as prescribed …

This story originally appeared Grist and is part of the Climate Desk collaboration. For the last two decades, homeowners have been able to claim thousands of dollars in federal tax credits to help offset the high up-front costs of going solar. Things were supposed to stay that way through 2034. …