Science

Synthetic biology promised to rewrite life – with the death of its pioneer, J. Craig Venter, how close are scientists?

When scientist J. Craig Venter and his team announced in 2010 that they had created the first cell controlled by…

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AI data center boom is leaving consumer electronics short of chips − even though they don’t use the same kinds

The boom in data center construction is taking up much of the supply of high-tech components, especially processor and memory…

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Fiber’s structural integrity keeps plants strong – and its indigestibility keeps your digestive system healthy

If you’re over the age of 10, the World Health Organization recommends that you consume at least 25 grams of…

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Facial recognition data is a key to your identity – if stolen, you can’t just change the locks

A woman strolls into a grocery store, thinking about grabbing some apples. Before she even reaches the produce aisle, a…

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Tapping your genome with AI and quantum computing could deliver on the promise of personalized medicine – but practical and ethical hurdles remain

Decades after researches first sequenced the human genome, scientists throughout the world are still working to understand it. Despite diligent…

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What is black garlic? How heat and humidity turn a pungent ingredient mild and slightly sweet

You may have seen black garlic appear more frequently in grocery stores, restaurants and online recipes over the past few…

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You probably wouldn’t notice if an AI chatbot slipped ads into its responses

Hundreds of millions of people consult artificial intelligence chatbots on a daily basis for everything from product recommendations to romance,…

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China surpasses US in research spending – the consequences extend far beyond scientific ranking and clout

China’s rapid rise in science has hit a milestone. The country’s investment in research and development has reached parity with…

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Potential signs of life on distant planets sound exciting – but confirmation can take years

Astronomers can use telescopes to find specific molecules in the atmospheres of neighboring planets, in nebulae – clouds of interstellar…

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Why is water wet?

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to…

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School gardens help students learn science and connect with agriculture – but making them happen isn’t easy

I used to teach high school science in Oklahoma, and one day I brought in a stalk from a cotton…

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What we lose when artificial intelligence does our shopping

Americans spend a remarkable amount of time shopping – more than on education, volunteering or even talking on the phone.…

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Industries most exposed to AI are not only seeing productivity gains but jobs and wage growth too

Forecasts of the impact of artificial intelligence range from the apocalyptic to the utopian. An October 2025 report from Senate…

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One‑way attack drones: Low‑cost, high‑tech weapons ‘democratize’ precision warfare

Wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have propelled drones into the headlines. The word “drone” now stretches to cover…

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I’ve fired one of America’s most powerful lasers – here’s what a shot day looks like

If you walk across the open yard in front of the Physics, Math and Astronomy building at the University of…

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