Life

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

Briefing: US and Israel’s war on Iran is a disaster for the environment, analysis shows

Strategic angle: Exclusive: War has led to 5m tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in two weeks and is draining the global carbon budget faster than 84 countries combined.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: Kimchi-derived probiotic found to promote binding and excretion of intestinal nanoplastics

Strategic angle: A lactic acid bacterium from kimchi may aid in removing harmful nanoplastics from the body.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: New AI tool predicts cancer spread with surprising accuracy

Strategic angle: Researchers have discovered that cancer spread isn’t random—it follows a biological 'program' identified through gene patterns in colon tumor cells.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: Scientists just found a hidden 48-dimensional world in quantum light

Strategic angle: A routine quantum optics technique just revealed an extraordinary secret: entangled light can carry incredibly complex topological structures.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: Physicists find electronic agents that govern flat band quantum materials

Strategic angle: A breakthrough in understanding the fundamental electronic building blocks of flat-band quantum materials has been achieved.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: March heat surges past 100 in California and Arizona, smashing records

Strategic angle: A burst of unusual March heat is hitting the United States this week and into next, busting previous monthly heat records by wide margins.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: This crocodile ran like a greyhound across prehistoric Britain 200 million years ago

Strategic angle: A newly discovered Triassic reptile from the UK looked more like a racing greyhound than a crocodile, built for speed on land.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: Tectonic shift: Earth was already moving 3.5 billion years ago

Strategic angle: Scientists have uncovered the oldest direct evidence yet that Earth’s tectonic plates were on the move 3.5 billion years ago.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: Scientists turn probiotic bacteria into tumor-hunting cancer killers

Strategic angle: Engineered probiotics infiltrate tumors to produce targeted cancer-fighting drugs.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: Addressing the Achilles' heel of marine protected areas

Strategic angle: New research emphasizes the importance of understanding human behavior for the success of marine protected areas.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: You probably agree with animals on which bird calls, frog noises and cricket chirps are most attractive—new study

Strategic angle: A new study reveals that animals may share preferences for certain sounds used in mating calls.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: Feeling you belong may keep scientists in ornithology, study suggests

Strategic angle: A new study from Virginia Tech reveals that a sense of belonging may be key to retaining scientists in the field of ornithology.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: Men are losing a key chromosome with age and it may be deadly

Strategic angle: Aging men often lose the Y chromosome in a growing number of their cells, linked to serious health risks.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: Thousands ordered to evacuate as Hawaii hit by severe flash floods

Strategic angle: Officials warn some residents could be trapped by rising waters as Wahiawā dam on Oahu ‘may collapse at any time’.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Old-growth forests store a lot more carbon than managed forests, study finds

A new study reveals that Swedish old-growth forests hold 83% more carbon than their managed counterparts.

Editorial Staff Mar 21

Life

Briefing: New model links carbon-13 spike to Great Oxidation Event 2.45 billion years ago

Strategic angle: Two University of Victoria geologists provide new insights into ancient ocean floor chemistry.

Editorial Staff Mar 20

Life

NASA’s X-59 Prepares for Second Flight

NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft is gearing up for its second flight, paving the way for extensive flight testing in 2026.

Editorial Staff Mar 20

Life

Briefing: Synthesis of amino acids from carbon reaches 97% efficiency with cell-free system

Strategic angle: A groundbreaking method achieves high efficiency in amino acid synthesis, crucial for biological processes.

Editorial Staff Mar 20

Life

Briefing: Opening a new window into superconductivity by reimagining a classic tool

Strategic angle: A groundbreaking approach to achieving room-temperature superconductors could revolutionize energy transmission.

Editorial Staff Mar 20

Life

Briefing: From free love to post-apocalyptic survival: A trend of redefining family has emerged

Strategic angle: Chosen families are evolving but remain a cherished—and vital—lifeline for many.

Editorial Staff Mar 20