Will governments commit to phasing out fossil fuels at COP28? Despite more than 80 countries supporting a fossil fuel phase-out commitment at COP27, it failed to gain enough support to be included in the final agreement. Now, WWF, and people around the world, are urging negotiators to prioritize this issue and include a clear commitment…

Possessing more than two complete sets of chromosomes can be a hindrance to long-term survival of a plant lineage, yet scientists are also finding evidence it’s likely behind some evolutionary innovation.  Sudden inheritance of whole suites of extra gene copies can add redundancy to an organism’s regular sets of functions, actually permitting some of those…

Scientists have discovered a new type of stem cell in the spine that appears crucial to resolving a long-standing mystery: why far more cancer cells spread to the spine than to other bones in the body. When breast, lung and prostate cancers metastasize to multiple bones in the body, three to five times more cancer…

The problem with POPs Many POPs were first developed in the twentieth century as part of a new wave of synthetic chemicals. At the time, they were seen as groundbreaking new compounds which could be used in stronger pesticides, longer lasting paint, and more fire-resistant furniture. However, the same properties that made these chemicals so…

Overcoming a HOXA9 family problem While it was previously known that HOXA9 is overexpressed in high-risk pediatric leukemias, it has historically been challenging to study and target. The HOX family of proteins contains 39 members, which are all very similar to each other. The similarity also makes it challenging to study because current techniques have…

Overcoming a HOXA9 family problem While it was previously known that HOXA9 is overexpressed in high-risk pediatric leukemias, it has historically been challenging to study and target. The HOX family of proteins contains 39 members, which are all very similar to each other. The similarity also makes it challenging to study because current techniques have…

Credited as the father of microbiology, Anton van Leeuwenhoek became the first person in 1677 to observe bacteria under a microscope, kickstarting a revolution in microscopy that continued through the 18th century. This allowed humanity to delve deeper into living things, discovering the cells that comprise animals and plants.  Eventually, optical microscopes met their limit…

Credited as the father of microbiology, Anton van Leeuwenhoek became the first person in 1677 to observe bacteria under a microscope, kickstarting a revolution in microscopy that continued through the 18th century. This allowed humanity to delve deeper into living things, discovering the cells that comprise animals and plants.  Eventually, optical microscopes met their limit…

One might think a photograph taken in the same place of the same thing, day after day, would portray a repetition of the same shapes, colors, and shadows of that place. But, day after day, things change – dust accumulates, a person leaves their mark, plants sprout new leaves. The nine tiles of “Slit Grid”…

“Final warning.” “Now or never.” “Crazy off-the-charts records.” “Absolutely gobsmackingly bananas.” “We are damned fools.” As the Guardian’s head of environment, I read the words of climate scientists every day. They tell our reporters the facts, explain the science, and warn of what is to come. But when governments and corporations still don’t act with…