Top science news headlines for the week 12

Monday, Mar 16
Astrobiology
2230

Ryugu asteroid samples contain all DNA and RNA building blocks, bolstering origin-of-life theories

Astrobiology
717

Life, but not as we know it

Plants & Animals
51

Bull sharks form social relationships with specific 'friends,' research reveals

Mathematics
528

ChatGPT can provide original mathematical proofs, researchers show

Condensed Matter
284

Not just spin—electron orbitals can provide new method for controlling magnetism

Earth Sciences
11

Clustering-based AI forecasts river water levels using just a few long records

Ecology
42

Turning mosquitoes into flying vaccine carriers to protect against bat-borne viruses

Tuesday, Mar 17
Mathematics
1016

Bell-bottoms today, miniskirts tomorrow: Math reveals fashion's 20-year cycle

Polymers
85

Solar energy transforms polystyrene waste into valuable chemicals using sulfur

Environment
78

What happens to cigarette butts after 10 years in the environment

Environment
11

Climate policies can reduce emissions from economic growth in wealthy nations

Social Sciences
63

Social background shapes how hard children work at school, according to study

Plants & Animals
41

The cactus on your desk is an evolution speed machine

Cell & Microbiology
107

Earth's toughest microbes could help save the planet and find life on other worlds

Wednesday, Mar 18
Archaeology
336

Neanderthals may have used birch tar for its anti-bacterial properties, experiments suggest

Cell & Microbiology
244

Clearing circular RNA from cells extends lifespan, C. elegans study reveals

Biochemistry
337

Most mass spectrometers can process just a few molecules at once: Reengineered prototype does a billion simultaneously

Economics & Business
8

Investors willing to pay a little more for green bonds

Plants & Animals
624

Platypus fur adds another strange feature to an increasingly long list

Bio & Medicine
56

Prodrug lipid nanoparticle could unlock universal immunotherapy for solid cancers

Plants & Animals
101

Some 'designer' crossbreed dogs may have more problem behaviors than pure breeds

Thursday, Mar 19
Archaeology
29

Medieval chess promoted racial harmony and mutual respect, say historians

Earth Sciences
24

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

Social Sciences
26

World Happiness Report highlights social media's negative impact, ranks Finland as happiest country

Evolution
40

Milkweed evolves 'mind-blowing' tactic to fight monarchs

Evolution
134

Humans and animals have the same preference in mating calls, citizen science experiment finds

Archaeology
73

Monte Verde fieldwork resets age of famous South American archaeological site

Astronomy
237

Project Hail Mary is packed with hard science. An astrophysicist breaks it down

Friday, Mar 20
Archaeology
1246

English history's biggest march is a myth—King Harold sailed to the Battle of Hastings

Bio & Medicine
538

Researchers uncover gut-liver serotonin pathway that limits nanoparticle and viral delivery

Archaeology
167

Ancient sling bullet delivers a 2,100-year-old taunt: 'Learn your lesson!'

Earth Sciences
605

The deep freshwater reservoir hidden beneath the Great Salt Lake

Astronomy
663

What 'Project Hail Mary' gets right—and wrong—about astrophysics

General Physics
95

ALICE sees new sign of primordial plasma in proton collisions

Earth Sciences
166

Rivers and tidal currents keep 80% of microfibers from reaching oceans, study suggests

Saturday, Mar 21
Bio & Medicine
1760

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

Environment
1428

Dishwashing with side effects: Kitchen sponges release microplastics

Archaeology
127

Two buried Iron Age hoards reveal first evidence for four-wheeled wagons in Britain

Social Sciences
32

Gender conformity starts young, and boys and girls fall in line in different ways

Social Sciences
10

Women assistant principals average 13.2 teaching years before first principal bid

Economics & Business
267

Motivated employees get more out-of-role work, even when it costs bonuses

Evolution
1403

Are humans naturally violent? New research challenges long-held assumptions

Sunday, Mar 22
Ecology
439

Fiber-optic sensors reveal how farming destroys soil's natural structure

Materials Science
1081

Hawaii tests asphalt made with recycled plastics and fishing nets for shedding

Astrobiology
233

All 5 fundamental units of life's genetic code were just discovered in an asteroid sample

Environment
62

Sea levels around Africa are rising faster than the global average: What's behind this alarming trend

Ecology
667

Altered colony chemistry reveals a process that destroys termite societies

Environment
18

The silver lining in Europe's deforestation law delay: A chance to build fairer supply chains

Plants & Animals
16

New metabolic atlas maps how plants take up and process selenium