Weekly Headlines (excerpts)

1. Melted snow uncovers early evidence of horse riding in Mongolia

3400-year-old trimmed hoof suggests world’s most renowned equestrian culture began using horses 2 centuries earlier than thought

BY CHRISTA LESTÉ-LASSERRE 28 JUN 2024 

2. Dogs may be a threat to sea turtles worldwide

Raft of studies finds the canines are killing the reptiles and destroying their nests

BY RICHARD PALLARDY 28 JUN 2024 

3. A ceremony aims to rebury the earliest Berliners—and restore their dignity

Archaeologist Claudia Melisch reflects on what it means to regard excavated human remains as individuals

BY ANDREW CURRY 28 JUN 2024 

4. Rebuilt U.S. x-ray source begins its bright new second life

The new Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory provides first beam for users

BY ADRIAN CHO 27 JUN 2024 

5. Pompeii-like explosion preserved trilobites in ‘unprecedented’ detail

Stunning fossils reveal 3D anatomy of arthropods that lived a half-billion years ago

BY RODRIGO PÉREZ ORTEGA 27 JUN 2024 

6. How jellyfish survive pressures that would crush you into oblivion

Specialized cell membranes protect the gossamer creatures but may leave them vulnerable to warming waters

BY SEAN CUMMINGS 27 JUN 2024 

7. The perfect pesticide? RNA kills crop-destroying beetles with unprecedented accuracy

New approach leaves other creatures unharmed. “You cannot get anything better than this”

BY ERIK STOKSTAD 27 JUN 2024 

8, Bones reveal first evidence of Down syndrome in Neanderthals

Individual’s survival into early childhood suggests a high level of community care

BY ANDREW CURRY 26 JUN 2024 

9. Frog ‘saunas’ could help endangered species beat a deadly fungus

Encouraging experiment shows how small, cheap shelters can help sick individuals cure themselves

BY ERIK STOKSTAD 26 JUN 2024 

10. Colorado bat facility that will support virus studies sparks outbreak fears

Critics slam vivarium as reckless, but scientists call it vital for preventing pandemics

BY MEREDITH WADMAN 26 JUN 2024 

11. First synthetic gene drive for plants could help eradicate weeds

Quick spread of “selfish” genetic sequences may one day knock back crop-destroying plants that have evolved to resist many herbicides

BY ERIK STOKSTAD 26 JUN 2024 

12. China retrieves first-ever samples from Moon’s far side

Soil and rock grabbed by Chang’e-6 probe promise insights into lunar origins and evolution

BY DENNIS NORMILE 26 JUN 2024 

13. One-third of fruit flies go through life injured, CSI-type study reveals

First-ever systematic count of fly wounds suggests wound healing may have shaped the immune systems of these and other insects

BY DARREN INCORVAIA 25 JUN 2024 

14. Small, nimble weather satellites could track the atmosphere moment by moment, boosting forecasts

Cheaper, more varied probes will also warn of droughts, harmful algal blooms, and sea level rise

BY PAUL VOOSEN 25 JUN 2024 

15. Decades after mass deforestation, scientists encounter ‘miraculous’ new plant species

Recent findings on famed Ecuador ridge give hope that unique plants weren’t entirely lost

BY ASHLEY STIMPSON 25 JUN 2024 

16. Landmark gene-edited rice crop destroyed in Italy

Vandals uprooted the fungus-resistant Arborio rice, which was being tested in the country’s first ever field trial of a CRISPR-edited crop

BY GENNARO TOMMA 25 JUN 2024 

17. Scarred by COVID-19 experience, Spain launches new office for scientific advice

The body will coordinate a network of science advisers throughout the Spanish government and oversee expert advice in times of crisis

BY ELISABETH PAIN 25 JUN 2024 

18. Google Street View helps scientists track stray dogs in Peru

Approach could be a cheaper, faster way to protect the public from rabies

BY HUMBERTO BASILIO 24 JUN 2024