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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 18m

Imagine something with the mass of a sugar cube but the surface area of a soccer field.
That’s the family of structures behind the 2025 Nobel Prize in chemistry.
https://www.snexplores.org/article/mof-metal-organic-chemistry-nobel

Like Hermione’s magic handbag for chemists, MOFs can stash a lot of stuff

Short for metal-organic frameworks, MOFs can trap pollutants, collect water from air and more. They landed a chemistry Nobel for Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 3h

Flossing a mouse? It’s a two-person job. https://www.snexplores.org/article/floss-flu-vaccine-mice-needle-free

Floss delivers flu vaccine to mice needle-free

A floss-based solution may one day allow people to give themselves vaccines — no injection needed.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 22h

To answer some big cosmic questions, “you need something like [Vera] Rubin. There is no competition.” https://www.snexplores.org/article/vera-rubin-observatory-telescope

The Vera Rubin Observatory is set to revolutionize astronomy

Equipped with the world’s largest digital camera, this new telescope is poised to help solve some of the universe’s biggest mysteries.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 1d

Turns out, tiny gaps can be powerful. New research explains why bristled wings work so well for the tiniest of flying beetles. https://www.snexplores.org/article/tiny-insects-fly-comb-wings

Comb-like wings help the tiniest insects swim through ‘syrupy’ air

When you're the size of a grain of sand, flying through air is like swimming through a syrup. Bristled wings help the tiniest insects manage this.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 1d

Three physicists showed data confounding scientific wisdom: that quantum effects only show up in tiny objects. Think single atoms. For their contradictory findings, this trio earned the 2025 physics Nobel. https://www.snexplores.org/article/quantum-computers-circuits-physics-nobel

Discoveries behind quantum computers win the Nobel Prize in physics

John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis turned up quantum effects in an electric circuit. This 1980s find underlies today’s quantum computers.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 2d

To protect their precious seeds, pinecones can close their “scales” tightly, keeping out cold temperatures, winds, ice and even animals that might eat the seeds. https://www.snexplores.org/article/pinecone-temperature-seeds-activity

Unlock pinecone secrets with this science activity

Let’s find out how pinecones respond to different temperatures — by mimicking changes in weather from the comfort of our own kitchens!

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 3d

For learning how our bodies put the brake on an overactive immune system, three people will share the 2025 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine. https://www.snexplores.org/article/regulatory-immune-cells-medicine-nobel

Immune cells that stop our body from attacking itself land a Nobel

Shimon Sakaguchi won for discovering T-reg immune cells. Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell won for showing the cells’ role in autoimmune disease.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 3d

Our high-velocity garbage threatens space missions. And the problem is getting worse. This week’s word is space junk. https://www.snexplores.org/article/scientists-say-space-junk

Scientists Say: Space junk

High-velocity space junk threatens space missions today. And the problem is growing.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 3d

Ozone rises to dangerous levels as car exhaust interacts with heat-stressed trees.
https://www.snexplores.org/article/heat-waves-trees-worsen-air-pollution

During heat waves, trees spew chemicals that worsen air pollution

New data point to how heat waves and other climate change will make it harder to curb ozone and other types of toxic air pollution — even outside of cities.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 6d

Human hair attached to an ancient Inca khipu challenges long-held ideas about who made them. https://www.snexplores.org/article/knotted-inca-hair-keep-records

Knotted strands of 500-year-old hair tell a surprising story

Used in a device called a khipu, the hair reveals the owner’s simple diet. Those data now suggest that in Incan society, even some commoners kept records.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 8d

Rather than worrying about sharks hurting us, we should instead fear for them. https://www.snexplores.org/article/save-sharks-ocean-conservation

Save the sharks to save the ocean

Humans have driven sharks and their cousins to the brink of extinction, but it’s not too late to turn the tide. At stake is the health of the entire ocean.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 8d

A shark is just a fish. A really interesting fish. https://www.snexplores.org/article/explainer-what-is-a-shark

Explainer: What is a shark?

These fish have skeletons made of cartilage, not bone. Sharks aren't nearly as scary as portrayed in the media.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 8d

We may be flushing a golden opportunity down the drain — literally. Scientists just came up with a novel way to turn our pee into a medical product. https://www.snexplores.org/article/yeast-transform-pee-valuable-mineral

Scientists transform pee into a golden opportunity

By transforming urine into a valuable medical product, scientists hope to change how we view this human waste.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · 9d

Freelance shark researcher Heidy Martinez studied anthropology and psychology in college. Today, she uses those skills to help protect sharks around the world. https://www.snexplores.org/article/shark-marine-biology

A shark encounter inspired this researcher’s career in marine biology

Heidy Martinez never wanted to study sharks as a kid. That changed after encountering a white shark in South Africa.

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Reposted by Science News Explores

averyhurt.bsky.social @averyhurt.bsky.social · Jun 5

Science is coming up with ways to do biomedical research without lab animals. My latest for @snexplores.bsky.social.

Research without lab animals? New tech is making it possible

For decades, scientists have worked to phase out the use of animals in research. AI, ‘lungs’ on a chip and more are bringing that goal closer.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · Jul 7

Um. Hi. ::waves in journalist::

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · Jul 7

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuaBt2POZCT/

A composite image showing six birds in squares, 3 on the top row and 3 on the bottom row. From left to right the top birds are a brightly colored Rainbow Lorikeet, flamingos, and a hummingbird. On the bottom row is a cardinal, a peacock and a yellow songbird. The text box in the middle of the image reads ‘Your Questions Answered’ ‘How did birds develop such bright colors?’ – Abby

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · Jun 22

If you’re yelling upwind, a listener standing in front of you should have no problem hearing you — contrary to popular belief. https://www.snexplores.org/article/science-explains-shout-upwind-acoustics

A photo of Ville Pulkki, an older white man, wearing a flight helmet, goggles and a blue jacket . His upper body is seen through the sunroof of a car. There is a ring of several small microphones surrounding him.

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · Jun 21

Hello! We've been publishing accessible and accurate science journalism for curious humans — ages 9 and up — for over 20 years!

We also have a print magazine: https://www.snexplores.org/magazine

Come explore with us!

Welcome to Science News Explores

Welcome to Science News Explores, a new magazine written for curious kids ages 9 and up and their families. We created this magazine to help younger readers explore new discoveries across science, tec...

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Science News Explores @snexplores.bsky.social · Jun 21

😂😅😬

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