Scientists corralled the subatomic particles into a beam before accelerating them A simulation shows tracks of particles produced in a muon collider, a proposed new type of particle smasher that scientists hope could reveal new physics secrets. D. Lucchesi et al, CERN Muons are getting a move on.  In a step toward new types of

The new findings might one day help in the development of vaccines against CWD Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological illness in deer. A detailed look at the protein responsible may offer clues as to why it hasn’t leapt to people. Michael Cummings/Moment/Getty Images The misfolded proteins responsible for a fatal neurological illness in

A solar wind event just days earlier may have compressed the giant planet’s magnetosphere When Voyager 2 flew by Uranus (shown here in a false-color infrared image), the probe detected a strange magnetic environment around the planet. That may have been a fluke of timing. NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI Some of Uranus’ apparent oddities might

A law of physics that explains why larger animals live longer and travel further can be extended to the simplest forms of mass migration on the planet – like rolling stones and turbulent eddies in water and air currents, according to new research from Duke University. “The finding demonstrates that evolution doesn’t apply only to

In a new study that expands our understanding of how humans contribute to global warming, scientists have discovered that human activity has changed the terrestrial biosphere to make it a significant contributor to climate change. Published in Nature, the study looked at the net balance of the three major greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, and

It’s been known for more than a century that acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol and marketed as Tylenol and Panadol) is an effective painkiller, but according to a new Canadian study it could also be impeding error-detection in the brain. The research appears in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. “Past research tells us physical

Ibuprofen counters problems caused by mutations in the MAN1B1 gene, fruit fly tests show Ibuprofen, a common pain reliever, may relieve symptoms of a very rare genetic disease. REKINC1980/Getty Images DENVER — A drug found in almost every medicine cabinet may be a treatment for a rare genetic disease. Ibuprofen may help children with mutations

Since 2000, the zone where development abuts wildlands has grown 35 percent globally A firefighter walks by the husk of a house in Camarillo, Calif., on November 6. The Mountain Fire, which destroyed dozens of structures and forced 10,000 people to flee, exemplifies the risks as areas nestled next to nature, called wildland-urban interfaces, continue

The BASE-STEP project aims to transport antiprotons to labs beyond CERN A particle trap is lifted by a crane (left) before being loaded on a truck to take 70 protons on a road trip. The experiment was a dress-rehearsal for future transport of antiprotons. CERN A truck full of antimatter would make for a seriously

The new tally takes a step toward revealing how black holes and galaxies grow together Astronomers are running a vast survey of the cosmos using the DESI instrument on the Mayall Telescope (right) at the Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. DESI A colossal census of the cosmos has more than tripled the number of