This year, the popularity of the diabetes and weight-loss drug semaglutide has continued to surge. You’ve probably seen ads on social media or heard from friends who’ve tried top-selling brand-name versions, Ozempic and the higher-dose variety Wegovy (SN: 6/29/24, p. 5), or read accounts of people microdosing these drugs. Semaglutide and its many relatives mimic

The loss of hospital-based obstetric services can harm maternal and infant health The closure of the only hospital-based obstetric unit in Baker City, Ore., in 2023 led this couple to travel for labor and delivery services. Over time, more hospitals have been shutting down these services, with rural areas bearing the brunt of the losses.

Drought-stressed plants emit ultrasonic clicking that moths may evaluate when seeking a host Guided by ultrasonic sounds that indicate plants’ levels of hydration, the Egyptian cotton leafworm moth, pictured, lays eggs in spots where plants are hydrated and healthy. Katja Schulz/Flickr (CC BY 2.0) If you’re a female moth, finding the best plant to host

The world has made progress toward eliminating malaria, with 44 countries and one territory (La Réunion) certified as malaria-free. Egypt, where malaria has existed since at least the time of the pharaohs, joined the malaria-free list in October. Between 2000 and 2023, an estimated 2.2 billion cases of malaria and 12.7 million deaths from the

Books contemplating the human experience and some of humankind’s greatest challenges were among the Science News staff’s favorite reads this year. What were your favorites? Let us know at feedback@sciencenews.org. Night Magic Leigh Ann Henion Algonquin Books, $30 As artificial light increasingly illuminates nighttime, a writer makes the case to preserve natural darkness and the

Mast cells double-cross some white blood cells, trapping them and repurposing their parts This mast cell (purple, surrounded by blue-stained muscle tissue) is packed with granules of chemicals that can be released to trigger allergic inflammation in the body. Jose Luis Calvo Martin and Jose Enrique Garcia-Mauriño Muzquiz/Getty Images Certain immune cells backstab their cellular

A comparable hot gas bubble around the sun shields Earth from galactic cosmic rays A young star nicknamed the Moth plows through a dense cloud of interstellar dust and gas. That movement pushes the star's own dust disk back into a winglike shape, as seen in this simulation, but does not affect the bubble of

As many as 100 people could have gathered in the cave space unearthed in Israel A chamber deep inside an Israeli cave, shown here, served as a ritual compound for large gatherings as early as around 37,000 years ago, scientists say. Guy Geva An ancient ritual compound has come to light in the deepest, darkest

It might seem like magic. Type a request into ChatGPT, click a button and — presto! — here’s a five-paragraph analysis of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and, as an added bonus, it’s written in iambic pentameter. Or tell DALL-E about the chimeric animal from your dream, and out comes an image of a gecko-wolf-starfish hybrid. If you’re

Tiny encapsulated microjets allow doctors to deliver drugs into various internal organs Inspired by the mechanism squids use to propel liquid through their siphons, a new needle-free device for delivering drugs can precisely direct liquid toward specific organs in the body. Sirachai Arunrugstichai/Moment/Getty Images Plus If you’re one of the many adults who hate needles