One of the most important robotic explorers of the world’s oceans has retired, lost at sea after a launch off of southern Chile in early March. The Autonomous Benthic Explorer, or ABE as it is commonly known, had made over 200 dives since its debut in 1994, contributing greatly to our knowledge of the oceans. [...]

The modernization of coal mining techniques has had a monumental influence on the expansion of American industry, creating a lucrative business model based on extracting the carbon fuel source. However, when it comes to the integrity of the natural resources surrounding these mining sites, the industry is rarely called to task. Mountaintop removal is one [...]

A recent study published in the journal Nature has revealed that insects are closely related to crustaceans such as crabs, shrimp and lobsters. In this image is a remipede (Speleonectes tulumensis), a rare type of blind, cave-dwelling critter that is believed to be the crustacean most closely related to insects. Insects and crustaceans have long [...]

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology recently conducted a study looking into the brain activity of fruit flies when in flight. In this image, a fruit fly is placed in a state of tethered flight, induced by a slight puff of air while the fly was suspended. With wings flapping, a pink dye-filled glass [...]

At the University of California, San Diego, a recent study explored potential causes of Alzheimer’s Disease through measures of brain activity.  It was discovered that astrocytes, which are non-neuronal cells that provide protection for the brain’s neurons, play a more important role than once believed. In this image, neurons are shown in green and astrocytes [...]

It can be very hard for us to look at coral reefs and understand the complexity of the life form, particularly the way the coral manage to grow and feed off different elements all while acting as a cradle of life for so many other different species. Even though placing a monetary value on coral [...]

Hawaii is well known to have been created from volcanic activity, and the geologic hotspot below the islands is the most studied in the world.

The European Space Agency’s Herschel Space Observatory is designed to collect long-wavelength radiation from some of the coldest and most distant objects in the universe. In this image, Herschel has photographed a previously unseen stellar nursery, where it is estimated that up to 700 newly forming stars are crowded into the dust cloud seen in [...]

In a recent issue of Nature, U.S. seismologists report that the devastating earthquake of 2004 that caused tsunamis in the Indian Ocean had also affected California’s San Andreas Fault. The tsunamis that resulted from the earthquake, which was recorded as a magnitude of 9.2, the second largest reading ever recorded, caused the death of 230,000 [...]

A research trip to South America by a biology professor and colleagues from San Francisco State University has led to the discovery of seven new varieties of luminescent fungi. Four of the species are new to science, while the three others have never before been recorded with luminescent characteristics. Researchers hope that these discoveries will [...]