Briefings

Active traffic management: adaptive traffic signal control

Adaptations of the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia)

Air pollution and exercise

Aluminum-air battery technology for electric vehicles

Amphibians face extinction crisis

Amphibians under threat from chytrid fungus

Ancient Egyptians

Antarctic ice velocity mapped with greater precision

Antarctic ozone hole recovery observed

Antibiotic polymers kill drug-resistant bacteria

Antibiotic resistance in soil bacteria

Antimicrobial resistance

Antisense drugs target amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

April 2016 Ecuador earthquake

Artificial leaf

Artificial sweeteners

Arylomycin antibiotics may combat antimicrobial resistance

Asian longhorned tick is an invasive threat in the United States

Astrocytes

August 2018 Indonesia earthquake

Aztecs

Babylonians

Ban of coal-tar-based pavement sealants reduces PAHs in Austin, Texas

Bee dance language

Bioassay

Biocontrol of pests by species importation

Biodegradable metal implants

Biodegradation additives for polymers ineffective

Biologics and biosimilar drugs

Bioremediation

Body dysmorphic disorder

Boron discovered on Mars

A brief history of spectroscopy

The bright future of LED lighting

Bristlecone pines are the oldest living trees

Caenorhabditis elegans

Cafestol and health effects

Caffeine-catalyzed biocompatible polymer gels

Cancer mortality on the decline in the United States

Cause of great Irish potato blight identified

The causes of sinkholes

Caution urged in replacing neonicotinoid insecticides with sulfoximines

Cell phones identified as an exposure source of toxic flame retardants

Change blindness and visual perception

Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution

Charm quark decays break charge-parity symmetry

Chikungunya fever

Choosing effective mosquito repellants

Climate change likely drove ancient African megaherbivores to extinction

Cold super-Earth discovered around nearby star

Cold-dry limits of life on Earth

Colony collapse disorder may be a diminishing problem for bees

Colorectal cancer increasing in young adults

Completion of the Cassini mission to Saturn

Completion of the Dawn mission to the asteroid belt

Complex organic materials discovered on Mars

Conifers

Convergent evolution

Converting carbon dioxide to useful chemicals

Cool roofs save energy and water

Cooling paint

The "cosmic dawn" seen for the first time

Counteracting the urban heat island effect with tree cover

Cranberry compound prevents antibiotic resistance in laboratory tests

Crown-of-thorns starfish threaten the Great Barrier Reef

Cystic fibrosis

Dark lightning linked to visible lightning

De-extinction of species

Deadly heat in an era of global climate change

Declining insect populations in Puerto Rico

Deep earthquakes

Deforestation: a global concern

Demand for and environmental impacts of sand mining

Designing crops for pharmaceutical uses

Detection of the Higgs boson

Detection of the universe's first kind of molecule

Devastating effects of citrus greening disease

Diabetes mellitus

Diauxic growth (diauxie)

Die-off of bees

Dinosaurs

Discovery of Denisovans expands the human family tree

Discovery of Homo naledi

Discovery of the first interstellar asteroid

Discovery of the most distant solar system object, nicknamed Farout

Dissolved organic carbon in the deep ocean biodegrades after all

DNA-templated organic synthesis

Dog domestication

Domestic robots

Dopamine

Dramatic reductions in the Bornean orangutan population

Drought-tolerant landscaping

Drug-resistant tuberculosis on the rise

Durability of Roman marine concrete

e-Textiles

Eastern equine encephalitis virus detected in Florida

Eastern lowland gorilla is critically endangered

Ebola virus crisis in 2014 and 2015

Effect of volcanic ash on aircraft jet engines

Effect of volcanic SO2 emissions on cloud albedo

Effects of dam removal

Effects of electric-vehicle adoption on air quality

Electric vehicles and range anxiety

Electronic tongue

Element 115: one step closer to acceptance

Engineering of the Mississippi River has increased flood hazards

Environmental sex determination of green sea turtles affected by climate change

Environmentally friendly sunscreens from biological sources

Epigenome

Epizootic shell disease in lobsters

Ethylene from bioethanol

Evaluations of homeopathy

Event Horizon Telescope captures first image of a black hole

Evidence found for plate tectonics on Europa

Evolutionary epidemiology

Expanded range for CRISPR gene editing

Experimental Ebola vaccine is effective

Experiments in 4D printing

Extreme weather events

Extremophiles

Feathered dinosaur tail in amber

Fentanyl is the leading cause of drug overdose deaths

Feral horses of Assateague Island

Fibroblasts

First detection of a radioactive molecule in space

First detection of water vapor on a habitable-zone planet

First direct measurement of van der Waals force

The first launch of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket

The first mapping of the interior of a white dwarf star

First recyclable polyester bioplastic

The Flint water crisis and its health consequences

Flu transmission and potential protection

Food safety and foodborne illness

Forensic science

Fossil may push back age of genus Homo

Four endangered species of giraffes

Fungus-like microorganisms of the Oomycota

Galileo space probe detects plume from Jupiter's moon Europa

Gaming disorder is recognized as a mental health disease

Genetic engineering improves photosynthesis and growth in tobacco plants

Genetic engineering of bananas to combat Panama disease

Genetically modified nonbrowning apples approved for sale

Giant squid finally captured on video

Glacial earthquakes

Glaciers in the Himalayas are melting fast, study shows

Global climate change affects Arctic treeline

Glyptodonts

GPS-enhanced tsunami warning system

Green principles

Green water scarcity and sustainability

Groundwater recharge

Gut enzymes convert human blood from type A to type O

H5N1 vaccine approved by the U.S. FDA

Harnessing the power of nuclear fusion in tokamak reactors

Heroin: an addictive drug

Histamine and histamine intolerance

Honeybee populations on the rise

Hotter core for Earth

How spectroscopy relates to spectrometry

Human diseases spread by tick, mosquito, and flea bites are escalating

Hurricane Alex (North Atlantic, January 2016)

Hurricane Harvey (Atlantic, 2017)

Hurricane Irma (Atlantic, 2017)

Hurricane Maria (Atlantic, 2017)

Hurricane Patricia (Eastern Pacific, 2015)

Hydraulic fracturing (fracking)

Hydrogen fuel cell-powered marine vessels

Hydroxy acids in skin care products

Ichneumon wasps as biological control agents

Ichthyornis provides clues for avian evolution

The impact of social media

Importance of HeLa cells

Incas

Increased carbon emissions from tropical forest degradation

Induced earthquakes

Inexpensive test detects E. coli in drinking water

The InSight mission to Mars begins

Invasive lionfish

Iron carbide mineral discovered in meteorite that does not form naturally on Earth

January 2019 breakdown of the polar vortex

July 2019 was the hottest month on record

Komodo dragon genome provides clues to evolution and physiology

Lake warming

Land-use requirements for solar energy

Landfill mining

Landslide detection and modeling

Late survival of the Neandertals questioned

Launch of the BepiColombo mission to reveal Mercury's secrets

Lazarus effect and Lazarus taxa

Liquid metal transformed into a plasma

Lithium-ion battery anodes produced from waste plastic bags

Living shorelines for coastal protection

Lusi mud volcano cause resolved

Macrophages

Macular degeneration causes severe vision loss

Madden-Julian oscillation

Mammoth cloning and de-extinction

Mangrove forests provide protection against tsunamis

Marburg virus appears in West African bats

Mass extinctions

Massive die-off of saiga antelopes

Massive seabird die-off attributed to ocean warming

Mayas

Medical and behavioral effects of Toxoplasma gondii

Metallochaperones

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

Mild space weather forecast for 2020s predicts few solar storms

Mission's end for the Kepler spacecraft

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and mitochondrial replacement therapy

Molting in arthropods

Morbillivirus infection in bottlenose dolphins

More reliable tornado forecasting method

Mosquito: vector of disease

The most complete profile of an exoplanet’s atmosphere yet

MXenes

Neonicotinoid insecticides banned in Europe

Nerve gas

Neural basis of rhythm in music

Neuroethology

Neuromusicology

Neutron star collision detected through gravitational waves and light

New click chemistry reaction: sulfur fluoride exchange

New geologic map of Mars

New high in atmospheric carbon dioxide

New Horizons at Pluto

New Horizons: second destination

New mass measurement for the Milky Way Galaxy

New neutron star features discovered by the Hubble Space Telescope

New orangutan species

New record for magnetic tape data storage

New single-dose drug shortens flu symptoms

New U.S. aviation rules for piloting commercial drones

Nonfunctional gene in aquatic mammals imparts vulnerability to harmful organophosphates

Northern white rhinoceros on the brink of extinction

Obesity classified as a disease

Ocean acidification affecting fishes' sense of smell

Oil spills

Oldest lizard fossil specimen identified

Olive trees in danger

One World Trade Center in New York named the tallest U.S. building

Opportunities for medical marijuana

Organic food

Oropouche fever in Brazil

Osteoprotegerin holds potential as a therapeutic agent for bone disorders

Overview of Komodo dragons

Papaya and papain

Paris climate agreement

The Parker Solar Probe launches on a mission to enter the Sun's atmosphere

Pesticide residues on fruits and vegetables in the United States

Pharmaceutical use of aspirin

Phoenicians

Phosphorus pollution increases in U.S. lakes and streams

Phototaxis

Phthalates

Plant orbicules act as possible vectors of allergens

Plasma-surfing electrons point to compact particle accelerators

Plastic waste pollution

Polar bears and the climate change threat

Polyelectrolytes

Possible association between depression and gut bacteria

Possible connection between autism and the gut microbiome

Possible new species of killer whale

Possible origin of colored eggs in dinosaurs

The potential for natural climate solutions in the United States

Potential impacts of self-driving cars

Potential of soils for carbon sequestration

Potential transmission of canine influenza virus to humans

Potential use of psychedelic drugs to treat psychiatric disorders

Potential uses of biochar

Potentially potent antimalarial compound discovered

Powerful cosmic particle acceleratordiscovered in a blazar galaxy

Predator-prey relationship of wolves and moose on Isle Royale

Prevention and control of dengue fever outbreaks

Prime numbers and crystal-like materials display similar patterns

Probing fireballs with lasers to better understand explosions

Progress in developing XNAV, x-ray pulsar-based navigation

Proton and antiproton magnetic property measured with new precision

Published papers raise fears of H5N1 avian flu menace

Purkinje cells

The quest for loop quantum gravity

Quorum sensing in bacteria

Range expansion of golden jackals in Europe

Rare-earth elements: recycling or replacement

Reaching the 50-qubit milestone in quantum computing

Record three major Pacific hurricanes observed simultaneously

Recovery of the Iberian lynx

Recycling carbon fiber

Regenerative medicine as a treatment modality for organ loss

Removing organic micropollutants from wastewater

Reusable materials for absorbing oil spills

The rise of big data

Robot rover Curiosity lands on Mars

Robot rover Opportunity concludes mission on Mars

Sargassum seaweed bloom fouling Caribbean shorelines

The Science Behind Microgreens

Sea turtle navigation

Self-driving cars

Sensor to track dust-sized space junk

Sensory function of the narwhal tusk

September 2015 Chile earthquake

September 2017 Mexico earthquakes

Serotonin

Seven synthetic food flavoring additives banned

Severe coral bleaching endangers Great Barrier Reef

Shiitake mushrooms: health benefits

Simulations of pedestrian behavior applied to traffic management

Single-use plastic-bag alternatives

Snow leopard reclassified as vulnerable species

Sodium chloride discovered on Jupiter’s moon, Europa

Southwestern Australia adapts to drier climate

Spread of Zika virus disease

Star's orbit of a supermassive black hole supports theory of relativity

Statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) may have additional beneficial effects

Stretchable conductors

Stretchable electroluminescent skin for soft robotics

Strong and easy-to-form magnesium alloys

Sudden apple decline affecting orchards

Sulfur concrete as a construction material on Mars

Sumerians

Superstretchy polymer reported

Surface treatment for improved lubricity of metal surfaces

Surgical specialties

Sustained remission of HIV after treatment

Symbiosis

Synthesis of a polymer that mimics lubricin

Synthesis of sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid from desalination waste brine

Synthetic biology

Table experiment

Tall wood buildings

Tay-Sachs disease

Teixobactin: first in a new class of antibiotics

Threat to Komodo dragons

Topological insulators

Tornado activity and climate change

Total solar eclipse of August 2017

Total synthesis

Toxic algal blooms threaten marine life along Florida coastlines

Toxicological and environmental effects of polystyrene

Transit of Mercury in May 2016

The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission begins

Trophic cascade in Yellowstone National Park

Tropical Cyclones Chapala and Megh (Arabian Sea, 2015)

Tropical forest

Tumor

Turn your smartphone into a microscope

U.S. bans antibiotics use for enhancing growth in livestock

U.S. Clean Power Plan

U.S. streams found to contain a complex brew of contaminants

Ultrasensitive nanosensor for detecting explosives

Understanding Marfan syndrome

Understanding the health benefits of chocolate flavanols

Unification theories and a theory of everything

Universe’s missing baryonic matter identified as intergalactic hot gas

Unusually bright galaxies discovered in the early universe

Urban tree leaves remove fine-particulate air pollution

Urea-hydroxyapatite nanohybrid fertilizer slowly releases nitrogen

Uses of tannins and tannosomes

Vast population of black holes discovered in the Milky Way's core

Voyager 1 crosses the heliopause into interstellar space

Voyager spacecraft and the edge of the heliosphere

Warm Atlantic water is melting Arctic sea ice

Warm blob in the Pacific Ocean

Waste-to-energy

Water treatment strategies for swimming pools

Waterless dyeing of textiles

Web fingerprinting tracks anonymous users online

Wildfire impact on air quality

World’s fastest organic transistor

Yeti crabs

2015 Nepal earthquake

2016 North Korea nuclear test

2019 Ebola crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

2019 International Year of the Periodic Table

3D integrated circuits

3D printing of multiple materials

50th anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon landing