Frontier Science

Unusual patches of black Amazonian soil rich in nutrients known as “dark earth,” which rapidly accelerates plant growth, remain one of the region’s greatest mysteries.

A new “gold standard” for soil analysis and microplastic extraction has been developed at the University of New England (UNE), unlocking vital capabilities to safeguard agricultural soils and protect human health. Led by Ph.D. candidate Nivetha Sivarajah, the research team developed a new multi-criteria framework to identify the most effective method to extract six common plastic types from different soil textures. The study is published in the journal Soil Advances.

New research into how the Great Pyramid of Giza was built may offer clues about a mysterious void within Egypt’s largest monument.

Until a few years ago, no one had heard of bixonimania. Then, in 2024, a group of scientists posted findings online announcing the condition, which they claimed affected the eyes after computer use. However, the scientists had made it up—not just the work, but the authors’ names, affiliations, locations and funding, which was the University of Fellowship of the Ring and the Galactic Triad.

New research suggests time could hold the key to resolving mysteries of gravity, quantum mechanics, and other phenomena in modern physics.

Researchers from Brown University and their collaborators have developed a new way to measure the properties of cells—an important development, they say, because accurate measurements of changes in cell elasticity can be used to better understand diseases, diagnose patient symptoms and provide more accurate prognoses.

Giant 19-meter-long kraken-like octopuses may have been the apex predators in the Late Cretaceous-era oceans, according to new research.

April 26 marks the 40th anniversary of the explosion at Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The accident caused the largest ever release of radioactive material into the environment, and at the time people predicted that the affected area would be rendered uninhabitable, devoid of life for thousands of years. But the reality is quite different.

MIT engineers reveal plant seeds can “hear” the sound of rain, which awakens them from a dormant state and prompts them to begin growing.

As conflict intensifies in the Middle East, energy markets swing wildly and the cost of living keeps climbing, a pressing question is emerging for anyone who is tied in to the fluctuating energy and food markets: how do we build resilience?