Crooked Bough News Round-up

— New study: There are lots of icy super-Earths

 

at 4/25/25 3:06pm

"Microlensing" lets us find planets at much greater distances from their star.

[Category: Science, astronomy, exoplanets, microlensing]

— A grim signal: Atmospheric CO2 soared in 2024

 

at 4/25/25 10:25am

Scientists are worried because they can’t fully explain the big jump, but it might mean that carbon absorption is slowing down.

[Category: Science, climate change, syndication]

— Rocket Report: The pitfalls of rideshare; China launches next Tiangong crew

 

at 4/25/25 5:00am

This week, engineers ground-tested upgrades for Blue Origin's New Glenn and Europe's Ariane 6.

[Category: Science, Space, Arianespace, astra, blue origin, china, human spaceflight, launch, NASA, rocket report, spacex, united launch alliance]

— A 2,000-year-old battle ended in fire, and a tree species never recovered

 

at 4/24/25 3:55pm

An ancient Chinese army set fire to an enemy capital, but things got out of hand.

[Category: Science, ancient china, ancient warfare, Archaeology, endangered species, han dynasty, save the trees]

— NSF director resigns amid 55% budget cut, mass layoffs from Trump admin

 

at 4/24/25 1:48pm

The director did not state a reason for the resignation.

[Category: Science, doge, NSF, resignation, trump administration]

— Bone collector caterpillar adorns itself in insect body parts

 

at 4/24/25 12:00pm

The caterpillars even tailor the body parts, nibbling away at excess material to ensure a proper fit.

[Category: Science, animal behavior, caterpillars, entymology, insects, lepidoptera, moths]

— Sadly for China, rare Earth elements aren’t actually all that rare

 

at 4/24/25 8:01am

China has limited US access, but other sources remain.

[Category: Science]

— Can the legal system catch up with climate science?

 

at 4/23/25 3:00pm

New estimate: Fossil fuel companies have caused trillions of dollars in damages.

[Category: Science, attribution, climate change, costs, liability]

— Republican space officials criticize “mindless” NASA science cuts

 

at 4/23/25 8:55am

"Heliophysics is the most unknown—and underrated—part of NASA’s science program."

[Category: Science, NASA, space]

— Drunk man walks into climate change, burns the bottoms of his feet off

 

at 4/22/25 4:25pm

Climate change is a danger to health in a wide variety of ways.

[Category: Health, Science, asphalt, burns, climate change]

— Harvard sues to block government funding cuts

 

at 4/22/25 12:28pm

Suit claims the funding freeze violates First Amendment, Title VI procedures.

[Category: Policy, Science, First Amendment, Harvard, lawsuit, research funding, Title VI, trump administration]

— Are these chimps having a fruity booze-up in the wild?

 

at 4/21/25 1:18pm

New data suggests that the human inclination toward feasting in groups is part of our deep evolutionary history

[Category: Science, animal behavior, Biology, chimpanzees, primates]

— Ghost forests are growing as sea levels rise

 

at 4/20/25 5:05am

As trees choked by saltwater die along low-lying coasts, marshes may move in.

[Category: Science, ghost forest, rising sea, sea level rise, syndication]

— Lichens can survive almost anything, and some might survive Mars

 

at 4/19/25 5:07am

The symbiotic organisms appear to be able to avoid some radiation damage.

[Category: Science, Biology, lichens, Mars, radiation resistance]

— To regenerate a head, you first have to know where your tail is

 

at 4/18/25 12:40pm

Planaria can't replace a missing head until after the tail develops sufficiently.

[Category: Science, Biology, planaria, regeneration]

— Rover finds hints of an ancient Martian carbon cycle

 

at 4/18/25 11:22am

Rather than cycling, some of Mars' carbon took a one-way trip into rocks.

[Category: Science, carbon cycle, Climate science, Curiosity rover, greenhouse gasses, Mars, minerals]

— Women rely partly on smell when choosing friends

 

at 4/18/25 11:16am

College women smelled each other's T-shirts in new study to evaluate "friendship potential."

[Category: Science, social olfaction]

— US Interior secretary orders offshore wind project shut down

 

at 4/17/25 2:25pm

Stoppage comes the same week a government report finds few problems with permitting.

[Category: Science, Burgum, department of the interior, Energy, offshore wind, Trump, wind energy]

— Skepticism greets claims of a possible biosignature on a distant world

 

at 4/17/25 12:02pm

It's really difficult to get a clear sign of life on an exoplanet.

[Category: Science, astronomy, exobiology, exoplanets, hype, life]

— Climate change will make rice toxic, say researchers

 

at 4/17/25 7:46am

Warmer temperatures and increased carbon dioxide will boost arsenic levels in rice.

[Category: Science]

— RoboBee sticks the landing

 

at 4/16/25 12:00pm

New robotic landing gear draws on the crane fly's unique appendages for landing on uneven surfaces.

[Category: Science, biomimicry, RoboBee, Robotics]

As of 4/25/25 9:10pm. Last new 4/25/25 5:22pm.