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Matt Shipman

two images show an armadillo standing normally and then rolling into a ball. Another set of two images shows a flat structure with slightly raised edges, and then shows the same structure rolled into a wheel-like shape

May 27, 2026

Armadillos Inspire New Protective Technology for Soft Machines

Researchers have drawn inspiration from armadillos to create a protective structure that responds to external threats by curling into a protective ball to protect electronic devices or other payloads. 

photo of an eclipse shows a black sphere against a black sky, surrounded by a thin ray of golden light

May 27, 2026

Study Finds Awe-Inspiring Nature Helps People Connect to Science

When people engage in science activities that involve awe-inspiring natural phenomena they more closely identify with science and feel a greater sense of belonging. 

photo looks out across a vast pile of shipping containers at the surrounding ocean

May 19, 2026

Economists Solve a Mystery Involving International Trade and Competition From China

Economists found what seemed like an international trade paradox. Then they figured out what was causing it. 

bright blue lines trace across a dark blue back ground; each line ends in a tiny white light. it represents strings of data

May 19, 2026

Researchers Improve AI’s Ability to Learn New Tasks Without Sacrificing Performance

A new framework allows AI models that have already been trained to learn new tasks without sacrificing performance when performing old tasks. 

childrens hands hover around several potted plants with bright green leaves on a school table

May 18, 2026

Teaching with Food Boosts Preschoolers’ Science Knowledge and Vocabulary

It also might get preschoolers to taste, or at least touch, the green vegetables on their dinner plates. 

a pair of hands wearing latex gloves swabs a parchment manuscript to collect genetic information

May 18, 2026

Nondestructive Testing Paves Way for Genetic Analysis of Historical Parchments

The technique offers new insights into everything from trade routes to agricultural practices dating back 1,300 years – without harming the valuable manuscripts. 

power transmission lines are silhouetted against the skyline

May 18, 2026

Data Centers Are Driving Up Power Bills. A New Study Looks at How Bad It Could Get

Electricity demand from data centers and cryptocurrency mining is likely to increase power costs in parts of the country by up to 57% by 2030. 

microscope image shows red circles splitting open to spill out white blobs and tangled fibers

May 11, 2026

Study Reveals How Strawberries Were Ambushed By Fungal Parasites

Plant pathogens don't always spread from place to place. Sometimes they lie in wait. 

photo shows a bumble bee resting on a yellow flower

May 6, 2026

How Higher Temperatures Can Benefit (or Devastate) Bumble Bee Populations

New research finds higher temperatures actually benefit some bumble bee species – but periods of extreme heat appear to more than offset those benefits. 

a woman sits at her desk while engaging with a videoconferencing program on her laptop computer

May 4, 2026

Researchers Propose a New Inspection Method to Improve Online Collaboration Platforms

The new method allows designers and developers to build software features that better support different teamwork styles. 

photo shows two bags filled with groceries

Apr 30, 2026

Researchers Create Tool to Help Hunger-Relief Groups Deliver Food More Efficiently

The tool can be used to help hunger-relief organizations get food to households that need it more efficiently than conventional methods. 

photo shows an automated biomanufacturing set up in which liquid is being deposited into plastic cylinders

Apr 23, 2026

How AI Can Help Us Count the ‘Good’ Viruses Used in Biopharmaceuticals

A new methodology that uses AI tools to identify and count target viruses more efficiently. 

a black bear sits on a forest floor, surrounded by green foliage

Apr 21, 2026

Study of Gut Microbes in Black Bears Finds Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria

A study of bears in eastern North Carolina expands our understanding of microbial ecosystems in omnivores, and finds bears may play an unexpected role in dispersing antibiotic-resistant pathogens. 

illustrationshows a double helix of DNA surrounded by small spheres, representing proteins

Apr 20, 2026

Study Finds Each Protein in the Epigenome Produces a Different Pattern of Gene Expression

A new study finds the proteins responsible for controlling which genes are expressed in a genome do more than simply turn a gene on or off. 

two fingers peel a flexible strip of material off of a hand

Apr 20, 2026

New Material Makes Heart Monitoring Tech More Comfortable

Researchers have created heart monitoring sensors that conform to the skin, are comfortable, and can be worn while people are moving.