I was one of the unenlightened people that thought we knew how rain works. I assumed that rain was essentially the result of water vapor condensing in clouds and falling to earth. I never once considered that precipitation could be caused by bacteria.

The ubiquity of tiny particles of minerals--mineral nanoparticles--in oceans and rivers, atmosphere and soils, and in living cells are providing scientists with new ways of understanding Earth's workings. Our planet's physical, chemical, and biological

In a study of New Zealand's "living dinosaur" the tuatara, evolutionary biologist, and ancient DNA expert, Professor David Lambert and his team from the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution recovered DNA sequences from the bones of

People whose immune systems are uniquely predisposed to hunting down HIV are causing the virus to mutate into a weaker form, suggesting a new tactic for fighting AIDS. A study published yesterday in Public Library of Science Pathogens by scientists at the

For more than a century, photographers have been capturing spooky stuff on film: semi-transparent figures standing in the cemetery, for example, or glowing clouds of "ectoplasm" above a seance table, or orbs floating in a forest, or arcs of light

The explosion of a star halfway across the universe was so huge it set a record for the most distant object that could be seen on Earth by the naked eye. The aging star, in a previously unknown galaxy, exploded in a gamma ray burst 7.5 billion light years

In a new NASA study, researchers taking advantage of improvements in satellite sensor capabilities offer the first measurement-based estimate of the amount of pollution from East Asian forest fires, urban exhaust, and industrial production that makes its

Scientists who conducted the most comprehensive survey to date of New Zealand's Antarctic waters were surprised by the size of some specimens found, including jellyfish with 12-foot tentacles and 2-foot-wide starfish. A 2,000-mile journey through the Ross

They are a sign of maturity, impress the ladies and come in handy for giving rivals a nasty poke in the ribs. But moose antlers have another crucial function - as giant amplifiers. The bony projections enable a male animal to pick up vibrations and boost

Scientists are looking for 200 cannabis users for a study to see whether the drug has a harmful effect on bones. It is hoped the research by academics at the University of Edinburgh could lead to the development of new drugs to treat the bone disease