Science

What mud cracks on Mars tell us about whether life could have formed on the planet

By Bella Isaacs-Thomas

Researchers believe the cracks experienced sustained wet-dry cycles, which may be key to creating conditions that could cultivate the building blocks of life.

FDA plans to regulate thousands of lab tests that have long skirted oversight

By Matthew Perrone, Associated Press

The Food and Drug Administration says it plans to begin regulating laboratory-based medical tests. It's a multibillion-dollar industry that regulators say poses a growing risk to patients.

Biden vetoes two Republican-led bills to undo protections for the prairie chicken and northern bat

By Matthew Daly, Associated Press

President Joe Biden has vetoed Republican-sponsored bills intended to undo federal protections for two endangered species that have seen their populations plummet over the years.

French President Macron unveils latest plan for meeting climate-related commitments in the coming years

By Sylvie Corbet, Associated Press

Macron has unveiled plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet the country's climate-related commitments in the coming year. That includes reducing dependency on fossil fuels and boosting electric car use.

Artificial intelligence is on the world’s mind. Is the UN the place to figure out what to do about it?

By Jennifer Peltz, Associated Press

Governments at various levels are mulling or have already passed AI regulation. But many eyes are on the U.N. as perhaps the only place to tackle the issue at scale. The world body is set to convene an AI advisory…

What scientists hope to learn from asteroid sample returned to Earth on NASA spacecraft

By Miles O'Brien, Kate Tobin

You may have heard about a NASA probe that successfully brought some samples from a deep-space asteroid back to Earth. It took four billion miles to get them, but researchers believe it will be worth it. You also may be…

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Biden tells Pacific islands leaders he hears their warnings about climate change and is committed to act

By Aamer Madhani, Will Weissert, Associated Press

Pacific islands leaders gathered on Monday for a White House summit. Many have been critical of rich countries for not doing enough to control climate change despite being responsible for much of the problem.

More research is examining how we carry the ‘genetic legacy’ of extinct human species

By Laura Ungar, Maddie Burakoff, Associated Press

Neanderthal genes have been linked with our immune systems and COVID-19 response, while Denisovan genes may help adapt to high altitudes.

News Wrap: GOP hardliner blasts McCarthy’s plan to avoid government shutdown

In our news wrap Sunday, House negotiations to avoid a government shutdown enter their final week, France is ending its military presence in Niger, talks continued in the auto workers and Hollywood strikes, NASA retrieved its first asteroid samples from…

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As the threat of wildfires rises, groups tasked with fighting them turn to AI for help

By Kelvin Chan, Associated Press

With wildfires becoming larger and more intense as the world warms, firefighters, utilities and governments are scrambling to get ahead of the flames by tapping into the latest AI technology.