Caltech

A new study has highlighted the gut-brain link between social behavior and gut microbes in mice, showing how a lack of certain gut bacteria can increase levels of a hormone that activates a part of the brain that contributes to antisocial activities.

Astronomers have discovered the smallest but most massive white dwarf ever found. The tiny star is only the size of our Moon, but packs in more mass than the Sun, meaning it’s approaching the theoretical limit of what’s possible without exploding.

Astronomers have detected the final piece of the gravitational wave trifecta – a black hole swallowing a neutron star. Two separate events rolled in just days apart, with the black holes gobbling up the stars like Pac-Man rather than Cookie Monster.

A new instrument has made a short jaunt to space, as part of a mission to measure the total light ever emitted in the universe’s history. CIBER-2 will search for stray stars between galaxies by monitoring the cosmic background glow of infrared light.

Water scarcity is one of humanity’s most pressing problems. Now, engineers at Caltech have developed a system that can tap into two sources to produce drinking water, by purifying dirty water during the day and collecting droplets from fog overnight.

Two years ago, astronomers revealed the first-ever direct images of a black hole. Now, the collaboration behind the historic image has released a new version that shows the polarization of the light around the object.

A landmark proof-of-concept study reveals a novel brain-machine interface using ultrasound tracking brain activity to predict subsequent motor movements. The preliminary research suggests a non-invasive way of controlling computers with one's mind.

A growing body of evidence points to the Red Planet being much bluer in its ancient past. Where all that water went is a key question, with many scientists believing it escaped into space. New analysis suggests another answer: it retreated underground.

As part of a project that could greatly speed up the detection of tsunamis, Caltech and Google researchers have developed a method that turns operating submarine communication cables into earthquake detectors without using special equipment.

A quantum internet would be much faster and more secure than the regular web – and now it may be one step closer to reality. Scientists have used quantum teleportation to send information over long distances, with a higher fidelity than ever before.

Four-wheeled robotic rovers may be a good choice for the exploration of other planets, but they could conceivably get stuck at the bottom of deep craters. NASA's DuAxel rover is designed with that in mind, as it splits in two for steep descents.

If a Mars rover ever were to find signs of life on the Red Planet, chances are that it would be in the form of compounds detected in the soil. A newly designed device could better help it do so, as compared to existing technologies.