Duke University

When it comes to technologies used only by humans, you might think that fiber optics would rank right up there. Such is apparently not the case, however, as scientists have discovered that a certain clam uses "fiber optics" of its own to get food.

Most of us are familiar with the vest-clad beagle that hunts for illegal fruits and plants in the travelers' luggage at airports. Now, a species of giant pouched rat has been trained to fulfill a similar role in finding illegal wildlife products.

Thor and the Hulk may be more closely related than we thought. Thunderstorms are known to produce gamma rays in the atmosphere, but a new study has found that not only do they happen way more often than we realized, but they’re much weirder.

For the first time, scientists have shown how a specific protein increases in our organs as we get older and actively promotes the aging process. By blocking this, we could not only live longer but be protected against physical decline and disease.

Researchers have developed a novel intranasal COVID-19 vaccine that enhances the immune system’s response to the virus, providing longer-lasting, greater protection than vaccine injections, even against new and emerging variants.

In order to keep surgeries minimally invasive, it would be great if implants could be injected into the body in liquid form, then solidified once in place. Well, a new ultrasound-based 3D printing process may one day make that very thing possible.

Back in 2018, scientists at Duke University discovered that each time our eyes move, our ears make an imperceptible squeaking noise. Now, the researchers have developed a method of telling where a person is looking by analyzing those sounds.

A study has found that sex toys are an overlooked source of microplastics and phthalates, both of which can be toxic to humans. The findings highlight the need for greater regulation of the sex toy industry to ensure consumer safety.

Researchers have developed an implant that records brain signals to decode what people are trying to say. While still early days, the device may provide people who’ve lost speech due to neurodegenerative disease with the ability to communicate.

The witch hazel plant has quite a unique skill – it's able to shoot out its seeds at a speed of 30 feet (9 m) per second. Scientists now know how the plant does it, and believe that their findings could be applied to human technology.

Decades of work has paid off, with scientists developing a potent new synthetic molecule that swiftly knocked out 285 strains of bacteria it was tested on, setting it up as a valuable ally in our fight against a looming superbug infection crisis.

In a glimpse of what could become a future Black Mirror episode, scientists have hooked the circulatory systems of old mice to young mice, and found that it slows the aging process in the older animals and increases their lifespan by up to 10%.