Weekly Headlines (Excerpts)

1. Mammoth mummies up to 50,000 years old yield oldest RNA yet found

Ancient RNA promises to shed light on how genes functioned in extinct animals

 14 NOV 2025  BY MICHAEL PRICE 

2. ‘A sigh of relief’: New malaria drug succeeds in large clinical trial

As existing drugs falter because of resistance, the world gets a backup—but hard choices loom on how to use it

 12 NOV 2025  BY KAI KUPFERSCHMIDT 

3. Fossil vomit contains new species of pterosaur from Brazil

Filter-feeding flying reptile was likely devoured by a dinosaur during the early Cretaceous

 12 NOV 2025  BY JACK TAMISIEA 

4. Astronomers detect first eruption of plasma around a star other than the Sun

Coronal mass ejections would make it hard for planets to keep an atmosphere and host life

 12 NOV 2025  BY DANIEL CLERY 

5. Australia’s unprecedented toxic algal bloom has a surprise culprit

A relatively unknown species is producing a notorious neurotoxin, devastating sea life

 11 NOV 2025  BY ERIK STOKSTAD 

6. New, more stable qubits could simplify dreamed-of quantum computers

Advance underscores the importance of materials science for quantum computing

 11 NOV 2025  BY ADRIAN CHO 

7. That’s no spider! It’s a decoy

Arachnids build large lookalikes to ward off predators

 11 NOV 2025  BY SAHAS MEHRA 

8. Sand mining threatens Asia’s largest lake

Cambodia’s Tonlé Sap supports important fisheries and wildlife

 10 NOV 2025  BY DENNIS NORMILE 

9. The twisted secret behind a chameleon’s oddball eyes

Coiled nerves allow the reptiles to move their peepers in multiple directions at once without moving their heads

 10 NOV 2025  BY JACK TAMISIEA