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A feral pig looks similar to the domestic pig from which it has descended. Each year, these animals are blamed for causing large and amazingly costly damage in the United States alone.
taviphoto/iStockphoto
Sharks have an uncanny ability to sense tiny electrical fields. It helps them home in on prey. A new electronic sensor now mimics that ability — and works in saltwater.
ShaneGross/iStockphoto
This otter is floating in a raft of kelp. All that can be seen at the surface are the tips of the kelp plants, which are anchored to the sea floor below.
roclwyr/istockphoto
It pays to be kind to yourself. A new study shows that being compassionate with yourself when you make mistakes can dampen depression.
SIphotography/iStockphoto
This chart shows results from a test of the five-second rule. That’s when you pick food up off the floor before five seconds have passed and assume it hasn’t picked up any bacteria. The lines at the top of bars in the chart represent the uncertainty in the data, or how much the results might change if the experiment were done over and over again.
B. Brookshire/SSP
Stretching out your knuckles can sometimes release a sharp pop or two. Scientists have a new explanation for what’s behind the cracking.
Peterfactors/iStockphoto
People who get sick at restaurants may post about it online rather than file a complaint with the health department. Now computers can scout for these posts and alert officials.
PhotoBylove/istockphoto
This young pulsar — or spinning, ultradense star (large white dot in center right) — is not far outside our Milky Way. Some details of such celestial bodies are not visible. They come only from radio transmissions, which can be masked by Wi-Fi signals on Earth.
NASA/CXC/Univ. of Potsdam/L. Oskinova et al.
This is a new kind of aurora that can appear in the sky during displays of the northern lights. It is a purplish and green band of light known as STEVE.
KRISTA TRINDER
Akatsuki spacecraft images show a cloud-covered atmosphere similar to Earth’s. Those clouds hide a hostile surface.
Damia Bouic/DARTS/ISAS/JAXA
An electromagnetic coil around a limb would selectively heat metal in an artificial joint (shown inside coil) without hurting any surrounding muscle and bone. Researchers are testing this approach to treat infections on medical implants.
UT Southwestern Medical Center
In recent tests, bottled water from nine countries contained tiny plastic bits. The microscopic pieces may come from a variety of sources including cosmetics, clothing and packaging materials.
yanik88/istockphoto
A special computer-controlled laser was used to inscribe patterned graphene onto a range of different materials, including this bread. Beyond drawing cute owls, though, scientists want to use the technology to put electronic sensors on everyday items.
Jeff Fitlow / Rice University