Inspired by how ants move through narrow spaces by shortening their legs, scientists have built a robot that draws in its limbs to navigate constricted passages. The robot was able to hunch down and walk quickly through passages that were narrower and shorter than itself, researchers report January 20 in Advanced Intelligent Systems. It could […]

The dwarf planet Quaoar has a ring that is too big for its metaphorical fingers. While all other rings in the solar system lie within or near a mathematically determined distance of their parent bodies, Quaoar’s ring is much farther out. “For Quaoar, for the ring to be outside this limit is very, very strange,” […]

For nearly 650 years, the fortress walls in the Chinese city of Xi’an have served as a formidable barrier around the central city. At 12 meters high and up to 18 meters thick, they are impervious to almost everything — except subatomic particles called muons. Now, thanks to their penetrating abilities, muons may be key […]

Today’s red jungle fowl — the wild forebears of the domesticated chicken — are becoming more chickenlike. New research suggests that a large proportion of the wild fowl’s DNA has been inherited from chickens, and relatively recently. Ongoing interbreeding between the two birds may threaten wild jungle fowl populations’ future, and even hobble humans’ ability […]

The worst procrastinators probably won’t be able to read this story. It’ll remind them of what they’re trying to avoid, psychologist Piers Steel says. Maybe they’re dragging their feet going to the gym. Maybe they haven’t gotten around to their New Year’s resolutions. Maybe they’re waiting just one more day to study for that test. […]

Two more top-10 teams in contention for the College Football Playoff lost on Saturday, creating yet more work for the selection committee. Well, sort of. While the committee was forced to reshuffle the rankings after the losses of No. 3 Oregon (38-7 to No. 23 Utah) and No. 7 Michigan State (56-7 to No. 4 […]

The Chargers got outscored 27-14 in the fourth quarter on Sunday as Pittsburgh mounted a late comeback, but ultimately it wasn't enough for the Steelers, as Los Angeles won 41-37 after Justin Herbert hit Mike Williams for a 53-yard touchdown with 2:09 left to ice the game. Herbert, along with running back Austin Ekeler out […]

There will be much more on the line Saturday night than just the WBO welterweight title. If Terence Crawford can defeat Shawn Porter to move to 38-0, he could set himself up for even bigger battles down the road. Even Crawford himself has acknowledged that he has more blockbuster bouts on his mind, including a […]

The Denver Nuggets will be without their superstar and the league's reigning MVP Nikola Jokic when they take on the Bulls at home. This is the first game that Jokic will miss this season due to an injury, with the only other game he didn't suit up for so far was due to a suspension, […]

With his first 3-pointer early in the Bucks home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, All-Star Khris Middleton made franchise history. He surpassed franchise legend and Hall of Famer Ray Allen for the most 3-pointers in Bucks' regular-season history.Allen, considered one of the greatest shooters of all-time, set the tally of 1,051 3-pointers in 494 […]