No one knows exactly how the nocturnal hunters manage their whisper-soft flight, yet it's inspiring the design of quieter airplanes, fans and wind turbines

A new study of ancient climate has a dire warning about today's dry conditions

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The fourth installment in our weekly series spotlights titles that may have been lost in the news amid the COVID-19 crisis

Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III says: ‘It’s time to put our heads down, and work’

Smithsonian's Earth Optimism Summit features CNN's Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir

Spencer's ideas laid the groundwork for social Darwinism, but scholars say there was much more to the Victorian Age thinker than that

Marine biologist Cristina Mittermeier discovered that visual storytelling, rather than data sets, allowed her to be a better advocate for the ocean

What lies inside the icy cavern seems more and more like a captive, rare animal, an Earth form that might soon be lost

While COVID-19 stymies travel, help conserve those things—from cacti to manta rays—that will beckon you later

Researchers have developed a safe and accurate 3D imaging method to identify sperm cells moving at a high speed. The new method has the potential to significantly improve IVF treatments.

Over the past quarter-century, changes in Antarctic sea-ice cover have had profound impacts on life on the ocean floor.

Hydrogen is a possible next generation energy solution, and it can be produced from sunlight and water using photocatalysts. A research group has now developed a strategy that greatly increases the amount of hydrogen produced using hematite photocatalysts. In addition to boosting the high efficiency of what is thought to be the world's highest performing photoanode, this strategy will be applied to artificial photosynthesis and solar water-splitting technologies via university-industry collaborations.

An international research team has conducted the first in-depth, wide-scale study of the genomic history of ancient civilizations in the central Andes mountains and coast before European contact. The findings reveal early genetic distinctions between groups in nearby regions, population mixing within and beyond the Andes, surprising genetic continuity amid cultural upheaval, and ancestral cosmopolitanism among some of the region's most well-known ancient civilizations.

Researchers have identified the single gene that determines how Cape honey bees reproduce without ever having sex. One gene, GB45239 on chromosome 11, is responsible for virgin births.

A lipid metabolism enzyme controls brain stem cell activity and lifelong brain development. If the enzyme does not work correctly, it causes learning and memory deficits in humans and mice, as researchers have discovered. Regulating stem cell activity via lipid metabolism could lead to new treatments for brain diseases.

Data centres and digital information processors are reaching their capacity limits and producing heat. Foundational work here on optical-acoustic microchips opens door to low-heat, low-energy, fast internet.

New modeling of coronavirus behavior suggests that an intervention strategy based on shield immunity could reduce the risk of allowing the higher levels of human interaction needed to support expanded economic activity.

Educational status appears to have positive influence on a healthy diet, particularly in low income countries, according to new research examining European nutritional data.

Olanzapine, a generic drug used to treat nervous, emotional and mental conditions, also may help patients with advanced cancer successfully manage nausea and vomiting unrelated to chemotherapy.

Treating hospitalized COVID-19 patients with anticoagulants -- blood thinners that slow down clotting -- may improve their chances of survival, researchers report. The study could provide new insight on how to treat and manage coronavirus patients once they are admitted to the hospital.

New machine learning methods bring insights into how lithium ion batteries degrade, and show it's more complicated than many thought.

Millions of people around the world use acid suppressants called proton pump inhibitors for conditions like heartburn, gastritis and stomach ulcers. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden now report that how the long-term use of these drugs could increase the risk of developing dementia. Their results are published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia.

The brain has a powerful ability to remember and connect events separated in time. And now, in a new study in mice, scientists have shed light on how the brain can form such enduring links.

The Monte Conca cave system in Sicily is showing signs of being altered by pollution from above.

Scientists have successfully developed a new technique to reliably grow crystals of organic soluble molecules from nanoscale droplets, unlocking the potential of accelerated new drug development.

Regular processes in the environment improve our eyesight.

Scientists have developed a green way to create chitin, by using two forms of food waste - prawn shells and discarded fruit - and fermenting them.

A new global simulation model offers the first long-term look at how urbanization -- the growth of cities and towns -- will unfold in the coming decades. The research team projects the total amount of urban areas on Earth can grow anywhere from 1.8 to 5.9-fold by 2100, building approximately 618,000 square miles.

A research team has good news for patients with copper-deficiency disorders, especially young children diagnosed with Menkes disease.

As interest in the application of plasma medicine -- the use of low-temperature plasma (LTP) created by an electrical discharge to address medical problems -- continues to grow, so does the need for research advancements proving its capabilities and potential impacts on the health care industry. Across the world, many research groups are investigating plasma medicine for applications including cancer treatment and the accelerated healing of chronic wounds, among others.

Researchers have found that flies sleep more when they can't fly, possibly because sleeping helps them adapt to a challenging new situation.

The direction of ocean currents can determine the direction of gene flow in rafting species, but this depends on species traits that allow for rafting propensity. This is according to a study focusing on seahorse and pipefish species. And it could explain how high genetic diversity can contribute to extinction in small populations.

A new study investigates the impact of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), the largest international cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gas emissions in the world, on power plant fuel efficiency.

"For people that already have mental health concerns it might be more escalated and others who have not had mental health concerns are now experiencing (them) because of some of the anxiety and stress that's caused by COVID-19."

The plunge in jobs was 73,800 relative to February, but Saskatchewan saw a shallower decline than any other province as COVID-19 devastates labour markets across Canada.

Due to COVID-19, what we think of as traditional funerals are unable take place in Saskatchewan, and it's taking a toll on those who have lost loved ones.

The "High Quality Camera" unlocks a world of photography options for the Pi.

Once again, Intel's banking on a high clock speed to drum up excitement.

Here’s what notifications for iOS and Android COVID-19 tracing will look like.

Google I/O isn’t happening this year, but we’ll get all the normal info next month.

It's not the first time Facebook has wreaked havoc on iOS, either.

One person is now in charge of Google’s six messaging apps.

The life of a New York video game enthusiast who died from complications of the coronavirus was celebrated with a virtual service on Nintendo’s hit video game: “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.”

Sensors being developed by Airbus and a California-based startup might be able to sniff out COVID-19 in an effort to help prevent its spread.

Boston Dynamics robot dog, known as Spot, is patroling Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park in Singapore to help with social distancing practices during the coronavirus pandemic, the Singapore government announced.

Siemens is preparing for a prolonged economic trough triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, Chief Executive Joe Kaeser told CNBC on Friday after releasing fiscal second-quarter results.

Siemens has secured a 3 billion euro ($3.25 billion) loan that will be transferred to the group's Energy unit, which is scheduled to be spun off at the end of September, Chief Executive Joe Kaeser told Bloomberg TV on Friday.

Facebook Inc said on Friday it would allow its workers who are able to work remotely to do so until the end of the year as the coronavirus pandemic forces governments to extend stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the disease.

Siemens stock surged on Friday after the German engineering company said it was speeding up cost savings to tackle the coronavirus downturn and the flotation of its energy business remained on track.