Phoenix, Arizona, USA: The ancient Incan sanctuary of Machu Picchu is considered one of humanity's greatest architectural achievements. Built in a remote Andean setting atop a narrow ridge high above a precipitous river canyon, the site is renowned for its perfect integration with the spectacular landscape. But the sanctuary's location has long puzzled scientists: Why did the Incas build their masterpiece in such an inaccessible place? Research suggests the answer may be related to the geological faults that lie beneath the site.

Phoenix, Arizona, USA: Mosasaurs were true sea monsters of late Cretaceous seas. These marine lizards -- related to modern snakes and monitor lizards -- grew as long as fifty feet, flashed two rows of sharp teeth, and shredded their victims with enormous, powerful jaws.

Now, new research suggests that mosasaurs had yet another potent advantage: a muscular breast stroke that may have added ambush-worthy bursts of speed.

Tropical Storm Tapah had taken on an elongated shape as it moved through the Sea of Japan, between South Korea and Japan. When the Global Precipitation Measurement mission or GPM core satellite passed over Tapah, it measured rainfall as the storm was becoming extra-tropical.

What started as a hallway conversation between colleagues is now an "engine for the discovery of new therapeutic targets in cells" thanks to Medicine by Design, says Shana Kelley, a University Professor in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Toronto.

Forecasters use a variety of satellite imagery to understand what's happening in a storm, and sometimes just a visible picture can tell a lot. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite provided forecasters with a visible image of the storm that showed wind shear was pushing clouds away from the storm's center.

The shape of a tropical cyclone provides forecasters with an idea of its organization and strength. When outside winds batter a storm it can change the shape of it and push much of the associated clouds and rain to one side of it. That's what wind shear does.

It is safe to say that 3D displays do not necessarily occur in nature - unless one considers the cephalopod, which includes the squid and octopus, as a living 3D display which can morph its structure and create complex shapes and textures for camouflage purposes or drag control (see video). Now, a research team from the University of Iowa and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is developing a smart skin inspired by the cephalopod which can be used in 3D displays, as interfaces for the visually impaired, and to help reduce drag on marine vehicles.

A snapshot of health conditions revealing the disparities across 38 neighborhood areas in Harris County has been published in the 2018 Health of Houston Survey by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health.

How our brain cells, or neurons, use electrical signals to communicate and coordinate for higher brain function is one of the biggest questions in all of science.

For decades, researchers have used electrodes to listen in on and record these signals. The patch clamp electrode, an electrode in a thin glass tube, revolutionized neurobiology in the 1970's with its ability to penetrate a neuron and to record quiet but telltale synaptic signals from inside the cell. But this tool lacks the ability to record a neuronal network; it can measure only about 10 cells in parallel.

Satellite imagery can be used to peer inside a storm as well as assess the storm's outside shape to give forecasters understanding of what's happening to it. NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite provided forecasters with a visible image of a less-organized Karen after it moved into the Caribbean Sea and encountered wind shear.

On Sunday, Sept. 22 at 5 a.m. EDT, NOAA's National Hurricane Center said that Tropical Storm Karen formed just east of the Windward Islands. Twelve hours later, it had moved into the Caribbean Sea.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Onions and garlic are key ingredients in sofrito, a condiment that's a staple of Puerto Rican cuisine. They may also be a recipe for reducing the risk of breast cancer.

That's according to the findings of a study led by University at Buffalo and University of Puerto Rico researchers. It's the first population-based study to examine the association between onion and garlic consumption and breast cancer in Puerto Rico. The results were published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer.