As anyone who has ever had to brush long hair knows, knots are a nightmare. But with enough experience, most learn the tricks of detangling with the least amount of pain — start at the bottom, work your way up to the scalp with short, gentle brushes, and apply detangler when necessary.

L. Mahadevan, the Lola England de Valpine Professor of Applied Mathematics, of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, and of Physics, learned the mechanics of combing years ago while brushing his young daughter’s hair.

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A new study in Rhodora examined the use of marine lichens to assess water pollution levels in the Boston Harbor. The study led by Liam F. Nokes, a former student at Arlington High School who was working in Donald H. Pfister's lab, suggests that marine lichens could prove useful as bioindicators of ocean pollution, and established a plan for a state fungus. Nokes' (now a student at Dartmouth) proposal is currently under review by...

The modern tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) found in New Zealand may look like a lizard, but it is actually the last remnant of a mysterious and ancient order of reptiles known as the Rhynchocephalians. The Rhynchocephalians peaked in the Jurassic period and then mostly vanished from the fossil record. These odd creatures with jaws that slide back and forth and a third eye on the top of their heads can live for more than a century, and they prefer a chilly climate.

The decline following the Jurassic period created a patchy fossil record making it difficult for...

A new study in Science Advances by Professor Yun Zhang's lab shows that forgetting does not reverse the learning process, rather it generates a new status of the brain.

We all forget events we've experienced and knowledge we've learned in the past. Forgetting is part of normal brain functions due to the limited capacity of the brain. But, understanding forgetting is key to addressing mechanisms underlying many...