By bombarding insects with electrons, Japanese researchers formed a microscopically thin layer that protected them from the ravages of a vacuum. The discovery suggests a way that microbes might survive the harsh conditions of outer space — and perhaps humans as well.

Your body, and even your DNA, are under constant assault from ultraviolet light. Sometimes that's just an unpleasant fact of life. Sometimes, though, the hyperchromic effect and UV light help scientists know when there's a problem - like when DNA has been destroyed.

Scientists have engineered a worm with neurons that respond to light, making it a living bio-bot.

How did a bunch of lifeless molecules transform themselves into living cells, turning the ancient, dead Earth into a planet teeming with life? It's an incredibly difficult question to answer, but a new model might explain part of the story.