Ancient Cannabis Enzymes Reveal How THC and CBD First Evolved
A team of scientists has taken a closer look at the origins of cannabis chemistry by reconstructing enzymes from ancient plants.
Austin Burgess
“Auto-Brewery Syndrome”: What Happens When the Body Starts Brewing Its Own Alcohol?
A very small number of people can naturally experience symptoms of intoxication despite not consuming any alcohol.
A Newly Discovered Species Offers Clues to the Great Salt Lake’s Past
Researchers have discovered a new species in the Great Salt Lake, offering scientists a new tool for monitoring environmental change.
A New Brain-Stimulation Tool Could Help Scientists Trace the Origins of Consciousness
Although researchers can monitor brain activity associated with perception, pain, and awareness, it remains unclear which neural pathways are tied to the origins of consciousness.
Ancient DNA Reveals a Virus That Learned to Live Inside the Human Genome
A virus that infects nearly all children early in life has, in rare cases, been present within human DNA for thousands of years.
Novel Compound Activates Key Psychedelic Receptor Without Behavioral Effects
Laboratory tests of a novel serotonin-binding compound have revealed an unexpected disconnect between receptor activation and behavior, raising new questions about how psychedelic effects emerge in the brain.
A Jurassic-Era Discovery Reveals How Earth’s Orbit May Help Explain Why Some Shale Layers Are Rich in Oil
New research reveals the role of our planet's orbit in why some shale layers are rich in organic material.
Ancient Teeth Reveal a Surprise That Challenges Our Ideas on Early Migrations Into England
A recent bioarchaeological study shows that human migration in England continued from the end of Roman rule through the Norman Conquest.
Fossilized Bones Can Reveal Chemical Traces of Ancient Biology, New Research Demonstrates
A new study in Nature led by scientists at New York University reports that fossil bones as old as 3 million years still contain thousands of preserved metabolic molecules.
Some Brains ‘Switch Gears’ More Efficiently Than Others—New Research Reveals Why
The brain’s ability to switch between fast and slow processes depends on communication between regions, new research reveals.
Overlooked for a Century, Forensic Scientists Unveil an Unexpected Game-Changer for Solving Crimes
New forensic research reveals that fragments of moss as small as an eyelash can serve as a powerful tool in solving crimes.
‘Action Crisis’ Unraveled: New Research Tackles the Psychology of Doubting Your Doubts
Researchers found that prompting people to question their own doubts, a process called meta-cognitive doubt, can actually strengthen commitment to goals that are central to their identity.
“This Was a Remarkable Observation”: Deep-Sea ‘Zombie Worms’ Have Gone Missing, and It Has Ocean Scientists Concerned
A team of researchers led by Ocean Networks Canada conducted an experiment to lure a species of deep-sea worms to colonize remains placed on the seafloor.
Consciousness May Depend on the Physics of the Brain, Not Just Code
A new theoretical study argues that many standard beliefs about consciousness are rooted in a misleading concept of how the brain functions.
Scientists Reveal How Dinosaur Eggshells Can Function as Natural Clocks for Measuring Deep Time
New research shows that fossilized dinosaur eggshells can be used to help scientists more precisely date prehistoric nesting sites.
A Century Later, Ramanujan’s Pi Equations Are Helping Physicists Unlock the Secrets of Nature
In 1914, Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan published a short paper detailing several unusual formulas for calculating the value of the number π.
An Ancient Sewer System is Revealing How Disease Spread Among Roman Soldiers
Roman soldiers living along Britain’s northern frontier used communal bath and toilet facilities that depended on a sewer system to remove waste from their fort.
A New Theory Suggests Mass May Emerge From Invisible Dimensions
A recent study published in Nuclear Physics B examines how hidden dimensions might influence the physical reality that we observe.
Giant Marine Predators Once Hunted in Freshwater Rivers, New Study Suggests
Large prehistoric marine reptiles known as mosasaurs dominated the oceans until their extinction 66 million years ago.
Combining These Two Cannabis Compounds Reveals a Promising Tool in the Fight Against Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is among the most lethal gynecological cancers because it is often detected at an advanced stage and can be resistant to treatment options.
A Thousand-Year Drought May Have Driven “Hobbits” to Extinction, New Research Reveals
A recent climate study from the University of Wollongong suggests that Homo floresiensis, the small early human species from Liang Bua cave, endured centuries of increasingly severe drought on Flores
4000-Year-Old Discovery Offers Breakthrough in the Mystery of What Fueled a Bronze Age Plague
Scientists have unraveled how an early form of Bronze Age plague that differed from the Black Death spread across Europe.
Radiocarbon Study Redraws the Timeline of Ancient Egypt’s First Pharaohs
New data from radiocarbon dating is offering deeper insights into ancient Egypt and its relationship with the volcanic eruption at Thera.
New Research Has Revealed a Big Surprise About Baby Dinosaurs, Upending Past Thinking About These Ancient Reptiles
Emerging research suggests that dinosaur babies didn’t just grow into adults—they transformed their environments.
Engineered Rabies Virus Reveals How Psilocybin Reshapes Neural Pathways
New research reveals how psilocybin reshapes connections across the brain, helping explain how it can ease depression symptoms for weeks or even months.
Your Brain Rewrites Your Memories Each Time You Recall Them, New Study Finds
A recent neuroscience review questions the long-held belief that memories are unchanging records of past events.
New DMT Study Reveals How the Brain Loses Its Sense of Self Under the Psychedelic Compound’s Influence
A new neuroscience study reports that the psychedelic compound DMT disrupts a key brain rhythm linked to self-awareness.
This Tiny Worm Could Hold a Major Clue to How the Brain Regulates Aging
A surprising discovery from aging researchers shows that dietary restriction isn’t enough to extend lifespan on its own.
Yellowstone Quakes Offer Clues to Finding Underground Life on Other Worlds
A recent study published in PNAS Nexus reports that a swarm of small earthquakes beneath Yellowstone National Park set off a burst of biological activity deep underground.
Forensic Investigators Using Cutting-Edge Science Have Finally Solved a Medieval Murder Mystery
Researchers have used cutting-edge forensic science to solve a medieval mystery that has perplexed scholars for more than a century.
Engineered ‘Nanopores’ Displayed Learning-Like Traits in Recent Breakthrough Experiments, Scientists Say
A team of researchers from EPFL has discovered that biological nanopores exhibit electrical signal responses that resemble learning-like behavior.
A Medieval Poem Misled Historians About the Black Death for Centuries—Scholars Now Reveal the “Spider’s Web” of Plague Myths
A new study in the Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies shows that a widely accepted belief about the Black Death’s rapid spread from Central Asia to the Mediterranean is not based on records or eyewitness accounts, but on a single medieval poem.
Could Toothpaste Made From Hair Help Teeth Regrow Enamel? Scientists Think So
Scientists at King’s College London have developed a sustainable biomaterial derived from hair that could help rebuild tooth enamel.
Lost for 3,000 Years, an Ancient Babylonian Hymn Has Been Restored Using Artificial Intelligence
A team of researchers has used artificial intelligence to restore a 3,000-year-old Babylonian hymn inscribed on cuneiform tablets.
Researchers Trace How a Psychedelic Compound Alters Brain Circuits Tied to Addiction
Scientists have identified a neural mechanism that could explain how a psychedelic compound reduces alcohol intake.
Lost in Thought: New Research Reveals How Meditation Can Potentially Unsettle the Mind
Many people view meditation as a way to achieve a calm state of well-being, but a recent study led by psychologist Nicholas Van Dam at the University of Melbourne suggests the effects can vary from person to person.
New Study Finds Half of Americans Don’t Know Alcohol Raises Cancer Risk
A recent study from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reports that most adults in the United States do not realize that alcohol use increases their risk of developing cancer.
From Petals to Patties: Sunflowers Could Power the Next Generation of Vegan Meat
Researchers in Brazil and Germany have developed a new plant-based meat substitute using sunflower flour, one of the world’s most common oil crops.
Bioengineering ‘Hack’ Allows Scientists to Recreate Octopus Camouflage Pigment Using Bacteria
Scientists at UC San Diego have successfully used bacteria to reproduce a unique pigment that allows octopuses to blend in with their surroundings.
Flatworm Stem Cell Discovery Could Soon Rewrite the Rules of Regeneration Science
Scientists have long been intrigued by the ability of flatworms to regenerate complete bodies from small fragments of tissue. The underlying mechanisms behind this process have remained relatively unclear until recently.
The Discovery of a New Type of Time Crystal is Challenging Past Thinking on These Unusual Structures
Researchers have discovered that quantum interactions between particles can be used to create time crystals with their own internal rhythm, challenging previous beliefs about these strange structures.
Scientists Have Revealed the ‘Shocking’ Hunting Abilities of These Tiny Predaory Worms
Researchers have discovered a microscopic roundworm that uses electrostatic induction to launch itself onto flying insects.
Shape-Shifting ‘Chinese Lantern’ Structure Could Pave the Way for the Next Generation of Adaptive Machines
Engineers have developed a 'Chinese lantern' structure that can shape-shift into various three-dimensional forms on command.
Discovery of Ancient Amber in Ecuador Reveals the Tiny Inhabitants of an Ancient Gondwanan Forest
A team of scientists recently identified the first deposits of amber in South America to contain ancient insects, providing a window into biological life 112 million years ago.
‘Cyberdelics’ Enable Researchers to Produce Mind-Altering VR Hallucinations that Mimic the Effects of Psychedelic Drugs
Scientists have found that immersive virtual reality may offer a way to replicate some of the psychological benefits associated with psychedelic substances, but without the use of any drugs.
Newly Discovered Glowing Shark and a Hidden Crab Reveal the Deep Sea’s Untold Biodiversity
Scientists have recently classified two new species off the coast of Western Australia that illuminate how little we actually know about life in the deep sea.
Ancient Fungi May Have Paved the Way for Life on Land, New Research Reveals
Before the first trees sprouted on Earth, the planet’s barren landscape may already have been transformed by fungi.
Venus Flytrap’s Bizarre Insect Capture Mechanism Has Long Puzzled Scientists—Now They Finally Know How It Works
Researchers have discovered how the Venus flytrap translates a physical touch into an electrical signal that quickly closes its trap.
“We’re Able to See It from Space”: New Clues Point to a Vast Ocean on Ancient Mars
A recent study suggests that Mars displays clear geological signs indicating that ancient rivers once emptied into a massive body of water in its northern hemisphere.
Million-Year-Old Skull Unearthed in China Challenges Timeline of Human Origins
Digital reconstructions of a million-year-old skull uncovered in China could potentially rewrite the origin story of early humans.