NASA’s Psyche Mission Captures Crescents and Surface Details During Recent Martian Flyby
New imagery released by NASA has revealed a growing “crescent” and surface details on Mars obtained by the agency’s Psyche spacecraft.
Science
Scientists May Have Finally Solved Earth’s Greatest Extinction Mystery
A recent study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that differences in physiology, metabolism, and oxygen use helped determine which marine animals survived the Great Dying catastrophe.
“A Major Milestone in the Search for Life on Other Planets”: First Ever Detection of an Atmosphere Around an Earth-Like, Habitable Zone Rocky Exoplanet
In a major boost to the search for life, Harvard astronomers have detected an atmosphere around a habitable-zone, Earth-like rocky exoplanet.
Astronomers Uncovered a Hidden Bubble Inside the Orion Nebula
A key component of the Orion Nebula had evaded detection by astronomers until now, according to newly published research.
Deep Beneath the Atlantic, an Eerie “Lost City” is Feeding Legions of Lifeforms That Thrive Where Sunlight Never Reaches
Earth’s hidden plumbing system may be feeding one of its strangest ecosystems: the Lost City hydrothermal field in the Atlantic Ocean.
An ‘Asteroid’ Tracked Since 1998 Made an Unexplained Orbital Shift—Now Astronomers Say It’s Something Far More Mysterious
Astronomers say an asteroid recently failed to appear where it was predicted to be, revealing a "dark" twist after decades of observations.
Scientists May Have Finally Solved One of Human Evolution’s Biggest Mysteries: When Our Ancestors Grew Larger
Scientists may have solved when human body size took its biggest leap, revealing a more complex path through evolution.
Scientists Find Intense Breathwork Can Trigger Psychedelic-Like States and Lasting Psychological Changes
Breathwork may trigger psychedelic-like states, emotional breakthroughs, and psychological insights without drugs, new study finds.
Modern Neuroscience Is Starting to Look Surprisingly Similar to Freud’s Theory of the Mind
A new study finds surprising parallels between Freud’s theories of the mind and modern neuroscience, suggesting the brain may work as a prediction machine.
AI Identifies the Most Effective Ways to Measure Water’s Hidden Structure
Researchers at the University of Osaka developed a neural network to test 16 different 'structural descriptors,' which are mathematical tools for measuring how ordered or disordered water molecules are at the microscopic scale.
These Unusual Step-Like Structures on Hillsides Baffled Darwin 150 Years Ago—Now Scientists Finally Know Their Origins
An unusual phenomenon that has been recognized around the world for more than a century has finally been resolved: what are the origins of the distinctive, stair-like ridges that form on steep hillsides?
This Color-Changing Material Could Give Robots a New Way to Detect Touch
Engineers at Queen Mary University of London have created a tactile sensor, described in a study published in Science Advances, that allows robots to detect touch using a simple camera.
AI ‘Ghosts’ Offer New Opportunities for Conversations with Deceased Loved Ones, Study Reveals
A recent study documented a participant using an AI model to simulate a conversation with her late grandmother.
ESA’s Euclid Telescope Just Spotted Two Record-Breaking Ancient Giants Among the Most Remote Objects in the Cosmos
The ESA's Euclid Space Telescope has spotted more than 30 ancient quasars that rank among the oldest and most remote space objects ever seen.
How Jellyfish Can ‘Miraculously’ Heal Without Scars Has Long Remained a Mystery—Scientists Now Know Their Secret
Jellyfish can close a wound in real time, without stitches, scabs, or scars. Now scientists have unlocked the secrets of how they do it.
How Did a Crab Become Trapped in a Bottle with an Opening Too Small to Enter? Once-Baffled Scientists Say They’ve Solved the Mystery
An oceanic mystery has unfolded with the discovery of a crab in a plastic bottle with an opening too small for the crustacean to fit through.
Deep Inside the Earth’s Molten Core, a Sudden ‘Reversal’ Now Has Scientists Searching for Answers
The molten iron core deep within our planet could be much more dynamic and complicated than previously known, new research suggests.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover is Investigating Unusual Polygon Structures That Look Like a “Giant Martian Honeycomb”
An odd-looking series of polygon-shaped structures have been discovered on Mars, as revealed in new images obtained by NASA’s Curiosity Rover.
The Unconscious Brain May Be More Capable Than Scientists Realized
While a patient is fully anesthetized and unresponsive, neurons in the hippocampus continue to process language, distinguish different types of words, and generate neural activity consistent with predicting upcoming words.
Earth May Have Been Sending Microscopic Hitchhikers Toward Venus for a Billion Years
A new model suggests that asteroid impacts on Earth may have occasionally launched microscopic material into space that could have reached Venus’s atmosphere over billions of years.
A Mysterious Circular Structure Buried Under the North Sea Has Revealed New Evidence of an Ancient Cataclysmic Event
Scientists have solved the mystery of an unusual circular structure beneath the North Sea that has been debated for more than two decades.
Scientists Used Water to Uncover a Strange, ‘Invisible’ Quantum Phenomenon That Remained Elusive for Decades
A team of physicists set out to recreate a 60-year-old quantum mystery using a large water tank.
Yellowstone Supervolcano Eruptions Aren’t Caused by What Scientists Used to Think They Were
Yellowstone and other volcanic supereruptions may work completely differently than previously assumed, according to researchers.
The First Ancient Protein Analysis of Homo Naledi Has Revealed a New Burial Mystery
A recent study, published in Cell, marks the first ancient protein analysis of Homo naledi and raises the possibility that the Dinaledi Chamber may contain predominantly, or possibly exclusively, female individuals.
New Research Suggests Human Laughter May Hold a 15-Million-Year Old Secret
Human laughter may share a 15-million-year-old evolutionary rhythm with our primate ancestors, offering clues about the origins of speech.
Scientists Have Discovered an Ancient Brain Circuit That Filters Distractions
Before the prefrontal cortex evolved, another system in the brain may already have been directing attention.
Something is Swarming in Swirls of Green in the Black Sea—and These NASA Images Captured the Phenomenon from Orbit
NASA orbital imagery of the Black Sea has revealed eerie-looking swirls of turquoise-green swarming in its waters.
CERN Provides Good News on Climate Change as Nature Proves Unexpectedly Resilient
New climate change research conducted at CERN offers rare, hopeful news about the planet’s resilience to global warming.
A Slowly Aging Butterfly Could Help Scientists Understand Longevity
A University of Bristol-led study reports that a species of butterflies has evolved both longer lifespans and slower physical decline.
“We Call It Weather Jiu-Jitsu”: Scientists Want to Fight Extreme Weather With Precision ‘Nudges’ Instead of Force
Scientists have unveiled a method for controlling the weather with existing technology to alter the path of extreme storms before they land.
Discovery of Fungi Living Within Desert Moss is Challenging Past Thinking on How Organisms Thrive in Arid Environments
Moss has long been regarded as unusual among land plants for its resilience and apparent independence from fungal partnerships, which are common in other species; however, new research from UC Riverside indicates that this view may not apply in desert environments.
“Dark Matter Might Have Additional Interactions that are Hidden”: Physicists Are Searching for a Mysterious “Dark Force”
Dark matter interactions may point to a hidden “dark force,” unexpectedly constraining our Universe’s expansion and structural development.
NASA’s Webb Telescope Spied on Interstellar Object 3I/ATLAS as It Left Our Solar System—What It Spotted “Surprised Researchers”
Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have revealed surprising new data about the mysterious interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS.
Deep in the Jungles of Borneo, Scientists Just Discovered a “Hyperparasite” Organism That Preys on Zombie Fungi
Scientists working in the jungles of Borneo report an unsettling discovery: a parasitic organism that they say has a hunger for zombie fungi.
Scientists Warn Extraterrestrial Encounters Could Endanger Earth—a Quarantine Facility on the Moon May Be Our Last Line of Defense
Researchers say a biocontainment facility on the Moon could be humanity's last line of defense against potential future alien contamination.
Scientists Want to Know Whether Meditation Can Boost the Effects of Psilocybin Therapy
A new research initiative at the University of Southern California is investigating the effects of combining psilocybin with structured mental training.
Elephant Trunk’s Hidden Design Could Inspire a New Generation of Soft Robots
The elephant's trunk has long been studied by engineers seeking to understand how it performs both powerful and delicate tasks effectively.
Thinking of Gifting a DNA Test for Father’s Day? This Researcher Warns it Could Lead to Surprising Discoveries
Psychologists warn that DNA testing kits may reveal shocking family secrets, which may lead to emotional distress, and even privacy concerns.
Could Humans Regrow Limbs? Scientists Are Closer Than Ever to Unlocking a Hidden Power of Regeneration
Scientists have regrown skeletal and connective tissues in mammals, marking a “critical step” toward enabling tissue regeneration in humans.
Earthquake That Shifted the Entire Japanese Archipelago Reveals “Previously Unrecognized Source of Seismic Hazard”
An earthquake shockwave bouncing around inside the Earth moved the entire Japanese archipelago by 5 to 6 millimeters.
Astronomers Observing a Supermassive Black Hole Just Had an Unexpected UFO Sighting
Scientists report the detection of one of the strongest "UFOs" astronomers have ever seen during observations of a supermassive black hole.
Holographic Breakthrough: This New Futuristic 3D Imaging System Overcomes a Longstanding Problem for Holographic Tech
A new 3D image projection system marks a major step toward overcoming a longstanding problem for holographic technology.
NASA’s Curiosity Uncovers New Clues to Mars’ Potential of Supporting Ancient Life
NASA’s Curiosity rover has made a discovery that offers promising new indications of the ancient preservation of organic chemistry on Mars.
Ancient Microbes Preserved in Rapidly Thawing Arctic Middens Are Waking Up—Could They Pose a Threat to Us Today?
An analysis of ancient microbes frozen in rapidly thawing ancient middens spanning Greenland estimates the potential for modern-day spread.
“We’ve Never Seen Anything Like This”: Discovery of a Hidden Biological Clock Reveals the “Master Key” to Growth and Development
A hidden biological clock has been discovered by genetic researchers, revealing how proteins act as a timing mechanism during development.
James Webb Space Telescope Reveals Two Completely Different Twilights on an Alien World
For the first time, astronomers have distinguished between the morning and evening atmospheres of a single planet, revealing two remarkably different environments at its edges.
Quest for Fire: New Technique Pushes First Intentional Use of Fire to Over One Million Years Ago
Scientists studying the site of the oldest-known intentional use of fire have found evidence pushing that date past one million years ago.
A Venus Flytrap Mystery That Has Perplexed Scientists Since Darwin Has Finally Been Solved
New research is finally shedding light on one of the Venus flytrap's most curious and enduring mysteries.
A Hidden Subterranean Fungal Network is Revealing the Secrets of Earth’s ‘Circulatory System’
Ancient mycorrhizal fungal networks, consisting of a billion astronomical units' worth of roots, have finally been mapped by scientists.
The Amaterasu Particle May Not Be a Proton at All, New Research Suggests
A recent study suggests that the Amaterasu particle, along with other extremely energetic cosmic rays, may actually be atomic nuclei heavier than iron.