Hayabusa2 Asteroid Sample-Return Mission’s Next Touchdown Just Got Complicated
Hayabusa2 is now facing an unexpected challenge: the asteroid it is targeting for its next visit is much smaller than previously expected.
Science
Walking Across Water? New Evidence Reveals Ancient Humans Moved from Turkey to Europe on Foot
131 relics discovered between Turkey and Europe suggest ancient humans traversed a currently submerged land bridge during the last Ice Age.
Bizarre “Steam Worlds” Could Offer New Clues in the Search for Alien Life
Strange “steam worlds” may hold the key to understanding where life could exist beyond Earth.
Something Deep Within the Earth is Altering Our Planet’s Gravity—and Satellite Data May Hold Clues to the Mystery
Orbital data reveals that rocks transforming deep inside the Earth may be responsible for changes to our planet’s gravitational field.
Scientists Are Closer to Reviving the Long-Lost Dodo with New Landmark Avian Genetics Breakthrough
Scientists are one step closer to seeing the return of the long-extinct dodo, with the latest breakthrough by Texas-based Colossal Biosciences.
“It Is Still a Surprise”: Cosmic Winds are Defying Expectations in Neutron Star and Supermassive Black Hole Observations
The data from the NASA and ESA's XRISM has discovered unexpected disparities between two different types of cosmic winds.
These Ant Queens Use Uncanny ‘Cloning’ Abilities to Give Birth to Two Entirely Different Species
Scientists have revealed that queen ants in southern Europe can produce male clones of a completely different species.
“The Sun Is Slowly Waking Up”: NASA Warns That Dangerous Solar Storms Are on the Rise
NASA findings show that solar storm activity has been increasing, suggesting a longer-term deviation from standard solar cycles.
Scientists Studying Ancient Mastodon DNA Have Made an Unexpected Discovery About These Ice Age Giants
New studies of genomes from mastodon fossils suggest these ice age beasts were a more diverse group than previously thought.
The Nearest Alien Civilization Might Be Across the Galaxy—and Millions of Years Older Than Us
New research reveals where the nearest alien civilization may exist, which could be far older than intelligent life on Earth.
Bombarding Brain Cells with Lasers, Scientists Pinpoint the Source of Illusions, Revealing New Insights Into Schizophrenia
New research into how the brain processes illusions has bombarded mouse neurons with lasers, artificially reproducing the brain activity.
Cannabis Waste Holds Rare Compounds With Medical Promise, New Research Reveals
Scientists at Stellenbosch University report the identification of flavoalkaloids, a previously unreported class of rare compounds in cannabis.
Did Volcanic Eruptions Support Life on Ancient Mars? New Research Says It’s Possible.
Volcanic activity may have given rise to life on Mars, say researchers, investigating how an early greenhouse effect on the Red Planet.
Mystery of ‘Homo Naledi,’ an Ancient Human Species Who Buried Their Dead, Deepens with New Burial Discovery
Homo Naledi, an extinct species of small-bodied hominins, may have intentionally buried their dead over 240,000 years ago.
Ryugu Asteroid Discovery “Forces Us to Rethink” Origins of Water on Our Planet
Near-Earth asteroid Ryugu was previously covered in flowing water, say researchers examining samples returned by JAXA's Hayabusa2 mission.
Insect Apocalypse: These Ants Are Vanishing at an Alarming Rate
Scientists concerned with a recently identified “Insect Apocalypse” have discovered an alarming rate of decline in Fijian ant populations.
For Decades, Ghostly Halos Haunted the Seafloor off LA—Now Scientists Finally Know Why
Scientists solve mystery of ghostly halos off LA’s coast, revealing toxic waste barrels still reshaping the seafloor.
Is There Life On Mars?: NASA Says Perseverance Rover Found Biosignatures Most Likely From Ancient Microbes
Moving a major step closer to proclaiming that life on Mars once existed, NASA researchers have discovered potential biosignatures.
“Dark Matter Halos”: Harvard Researchers Propose New Explanation for Ghostly “Little Red Dots” in Deep Space
Harvard astronomers are proposing a new theory about the mysterious “little red dots” first spied by the James Webb Space Telescope: Dark Matter Halos
“It Literally Leapt Out of the Rock at Us”: 150 Million-Year-Old Baby Pterosaur Fossils Stun Paleontologists
A recent study provides fresh details about how two small 150 million-year-old pterosaurs met their end during intense tropical storms.
“One of the Best Habitable Zone Planets” Likely Has an Atmosphere, Says New Exoplanet Research
In hopeful news in the search for ET, researchers have discovered signs suggesting an atmosphere surrounding an Earth-like exoplanet.
This Ancient Black Hole May Have Made a Galaxy Instead of Eating It, Astronomers Say
A possible primordial black hole likely born in the first microseconds of the universe may change our understanding of these cosmic maws.
Scientists Finally Unlock the Mystery of Rogue Waves, Upending Previous Long-Held Theories
New study reveals rogue waves are not random flukes but predictable outcomes of storm-driven ocean physics.
“Dark State” Quantum Entanglement Offers “New Avenues for Quantum Information Storage”
Researchers at South Korea’s UNIST finally achieved dark state quantum entanglement, a state previously only existing in theoretical models.
“We Finally Have A Roadmap”: Biomanufacturing Breakthrough Reveals Bacteria’s Ultra-Efficient Breakdown of Plant Waste
The mystery of how tiny bacteria can digest the toughest plant waste has been resolved with major implications for biomanufacturing.
“It Could Change in the Future”: Simulations of Earth’s Mysterious Core Just Revealed Something Unexpected
Researchers have made a surprising discovery that offers clues to how the Earth’s core formed millions of years ago.
Unexpected “Hybrid Ancestry” of This Superfood Staple Reveals Its Secret—and Surprisingly Complex—Genetic History
Despite being a staple food for millions, the genetic secrets of the sweet potato have remained a mystery to scientists... until now.
Solar Mystery Cracked as Scientists Say Flares May Superheat Ions to 60 Million Degrees
Scientists knew our Sun produced incredible temperatures, but new data says some solar flare particles are 6.5 times hotter than suspected.
Psychedelics Can Quickly Reorganize Our Brain Functions, Offering Promise for Lasting Therapeutic Approaches
New studies reveal how psychedelics can reorganize brain function, offering stronger, longer-lasting benefits than conventional approaches.
New Research Finds Cannabis Improves Sleep Quality for Insomnia Sufferers, But There’s a Catch
A new study finds that Cannabis-based medicines may improve insomnia symptoms, but long-term benefits remain uncertain.
Scientists Have Traced Mysterious Earthquakes Rocking Southern Europe to an “Anomaly” Deep Beneath the Seafloor
New evidence is helping scientists track the origins of mysterious earthquakes that have been rattling Southwest Iberia in recent months.
Rare Case of ‘Autobiographical Hypermnesia’ Reveals How the Brain Travels Through Time
Scientists explore 'autobiographical hypermnesia,' a rare ability that allows people to recall of life events in exceptional detail.
ESA’s Solar Orbiter Unlocks the Mystery of the Sun’s Fastest Particles
The Solar Orbiter mission has made another new discovery, tracing two types of solar energetic electrons to their origins in separate events.
Scientists Fear “Mirror Life” Synthetically Produced in the Lab Could Create a Dangerous New Form of Biology
Scientists are warning that creating “mirror life,” a radical new concept in synthetic biology, could potentially have dangerous repercussions.
Deep Underground, a Gigantic Sphere is Accelerating the Quest for Mysterious ‘Ghost Particles’
With JUNO’s official launch, a new era of neutrino experiments is about to take shape within the facility's gigantic spherical observatory.
45 Years of Psychedelic Research Reveals the Deeper Threads of Human Connection, Researcher Says
Psychedelic research sheds light on experiences such as empathy and unity that cross cultural boundaries and speak to shared human qualities.
James Webb Space Telescope Discovery Challenges What We Think We Know About Planet Formation
New James Webb Space Telescope observations present a fresh challenge to long-held ideas about the chemistry of planet-forming disks.
Europe to Face Increased Onslaught of Costly and Dangerous “Supercell Thunderstorms” in the Coming Years
Supercell thunderstorms, one of the most significant extreme weather events affecting Europe today, may soon be occurring more frequently.
James Webb Space Telescope Discovers “Cool Gemstones” and “Fiery Grime” in New Butterfly Nebula Images
Recent James Webb Telescope findings reveal insights into the Butterfly Nebula that may explain how rocky planets form from cosmic dust.
A ‘Giant’ Manifestation of a Long-Puzzling Magnetic Mystery Has Been Observed For the First Time
A very large occurrence of the "anomalous Hall effect," a long-studied magnetic mystery, has been recorded by scientists in Japan.
Quakes on Mars Reveal Unexpected Geological Anomalies Preserving Ancient Impacts
New research challenges the traditional understanding of Mars’s interior, suggesting a chunky texture, unlike the usual smooth depictions.
Scientists May Have Cracked the Code for Creating ‘Flying’ Space-Time Hopfion Crystals
Scientists develop a means of creating 'hopfion' crystals, complex, knot-like patterns of light that repeat across both space and time.
Bright Idea: These “Almost Magical” Glowing Succulents Could Offer Sunlight-Powered Sustainable Lighting Systems
These incredible glowing houseplants engineered by scientists could soon offer sustainable, bioluminescent alternatives to indoor lighting.
New Fossil Discoveries in Ethiopia Reveal Previously Unknown Branch in Human Evolution
New fossils reveal a previously unknown Australopithecus species that coexisted with early human ancestors 2.6 million years ago in Ethiopia.
These Ingenious Spiders Use Light from Captured Fireflies as “Bait” to Attract More Prey
Scientists find evidence of spiders trapping fireflies and letting them live for extended periods of time to attract additional prey.
Origins of Life Decoded? Researchers Unravel How RNA and Amino Acids May Have First Combined
Researchers have revealed early conditions under which RNA and amino acids may have combined, giving rise to the origin of life on Earth.
“Watching It Perform at That Limit is Exhilarating”: Inouye Solar Telescope Captures Highest Resolution Solar Flare Ever
The clearest image of a solar flare yet captured will provide scientists with unprecedented insight into these violent events.
The Hidden Force of Avalanches: Physics Breakthrough Using X-ray Technology Tracks Complex Interactions for the First Time
Scientists armed with novel X-ray technology have confirmed a longstanding hypothesis that reveals the hidden forces behind avalanches.
How the Discovery of a Secret Superpower in the Bee Brain Could Revolutionize AI and Robotics
Inspired by the bee brain, scientists develop a new AI model that could revolutionize how machines learn, adapt, and perceive.
Strange ‘Raindrops’ of Molten Rock That Witnessed Jupiter’s Birth Reveal Clues to the Solar System’s Mysterious Origins
Meteorites discovered on Earth escaped the violent formation of the planet Jupiter, and now researchers have analyzed these space rocks.