New Research
These Fish Transformed Their Dorsal Fins Into Taste Buds
From tasting to hunting to hitching a ride, some fins have evolved for a variety of uses beyond swimming
How Large Gold Nuggets Form in Quartz Crystals During Earthquakes
Quartz, which can generate electricity, attracts large chunks of gold when stressed and squeezed by seismic shaking, according to a new study
The Roman Siege of Masada May Have Lasted Weeks, Not Years
New research suggests that the Romans defeated the Jewish rebels at Masada much more quickly than scholars previously assumed
The Surprising Link Between Bats Dying and Human Infant Mortality
A new study finds that when bats in U.S. counties were decimated by the deadly white-nose syndrome, human deaths followed closely behind
Humans Pollute the Environment With 57 Million Tons of Plastic Each Year, Study Suggests
Scientists used A.I. to model local waste management in 50,000 municipalities worldwide and say the results suggest a need to improve access to waste collection systems
An Ancient Asteroid Smashed Into Jupiter's Moon Ganymede and Tipped It Over, Study Finds
The cataclysmic impactor was 20 times the size of the rock that wiped out the dinosaurs on Earth
Scientists Solve a 'Murder Mystery' After a Pregnant, Tagged Shark Got Eaten
It's rare for apex predators to become prey, but researchers suggest they've documented the first known case of a porbeagle shark getting consumed by another animal
Experts Discover 1,700 Ancient Viruses in a Tibetan Glacier
Studying how the viruses, which do not infect humans, adapted to previous major temperature shifts could hold clues to how modern viruses will react to the current climate change
Scientists Identify the Gene Behind Thorny Roses and Other Prickly Plants
A recent study could pave the way to cultivating various thornless plants, making them easier to grow and potentially more widely available
'Matching' Dinosaur Footprints Discovered in Africa and South America
The fossils show how dinosaurs may have crossed between landmasses around 120 million years ago, when the continents were still connected
Fossils Capturing a Sea Cow's Violent End Shed Light on Prehistoric Food Chains
New research suggests the dugong-like sea creature was attacked by a crocodile, then its remains were scavenged by a tiger shark—a rare series of events to be immortalized in the fossil record
Colossal Stone Monument Built 1,000 Years Before Stonehenge Shows Neolithic Engineers Understood Science
A recent study of the Menga dolmen in Spain reveals complex construction techniques used roughly 6,000 years ago
What Are the Best Policies for Reducing Carbon Emissions? A New Study Has Some Answers
An analysis of policies implemented between 1998 and 2022 found that just 63 were successful
Our Moon Was Likely Covered in a Magma Ocean Long Ago, and New Data From India's Lunar Rover Supports That Theory
Soil composition measurements from the Chandrayaan-3 mission reveal white rock called ferroan anorthosite, which would have floated to the surface in an ocean of magma
These 'Lost' Bird Species Haven't Been Seen in at Least a Decade—and Scientists Want Help Finding Them
Some of the 126 species on their list haven’t been photographed or recorded in more than century
Mysterious 'Wow!' Radio Signal Might Finally Have an Explanation—and No, It's Not Aliens
The infamous signal recorded in 1977 might have been a laser-like beam of radiation from a hydrogen cloud energized by a powerful, magnetic star, preliminary research suggests
Scientists Suggest Freezing Endangered Animals' Cells and Preserving Them on the Moon
Shadowed areas in lunar craters may be cold enough to safeguard species' DNA amid "climate disasters and social disasters" on Earth, according to Smithsonian-led research
How Did Ice Age Humans Kill Huge Animals Like Mammoths? Probably Not by Throwing Spears, Study Finds
New research theorizes that hunters used pikes planted in the ground—with their sharp tips pointing upward—to impale approaching wildlife using the creature's own weight and momentum
These Spiders Use Captured Fireflies as Flashing Lures to Snare More Prey
A new study suggests orb-weaver spiders manipulate trapped male fireflies to emit female-like signals, which in turn draws more males into the web
Archaeologists May Have Identified the Bones of a Celebrated Ninth-Century Bishop in Spain
Bishop Teodomiro was a central figure in the creation of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage
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