Science News: Recent scientific discoveries and expert analysis
Read the latest science news and recent scientific discoveries on Live Science, where we've been reporting on groundbreaking advances for over 20 years. Our expert editors, writers and contributors are ready to guide you through today's most important breakthroughs in science with expert analysis, in-depth explainers and interesting articles, covering everything from space, technology, health, animals, planet Earth, and much more.
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Self-driving cars can tap into 'AI-powered social network' to talk to each other while on the road
By Lisa D. Sparks published
A team of scientists upgrade communications between self-driving cars to improve efficiency and enable the vehicles to share current, accurate driving insights.

18th-century monk's anus was stuffed with wood chips and fabric to mummify him, researchers discover
By Kristina Killgrove published
An 18th-century Austrian monk who died of tuberculosis was mummified in an extremely unusual way.

Hidden messages found on 3,300-year-old Egyptian obelisk in Paris
By Owen Jarus published
A researcher believes he has found hidden messages on a 3,300-year-old ancient Egyptian obelisk that is now in Paris.

A single molecule may treat rare, devastating mitochondrial diseases
By Nicoletta Lanese published
Scientists found a compound that appears to counter common mutations behind POLG-related diseases, rare conditions that harm mitochondrial DNA.

ChatGPT update pulled after chatbot complimented users too much
By Patrick Pester published
A recent update caused ChatGPT to turn into a sycophant, with the chatbot excessively complimenting and flattering its users with reassurances — even when they said they'd harmed animals or stopped taking their medication. OpenAI has now reversed the changes.

Vesta, the 2nd-largest asteroid in the solar system, may be a piece of a lost planet
By Evan Gough published
Vesta, thought to be the second-largest asteroid in the solar system, could be a piece of an ancient, unknown planet, a new study hints.

AI researchers ran a secret experiment on Reddit users — and the results are creepy
By Ben Turner published
University of Zurich researchers secretly unleashed an army of manipulative chatbots on the r/changemyview subreddit — and they were more persuasive than humans at getting people to change their minds.

'Overkill' injuries on Bronze Age skeletons reveal fierce feuding in ancient China
By Kristina Killgrove published
A unique Bronze Age cemetery in China has revealed a high frequency of injuries suggestive of intense, violent interactions.

Eta Aquariids peak Monday night: How to see 'shooting stars' left by Halley's comet
By Jamie Carter published
The annual Eta Aquariid meteor shower, linked to Halley's Comet, will peak overnight on May 5 and 6.

'Groundbreaking' ancient DNA research confirms Pueblo peoples' ties to famous Chaco Canyon site
By Margaret Osborne published
New genetic research confirms what the oral traditions of the Picuris Pueblo people of New Mexico have long described — that they're related to the Indigenous people of Chaco Canyon.

Ancient zircon crystals shed light on 1 billion-year-old meteorite strike in Scotland
By Patrick Pester published
Geologists have found that an ancient meteorite hit Scotland 200 million years later than previously thought, which has massive implications for the geological history of the region and some of the U.K.'s earliest land life.

Dinosaurs might still roam Earth if it weren't for the asteroid, study suggests
By Richard Pallardy published
The dinosaurs were not in decline before the asteroid hit, a new study finds. Instead, poor fossilization conditions and unexposed late Cretaceous rock layers mean they're either not preserved or hard to find.

Watch robots swarm to flow like water and harden like a solid
By Andrea Saravia Pérez published
Researchers have discovered a way to make tiny robots act like a material, mirroring embryonic tissue cells to adjust their structure on command.

Full moons of 2025: When is the next full moon?
By Jamie Carter last updated
May's full moon is the Flower Moon, rising May 12. It will also be a micromoon, appearing slightly smaller than usual.

'The Big One' could rock the Pacific Northwest and fuel sea-level rise and massive flooding
By Stephanie Pappas published
The geology of the Cascadia subduction zone has largely staved off climate-related sea-level rise in the Pacific Northwest, but that could reverse in an instant.

Gigantic, glow-in-the-dark cloud near Earth surprises astronomers
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
The discovery of Eos, the closest known molecular cloud to Earth and one of the largest structures in the night sky, hints at the presence of many previously unseen clouds throughout the galaxy.

2,300-year-old sword with swastikas unearthed at necropolis in France
By Sahas Mehra published
A Celtic burial site from the Second Iron Age in France contains two rare, well-preserved swords.

Humans heal much more slowly than chimps do. Researchers are still trying to figure out why.
By Jess Thomson published
Researchers have found that wounds heal three times more slowly in humans than in other primates and rodents, suggesting we may have evolved slower healing at some point in our ancestry.
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