Planet Earth

A volcano with lava running down its side. The volcano is surrounded by lush forest.

The closer a volcano is to erupting, the greener the trees around it look from space

By Sascha Pare published

Scientists have found a way to monitor volcanic carbon dioxide levels — one of the first signs a volcano might be about to blow — that doesn't involve trekking up a mountain.

Volcanos

The land under South Africa is rising every year. We finally know why.

By Skyler Ware published

The land under South Africa steadily rose between 2012 and 2020, a new GPS-based study finds, and drought may be the main driver.

Planet Earth
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Space

The number of satellites orbiting the Earth is increasing exponentially.

How many satellites could fit in Earth orbit? And how many do we really need?

By Harry Baker published

The number of satellites orbiting Earth is rising fast, thanks to private companies such as SpaceX. But just how big will these "megaconstellations" become? And what problems might they cause?

Space Exploration

James Webb telescope uncovers new, 'hidden' type of black hole never seen before

By Shreejaya Karantha published

By combining data from the Subaru Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope, researchers have discovered distant quasars that are obscured by dust but which may shed light on Little Red Dots.

Black Holes
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archaeology

'I did a bit of a dance': Detectorist finds gold 'mourning ring' engraved with skull and date in UK field

By Kristina Killgrove published

A British metal detectorist discovered a gold band with an engraved date-of-death in Norfolk.

Archaeology
Burial niches are seen inside the elaborate 2,000 year old Second Temple Period family burial cave, known as the Salome Cave, in the Lachish Forest in the Judean lowlands.

Ancient cave burial of 'Jesus' midwife' may actually hold a princess

By Tom Metcalfe published

The site's architecture may indicate the Judaean princess was buried there.

Archaeology
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World of science

Health

Combo of cancer therapy drugs increases mice lifespan by 30%

By Patrick Pester published

A cocktail of FDA-approved cancer drugs, trametinib and rapamycin, boosts the lifespan of lab mice by 30% and might help humans age better, new study finds.

Ageing
The painter Michel Serre's depiction of The Great Plague of Marseille in 1721. The epidemic was the last major plague outbreak in Western Europe, and killed over 100,000 people.

Single gene may help explain the plague's persistence throughout human history

By Ben Turner published

Alterations to a single gene in the plague bacterium's genome have shed light on a method the germ has used to survive and spread through the ages.

Viruses, Infections & Disease

Sleep: Facts about how and why we sleep

By Mindy Weisberger published

Learn facts about sleep, during which the body rests, recuperates and performs essential repairs.

Sleep
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Animals

The history of cat domestication

By Marilyn Perkins, Stephanie Pappas last updated

Discover the history of our feline friends, and learn about the debate over whether cats are really "domesticated" at all.

Domestic Cats
Beautiful white cat with blue sapphire eyes on a black background.

Cats may have been domesticated much later than we thought — with earlier felines being eaten or made into clothes

By Richard Pallardy last updated

Two studies of ancient felines find that cats were likely domesticated in Egypt or other regions in North Africa — and moved into Europe with humans much later than previously believed.

Cats

Birds have been nesting in the Arctic Circle for almost 73 million years, newly discovered fossils reveal

By Jesse Steinmetz published

A major collection of more than 50 bird fossils found in northern Alaska suggest some ancient ancestors of modern birds learned to either adapt to the harsh Arctic winter, or migrate south during the Mesozoic — the age of dinosaurs.

Birds
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Human Behavior

Young couple practicing yoga in a summer park.

Your moral compass is tied to how in tune you are with your body, study hints

By Skyler Ware published

A recent study draws a connection between people's bodily awareness and how they find solutions to moral dilemmas.

Human Behavior

The constant surveillance of modern life could worsen our brain function in ways we don't fully understand, disturbing studies suggest

By Simon Makin published

We live in an era of constant surveillance. Psychology research shows how this might change how we perceive the world — even unconsciously

Human Behavior
Pope Leo XIV stands in papal robes in the middle of two other men on the Vatican loggia

What does the Pope do, anyway?

By Stephanie Pappas, Kristina Killgrove last updated

New pope's schedule will be 'exhausting.'

Religion
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Physics & Mathematics

Particle physics: Facts about the elementary particles that make up our universe

By Damien Pine published

Discover the fascinating world of particle physics — the most fundamental building blocks of the universe and the forces that connect them.

Particle Physics

Does light lose energy as it crosses the universe?

By Jarred Roberts published

The speed of light is the fastest anything can travel. What happens to a photon from a galaxy 25 million light years away on its journey toward Earth?

Physics & Mathematics

Physicists take step toward a 'theory of everything'

By Andrey Feldman published

A new physics paper takes a step toward creating a long-sought "theory of everything" by uniting gravity with the quantum world. However, the new theory remains far from being proven observationally.

Quantum Physics
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Chemistry

A cross-section of the new copper alloy, with the orange dots representing copper atoms, the yellow tantalum atoms, and the blue lithium atoms.

Scientists create ultra-tough copper alloy that is stronger than steel and can withstand temperatures of 1500 F

By Ben Turner published

The new super-strong copper alloy can be used to build better airplanes and spacecraft.

Chemistry
a deer's breath is visible in the cold air

Why does nearly all life breathe oxygen?

By Harrison Tasoff published

Nitrogen comprises around 78% of Earth's atmosphere, so why do most lifeforms breathe oxygen?

Chemistry
Plastic waste by the ocean

Scientists break down cheap plastic using the air — and turn it into something far more valuable

By Ben Turner published

Scientists developed a new method for breaking down one of the most common plastics to a byproduct that can be upcycled into more valuable materials.

Chemistry
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Technology

OpenAI's 'smartest' AI model was explicitly told to shut down — and it refused

By Patrick Pester published

An artificial intelligence safety firm has found that OpenAI's o3 and o4-mini models sometimes refuse to shut down, and will sabotage computer scripts in order to keep working on tasks.

Artificial Intelligence
a woman using a camera outside

Best cameras 2025

By Kimberley Lane published

We've rounded up the best cameras on the market that deliver impressive image quality, reliable autofocus and intuitive handling ahead of Prime Day.

Technology

China has developed the largest drone carrier in the world — and it's getting ready for takeoff

By Damien Pine published

The world’s largest drone "mothership" is getting ready for deployment in June. It’s designed to carry and launch up to 100 drones in a swarm, including kamikaze drones.

Engineering
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