Planet Earth

Aerial view of a dry river in Nevada, near Colorado River and Grand Canyon, USA.

Ancient groundwater records reveal worrying forecast for US Southwest

By Sascha Pare published

Groundwater records from the last ice age indicate that aquifers in the U.S. Southwest are more sensitive to global warming than aquifers in the Pacific Northwest.

Climate change

In 2025, Tornado Alley has become almost everything east of the Rockies — and it's been a violent year

By Daniel Chavas published

Opinion A storm scientist explains what's been driving deadly tornado outbreaks and how tornado season has been changing.

Opinion
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Space

Is Mars really red? A physicist explains the truth.

By David Joffe published

Mars isn't a bright, fire-engine red, but the iron oxide in its rocks makes it appear redder than other planets, especially from afar.

Mars

How to see the first images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory on Monday

By Perri Thaler published

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory will share its first highly-detailed images of the sky on Monday. Find details about how to see them here.

Astronomy
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archaeology

Large bust of Ramesses II in a public museum.

How did Ramesses II die — and did his more than 100 children fight for the throne?

By Owen Jarus published

Ramesses II was around 90 years old when he died, an astonishing age for ancient Egypt.

Ancient Egyptians

Evidence is building that people were in the Americas 23,000 years ago

By Laura Geggel published

A new analysis of the ancient human footprints at White Sands National Park in New Mexico offers more evidence that they are around 23,000 years old.

Archaeology
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World of science

Health

Our expert reviewer testing the workout features on the Garmin Fenix 8 smartwatch

Best fitness trackers 2025: Measure steps, sleep, exercise performance and more

By Andrew Williams, Anna Gora last updated

Buying Guide These are the best fitness trackers you can buy in every category, from Amazfit Balance and Garmin Fenix 8 to TicWatch Atlas.

Buying Guide

The brain might have a hidden 'off switch' for binge drinking

By Marianne Guenot published

Flipping the switch on fewer than 500 neurons dramatically reduces the alcohol consumption of mice. This novel finding could lead to new targets for therapeutics.

Alcohol

1 psychedelic psilocybin dose eases depression for years, study reveals

By Jane Palmer published

Half a decade after receiving a psychedelic treatment for depression, two-thirds of patients in a new study remained in remission.

Mind
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Animals

Crows: Facts about the clever birds that live all over the world

By Marilyn Perkins, Alina Bradford last updated

Discover interesting facts about how crows remember faces, mimic human speech and more.

Birds

'Statistically, that shouldn’t have happened': Something very weird occurred in the ocean after the dinosaur-killing asteroid hit

By Stewart Edie published

Not everything dies in a mass extinction. Sea life recovered in different and surprising ways after the asteroid strike 66 million years ago. Ancient fossils recorded it all.

Extinct species

How do migrating birds know where they're going?

By Marilyn Perkins published

To navigate the skies, birds rely on a complex sensory tool kit.

Birds
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Human Behavior

Strikingly simple 'dial' in the brain may help it distinguish imagination from reality

By Payal Dhar published

Activity levels in a specific region of the brain predict whether we think something is real, irrespective of whether we've seen it or imagined it.

Human Behavior

People's mental health often improves after weight-loss surgery. A study pinpoints the real reason why.

By Marianne Guenot published

Feeling less stigma — not losing weight — was linked to better mental health and eating behaviors after bariatric surgery.

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
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Physics & Mathematics

Bizarre radio signals that defy physics detected under Antarctica

By Perri Thaler published

Researchers detected mysterious radio waves in Antarctica that seem to defy the rules of particle physics. Now they're searching for a cause.

Particle Physics

'Alien's language' problem that stumped mathematicians for decades may finally be close to a solution

By Joanna Thompson published

The Inter-universal Teichmüller Theory, an infamous proof that has confounded mathematicians for over a decade, has been partially solved.

Mathematics

'Neutron lifetime puzzle' may have a new solution

By Andrey Feldman published

A type of hydrogen that doesn't interact with light could explain how long neutrons live and reveal the identity of the universe's dark matter, according to a new theory.

Physics & Mathematics
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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

A robot holding a power plant above its head.

Advanced AI reasoning models generate up to 50 times more carbon dioxide than common LLMs

By Ben Turner published

Asking AI reasoning models questions in areas such as algebra or philosophy caused carbon dioxide emissions to spike significantly.

Artificial Intelligence
boy photographing a flower and butterfly in a field

Best macro lenses 2025: Get close to nature with incredible detail

By Kimberley Lane published

The best macro lenses for capturing the tiny world ahead of Prime Day on July 8-11 — including Sony, Nikon, Canon and more.

Technology
The best thermal binoculars

Best thermal binoculars: Observe nocturnal wildlife after dark

By Matt Morris published

We've rounded up the best thermal imaging binoculars ahead of Prime Day that enable you to see wildlife and humans in the dark.

Technology
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