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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Venus and Jupiter conjunction: How to watch the 2 brightest planets 'kiss' on Aug. 12
By Gretchen Rundorff published
Venus and Jupiter will meet in a conjunction in the early morning hours of Aug. 12. Here's everything you need to know to spot the two brightest planets at their best.

Man sought diet advice from ChatGPT and ended up with 'bromide intoxication'
By Nicoletta Lanese published
A case report describes an incident in which a man seeking to make a dietary change consulted ChatGPT and later developed "bromism," a rare "toxidrome."

'The most significant JWST finding to date': James Webb spots — then loses — a giant planet orbiting in the habitable zone of our closest sun-like star
By Elizabeth Howell published
Alpha Centauri may have a "disappearing planet', new James Webb Space Telescope observations hint. If confirmed, it could be the closest alien planet to Earth that orbits in its star's habitable zone.

NASA's Hubble telescope reveals most detailed photos of interstellar visitor 3I/ATLAS to date
By Pandora Dewan published
New images from the Hubble telescope show an extrasolar entity as it hurtles through our solar system at speeds of more than 130,000 mph (210,000 km/h).

Scientists may finally know why the first stars in the universe left no trace
By Elizabeth Howell published
The very first stars in the universe may have been much smaller than scientists thought — potentially explaining why we can't find evidence of them today.

Massive comet trail may have transformed Earth's climate more than 12,000 years ago, tiny particles suggest
By Skyler Ware published
A massive comet trail may have caused climate upheaval on Earth more than 12,000 years ago, sparking the Younger Dryas.

'Like a master Tetris player': Scientists invent quantum virtual machines — they'll slash turnaround times from days to hours
By Tristan Greene published
New quantum computing system allows multiple users to run programs simultaneously using virtual machines.

Perseid meteor shower 2025: How to see 'shooting stars' despite the full moon
By Jamie Carter published
One of the most prolific meteor showers of the year will peak overnight on Aug. 12-13, but a bright moon will reduce its visual impact.

Auroras may be visible from 18 states this weekend as solar storm barrels toward Earth
By Perri Thaler published
A geomagnetic storm could hit Earth Aug. 8 or 9, possibly bringing the dazzling northern lights with it.

Scientists synthesized elusive 'super alcohol' — a 'seed of life molecule' that marks a step toward finding alien life
By Perri Thaler published
Scientists have synthesized methanetetrol, an elusive alcohol that could be the foundation of alien life.

NASA finds multi-billion-year-old 'coral' on Mars
By Sascha Pare published
NASA's Curiosity rover has snapped black and white images of a rock on the Martian surface that looks remarkably like a piece of coral.

3,000-year-old burial of elite teen unearthed in Iran, with gold jewelry and astonishing 'scorpion' cosmetics box
By Tom Metcalfe published
The extraordinary burial of a teenager buried with gold jewelry and a snake- and scorpion-decorated cosmetics box has been unearthed in Iran — and it may date to more than 3,000 years ago.

Proposed spacecraft could carry up to 2,400 people on a one-way trip to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri
By Perri Thaler published
The design for a 36 mile long spacecraft, called Chrysalis, includes libraries, tropical forests and structural manufacturing facilities, all supported by artificial gravity.

Stone Age family may have been cannibalized for 'ultimate elimination' 5,600 years ago, study suggests
By Patrick Pester published
Researchers have found cannibalized human remains from at least 11 people in El Mirador cave in northern Spain, suggesting it was the site of a violent Neolithic clash 5,600 years ago.

Maya civilization had 16 million people at peak, new study finds — twice the population of modern-day NYC
By Sascha Pare published
After using lasers to map the Maya Lowlands, researchers have updated their estimates of the total Maya population during the Late Classic Period (A.D. 600 to 900).

'Oddly shaped head' left in Italian cave 12,500 years ago is Europe's oldest known case of cranial modification, study finds
By Kristina Killgrove published
A Stone Age skull discovered in a cave in Italy is the oldest evidence of artificial cranial modification ever found in Europe.

8 'hotspots' in the genome linked to ME/CFS in largest study of its kind
By RJ Mackenzie published
A large study of ME/CFS included more than 15,000 people and identified eight locations in the genome linked to the disease.

Mystery of why sea stars keep turning into goo finally solved — and it's not what scientists thought
By Patrick Pester published
A new study has found that the devastating sea star wasting disease is caused by a strain of bacteria from Vibrio pectenicida, which turns the marine creatures into goo.
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