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Latest News

NASA's Curiosity rover took this selfie while inside Mars' Gale crater on June 15, 2018, which was the 2,082nd Martian day, or sol, of the rover's mission.

Scientists created AI that could detect alien life — and they're not entirely sure how it works

Ben Turner published 25 September 23

The new machine-learning algorithm can distinguish between biological and nonbiological samples with 90% accuracy. Exactly how is a mystery.

The Chandrayaan 3 mission's Vikram lander photographed on the moon's surface by the Pragyan rover.

India's Chandrayaan-3 moon lander fails to answer wake-up call, may be dead for good

Tereza Pultarova published 25 September 23

The Indian lunar lander and rover entered hibernation in early September.

Antibodies depicted in orange latching onto a blue neuron in order to summon immune cells to the site

New 'inverse vaccine' could wipe out autoimmune diseases, but more research is needed

Emily Cooke published 25 September 23

An "inverse vaccine," which selectively suppresses the immune system, treated multiple sclerosis in mice. But how well could this new approach work in people?

a volcano erupting with lightning strikes coming from the crater

Mammals may be driven to extinction by volcanic new supercontinent Pangaea Ultima

Ben Turner published 25 September 23

The next supercontinent, Pangea Ultima, is likely to get so hot so quickly that mammals cannot adapt, a new supercomputer simulation has forecast.

Gloved hand holding the antiviral molnupiravir, a red pill, next to a bottle of the drug

COVID drug molnupiravir may be driving the virus to mutate — should we worry?

Emily Cooke published 25 September 23

The antiviral molnupiravir may be shaping the evolution of the virus behind COVID-19, but we still don't know what this means for transmission or the emergence of variants.

close up of a bull shark's face from the side with its teeth showing

Scientists have figured out when the biggest bull sharks are most active — and it's not when official advice suggests

Lydia Smith published 25 September 23

Researchers tracked more than 200 bull sharks off the coast of New South Wales to find out exactly when they were most active and posed the greatest risk to humans.

The skeletal remains of the 'Upper Largie Woman' were found in a quarry in Scotland. Now, scientists have reconstructed the Bronze Age woman's face. — See the 'amazing' facial reconstruction of a Bronze Age woman discovered crouching in a 4,200-year-old grave The skeletal remains of the 'Upper Largie Woman' were found in a quarry in Scotland. Now, scientists have reconstructed the Bronze Age woman's face.

A capsule containing 2 ounces of rocky material from the "potentially hazardous" asteroid Bennu has landed safely in the Utah desert after a seven-year mission in space. — NASA's OSIRIS-REx capsule returns to Earth with a sample from the 'potentially hazardous' asteroid Bennu A capsule containing 2 ounces of rocky material from the "potentially hazardous" asteroid Bennu has landed safely in the Utah desert after a seven-year mission in space.

The next supercontinent, Pangea Ultima, is likely to get so hot so quickly that mammals cannot adapt, a new supercomputer simulation has forecast. — Mammals may be driven to extinction by volcanic new supercontinent Pangaea Ultima The next supercontinent, Pangea Ultima, is likely to get so hot so quickly that mammals cannot adapt, a new supercomputer simulation has forecast.

The new machine-learning algorithm can distinguish between biological and nonbiological samples with 90% accuracy. Exactly how is a mystery. — Scientists created AI that could detect alien life — and they're not entirely sure how it works The new machine-learning algorithm can distinguish between biological and nonbiological samples with 90% accuracy. Exactly how is a mystery.

Glass has unique properties, but is it a solid or a liquid, or does it fall into its own scientific category? — Is glass a liquid or a solid? Glass has unique properties, but is it a solid or a liquid, or does it fall into its own scientific category?

Researchers tracked more than 200 bull sharks off the coast of New South Wales to find out exactly when they were most active and posed the greatest risk to humans. — Scientists have figured out when the biggest bull sharks are most active — and it's not when official advice suggests Researchers tracked more than 200 bull sharks off the coast of New South Wales to find out exactly when they were most active and posed the greatest risk to humans.

An "inverse vaccine," which selectively suppresses the immune system, treated multiple sclerosis in mice. But how well could this new approach work in people? — New 'inverse vaccine' could wipe out autoimmune diseases, but more research is needed An "inverse vaccine," which selectively suppresses the immune system, treated multiple sclerosis in mice. But how well could this new approach work in people?

Grid List

Planet Earth

Nuclear pasta; Pink diamonds

Science news this week: Pink diamonds and nuclear 'pasta'

By Alexander McNamara published 24 September 23

Sept. 24, 2023: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

Dragon blood trees in rocky landscape, Homhil Protected Area, Socotra, Yemen.

15 places on Earth that look like alien planets

By Annie Corinne Shaink published 22 September 23

These stunning locations feel out of this world, but are actually right here on Earth.

1
Medieval girl buried face down with bound ankles, likely so she couldn't 'return' from the grave
2
Indian crocodiles seen saving dog from feral pack attack, but scientists divided over what it means
3
Snake choking on invasive fish the size of its head saved by scientist
4
Mysterious 'fossilized' bubble 10,000 times the size of the Milky Way could be a relic from the Big Bang
5
See the 'amazing' facial reconstruction of a Bronze Age woman discovered crouching in a 4,200-year-old grave

1
Is glass a liquid or a solid?
2
15 places on Earth that look like alien planets
3
Pacific lamprey: The jawless fish that survived 4 mass extinctions and sucks prey dry of blood and body fluids
4
James Webb telescope finds potential signature of life on Jupiter's icy moon Europa
5
See the 'amazing' facial reconstruction of a Bronze Age woman discovered crouching in a 4,200-year-old grave

Grid List

Space

An image of the orange disk of the sun surrounded in a bast, glowing ring of spikes called the corona

Space photo of the week: The sun's violent corona like it's never been seen before

By Jamie Carter published 23 September 23

The sun's outer atmosphere was captured at previously impossible extreme ultraviolet wavelengths thanks to a last-minute engineering hack.

Red dirt on Mars surface. Woman wearing futuristic exoskeleton exploring cave and mountain areas.

What would colors look like on other planets?

By Joanna Thompson published 23 September 23

Here's how your brain might adjust to see color on another world.

Grid List

archaeology

A golden C-shaped bracelet against a black background.

Landslide reveals 2,500-year-old 'richly decorated' gold necklaces in Spain

By Hannah Kate Simon published 22 September 23

A landslide in northern Spain has helped unearth two Iron Age gold necklaces that were likely buried in a hoard about 2,500 years ago.

An aerial view of the hexagonal-shaped pyramid in Kazakhstan. Notice how the inner stone walls form a maze-like path that leads toward the burial site at its center.

Bronze Age hexagonal 'pyramid' not like anything 'found before in the Eurasian steppe'

By Owen Jarus published 22 September 23

Archaeologists in Kazakhstan have discovered a hexagonal pyramid that served as a burial site in the Bronze Age.

Grid List

Health

man in a button down shirt prepares to swab his cheek with a long cotton swab at home

At-home DNA tests predict how you'll respond to drugs — but how well do they work?

By Philip Empey, Lucas Berenbrok, Kayla B. Rowe published 22 September 23

Pharmacogenomic, or PGx, tests predict how your genes might affect your response to medications. But they have their limitations.

Medicine & Drugs

Girl at the beach tilts head to one side and uses finger to try to get water out of her ear

How does water get stuck in your ear — and how do you get it out?

By Emily Cooke published 22 September 23

Whether it's from a day at the beach or a trip to the swimming pool, getting water stuck in your ear is very common. But how does it happen?

A close-up picture of a Brazilian wandering spider showing its eyes and mouthparts.

Move over, Viagra — this spider's boner-inducing venom could treat people let down by the blue pill

By Sascha Pare published 22 September 23

Scientists say a synthetic compound derived from Brazilian wandering spider venom could treat people with erectile dysfunction for whom drugs like Viagra don't work.

Medicine & Drugs

Grid List

Animals

The sucker mouths of 10 Pacific lampreys through the glass of an aquarium,

Pacific lamprey: The jawless fish that survived 4 mass extinctions and sucks prey dry of blood and body fluids

By Sascha Pare published 23 September 23

Lampreys belong to an ancient group of fish called Agnatha that evolved 450 million years ago, predating both dinosaurs and trees.

A large brown fish with a torpedo-shape body swims in an aquarium tank

World's oldest aquarium fish 'Methuselah' could be decades older than we originally thought, DNA clock reveals

By Harry Baker published 22 September 23

A new study has found that the famous Australian lungfish Methuselah, who first arrived in the U.S. in 1938, could be up to 101 years old.

A giant, orange blob-like octopus swimming in kelp

See extremely rare photos of alien-looking '7-arm octopus' spotted near Washington coast

By Harry Baker published 20 September 23

The seven-arm octopus, which actually has eight arms, is one of the largest octopus species and is rarely seen by people because it normally dwells in the deep sea.

Grid List

Human Behavior

Ryan Graves, executive director of Americans for Safe Aerospace, David Grusch, former National Reconnaissance Officer Representative of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force at the U.S. Department of Defense, and Retired Navy Commander David Fravor take their seats as they arrive for a House Oversight Committee hearing titled "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency" on Capitol Hill 26, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Several witnesses are testifying about their experience with possible UFO encounters and discussion about a potential covert government program concerning debris from crashed, non-human origin spacecraft.

How wealthy UFO fans helped fuel fringe beliefs

By Keith Kloor published 16 September 23

There is a long U.S. legacy of plutocrat-funded pseudoscience. Congress just embraced it.

A rock from Mars which looks like a face taken by the Viking 1 spacecraft

What is pareidolia?

By Tia Ghose last updated 13 September 23

Pareidolia is the phenomenon in which people see faces or other patterns in ambiguous images, such as Jesus on toast or the man in the moon.

Stressed teen suffering heat stroke on the beach.

Hot weather could boost aggression — but only in certain conditions

By Stephanie Pappas published 4 September 23

Under some circumstances, people may become more aggressive when they're overheated. But other decision-making doesn't seem to be affected.

Grid List

Physics & Mathematics

An illustration of the Milky Way on a black background, with the galaxy's edges drooping down on one side and lifting up on the other

Our entire galaxy is warping, and a gigantic blob of dark matter could be to blame

By Ben Turner published 19 September 23

An invisible halo of misaligned dark matter could explain the warps at the Milky Way's edges.

Scientists think that dark matter produces a bright and spherical halo of X-ray emission around the center of the Milky Way.

Astronomers measure dark matter 'haloes' around hundreds of ancient black holes for 1st time

By Robert Lea published 18 September 23

Studying the mysterious form of matter around ancient quasar galaxies could have profound implications for our understanding of how the cosmos evolved.

An illustration of various star systems swirling through space, each with multiple planets

Mathematicians find 12,000 new solutions to 'unsolvable' 3-body problem

By Briley Lewis published 15 September 23

Calculating the way three things orbit each other is notoriously tricky — but a new study may reveal 12,000 new ways to make it work.

Physics & Mathematics

Grid List

Chemistry

An old kettle boils on a small bonfire at the beach with a picnic basket in the background.

What's the highest temperature water can freeze, and the lowest it can boil on Earth?

By Cameron Duke published 25 September 23

Ice can form on Earth at temperatures above 32 degrees Fahrenheit (0 degrees Celsius), and water can boil below 212 F (100 C). Here's how.

A microscopic scale image of photonic crystals on the surface of ancient Roman glass

Roman glass keeps turning into photonic crystals. Scientists finally know why

By Ben Turner published 22 September 23

Analysis of the microscopic structure of an ancient shard of Roman glass has revealed how photonic crystals form, and might enable them to be grown.

A man holding the coffee filter full of spent coffee grounds. Coffee grounds can be recycled. The spent coffee grounds can be used to produce useful things.

Used coffee grounds make concrete 30% stronger

By Victoria Atkinson published 7 September 23

Used coffee grounds that are heat treated increase the compression strength of concrete.

Grid List

Tech

A composite image of Jabra Elite 4 Active earbuds in their charging case and three loose earbuds

Save $40 on the Jabra Elite 4 Active running headphones at Best Buy

By Ravi Davda published 25 September 23

Deal Reduced by 33%, you can get the highly-rated Jabra Elite 4 Active running headphones for just $79.99 at Best Buy.

Stock photo of the Garmin Enduro 2

Save $100 on the world-class Garmin Enduro 2 running watch at Amazon

By Ravi Davda published 20 September 23

Deal The Garmin Enduro 2 adventure watch has been reduced by $100 at Amazon, perfect if you're looking for masses of features and super-long battery life.

Military drone with a bomb at sunset. Attack drone in military conflicts.

DARPA is funding AI to help make battlefield decisions

By Joe Phelan published 19 September 23

The U.S. military research agency DARPA is spending millions to develop artificial intelligence that can help make strategic battlefield decisions.

Artificial Intelligence

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