Planet Earth

Interior of a mine. We see a dark tunnel lit at regular intervals by electric lamps.

Just a fraction of the hydrogen hidden beneath Earth's surface could power Earth for 200 years, scientists find

By Sascha Pare published

Trillions of tons of hydrogen gas are likely buried in rocks and reservoirs beneath Earth's surface, but researchers aren't sure where it is yet.

Energy
A map of the ocean seafloor

Satellites reveal stunningly detailed maps of Earth's seafloors

By Skyler Ware published

A newly-deployed satellite has created the most-detailed map yet of the ocean floor, finding hundreds of hills and underwater volcanoes that were previously missed.

Rivers & Oceans
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Space

A red tractor in a field at night with blue auroras in the night sky

'Like they were demon possessed': Geomagnetic super storms are causing tractors to dance from side to side across US farms — and the sun is to blame

By Harry Baker published

Powerful solar storms in May and October painted auroras across large parts of North America. But some U.S. farmers also witnessed unusual activity from their high-tech machinery, which started boogying back and forth as a result of the geomagnetic disturbances.

The Sun
A conceptual image of the sun launching a massive fiery plume toward Earth

Our sun may be overdue for a 'superflare' stronger than billions of atomic bombs, new research warns

By Ben Turner published

A conceptual image of the sun launching a massive fiery plume toward Earth.

The Sun
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archaeology

a boulder with carved marks on it

35,000-year-old 'tortoise shell' carving may be Holy Land's oldest evidence of ritual behavior

By Tom Metcalfe published

A carved boulder found deep in a cave in Israel may have been used for rituals more than 35,000 years ago.

Archaeology
Reconstructed slave quarters at The Hermitage in Nashville, Tennessee

Burials of 28 people Andrew Jackson enslaved found at his Hermitage plantation in Tennessee

By Kristina Killgrove published

Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States, enslaved hundreds of people. Archaeologists have discovered where 28 of them were buried.

Archaeology
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Health

A woman vapes with a e-cigarette

Simple vaping 'quitline' can help over 40% of young people quit, study finds

By Liam Drew published

A study used several strategies to help young adults go from vaping every day to not vaping at all.

Smoking
Multi-colored image of villi protruding from epithelial cells against a black background.

The gut 'remodels' itself during pregnancy, study finds

By Emily Cooke published

The inner lining of the small intestine nearly doubles in size during pregnancy and breastfeeding, according to new research in mice and human tissue.

Fertility, Pregnancy & Birth
a mother brushes her young son's teeth

How does fluoride prevent cavities?

By Victoria Atkinson published

Whether delivered in water or toothpaste, fluoride can help guard teeth against decay. But how?

Health
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Animals

A photograph of a humpback whale in the ocean

Male humpback whale crossed 3 oceans for sex, inadvertently breaking distance record for species

By Sascha Pare published

A male humpback whale swam 8,106 miles (13,046 km) from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, mingling with other whale populations and potentially having sex with them along the way.

Humpback Whales
New amphipod species

Large, ghostly white crab-like predator discovered at the bottom of the Atacama Trench

By Jacklin Kwan published

A never-before-seen predatory crustacean that feeds on other smaller creatures in the hadal zone was discovered in the Atacama Trench at a depth of 25,900 feet.

Crustaceans
A small hamster-like mammal.

Turuchan pika: The adorable ball of fluff that just loves to play

By Lydia Smith published

Turuchan pikas play all sorts of games, including swinging from branches, throwing food around and hiding them jumping out at each other.

Animals
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Human Behavior

Girl reading books in front of a cartoon space scene

38 best science books for kids and young adults

By Ben Biggs last updated

Looking to inspire the next generation of curious minds? These are our picks of the best popular science books for children of all ages.

Human Behavior
a photo of a woman sitting down with one hand on her head, as if frustrated; a person standing behind her has a hand on the woman's shoulder

What are 'attachment styles,' and is there science to back them up?

By Stephanie Pappas published

Attachment styles are real, but there are a lot of misconceptions about how they work.

Human Behavior
Two people watch a movie in a theater

24 brain networks kick in when you watch movies, study finds

By Jennifer Zieba published

Researchers created the most detailed map of the brain's functional networks using data from people watching movies, including "Inception," "Home Alone" and "Erin Brokovich."

Human Behavior
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Physics & Mathematics

A top-down view of a sofa squeezing around an L-shaped hallway

Infamous 'sofa problem' that boggled mathematicians for decades may finally have a solution

By Stephanie Pappas published

A math problem delineating the largest-size sofa that can fit around a corner has finally been solved, though it may not help you move.

Mathematics
The first detailed image of an individual photon

The shape of light: Scientists reveal image of an individual photon for 1st time ever

By Victoria Atkinson published

Using a groundbreaking new technique, researchers have unveiled the first detailed image of a photon — a single particle of light — ever taken.

Quantum Physics
A photo of a flash of light

Is light a particle or a wave?

By Victoria Atkinson published

Does light behave more like a particle, or like a wave? Today we know the surprising answer. Here's why it took so long to get there.

Particle Physics
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Chemistry

The hydrogen fuel tank of a Toyota vehicle on display.

Scientists discover revolutionary method that makes fuel from water and sunlight — but it's not finished yet

By Ben Turner published

The hydrogen fuel tank of a Toyota vehicle on display.

Chemistry
Periodic Table of Elements.

Periodic table of elements: How it works and who created it

By Jeanna Bryner, Tim Sharp last updated

The Periodic Table, first created by Dmitri Mendeleev, organizes all of the known elements in an informative array.

Elements
Hand dipping a paint brush into a large tin of pink paint as it drips back into the tin. Paint is one source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in your home.

What are VOCs? The facts about volatile organic compounds

By Kimberly Hickok last updated

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gaseous chemicals that are emitted by various household items, as well as natural sources.

Chemistry
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Tech

the silhouette of a drone against a sunset

'Drones' swarm New Jersey and New York. How close are we to learning what these UAPs actually are?

By Lee Billings published

Reports of unidentified flying objects in the northeast U.S. are on the rise, but so far officials have few answers for alarmed residents.

Robotics
a black and white photo of a group of people with an old-fashioned car

Who invented the car? The history of the automobile

By Lauren Cox last updated

Reference Discover the complex history of the automobile, from early self-propelled vehicles to Karl Benz's invention of the first modern car, and explore the key innovators who shaped the cars we drive today.

Reference
Four-legged robot in hilly terrain.

Watch Chinese security robot with wheels for feet scramble down hills and perform acrobatics

By Rory Bathgate published

Footage shows the DEEP Robotics 'Lynx' model traversing on two wheels and four across tough terrain.

Robotics
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