Live Science: The Most Interesting Articles, Mysteries & Discoveries

Planet Earth

A poison frog (Dendrobates tinctorius) sits on a leaf in the tropical rainforest. It's a small frog with a yellow head and alight blue body.

Why is there so much biodiversity in the tropics?

By Martin McGuigan published 15 August 22

Ecologists say there are three explanations for the abundance of species in the tropics.

An image of the Earth from space. Here we see what Pangaea, or Pangea Earth Supercontinent, would have looked like – one giant land mass.

What's the largest ocean that ever existed on Earth?

By Michael Dhar published 13 August 22

Panthalassa, a single world ocean surrounding the supercontinent Pangaea, would have stretched at least 1,800 miles (3,000 kilometers) wider than the Pacific.

Space and Physics

Two flashes on the GOES-17 Lightning Mapper aren't lightning, but a meteor trail and explosion.

Exploding meteor startles Utah

By Stephanie Pappas published 15 August 22

A loud explosion heard Saturday (Aug. 13) in Utah may have been an exploding Perseid meteor.

This NASA illustration depicts a solitary black hole in space, with its gravity warping the view of stars and galaxies in the background.

The 7 most terrifying things in space

By Jamie Carter published 15 August 22

Here are seven of the most terrifying things in space, including solar flares, black holes and supernovas.

History

A statue of Roman emperor Augustus. He has short hair and is wearing a decorated breast plate with his cape draping around from his back, around his waist, and then over his left arm. He has one pointed finger in the air and in his other hand he is holding a rod.

The 5 craziest ways emperors gained the throne in ancient Rome

By Tom Metcalfe published 15 August 22

Being the emperor of Rome was a risky business. But merely gaining the imperial throne could be difficult, too.

A picture taken at the Archaeological Museum in Athens on September 14, 2014 shows a piece of the Antikythera Mechanism, a 2nd-century B.C. device known as the world's oldest computer which tracked astronomical phenomena and the cycles of the Solar System. Here we see what looks like a large gear.

Antikythera mechanism: Ancient celestial calculator

By Owen Jarus published 13 August 22

Here's what researchers know about the ancient Antikythera mechanism, a celestial-tracking device discovered in a shipwreck off a Greek island.

Health

Plant-based diet: What to eat, health benefits and tips

By Maddy Biddulph published 15 August 22

reference Everything you need to know about following a plant-based diet, including risks and deficiencies

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Do probiotics help IBS?

By Anna Gora published 15 August 22

reference Looking for advice on irritable bowel syndrome and wondering, 'do probiotics help IBS?' – we break down the science

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Heat intolerance: What are the symptoms, causes and treatment?

By Lou Mudge published 14 August 22

reference Does heat affect you more than most? Here’s everything you need to know about heat intolerance

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Animals

Jakapil Kanikukura, a new species of armored dinosaur from Argentina, weighed as much as a housecat and had a line of armored spikes going down its neck and back.

Small, prickly dinosaur discovered in South America reveals an unknown lineage

By Stephanie Pappas published 12 August 22

An armored dinosaur that weighed as much as a housecat has been discovered in South America. Though it resembles a primitive relative of ankylosaurus, it came from late in dinosaur history.

A close-up image of a jumping spider next to a dew drop.

Sweet dreams, spidey: Arachnids experience REM sleep, and may even dream

By Jennifer Nalewicki published 12 August 22

Spiders likely sleep and dream like humans do.

illustration shows t. rex skull with its true eye socket shape compared to skull with circular eye socket, which can hold a far larger eyeball

Not just tiny arms: T. rex also had super small eyes to accommodate its big bite

By Nicoletta Lanese published 11 August 22

T. rex may have evolved thin eye sockets to help handle its bite force.

Strange News

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image shows auroras above the poles of Jupiter.

Extreme physics of 'supercritical' matter may be surprisingly simple

By Stephanie Pappas published 12 August 22

At 'supercriticality,' the difference between the liquid and gas phases of a material seems to disappear. New research finds that this weird tipping point may be simpler than scientists thought.

Big group of people celebrating a birthday. There are 6 people in total, all cheering and throwing confetti in the air. Three are wearing party hats. In front of them is a table with birthday decorations, such as a chocolate cake and drink cups.

What is the birthday paradox?

By Charles Q. Choi published 30 July 22

If you're in a random group of people, what are the chances that two of the people will have the same birthday?

The holes appear as a closely aligned, regularly repeating pattern. Tiny piles of sediment are piled around them.

Strange 'alien' holes discovered on the ocean floor

By Ben Turner published 29 July 22

The holes form a straight line and appear at regularly repeating distances, and they are surrounded by tiny mounds of sediment.

Culture

What's the most popular color in the world?

By Tia Ghose published 25 July 22

The most popular color can vary by culture, gender and time.

A very crowded Istiklal Street in the Beyoglu District of Istanbul, Turkey

How many people can Earth support?

By Martin McGuigan published 11 July 22

The number of people the planet can sustain depends on both the natural constraints of our environment and human choices.

Aerial view of Paris streets and the Eiffel Tower at sunset.

What is Paris syndrome?

By Joe Phelan published 5 July 22

Some people who visit Paris develop extreme symptoms — such as nausea, vomiting and hallucinations — when their expectations of the city do not jibe with reality.

Tech

Best laptops for students - Student with long hair is sitting in the library wearing glasses and headphones. Surrounded by books, he's looking at his laptop and writing notes in pencil.

Best laptops for students 2022: Go back to school in style with these sleek student laptops

By Mike Jennings published 9 August 22

Buying Guide Go back to school in style with our guide to the best laptops for students.

Buying Guide

Save up to $300 on Apple’s latest MacBook Pro at Best Buy

By Lloyd Coombes published 8 August 22

Apple’s MacBook Pro and MacBook Air laptops are cheaper than ever - just in time for your back to school preparations.

MacBook Air M1 is now just $849, grab this fantastic back to school laptop deal

By Lloyd Coombes published 4 August 22

Save $150 on Apple’s most portable MacBook, now at its lowest price in 2022.

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