Live Science: The Most Interesting Articles, Mysteries & Discoveries

Planet Earth

The electricity conducted by Geobacter's nanowires can be used to power small electronics, as this illustration shows.

Scientists find 'secret molecule' that allows bacteria to exhale electricity

By Brandon Specktor

Scientists found the 'secret molecule' that allows Geobacter microbes to exhale electrons over vast distances underground

Instruments aboard the British Antarctic Survey ship RV Nathaniel B Palmer helped scientists map the channels under the glacier.

Hidden rivers of warm water threaten vast Antarctic glacier

By Rafi Letzter

Thwaites Glacier holds enough ice to drive up sea levels more than 2 feet. These hidden ducts lubricate its collapse into the ocean.

Space and Physics

Why is space a vacuum?

By Donavyn Coffey

The nothingness of space is hard to wrap our heads around.

NASA's Curiosity Mars rover sits in the Marias Pass area of lower Mount Sharp.

The four most promising worlds for alien life in the solar system

By Gareth Dorrian

Venus just became a serious contender. But what are the other most promising locations for extra-terrestrial life?

History

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg testifies at her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in July 1993.

How Ruth Bader Ginsburg helped shape the modern era of women's rights

By Jonathan Entin

Before she became a Supreme Court justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s work as an attorney in the 1970s fundamentally changed the court’s approach to women's rights and how we think about women – and men.

The ancient Egyptian boy's "mummy portrait" (left) next to the newly created 3D facial reconstruction (right).

Facial reconstruction reveals Egyptian 'mummy portrait' was accurate except for one detail

By Laura Geggel

A CT scan of an ancient mummy shows that its "mummy portrait" was almost, but not completely accurate.

Health

CDC reverses controversial coronavirus testing guidelines

By Yasemin Saplakoglu

The guideline change comes after strong criticism from public health experts and a report that the updated guidelines were posted despite objections from CDC scientists.

A person getting a flu shot while wearing a face mask.

Flu season may be very mild this year, thanks to COVID-19 precautions

By Rachael Rettner

Flu activity in the U.S. right now is at "historical lows," according to a new report.

Moderna releases key details on how it's running COVID-19 vaccine trial

By Nicoletta Lanese

Other vaccine makers have been criticized for giving too little information on their clinical trials.

Animals

The adult cave bear (Ursus spelaeus) mummy still has a nose.

Cave bear mummy discovered in Siberia still has its internal organs, fur and black nose

By Laura Geggel

An ancient cave bear adult and cub mummy have been found in the melting permafrost of Siberia.

These could be the funniest animal pictures ever

By Live Science Staff

The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards finalists have been announced

The large humpback is swimming roughly 20 miles upriver in croc-filled waters

Lost humpback whale abandoned by friends in croc-infested river in Australia

By Brandon Specktor

The whale swam nearly 20 miles upriver before scientists caught up to it.

Strange News

Watch LIVE: The 2020 Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, tonight @ 6:00 p.m. ET

By Mindy Weisberger

You can watch the premiere of the 2020 Ig Nobels here on Live Science.

End of History beer is produced by the Scottish brewery BrewDog, and is served inside a dead squirrel.

Squirrel beer, ant gin and poop wine are served up in Disgusting Food Museum's new exhibit

By Mindy Weisberger

Visitors to Sweden's Disgusting Food Museum can now discover odious alcohol from around the world.

An elephant sprays itself with water in a river.

Can CBD soothe mourning elephants? A Polish zoo is about to find out

By Rafi Letzter

A zoo in Poland plans to test cannabidiol — also known as CBD, a chemical found in cannabis — on its elephants. The elephants are stressed after a death in the herd.

Culture

'Elinor Wonders Why' teaches kids to explore science by asking questions

By Mindy Weisberger

A curious bunny named Elinor explores Animal Town with her friends, in an endearing new PBS series that teaches kids how to find answers about science and nature.

Artist’s reconstruction of the Cretaceous ostracod crustacean Myanmarcypris hui male (right) and female (left) during mating.

Amazing images: The best science photos of the week

By Brandon Specktor

Here are the stories behind the most amazing images in the world of science this week. A recap of the coolest photos featured on Live Science.

Do STEM toys actually teach kids science and math?

By Stephanie Pappas

Toys advertised as teaching STEM aren't always proven, but these recommendations have science to back them up.

Tech

The complete focal plane of the future LSST Camera is more than 2 feet wide and contains 189 individual sensors that will produce 3,200-megapixel images.

3,200-megapixel camera of the future Vera Rubin Observatory snaps record-breaking 1st photos

By Mike Wall

The imaging sensors for the future Vera C. Rubin Observatory have taken their record-breaking first photos.

3D illustration of the future of the internet. Quantum internet.

Quantum internet breakthrough could help make hacking a thing of the past

By Siddarth Koduru Joshi

New research shows how the next generation of ultra-secure communication could be possible with existing infrastructure.

Tech collides with theology, in AI Jesus.

New 'AI Jesus' can deliver a sermon, but will you understand it?

By Mindy Weisberger

A neural network learned to deliver sermons like Jesus (sort of ) after it was trained on the King James Bible.

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