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
Inside the Marble Caves in southern Chile.

Marble Caves: Chile's ethereal turquoise caverns with 'mineral ice cream' on the walls

By Sascha Pare published

The Marble Caves sit on the shores of a turquoise glacial lake in southern Chile. Light bounces off the water onto the walls, creating a magical, ever-changing display inside the caverns.

Geology
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Space

Image shows the north polar region of Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io as captured by NASA’s Juno during the spacecraft’s 57th close pass of the gas giant on Dec. 30, 2023.

NASA solves 44-year-old mystery of why Jupiter's Io is so volcanically active

By Pandora Dewan published

Io is the most volcanically active world in our solar system. Now, NASA scientists have revealed how and why.

Space
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter.

After accident crash on Mars, NASA's Ingenuity helicopter could live on as a weather station for 20 years

By Brett Tingley published

"She still has one final gift for us, which is that she's now going to continue on as a weather station of sorts."

Mars
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archaeology

The metal Sutton Hoo helmet as reconstructed in the British Museum.

Sutton Hoo helmet: A gold- and jewel-encrusted relic with ties to Beowulf and a lost Anglo-Saxon king

By Kristina Killgrove published

Fragments of a helmet recovered from the Sutton Hoo ship burial show that early-medieval metalwork could be decorative and functional.

Archaeology
Unrolled silver foil with 18-line inscription in Latin

1,800-year-old silver amulet could rewrite history of Christianity in the early Roman Empire

By Kristina Killgrove published

A silver amulet found in a 1,800-year-old grave in Germany speaks to the importance — and the risk — of being Christian in Roman times.

Archaeology
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Health

close up on a small, flat tablet held between a person's thumb and pointer finger

When will MDMA be approved for therapy? Major trial issues may stand in the way, psychiatrist Dr. Albino Oliveira-Maia says.

By Nicoletta Lanese published

When will MDMA be approved for therapy? Major trial issues may stand in the way, psychiatrist Dr. Albino Oliveira-Maia says

Medicine & Drugs
Person tries out one of the best smart scales

Best smart scales 2024: The perfect companion to help you meet your fitness goals

By Maddy Biddulph last updated

BUYING GUIDE The best smart scales to help you learn more about your body from capturing muscle mass to body fat percentage, these scales can aid your fitness journey.

BUYING GUIDE
a microscope image of a bacterium

Radiation-resistant 'extremophile' microbe dubbed 'Conan the Bacterium' inspires new antioxidant

By Michael Schubert published

A three-part complex based on the molecules that give "Conan the Bacterium" its radiation resistance may protect humans against damage from ionizing radiation.

Health
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Animals

Nile crocodile with head above water.

Henry the giant crocodile, who has sired 10,000 babies, celebrates 124th birthday

By Jacklin Kwan published

Henry the Nile crocodile will celebrate his 124th birthday at the Crocworld Conservation Centre in South Africa on Dec. 16.

Alligators & Crocodiles
Marine otter (Lontra felina) resting on the shore, Peru.

Chungungo: The mini sea otter that lives on rocky cliffs and mates for life

By María de los Ángeles Orfila published

Marine otters live on rocky coasts with extreme swells and strong winds, with their dens built into crevices and caves.

Animals
a cat with gray spots crouches on a blue background

How do cats get their spots?

By Ashley P. Taylor published

Scientists have identified some of the involved genes behind cats' spots, but there's still a piece missing.

Cats
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Human Behavior

illustration of the earth as flat

Conspiracy theory quiz: Test your knowledge of unfounded beliefs, from flat Earth to lizard people

By Lydia Smith published

How much do you know about conspiracy theories? Take our quiz to find out.

Conspiracies & Paranormal
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
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Physics & Mathematics

a psychedelic-style illustration of two hands touching while holding an abstract orb

Do atoms ever touch?

By Sarah Wells published

Atoms make up everything around us, but do these building blocks of matter ever actually touch?

Physics & Mathematics
an illustration of many colorful monkeys typing on typewriters

Could monkeys really type the complete works of Shakespeare?

By Marilyn Perkins published

The infinite monkey theorem is a fun thought experiment, but does it actually apply to our finite world?

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
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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

Diamond battery sample image

World's 1st nuclear-diamond battery of its kind could power devices for 1000s of years

By Ruari McCallion published

The world's first nuclear-diamond battery uses carbon-14 to power devices for more than 10,000 years.

Engineering
The future USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) is underway for the first time conducting at-sea tests and trials on the Kennebeck River December 7, 2016 in the Atlantic Ocean. The Zumwalt is the largest destroyer ever built for the U.S. Navy.

Stealth destroyer 1st to carry hypersonic missiles that travel 5 times the speed of sound — with testing imminent

By Peter Ray Allison published

The Zumwalt-class stealth destroyers will mounted with experimental hypersonic weapon systems, but what makes this technology so lethal?

Engineering
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
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