Physicists recreated the first millisecond after the Big Bang — and found it was surprisingly soupy
Scientists saw a quark plowing through primordial plasma for the first time, offering a rare look at the first moments after the Big Bang
Space
Supercomputers simulated the orbits of 1 million satellites between Earth and the moon — and less than 10% survived
Researchers used a pair of powerful supercomputers to simulate the potential trajectories of 1 million satellites in a cislunar orbit between Earth and the moon. Less than 10% of these orbits remained stable throughout the simulations, but this is not as disastrous as it may sound.
'The brain consistently moved upward and backward': Astronauts' brains physically shift in their heads during spaceflight
A new study analyzed brain MRI scans from 26 astronauts and found that the longer someone lived in space, the more their brain shifted in their skull.
Lucky few to see 'ring of fire' solar eclipse over Antarctica on Feb. 17
This month's new moon brings an annular (or "ring of fire") solar eclipse, but it will only be visible from parts of Antarctica.
Deepest views from James Webb and Chandra reveal monster object that defies theory — Space photo of the week
The James Webb Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory have captured the clearest image yet of a galaxy cluster in the making, seen when the universe was only one billion years old.
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Planet Earth
Missing megaflood: How did the Mediterranean transform from a salt-filled bowl to a deep sea if it wasn't a cataclysmic deluge?
Researchers have long believed that a sudden, massive deluge filled a dry, salt-filled Mediterranean 5 million years ago. Turns out that probably didn't happen, but there was still drama aplenty.
Hidden beauty of Zimbabwe's 2.5 billion-year-old 'geological marvel' revealed in striking astronaut photo
Earth from space A 2010 astronaut photo shows off the astonishing scale of the Great Dyke of Zimbabwe, which stretches over 340 miles (550 kilometers). The lengthy structure, which is not actually a dike, is full of extremely valuable minerals that fuel a massive mining industry.
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'Impossible' mantle earthquakes actually occur all over the world, study finds
Researchers were once unsure whether mantle earthquakes existed. Now they have a global map of this mysterious phenomenon.
There's 13 Great Lakes' worth of water hidden beneath the contiguous US, new map reveals
Researchers used 1 million data points and a machine learning algorithm to estimate groundwater stores with higher resolution than ever before.
China turns desert into carbon sink, a viking giant in a mass grave, real-life inception, and a Valentine's gift idea from nature
Science news this week Feb. 14 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.
archaeology
Tumaco-Tolita Seated Elder: This 2,000-year-old depiction of an aged man with wrinkles struck fear in people because it held 'the power'
Tumaco-Tolita artists were known for their intense realism in sculpting clay representations of humans.
Ancient rock art depicting hunters and geometric shapes discovered in Egypt's Sinai Desert — and it spans a period of 10,000 years
A rock shelter with rock art and inscriptions spanning millennia has been discovered in Egypt.
What are ghost lineages, remnants of the past that still exist in our DNA today?
Ghost lineages reveal themselves through ancient genes that still exist in living beings today.
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Animals
Snakes keep evolving into cannibals — here's what scientists think is going on
A review of over 500 reports of cannibalistic behavior in snakes finds it's appeared multiple times in different evolutionary lineages, leading researchers to hypothesize it's beneficial for snakes under certain circumstances.
Archaeopteryx, one of the world's first proto birds, has a set of weird, never-before-seen features, new study reveals
Iconic transition species between dinosaurs and birds may have had weird 'teeth' on roof of its mouth and a highly mobile tongue, study reveals
Extraordinary photo captures first appearance of Siberian peregrine falcon in Australia's arid center
An ecologist has captured a photo of a peregrine falcon subspecies in an unprecedented location.
Spotted lanternflies are invading the US. They may have gotten their evolutionary superpowers in China's cities.
The alarming spread of spotted lanternflies across the U.S. has been made possible by cities acting as evolutionary incubators, fine-tuning the insects and enabling them to thrive.
Kanzi the bonobo could play pretend — a trait thought unique to humans
Past anecdotal observations have hinted that great apes play pretend. But now, experimental research shows that our closest living relatives can keep track of imaginary objects.
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Saltwater crocodiles crossed the Indian Ocean to reach the Seychelles — before humans arrived and wiped them out
A DNA study reveals crocs that lived in the Seychelles represented the westernmost population of saltwater crocodiles, having swam at least 1,800 miles to reach the island.
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Health & Human Behavior
Diagnostic dilemma: 83-year-old man's unusual form of syphilis had an 'uncertain' source
A man went to the emergency room after being in and out of hospitals for a month, and doctors found a surprising explanation for his illness.
Mineral sunscreen leaves an annoying white cast on skin — this new formula could change that
Scientists have developed a new approach to formulating mineral sunscreen that could prevent it from leaving a white cast on the skin.
Many men lose their Y chromosomes as they age. It may shorten their lives.
A researcher explores why men lose their Y chromosomes in cells as they age and the health implications associated with this loss.
Vaccine denial sets Americans up for more chronic illness
Opinion Despite well-established links between pathogens and chronic illness, the U.S. government continues to weaken public health measures to treat and prevent infectious diseases — a strategy that will ultimately make Americans even sicker.
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Life's Little Mysteries
Science questions, answered
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Space photo of the week
Extraordinary images of our sublime universe
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Diagnostic dilemma
Unusual case reports from the medical literature
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Incredible places
A window onto extraordinary landscapes on Earth
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Astonishing artifacts
A glimpse into how people lived in the past
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Earth from space
Incredible images of our planet from above
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Technology
AI griefbots could change how we mourn — but there are serious risks ahead
A researcher from the University of Essex dives into the philosophical and ethical questions surrounding "deathbots."
Physics, Math & Chemistry
Record-breaking gravitational wave puts Einstein's relativity to its toughest test yet — and proves him right again
A record-breaking gravitational wave signal let scientists "listen" to a distant black hole merger and put Einstein's gravity to its toughest test yet.
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Upgrade to Antarctica 'ghost particle' observatory could pave the way to physics breakthroughs
The National Science Foundation's massive IceCube neutrino detector at the South Pole just got a major new upgrade, which promises to take the search for "ghost particles" to a new level.
Physicists push quantum boundaries by turning a superfluid into a supersolid — and back — for the first time
Physicists saw excitons, a type of quasiparticle, undergo a reversible phase transition from superfluid to supersolid for the first time, opening new doors for studying extreme states of matter.
Quizzes & Games
Live Science crossword puzzle #31: First person to walk on the moon — 11 across
Science crossword Test your knowledge on all things science with our weekly, free crossword puzzle!
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