Creepy robotic hand detaches at the wrist before scurrying away to collect objects
EPFL's robotic appendage features fingers that bend both ways and is designed to retrieve objects from spaces too hazardous for human hands.
Space
Stunning time-lapse video captured using 'artificial eclipse' shows 3 massive eruptions on the sun
ESA's Proba-3 mission, made up of twin spacecraft capable of aligning to create artificial eclipses, has captured "rare" footage of three solar prominences erupting from the sun's mysteriously hot atmosphere.
Earth hit by biggest 'solar radiation storm' in 23 years, triggering Northern Lights as far as Southern California
Earth's magnetic field was struck by a "severe" solar storm Monday (Jan. 19), triggering vibrant auroras in the U.S. and large parts of Europe. The storm broke a record that had stood for more than two decades.
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James Webb telescope discovers earliest Type II supernova in the known universe
An extremely early Type II supernova explosion, named after the Titan goddess of dawn in Greek mythology, occurred just 1 billion years after the Big Bang.
Planet Earth
Giant underwater plumes triggered by 7-story waves at Nazaré captured off Portuguese coast
Earth from space A 2020 satellite photo shows the immense power of 7-story waves crashing along the Portuguese coast. Later the same day, a surfer rode a 101-foot-tall wave at Nazaré, setting a new world record.
Last year, the oceans absorbed a record-breaking amount of heat — equivalent to 12 Hiroshima bombs exploding every second
In 2025, the ocean absorbed an extra 23 zettajoules of heat energy in 2025, breaking the ocean heat content record for the ninth consecutive year.
'The scientific cost would be severe': A Trump Greenland takeover would put climate research at risk
Trump's calls for a takeover of Greenland puts open scientific collaboration that is helping our understanding of the threat of global sea-level rise at risk.
Forced closure of premier US weather-modeling institute could endanger millions of Americans
From high-wind forecasts and wildfire behavior to floods, aviation hazards, air quality and space weather, science developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research informs decisions that aim to reduce risk.
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archaeology
2.6 million-year-old jaw from extinct 'Nutcracker Man' is found where we didn't expect it
A fossil jaw of a distant human relative was discovered much farther north than previously thought possible, revealing new information about diversity in human evolution.
Medieval 'super ship' found wrecked off Denmark is largest vessel of its kind
Divers have unearthed the largest cog shipwreck ever discovered in a strait off Denmark, signalling a period of economic development in medieval Europe.
1,700-year-old Roman marching camps discovered in Germany — along with a multitude of artifacts like coins and the remnants of shoes
Archaeologists in Germany have discovered four Roman marching camps and around 1,500 artifacts, including coins and shoe nails, dating to the third century.
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Animals
Coyote scrambles onto Alcatraz Island after perilous, never-before-seen swim
Experts have reacted to a viral video of a coyote swimming to Alcatraz Island in what is a surprising first for the San Francisco Bay Area.
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Ever watched a pet cow pick up a broom and scratch herself with it? You have now
A pet cow in Austria started using a broom to scratch herself — the first ever documented case of bovine tool use.
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Ancient mummified cheetahs discovered in Saudi Arabia contain preserved DNA from the long-lost population
Cheetahs vanished from Saudi Arabia half a century ago. Now long-dead mummified big cats may help herald their return.
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Rare nocturnal parrots in New Zealand are breeding for the first time in 4 years — here's why
The 2026 breeding season for endangered kākāpō could produce the most chicks in decades.
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Health & Human Behavior
6 tips to kickstart your exercise routine and actually stick to it, according to science
References Struggling with your New Year’s fitness resolutions? Do not give up just yet. Here are 6 expert tips on how to successfully form and maintain new habits.
Color blindness linked to lower bladder cancer survival, early study hints
People with color blindness may be less able to spot an early sign of bladder cancer, making them likelier to be diagnosed later, a study suggests.
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Viruses that evolved on the space station and were sent back to Earth were more effective at killing bacteria
Near-weightless conditions can mutate genes and alter the physical structures of bacteria and phages, disrupting their normal interactions in ways that could help us treat drug-resistant infections.
Why is flu season so bad this year?
Flu season in the U.S. is particularly bad this year, and a new branch of the flu family tree may be to blame.
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Technology
Indigenous TikTok star 'Bush Legend' is actually AI-generated, leading to accusations of 'digital blackface'
As AI-generated images and videos become more common, Indigenous people are increasingly concerned about digital forms of cultural appropriation and blackface.
Physics, Math & Chemistry
Our model of the universe is deeply flawed — unless space is actually a 'sticky' fluid
Our best models of the cosmos don't add up — but that could change if the universe is actually made of a viscous 'fluid,' a new paper suggests.
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Science history: Sophie Germain, first woman to win France's prestigious 'Grand Mathematics Prize' is snubbed when tickets to award ceremony are 'lost in the mail' — Jan. 9, 1816
Sophie Germain was a brilliant, self-taught mathematician who won one of France's most prestigious prizes, yet she declined to attend the award ceremony because the committee members didn't respect her work.
Science history: Richard Feynman gives a fun little lecture — and dreams up an entirely new field of physics — Dec. 29, 1959
In a short talk at Caltech, physicist Richard Feynman laid out a vision of manipulating and controlling atoms at the tiniest scale. It would precede the field of nanotechnology by decades.
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Quizzes & Games
Live Science crossword puzzle #27: The explosion that created the universe — 5 down
Science crossword Test your knowledge on all things science with our weekly, free crossword puzzle!
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