Ever seen 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.
Space
Astronomers confirm earliest Milky Way-like galaxy in the universe, just 2 billion years after the Big Bang
Astronomers have confirmed the earliest barred spiral galaxy in the universe, a Milky-Way-like structure that existed just 2 billion years after the Big Bang.
James Webb telescope spots 'failed stars' in a breathtaking cluster near Earth — Space photo of the week
The James Webb Space Telescope captured a colorful portrait of a nearby stellar cradle, revealing a wealth of insights about countless stars.
Crew-11 emergency return, Mars Sample Return cancellation, shrinking river deltas, and an ancient wolf mystery.
Science news this week Jan. 17, 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.
Planet Earth
'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.
Scars from ancient 'megaquakes' at Cascadia subduction zone discovered in deep-sea landslides
Large subduction-zone earthquakes leave scars on the continental slope in the deep sea.
New map of Antarctica reveals hidden world of lakes, valleys and mountains buried beneath miles of ice
The map shows diverse geological features shaping Antarctic glaciers from below, which can improve climate models of ice melt.
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archaeology
How the ancient Romans managed their wealth (it wasn't just by hiding hoards)
How did Romans invest their wealth in ancient times?
Gender ambiguity was a tool of power 4,500 years ago in Mesopotamia
Gender-ambiguous people in ancient Mesopotamia were powerful and important members of society more than four millennia ago.
Nefertiti's tomb close to discovery, famed archaeologist Zahi Hawaas claims in new documentary
Zahi Hawass says he hopes to discover the tomb of Nefertiti before he retires, and he believes he's getting close.
LATEST ARTICLES
Animals
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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Woolly rhino flesh pulled from ancient wolf stomach gives clues to ice age giant's extinction
More than 14,000 years ago, a wolf pup ate a piece of woolly rhino. Scientists have analyzed the rhino's DNA to figure out why it went extinct.
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How to watch 'Pole to Pole with Will Smith' — TV and streaming details as Oscar-winning actor blends adventure and scientific discovery
The actor embarks on a "thrilling adventure" across seven expeditions — here's how to watch "Pole to Pole with Will Smith" online from anywhere.
Health & Human Behavior
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.
How much of your body could you lose — and still survive?
Five vital organs are essential for life, but survival is more medically complex.
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'Zombie' cells may drive common form of epilepsy
Scientists are unraveling the role of senescent cells in a common form of epilepsy, and it could point to new treatments.
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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
Tapping into new 'probabilistic computing' paradigm can make AI chips use much less power, scientists say
A new digital system allows operations on a chip to run in parallel, so an AI program can arrive at the best possible answer more quickly.
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
Human origins quiz: How well do you know the story of humanity?
Think you know about our human relatives? Take our quiz to find out — and remember, it's human to make mistakes.
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Best budget fitness trackers 2026: Cheap but mighty
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