Latest articles by Ben Turner
Doomed Soviet satellite from 1972 will tumble uncontrollably to Earth next week — and it could land almost anywhere
The lander section of the Kosmos 482 probe was launched in 1972 and designed to survive on Venus. Now it's due a fiery reentry to Earth.
Mini ice age was final death blow to Roman Empire, unusual rocks in Iceland suggest
Rocks from Greenland found on Iceland's west coast could link the late Roman Empire's fall to a spell of sudden climate change. But historians say that the real story is likely much more complicated.
Scientists create ultra-tough copper alloy that is stronger than steel and can withstand temperatures of 1500 F
The new super-strong copper alloy can be used to build better airplanes and spacecraft.
'Beauty' particle discovered at world's largest atom smasher could unlock new physics
Why matter dominates over antimatter in our universe has long been a major cosmic mystery to physicists. A new finding by the world's largest particle collider has revealed a clue.
'Secrets of the Penguins' will take penguin observations 'to another level,' executive producer James Cameron
A three-part documentary on penguins' hidden lives will reveal a number of never-before-seen moments. Here's what executive producer James Cameron said about what to expect.
Curiosity rover finds largest carbon chains on Mars from 3.7 billion-year-old rock
NASA's Curiosity Rover has discovered long carbon chains on Mars. On Earth, molecules like these are overwhelmingly produced by biological processes.
NASA rover reveals signs of crucial life-sustaining process on Mars
Samples drilled by the Curiosity rover on Mars have revealed abundant signs of a carbon cycle that remained hidden from orbital scans, alongside clues of how life may have been wiped out on the planet.
Inequality isn't inevitable in civilizations, 10,000 years of archaeological evidence reveals
A study of 50,000 houses from the late Pleistocene to the onset of European colonialism has revealed that social inequality isn't inevitable, but rather a consequence of political choices.
Elusive neutrinos' mass just got halved — and it could mean physicists are close to solving a major cosmic mystery
Physicists have set a new upper limit on the mass of neutrinos. And the finding could poke a big hole in the Standard Model of particle physics.
Astronomers are shocked to find our galaxy's nearest neighbor is being torn to shreds
An analysis of star movements from the Gaia spacecraft reveals that the Small Magellanic Cloud — a satellite galaxy bound to the Milky Way — is being torn apart by its larger neighbor.
Physicists create hottest Schrödinger's cat ever in quantum breakthrough
Physicists have replicated the famous Schrödinger's cat experiment at hotter temperatures than ever before. The breakthrough is a small but significant step toward quantum computers that can work at normal temperatures.
Quantum computing breakthrough could make 'noise' — forces that disrupt calculations — a thing of the past
Useful quantum networks are hobbled by the problem of decoherence from environmental "noise." But a new breakthrough could change that.
Using AI reduces your critical thinking skills, Microsoft study warns
A survey of workers who use AI has revealed the tools could be slowly impairing our critical thinking skills.
NASA's SPHEREx telescope 'opens its eyes on the universe', taking stunning debut image of 100,000 galaxies and stars
SPHEREx's first images — containing roughly 100,000 points of light stars, galaxies and nebulae — have confirmed that the telescope is working according to its design.
'We didn't expect to find such a beautiful, thriving ecosystem': Hidden world of life discovered beneath Antarctic iceberg
The newfound ecosystem is filled with sea crabs, octopuses and gigantic sponges, suggesting it may have been thriving for centuries.
Watch eerie video of humanoid robot 'army' marching naturally, thanks to a major AI upgrade
Figure 02's human-like gait is the product of the company's simulated reinforcement learning system, and is just the beginning of its plans to make its robots perform physical tasks more naturally.
Current AI models a 'dead end' for human-level intelligence, scientists agree
In a new survey, 76% of scientists said that scaling large language models was "unlikely" or "very unlikely" to achieve AGI.
China's superfast charging technology is twice as fast as Tesla's — fully recharging EVs in just 6 minutes
BYD's e-platform charges twice as fast as Tesla's superchargers, meaning its cars can travel up to 250 miles on a five-minute charge
Scientists break down cheap plastic using the air — and turn it into something far more valuable
Scientists developed a new method for breaking down one of the most common plastics to a byproduct that can be upcycled into more valuable materials.
'I was astonished': Ancient galaxy discovered by James Webb telescope contains the oldest oxygen scientists have ever seen
Scientists have made the record-breaking detection of oxygen in an ancient galaxy that existed just 300 million years after the Big Bang. The detection is prompting astronomers to rethink how quickly stars and galaxies formed in the young universe.
'The universe has thrown us a curveball': Largest-ever map of space reveals we might have gotten dark energy totally wrong
Findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) suggest that dark energy could be evolving over time. If they're right, cosmology will need a new model.
'Welcome home!': NASA astronauts who spent 9 months in orbit finally back on Earth
After nine months in space, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have splash-landed off the coast of Florida.
When will the 'stranded' NASA astronauts return to Earth?
After spending more than nine months in space, astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are finally coming home. NASA is targeting a Tuesday evening (March 18) splashdown for the returning astronauts, if weather conditions remain favorable.
