Latest articles by Patrick Pester
Pterosaur tracks reveal flying reptiles were comfortable on land, too
Researchers studying pterosaur tracks have found that ancient flying reptiles became better adapted to life on land during the middle of the Jurassic period and even shared environments with dinosaurs.
Titanic digital reconstruction sheds light on night ship sank
A new documentary explores the tragic final night of the RMS Titanic with the most detailed digital reconstruction of the ship ever created.
Planet Nine candidate detected deep in our solar system
Researchers have found a candidate for the hypothetical Planet Nine, which could be an undiscovered giant planet way out in our solar system. However, as with all ninth planet research, the new findings were met with some skepticism.
ChatGPT update pulled after chatbot complimented users too much
A recent update caused ChatGPT to turn into a sycophant, with the chatbot excessively complimenting and flattering its users with reassurances — even when they said they'd harmed animals or stopped taking their medication. OpenAI has now reversed the changes.
Ancient zircon crystals shed light on 1 billion-year-old meteorite strike in Scotland
Geologists have found that an ancient meteorite hit Scotland 200 million years later than previously thought, which has massive implications for the geological history of the region and some of the U.K.'s earliest land life.
Researchers react to T. rex 'leather' announcement
Companies claim that Tyrannosaurus rex leather could soon be entering the luxury fashion market, but dinosaur researchers say you can't make genuine T. rex skin.
Two new crocodiles discovered in the Caribbean
A crocodile DNA study has revealed two previously unknown Crocodylus species in the Caribbean. The crocodiles live on Cozumel and Banco Chinchorro, where they're threatened by human activities.
Scientists find 'breathing' magma cap inside Yellowstone supervolcano
Yellowstone's supervolcano appears to have a magma cap that vents pressure and reduces the chances of a massive eruption happening anytime soon.
Zoo unveils babies of 100-year-old giant tortoise, 'Mommy'
Four adorable western Santa Cruz Galápagos tortoise babies are now on display at Philadelphia Zoo after their 100-year-old 'Mommy' reproduced for the first time.
Giant mosasaur discovered in Mississippi
Researchers may have discovered Mississippi's largest ever mosasaur after pulling a Cretaceous-aged fossil out of a riverbed south of Starkville.
NASA's Lucy spacecraft snaps first close-ups of weird peanut-shaped asteroid
NASA has released the Lucy spacecraft's first close-up images of asteroid Donaldjohanson, revealing a peanut-shaped rock that could shed light on how planets formed in our solar system.
Earth Day: When is it and why do we celebrate it?
Earth Day is an annual global event on April 22 that celebrates Earth and raises public awareness about the environment.
Chimps filmed sharing alcoholic food for first time
Videos of chimpanzees sharing alcoholic fruit suggest that this behavior could have led to feasting in humans, a new study finds.
Watch bison flee as famous Yellowstone wolf pack descends
Yellowstone's Junction Butte wolf pack failed in a recent attempt to kill a bison, but the pack appears to be thriving again after the death of its former alpha female, Wolf 907F.
Northern lights ignite night sky after rare double solar eruption
Solar eruptions created a northern lights display in North America and Europe overnight, with more auroras expected through Thursday.
T. rex fossil trade hurting scientific research, study claims
A Tyrannosaurus rex researcher has found that there are now more scientifically valuable T. rex specimens in private or commercial ownership than in public museums, hampering research.
Zoo elephants form protective ring around young during California earthquake
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park's elephants raced to protect their calves with an "alert circle" when a 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck Julian in Southern California.
La Niña finished after just a few months
The La Niña weather pattern ended last month as Pacific Ocean temperatures rose and the El Niño Southern Oscillation cycle entered a neutral state, according to the NOAA.
'Unusual' wooly mammoth tooth oldest ever found in North America
Scientists have unveiled the oldest woolly mammoth specimen ever discovered in North America as part of a major DNA study spanning a million years of mammoth evolution.
Titanic digital reconstruction sheds light on night ship sank
A new documentary explores the tragic final night of the RMS Titanic with the most detailed digital reconstruction of the ship ever created.
Asteroid 2024 YR4 surprises scientists with 'unusual' shape and could slaphsot the moon
The once-dubbed "city-killer" asteroid 2024 YR4 has surprised scientists with its 'unusual' shape as it rapidly rotates through space on a trajectory that could see it hit the moon.
Winter sea ice cover lowest on record
The Copernicus Climate Change Service has revealed that March 2025 saw the lowest sea ice maximum extent in the 47-year history of the satellite record – the warmest March on record for Europe.
Cannibalistic spiderlings won't hunt their siblings even if they're starving
Social signals stop young labyrinth spiders from hunting their siblings even when they are starving. However, the cannibalistic spiderlings quickly feed on the corpses of their brothers and sisters.
Adorable dire wolf pups mark 'world's first de-extinction,' Colossal Biosciences says
Dire wolves, made famous by HBO's Game of Thrones, have been extinct for around 12,500 years. But thanks to genetic engineers at biotech company Colossal Biosciences, these majestic predators are back.
