
Patrick Pester
Patrick Pester is the trending news writer at Live Science. His work has appeared on other science websites, such as BBC Science Focus and Scientific American. Patrick retrained as a journalist after spending his early career working in zoos and wildlife conservation. He was awarded the Master's Excellence Scholarship to study at Cardiff University where he completed a master's degree in international journalism. He also has a second master's degree in biodiversity, evolution and conservation in action from Middlesex University London. When he isn't writing news, Patrick investigates the sale of human remains.
Latest articles by Patrick Pester

NASA satellites show Antarctica has gained ice despite rising global temperatures. How is that possible?
By Patrick Pester published
An abrupt change in Antarctica has caused the continent to gain ice. But this increase, documented in NASA satellite data, is a temporary anomaly rather than an indication that global warming has reversed, scientists say.

Satellite study reveals the fastest sinking city in the US
By Patrick Pester published
Satellite data revealed that Houston is the fastest-sinking city in the U.S., and that all of the other biggest cities are dropping in at least some areas. Researchers say groundwater extraction is largely to blame for the sink.

Rare genetic mutation lets some people thrive on just 4 hours of shut-eye
By Patrick Pester published
A newly identified mutation helps super-sleepers get by on just four to six hours of shut-eye per night, while the rest of us need around eight hours. Researchers described the SIK3-N783Y mutation in a new study after testing it on sleep-deprived inbred mice.

Climate change made April's catastrophic floods worse, report finds
By Patrick Pester published
A report into April's deadly flooding has found that climate change made the central Mississippi River valley's extreme weather event more likely and more intense.

NASA Mars satellite uncovers markings 'like paint dripping down a wall' on Martian surface
By Patrick Pester published
Wave-like soil patterns on the Martian surface match those found in Earth's cold, mountain regions, which could help scientists better understand the Red Planet's climate history and search for signs of life.

Pterosaur tracks reveal flying reptiles were comfortable on land, too
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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'
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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?
By Patrick Pester last updated
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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
By Patrick Pester published
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.

Asteroid 2024 YR4 surprises scientists with 'unusual' shape and could slaphsot the moon
By Patrick Pester published
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.
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