Latest articles by Stephanie Pappas
150,000-year history of Earth's magnetic field reveals clues about the climate when early humans were spreading out of Africa
The record sheds light on the climate early humans experienced when they were spreading out of Africa.
Gigantic 'mud waves' buried deep beneath the ocean floor reveal dramatic formation of Atlantic when Africa and South America finally split
Enormous "mud waves" buried under the Atlantic seabed formed 117 million years ago as the Atlantic Ocean opened up.
First-of-its-kind video captures the terrifying moment the ground tore apart during major Myanmar earthquake
A security camera near Thazi, Myanmar, captured the earth cracking during a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in March.
Yosemite's ultra-deep canyon may have been carved in part by a ghost volcano and river, provocative research suggests
A river that drained the slopes of a now-vanished volcano may have carved Yosemite Valley's depths during the last 10 million years.
People really can communicate with just their eyes, study finds
New research reveals how humans communicate through their gaze.
'The Big One' could rock the Pacific Northwest and fuel sea-level rise and massive flooding
The geology of the Cascadia subduction zone has largely staved off climate-related sea-level rise in the Pacific Northwest, but that could reverse in an instant.
Simple blood test could help reveal whether melanoma will come back
A new study finds that fragments of tumor DNA in a patient's bloodstream could show that they are at high risk of a melanoma recurrence.
Measles has long-term health consequences
Measles can erase the immune system's "memory" and cause a rare but fatal health condition. The MMR vaccine prevents these repercussions, evidence shows.
An ocean of magma formed early in Earth's history and it may still influence our planet today, study finds
Remnants of a liquid layer of magma near Earth's core, formed in the first few hundred million years of the planet's history, may still persist today as odd anomalies in the mantle.
Climate change: Facts about our warming planet
Discover important facts about what climate change is, what's causing it, and what we can do to stop it.
Study reveals 'flawed argument' in debate over when plate tectonics began
You don't need plate tectonics to get continental crust that looks modern, a new study finds.
Massive magma eruptions may have ripped Africa and South America apart
Huge outpourings of magma accompanied the split between South America and Africa 135 million years ago.
Jaw-dropping NASA image reveals a dying star at the heart of the Helix Nebula — and it may have just murdered a planet
A new view of the Helix Nebula reveals a dying white dwarf star at the nebula's center. This star's violent eating habits could be responsible for strange X-ray emissions in the region.
The history of cat domestication
Discover the history of our feline friends, and learn about the debate over whether cats are really "domesticated" at all.
Cats: Facts about our feline friends
Discover interesting facts about cat intelligence, how they see the world, and why we keep them around.
Chickens sprouted dino-like feathers when scientists messed with the Sonic Hedgehog gene
Scientists uncovered a key genetic pathway in the origin of feathers, but they found that evolution is stubborn in turning back the clock.
Biological secrets of world's oldest woman, Maria Branyas Morera, revealed after death
A study of a woman who died in 2024 as the oldest person on Earth attempts to untangle the factors that enable some people to ward off disease in old age.
'Love hormone' oxytocin can pause pregnancy, animal study finds
Oxytocin, a hormone linked to bonding behaviors, might also help mice modulate their pregnancies. Someday, this line of research could improve our understanding of human fertility.
Alaskan volcano Mount Spurr showing activity that will 'most likely end in an explosive eruption,' scientist says
Mount Spurr near Anchorage has been showing signs of unrest for a year. Now scientists think it's creeping closer to an eruption.
Refuge from the worst mass extinction in Earth's history discovered fossilized in China
The End-Permian mass extinction killed an estimated 80% of life on Earth, but new research suggests that plants might have done okay.
Scientists discover giant blobs deep inside Earth are 'evolving by themselves' — and we may finally know where they come from
Giant regions of the mantle where seismic waves slow down may have formed from subducted ocean crust, a new study finds.
What counts as a phobia?
Specific phobias are out-of-proportion fears to objects, animals or situations, and fortunately, they can be treated.
'Primordial' helium from the birth of the solar system may be stuck in Earth's core
The discovery that helium and iron can mix at the temperatures and pressures found at the center of Earth could settle a long-standing debate over how our planet formed.
Italy's Campi Flegrei volcano may unleash devastating eruptions more often than we thought, ancient outburst suggests
A new look at an ancient eruption at Campi Flegrei raises new questions about the propensity of the still-active volcano, located near Naples, to produce major eruptions in the future.
