Latest articles by Stephanie Pappas
Mystery of enormous Saharan 'star dune' finally solved — and it wasn't what scientists were expecting
Tall, many-armed star dunes are common in deserts worldwide, but scientists know little about the histories of these formations.
Oldest known sex chromosome emerged 248 million years ago in an octopus ancestor
The oldest-known sex chromosome emerged in octopus and squid between 455 million and 248 million years ago — 180 million years earlier than the previous record-holder, scientists have discovered.
Weird dent in Earth's magnetic field is messing with auroras in the Southern Hemisphere
The South Atlantic Anomaly makes a section of the southern aurora weaker and likely dimmer.
Tinder, Hinge lawsuit raises question: Can dating apps be considered addictive?
Researchers say that regardless of whether they qualify as "addictive," dating apps are designed to keep you swiping.
Thawing Arctic permafrost could release radioactive, cancer-causing radon
As permafrost melts as a result of climate change, it may release more radon, a colorless, odorless gas linked with lung cancer.
World's oldest known decimal point discovered in merchant's notes from 1440s Italy
Decimal points are at least 150 years older than historians thought, according to newly unearthed notes from Venetian merchant Giovanni Bianchini, who practiced astrology in the 1440s.
'We are approaching the tipping point': Marker for the collapse of key Atlantic current discovered
A vital Atlantic current that includes the Gulf Stream and keeps our climate in check may be giving off a warning sign of collapse.
Greenland is losing so much ice it's getting taller
The bedrock of Greenland is expanding upward as the land mass sheds ice.
We may need a new 'Category 6' hurricane level for winds over 192 mph, study suggests
Scientists argue that adding a Category 6 to the hurricane scale will be needed as the climate changes.
Devastating Roman-era plagues were ushered in by cold snaps, study finds
Periods of cold and severe plagues overlap in a new study of ancient Roman climate.
Seizures may be a cause of sudden unexplained child deaths
Footage from the nursery cameras of children who died of explained causes suggests that seizures are likely implicated in the tragedies.
Massive tectonic collision causing Himalayas to grow may also be splitting Tibet apart
The Indian plate may be peeling into two as it slides under the Eurasian plate, tearing Tibet apart in the process.
Fountains of diamonds that erupt from Earth's center are revealing the lost history of supercontinents
Feature Diamonds seem to reach Earth's surface in massive volcanic eruptions when supercontinents break up, and they form when continents come together.
Listen to diamonds erupting from deep within Earth in striking animation
Diamonds erupt from the deep as supercontinents break up. Now you can listen to the "song" of these kimberlite eruptions.
'Superstructure' bigger than Idaho has been growing on the seafloor by Fiji since the dinosaur age
Scientists pieced together the history of a huge Pacific plateau and found a complicated story.
Deadly male funnel-web spider 'Hercules' breaks record as biggest ever discovered
"Hercules" the funnel-web spider is the largest male of the species ever found.
Tsunamis up to 90 feet high smash into New Zealand every 580 years, study finds
A new method of assessing tsunami risk in New Zealand finds that giant waves could hit the country's shores once every 500 years.
Rare clotting effect of early COVID shots finally explained — what could that mean for future vaccines?
Scientists have offered a new explanation for why COVID-19 vaccines that contained adenoviruses carried a rare-but-serious risk of blood clotting.
'Lightning-like energy bursts' could be used to track the 99% of space junk that can't be seen from Earth
Current methods of tracking space junk in Earth's orbit only follow objects bigger than a softball. A new technique could trace the 99% of junk that's smaller.
Vaccine for superbugs? New shot shows promise in early tests
A new vaccine, so far tested only in mice, broadly activates the immune system against a wide array of bacteria and fungi.
Solar storm from 1977 reveals how unprepared we are for the next 'big one'
New research finds that solar storms vary in strength over surprisingly short distances, and the current network of sensors may not be enough to properly prepare for future outbursts.
Baboon mummy DNA from ancient Egypt reveals location of mysterious port city not on any maps
A new DNA study suggests that the lost realm of Punt and the port city of Adulis may have been in the same place, separated by time.
The sun may be smaller than we thought
New calculations suggest the sun is a few fractions of a percent smaller than previously estimated, and that could change how we study it.
