Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science, covering topics ranging from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior. She was previously a senior writer for Live Science but is now a freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, and regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
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An extra moon may be orbiting Earth — and scientists think they know exactly where it came fromThe near-Earth asteroid Kamo'oalewa, which orbits alongside our planet as a 'minimoon,' may have originated from Giordano Bruno crater on the far side of the moon, new research suggests.
By Stephanie Pappas Last updated
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Scientists may have pinpointed the true origin of the Hope Diamond and other pristine gemstonesResearchers suggest that the famed Golconda diamonds, including the Hope Diamond and Koh-i-noor, may have originated from a volcanic outcrop nearly 200 miles from where they were mined.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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NASA reveals 'glass-smooth lake of cooling lava' on surface of Jupiter's moon IoThe volcanic surface of Jupiter's huge moon Io got a stunning close-up thanks to NASA's Juno mission.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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'Uncharted territory': El Niño to flip to La Niña in what could be the hottest year on recordA quick flip from El Niño to La Niña is coming soon, but what does that mean for the U.S.?
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Purple bacteria could be key to finding extraterrestrial life on exoplanetsOn many exoplanets, the best clue that life is present may be a purple hue. New research into some of Earth's most extreme bacteria explains why.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Pluto's huge white 'heart' has a surprisingly violent origin, new study suggestsTombaugh Regio — the large, pale heart that dominates Pluto's terrain — is made of nitrogen ice that accumulated after a huge, slow-motion impact, new research suggests.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Mass die-off half a billion years ago caused by shifting tectonic plates, ancient rocks revealA large extinction in the midst of the expansion of life during the Cambrian period was caused by the tectonics of a supercontinent, new research argues.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Peter Higgs, Nobel Prize-winning physicist who predicted the Higgs boson, dies at 94Celebrated theoretical physicist Peter Higgs, best known for predicting the existence of the Higgs boson, has died at the age of 94 after a short illness.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Part of the San Andreas fault may be gearing up for an earthquakeThe Parkfield section of the San Andreas fault is sending mixed messages before a time of expected increased seismic risk.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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April 8 solar eclipse: What time does totality start in every state?Totality, the moment when the moon completely covers the sun's face, is the climax of a total solar eclipse. Here's what time totality starts in all 13 states where the total solar eclipse will be visible on April 8, and what to expect when the big moment arrives.
By Stephanie Pappas Last updated
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New trial hints at a possible HIV cure approach: Wake up latent virus hiding in the body, then kill itA clinical trial of a new method to activate and kill HIV in the body shows small success, but it's not yet a cure.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Rare 'super-diamonds' may already exist on other planets, and could be made on Earth, study hintsA simulated form of carbon called BC8, or 'super-diamond', could be 30% tougher than normal diamonds, but synthesizing it on Earth won't be easy.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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2,000 earthquakes in 1 day off Canada coast suggest the ocean floor is ripping apart, scientists sayRecord earthquake activity off the coast of Vancouver Island hints at the birth of new oceanic crust.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Ice-cold plunges and breath-holding: Does the 'Wim Hof method' do anything?Wim Hof, known as "The Iceman," purports a combination of breathing exercises and cold exposure has many health benefits. But a new review of studies finds there's limited evidence.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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James Webb telescope spots organic molecules swirling around unborn stars, hinting at origins of Earth-like worldsComplex organic molecules spotted by the James Webb Space Telescope may hint at how habitable planets form.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Mystery of enormous Saharan 'star dune' finally solved — and it wasn't what scientists were expectingTall, many-armed star dunes are common in deserts worldwide, but scientists know little about the histories of these formations.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Oldest known sex chromosome emerged 248 million years ago in an octopus ancestorThe 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.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Weird dent in Earth's magnetic field is messing with auroras in the Southern HemisphereThe South Atlantic Anomaly makes a section of the southern aurora weaker and likely dimmer.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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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.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Thawing Arctic permafrost could release radioactive, cancer-causing radonAs permafrost melts as a result of climate change, it may release more radon, a colorless, odorless gas linked with lung cancer.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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World's oldest known decimal point discovered in merchant's notes from 1440s ItalyDecimal 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.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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'We are approaching the tipping point': Marker for the collapse of key Atlantic current discoveredA vital Atlantic current that includes the Gulf Stream and keeps our climate in check may be giving off a warning sign of collapse.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Greenland is losing so much ice it's getting tallerThe bedrock of Greenland is expanding upward as the land mass sheds ice.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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We may need a new 'Category 6' hurricane level for winds over 192 mph, study suggestsScientists argue that adding a Category 6 to the hurricane scale will be needed as the climate changes.
By Stephanie Pappas Published

