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Earth's magnetic field is weakening — magnetic crystals from lost civilizations could hold the key to understanding why
By Sierra Bouchér published
Artifacts from the Iron Age have revealed an intense historical magnetic anomaly in the Middle East. Could using a similar approach elsewhere help us unravel the mysteries of Earth's magnetic field?

Mount Thor: The mountain with Earth's longest vertical drop
By Sascha Pare published
Mount Thor, also known as Thor Peak, is a mountain in Nunavut, Canada with the largest vertical drop in the world — a terrifying escarpment with an average overhang of 15 degrees from vertical.

Why do cats like concrete slabs?
By Marilyn Perkins published
Cat owners have noticed their pets seem to go crazy for concrete blocks. Why?

Why are so many men color-blind?
By Marilyn Perkins published
About 1 in 12 men is color-blind. Why doesn't this condition affect women as often?

'Lord, these affairs are hard on the heart': How Manhattan Project scientists reacted to the world's first atomic bomb test
By Alexander McNamara last updated
In this except from the biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, we hear from the people at the historic first test of the atomic bomb in New Mexico.

Weird lump in woman's hip was sponge left behind during C-section
By Kamal Nahas published
A woman had a swollen and painful hip for years following an emergency cesarean section. When doctors finally took a look, they found something surprising.

The choice of sperm is 'entirely up to the egg' — so why does the myth of 'racing sperm' persist?
By Starre Vartan published
In her new book "The Stronger Sex," science journalist Starre Vartan dispels myths and misconceptions about the female body.

Russian volcano grows 'devil horns' and spits out 1,000-mile-long river of smoke
By Harry Baker published
Earth from space A false-color satellite photo from 2023 shows a devilish pair of lava flows and an enormous plume of smoke spewing from Klyuchevskoy, the tallest volcano in Europe and Asia.
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