Feature archive

December 2025

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51 articles

December 31
- Diagnostic dilemma: A rare condition caused a man to get 'scales' on his hands whenever he washed them
December 30
- Tractor beams inspired by sci-fi are real, and could solve the looming space junk problem
- See the exact point where a glacier, a lake and a river 'touch' in Argentina — Earth from space
December 29
- Orcas are adopting terrifying new behaviors. Are they getting smarter?
- Lchashen wagon: A 3,500-year-old covered wagon that transported a deceased chief to the next world
- Science history: Richard Feynman gives a fun little lecture — and dreams up an entirely new field of physics — Dec. 29, 1959
December 28
- 5 common mistakes beginner telescope users make — and how to avoid them
- Stunning array of 400 rings in a 'reflection' nebula solves a 30-year-old star-formation mystery — Space photo of the week
- James Webb telescope spies a monstrous molecular cloud shrouded in mystery — Space photo of the week
- How many holes does the human body have?
December 27
- Is the sun really a dwarf star?
- Science history: Dian Fossey found murdered, after decades protecting gorillas that she loved — Dec. 27, 1985
December 26
- The easiest constellations for beginners to spot in winter (and what you need to see them)
- Coconucos volcanic chain: Colombia's stunning cluster of volcanoes, lost in an otherworldly landscape
- Science history: Marie Curie discovers a strange radioactive substance that would eventually kill her — Dec. 26, 1898
December 25
- Science history: James Webb Space Telescope launches — and promptly cracks our view of the universe — Dec. 25, 2021
December 24
- We now know much more about how our ancestor 'Lucy' lived — and died
- The 9 best things to see in the night sky with binoculars from November 2025 to January to 2026
- Diagnostic dilemma: A man's bladder looked like a Christmas tree
December 23
- Rare dusting of snow covers one of the driest places on Earth and shuts down massive radio telescope — Earth from space
- Science history: Anthropologist sees the face of the 'Taung Child' — and proves that Africa was the cradle of humanity — Dec. 23, 1924
December 22
- Reliquary of the Holy Crib: Remains of Jesus' manger from Bethlehem
December 21
- Glittering new James Webb telescope image shows an 'intricate web of chaos' — Space photo of the week
- Why is Venus so bright?
December 20
- Celestron Showdown: Battle of the 10x42s
- What's the fastest a human can grow?
December 19
- Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is rapidly moving away from us. Can we 'intercept' it before it leaves us forever?
- AI is solving 'impossible' math problems. Can it best the world's top mathematicians?
- Stargazing over the Christmas holidays 2025: 10 great reasons to look up
December 17
- Diagnostic dilemma: An otherwise 'fit' man had a stroke after drinking 8 'high-potency' energy drinks a day
December 16
- Deep snow blanket transforms Yellowstone Lake into a giant white void — Earth from space
December 15
- Magdala stone: 2,000-year-old carving from Jerusalem is world's oldest known depiction of a menorah
December 14
- Strange, 7-hour explosion from deep space is unlike anything scientists have seen — Space photo of the week
- Can a turtle tuck its head all the way inside its shell?
- Science history: Norwegian explorer wins the treacherous race to the South Pole, while British rival perishes along with his crew — Dec. 14, 1911
December 13
- How are 'traumatic tattoos' made, and do you have one?
December 12
- China's Great Green Wall: The giant artificial forest designed to slow the expansion of 2 deserts
December 10
- New discoveries at Hadrian's Wall are changing the picture of what life was like on the border of the Roman Empire
- Diagnostic dilemma: Man caught rabies from organ transplant after donor was scratched by skunk
December 9
- Earth's crust hides enough 'gold' hydrogen to power the world for tens of thousands of years, emerging research suggests
- Rare 'sunglint' transforms Alabama River into a giant 'golden dragon' — Earth from space
December 8
- Ash Pendant: The only known depiction of a pregnant Viking woman
December 7
- What was the loudest sound ever recorded?
December 6
- What if Antony and Cleopatra had defeated Octavian?
- Science history: Female chemist initially barred from research helps develop drug for remarkable-but-short-lived recovery in children with leukemia — Dec. 6, 1954
December 5
- A huge helium shortage is looming — but ancient rocks in Earth's crust may be hiding massive reservoirs
- 'Intelligence comes at a price, and for many species, the benefits just aren't worth it': A neuroscientist's take on how human intellect evolved
December 3
- Diagnostic dilemma: A woman got a rare parasitic lung infection after eating raw frogs
December 2
- Trio of 'black mesas' leftover from Paleozoic era spawn rare sand dunes in the Sahara — Earth from space
- Science history: Computer scientist lays out 'Moore's law,' guiding chip design for a half century — Dec. 2, 1964
December 1
- Roman sun hat: A 'very rare' 1,600-year-old brimmed cap that may have protected a Roman soldier from Egyptian sandstorms