Science News - Latest Scientific Discoveries

Japanese Unit 731 staff carrying a body from one of the unit's facilities.

World War II 'horror bunker' run by infamous Unit 731 discovered in China

By Ben Turner published 30 May 23

A bunker discovered near the city of Anda in northeast China is believed to be the largest test site of Imperial Japan's infamous Unit 731, which conducted horrifying human experiments during the 1940s.

Fish pecking at a dead sea urchin in the Gulf of Aqaba.

Mystery pathogen is stripping sea urchins of their flesh and turning them to skeletons — and it's spreading fast

By Ben Turner published 30 May 23

A mysterious epidemic that began in the Mediterranean at the start of the year looks set to wipe out all of the Mediterranean and Red Sea’s urchins, and possibly their coral reefs too.

blue and purple beams of light blasting toward the viewer

What is the speed of light?

By Briley Lewis published 30 May 23

Light is faster than anything else in the known universe, though its speed can change depending on what it's passing through.

We see the raised imprint of a human footprint in brownish stone.

153,000-year-old footprints from South Africa are the oldest Homo sapiens tracks on record

By Kristina Killgrove published 29 May 23

A modern dating method has revealed the oldest Homo sapiens' footprints yet, placing bipedal humans in South Africa around 153,000 years ago.

The newly found petroglyphs from Sweden include depictions of humans. Here we see one tall human with their arms throw up in the air.

2,700-year-old petroglyphs depicting people, ships and animals discovered in Sweden

By Owen Jarus published 29 May 23

About 40 ancient rock carvings have been found on a former rocky island in Sweden.

The Tunguska event was the biggest asteroid impact in recorded history. How did it vanish without a trace?

By Hannah Osborne published 29 May 23

During the Tunguska event, over 8 million trees covering an area of 830 square miles were flattened when an asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere.

A 3,200-year-old bristlecone pine in a forest with blue sky above

The oldest tree in the world (and the 7 runner-ups)

By Erik Ofgang published 29 May 23

From Prometheus and Methuselah to trees in remote forests of China, these are the most ancient known trees on Earth.

A spiral of asteroids swirl around a central point of light in space

Earth may have debris from alien star systems trapped in its orbit, new research suggests

By Robert Lea published 29 May 23

A new study questions if our planet could capture rocky and icy visitors from outside the solar system — and how scientists could spot them.

Here we see an orange/red crab with a pale yellow underbelly with its two claws raised in the air. It is on a sandy beach.

Why do animals keep evolving into crabs?

By Laurel Hamers published 29 May 23

Crabby bodies are so evolutionarily favorable, they've evolved at least five different times. So why does this process, known as carcinization, keep happening?

An ancient Egyptian painted relief depicting Pharaoh Ramesses III with Isis.

What was the longest-lasting civilization?

By Tom Metcalfe published 28 May 23

Is the longest-lasting civilization China, ancient Egypt or Mesopotamia? Here's a look at the evidence for each of these enduring cultures.

A 1920s illustration of an ancient Greek Bireme that has two decks of oars.

What is the 'ship of Theseus' thought experiment?

By Meg Duff published 27 May 23

The Greek writer Plutarch proposed this question: If a ship's planks are replaced over time due to wear and tear until none of the original pieces remain, is it still the same ship?

Composite of a blood-belly comb jelly and New York City

Science news this week: Sinking cities and tree of life mysteries

By Alexander McNamara published 27 May 23

May 27, 2023: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news over the past few days, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

Two chicken feet, one with feathers and one with scales.

Scientists changed scales on chicken feet to feathers by tweaking a single gene

By Jennifer Nalewicki published 26 May 23

By targeting a single gene, scientists successfully turned chickens’ feet from scaly to feathery.

Watch the biggest supernova in 10 years explode tonight on this free telescope livestream

By Robert Lea published 26 May 23

A newly discovered supernova can be watched as it develops in real-time online and for free. The livestream will begin at 6:30 p.m. EDT (2230 GMT) on Friday, May 26.

The carvings of the Roman-era phallus, face and cornucopia were found at a first century B.C. fort in Spain.

Heavy rains expose ancient phallus and 'imposing' face carvings at Roman fort in Spain

By Hannah Kate Simon published 26 May 23

A rainstorm has exposed the ancient Roman stone carvings of a phallus, face and cornucopia at a first-century fort in Spain.

A deserted ship on a dry sand bed sits in what was the Aral Sea

Over half of the world's largest lakes and reservoirs are losing water

By Kelly Oakes published 26 May 23

The amount lost in the last 30 years is equivalent to 17 Lake Meads — the largest reservoir in the U.S.

A Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter image of the crash site of Japan's Hakuto-R lander, marked with an X

NASA uncovers shattered remains of Japanese lunar lander that mysteriously disappeared on April 25

By Joanna Thompson published 26 May 23

Japan's private Hakuto-R spacecraft broke into at least four large pieces of debris, according to new images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Grab a powerful laptop for less with $500 off the MacBook Pro 14

By Lloyd Coombes published 26 May 23

The MacBook Pro 14 is a stylish laptop with the power to handle anything students can throw at it, including coding and photo editing, and this model is 20% off.

We see a stone block with a hole in the middle. It is surrounded by other stone blocks.

2,500-year-old poop from Jerusalem toilets contain oldest evidence of dysentery parasite

By Kristina Killgrove published 25 May 23

A fecal analysis from two toilets dating to biblical times in Jerusalem has revealed the oldest evidence yet of the parasite that causes dysentery.

close up photo of a light brown brown recluse spider on a black background

In rare case, man develops painful deep vein blood clots following brown recluse spider bite

By Nicoletta Lanese published 25 May 23

A man in Michigan developed deep vein thrombosis after reportedly being bitten by a brown recluse spider.