Latest news
'Stranded' astronauts return and mystery human ancestor
Science news this week March 22, 2025: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.
Global sea levels rose a whopping 125 feet after the last ice age
After the last ice age, sea levels rose rapidly over a period of about 8,000 years, new research reveals.
3,200-year-old Egyptian tomb may belong to military commander who served under Ramesses III
The ancient Egyptian tomb holds the remains of a man with a gold ring bearing the name of Ramesses III.
Atacama Telescope reveals earliest-ever 'baby pictures' of the universe: 'We can see right back through cosmic history'
New observations with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope in Chile reveal the earliest-ever "baby pictures" of our universe, showing some of the oldest light we can possibly see.
New AI is better at weather prediction than supercomputers — and it consumes 1000s of times less energy
The Aardvark Weather machine learning algorithm is much faster than traditional systems and can work on a desktop computer.
Are you protected against measles? Do you need a booster shot? Everything you need to know about immunity
There have been hundreds of measles cases reported in the U.S. since the beginning of the year. Here's what you need to know about measles immunity.
Yellowstone's iconic bison herds have merged into a single entity after 100 years of wandering the park
More than 100 years after bison from other regions were introduced to the park, the two genetically distinct herds have finally become one.
Chinese scientists use laser drones to count the country's trees — all 142.6 billion of them
Researchers have counted the number of trees in China and mapped their distribution across the country using a laser-based technique called lidar.
Scientists create ultra-efficient magnetic 'universal memory' that consumes much less energy than previous prototypes
MRAM can be energy-intensive, but a new generation of this technology will enable greater computing power and resilience, as well as much lower energy requirements.
'We had less than a 2% chance to find this': James Webb telescope uncovers baffling 'Big Wheel', one of the most massive galaxies in the early universe
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered an object they've dubbed 'Big Wheel,' a gargantuan galaxy spinning through the early universe and growing larger by the second.
30,000-year-old fossilized vulture feathers 'nothing like what we usually see' preserved in volcanic ash
Fossilized vulture feathers that were stunningly preserved in volcanic ash were a mystery until now.
First data from Euclid space telescope reveals 26 million galaxies — and another 1.4 billion are on the way
The Euclid space telescope has spotted 26 million galaxies in just one week of observations.
US measles outbreak tops 300 cases — what to know about the disease
As measles outbreaks in the U.S. continue, here's what to know about how the disease spreads, what its symptoms are, and how to protect yourself and community from the illness.
Octopus spotted riding on top of world's fastest shark
A shortfin mako shark, the fastest-swimming shark in the world, was caught on camera with an octopus catching a ride on its back off the coast of New Zealand.
Chickens sprouted dino-like feathers when scientists messed with the Sonic Hedgehog gene
Scientists uncovered a key genetic pathway in the origin of feathers, but they found that evolution is stubborn in turning back the clock.
'Bonobo genius' Kanzi, who could understand English and play Minecraft, dies at 44
The bonobo Kanzi, who learned to make stone tools, play Minecraft and communicate at the level of a 2-year-old human, has died.
Futuristic, 'alien-like' nuclear fusion rockets developed in total secret could revolutionize space travel — if they actually work
U.K. start-up Pulsar Fusion has unveiled plans to build a fleet of reusable nuclear fusion-powered rockets, known as Sunbirds, that could cut journey times across the solar system in half. But not everyone is convinced.
Biological secrets of world's oldest woman, Maria Branyas Morera, revealed after death
A study of a woman who died in 2024 as the oldest person on Earth attempts to untangle the factors that enable some people to ward off disease in old age.
'I was astonished': Ancient galaxy discovered by James Webb telescope contains the oldest oxygen scientists have ever seen
Scientists have made the record-breaking detection of oxygen in an ancient galaxy that existed just 300 million years after the Big Bang. The detection is prompting astronomers to rethink how quickly stars and galaxies formed in the young universe.
