Science Spotlight: Discover the research changing our understanding of the world

Science news breaks every day, but understanding its significance can be difficult. How is it changing how we live, or how we understand our world and our place in it? Live Science takes a deeper look at emerging science and gives you, our readers, the perspective you need on these advances.
Our stories highlight trends in different fields, how new research is changing old ideas, and how the picture of the world we live in is being transformed thanks to science. These are stories you'll find nowhere else, driven by writer's expertise and broad knowledge of the beats they cover.
Latest about science spotlight

A braided stream, not a family tree: How new evidence upends our understanding of how humans evolved
By Kristina Killgrove published
Evidence is mounting that the evolution of our species is more convoluted than we imagined — more like a braided stream than a branching tree.

AI is entering an 'unprecedented regime.' Should we stop it — and can we — before it destroys us?
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet published
The technological singularity — the point at which artificial general intelligence surpasses human intelligence — is coming. But will it usher in humanity's salvation, or lead to its downfall?

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?

'No radio astronomy from the ground would be possible anymore': Satellite mega-swarms are blinding us to the cosmos — and a critical 'inflection point' is approaching
By Harry Baker published
Invisible radiation leaking out of private satellites, like SpaceX's Starlink spacecraft, is disrupting radio astronomers' ability to detect important signals from across the universe. If left unchecked, we could reach an "inflection point" beyond which we can no longer properly study the cosmos, researchers warn.

'If it was a man, we would say that's a warrior's grave': Weapon-filled burials are shaking up what we know about women's role in Viking society
By Laura Geggel published
New research is finding that some women in Viking Age Scandinavia were buried with war-grade weapons. Experts are divided about what that means.

Atlantic ocean currents are weakening — and it could make the climate in some regions unrecognizable
By Sascha Pare published
A cold blob of water in the North Atlantic is an ominous sign that a system of currents that regulate the planet's climate could be weakening.

A long-lost ice sheet could predict the future of New York City — one in which Lower Manhattan and Coney Island are 'perpetually submerged'
By Evan Howell published
Scientists are rethinking what we knew about a vanished ice sheet — and that could spell trouble for New York City.

Quantum computers are a dream come true for hackers. Can we stop them?
By Joanna Thompson published
When quantum computers become commonplace, current cryptographic systems will become obsolete. Scientists are racing to get ahead of the problem and keep our data secure.
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