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.
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DNA shed by every living thing is lurking in the environment — and it could tell us how Earth is changing in real timeEnvironments are littered with the DNA of the creatures that inhabit them. Analyzing it could provide a real-time view of how our planet is changing.
By Hannah Osborne Published
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The world is being held hostage by its reliance on oil. How can we break free from the fossil fuel?Like whale blubber, oil as a dominant source of energy will gradually be phased out over the next decades. Here's what that transition may look like.
By Hannah Osborne Published
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Ancient 'alien-like' skulls have been found on every continent but Antarctica. Anthropologists are starting to figure out why.Humans have practiced head shaping for tens of thousands of years, and anthropologists are beginning to uncover clues as to why.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
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Psychedelics may rewire the brain to treat PTSD. Scientists are finally beginning to understand how.New research shows MDMA and psilocybin may restore neural flexibility in people with PTSD, thereby helping the brain unlearn fear and relearn safety.
By Jane Palmer Published
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'A real revolution': The James Webb telescope is upending our understanding of the biggest, oldest black holes in the universeFor years, the James Webb Space Telescope has been spotting enormous black holes in the early universe that defy all expectations. Now, astronomers are finally deciphering the origins of these cosmic behemoths.
By Adam Mann Published
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'More Neanderthal than human': How DNA from our long-lost ancestors affects our health todayNeanderthals and humans mated millennia ago, and their legacy lives on in us today. Here's how.
By Emily Cooke Published
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Tractor beams inspired by sci-fi are real, and could solve the looming space junk problemResearchers are developing a real-life tractor beam, with the goal of pulling defunct satellites out of geostationary orbit to alleviate the space junk problem.
By Harry Baker Published
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Orcas are adopting terrifying new behaviors. Are they getting smarter?From sinking boats and feasting on shark livers to dining on whale tongue and tossing porpoises around for fun, orcas are displaying some fascinating — and sometimes terrifying — behaviors.
By Sascha Pare Published
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We now know much more about how our ancestor 'Lucy' lived — and diedFifty years after a fossil skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis was unearthed in Ethiopia, we know so much more about how this iconic species lived and died.
By Kristina Killgrove Published
