Planet Earth

Bermuda archipelago: aerial view of Bermuda, the most significant islands are connected by bridges and appear to form one landmass - blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean and from the right the islands of St George, Higgs and Horseshoe, Hen, Peggy, Whalers, Governor, Paget, Smith, Brooks, Oswego, St. David (airport), Nonsuch, Coney, Bermuda, Ireland, Somerset.

Giant structure discovered deep beneath Bermuda is unlike anything else on Earth

By Stephanie Pappas published

A thick layer of more than 12 miles of rock may explain why Bermuda seems to float above the surrounding ocean.

21 Comments
Geology

China's Great Green Wall: The giant artificial forest designed to slow the expansion of 2 deserts

By Sascha Pare published

Since 1978, China has planted more than 66 billion trees along its 2,800-mile-long northern border, and it wants to plant 34 billion more over the next 25 years to complete its "Great Green Wall."

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Plants
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Space

Strange, 7-hour explosion from deep space is unlike anything scientists have seen — Space photo of the week

By Jamie Carter published

Astronomers used major telescopes across the world to probe a cosmic explosion 8 billion light-years from the solar system.

Astronomy

James Webb telescope uncovers a new mystery: A broiling 'hell planet' with an atmosphere that shouldn't exist

By Tia Ghose published

James Webb finds a hot planet that is tidally locked with its parent star, is coated with a thick atmosphere of volatile chemicals.

Exoplanets
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archaeology

a split image of a star in the night sky and a neanderthal making fire

Neanderthals made fire, orcas and dolphins team up, and the 'Star of Bethlehem' explored

By Tia Ghose, Alexander McNamara published

Science news this week Dec. 13, 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.

Science news this week

16th-century gallows and dozens of skeletons discovered in France

By Kristina Killgrove published

Archaeologists have identified a 16th-century gallows structure and nearly a dozen mass burial pits in Grenoble, France.

Archaeology
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World of science

Health

A young woman dressed in activewear is sitting next to a Christmas tree with headphones on and whilst holding a tablet

The 23 best fitness gifts to buy for gym lovers, hand-picked by a personal trainer

By Anna Gora last updated

Buying guides Need some last-minute gift ideas for a fitness enthusiast? We have your back.

Buying guides
One of the watch face choices on the Xiaomi Smart Band 10, showing a floral design in dark colors.

Xiaomi Smart Band 10 fitness tracker review: Sleek and budget-friendly

By Kat Bayly published

Review A fantastic budget fitness tracker with a slender design, outstanding battery life and an interface you can navigate within minutes.

Review

'Unprecedented': Woman delivers full-term abdominal pregnancy while also having 22-pound cyst removed

By Nicoletta Lanese published

A California woman was scheduled to have a large cyst removed but, in the lead-up to the procedure, learned she had a rare ectopic pregnancy.

Fertility, Pregnancy & Birth
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Animals

Vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis), flaring its arms in the deep sea.

Scientists finally sequence the vampire squid's huge genome, revealing secrets of the 'living fossil'

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

The genetic link between squids and octopuses may just be found in the vampire squid genome.

Mollusks

Cassius the giant crocodile died from sepsis after 40-year-old dormant infection burst from 'abscess,' necropsy reveals

By Sascha Pare published

Cassius was an 18-foot-long saltwater crocodile living in captivity in Marineland Crocodile Park in Australia. He died last year at the age of about 120, and we finally know why.

Alligators & Crocodiles
Whiplash squid

'Very novel and very puzzling': Unknown species of squid spotted burying itself upside down, pretending to be a plant

By Kenna Hughes-Castleberry published

A new study reveals an unknown species of whiplash squid burying itself upside down in the deep sea — a first-of-its-kind behavior for cephalopods.

Mollusks
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Human Behavior

Science history: Norwegian explorer wins the treacherous race to the South Pole, while British rival perishes along with his crew — Dec. 14, 1911

By Tia Ghose published

In December 1911, Roald Amundsen and his crew reached the South Pole, beating his rival, Robert Falcon Scott, by 35 days. Scott and his crew didn't survive the return trip.

Human Behavior

Time may be a psychological projection, philosopher argues

By Adrian Bardon published

Is time real, or an illusion? The best answer may be neither: Both physics and philosophy suggest that time is a projection of the mind onto a timeless reality.

Human Behavior

There is such a thing as 'settled science' — anyone who says otherwise is trying to manipulate you

By Kit Yates published

Opinion How bad-faith arguments sow doubt by weaponizing scientific humility.

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Opinion
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Physics & Mathematics

Historic search for 'huge missing piece' of the universe reveals new secrets of particle physics

By Elizabeth Howell published

Scientists hunted dark matter and solar neutrinos with one of the largest experiments yet. While the neutrinos likely appeared, dark matter results couldn't be confirmed.

8 Comments
Particle Physics
Maxar overview satellite imagery shows the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano releasing huge smoke clouds before the eruption on January 14th , 2022 in Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai Islands, Tonga.

What was the loudest sound ever recorded?

By Clarissa Brincat published

Determining the "loudest recorded sound" depends on how you define sound and on which measurements you choose to include.

6 Comments
Physics & Mathematics

Law of 'maximal randomness' explains how broken objects shatter in the most annoying way possible

By Skyler Ware published

A new mathematical equation describes the distribution of different fragment sizes when an object breaks. Remarkably, the distribution is the same for everything from bubbles to spaghetti.

Mathematics
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Chemistry

Glue strong enough to tow a car made from used cooking oil

By Mason Wakley published

Chemists used waste cooking oil to create a sustainable, super-sticky adhesive that's strong enough to hold up hundreds of pounds of weight.

6 Comments
Chemistry

Scientists invent way to use E. coli to create and dye rainbow-colored fabric in the lab

By Mason Wakley published

Scientists have used a novel method to create sustainable, rainbow-colored fibers using bacteria in the lab.

Chemistry
an animation of a spinning buckyball molecule

Science history: Chemists discover buckyballs — the most perfect molecules in existence — Nov. 14, 1985

By Tia Ghose published

Over a feverish 10-day period, scientists synthesized and described a new class of carbon molecules, called buckminster fullerenes, after the iconic 20th-century inventor.

Chemistry
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Technology

Celestron Regal ED 8x42 on a green background

These incredible birdwatching binoculars are $125 off at Amazon — just in time for that last bit of Christmas shopping

By Kimberley Lane published

Deals Celestron Regal ED 8x42 earned 5 stars from our experts, and they're now the cheapest we've ever seen them — they're ideal for birders.

Deals
A close-up picture of our reviewer testing the Shokz OpenRun bone conduction headphones

Best bone conduction headphones 2025: Our top picks for every budget

By Anna Gora last updated

Buying guides These are the best bone conduction headphones you can buy in every category, from Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 and Nank Runner Diver 2 Pro to Mrytky S1.

Buying guides
Ozlo Sleepbuds in an open case and on a purple pillow

Best sleep headphones 2025: From tiny earbuds and snuggly headbands to pillow speakers

By Anna Gora last updated

Buying guides These are the best sleep headphones you can buy in every category, from Ozlo Sleepbuds and AcousticSheep SleepPhones V8 to Soundcore Sleep A30.

Buying guides
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