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Latest News

The sucker mouths of 10 Pacific lampreys through the glass of an aquarium,

Pacific lamprey: The jawless fish that survived 4 mass extinctions and sucks prey dry of blood and body fluids

Sascha Pare published 23 September 23

Lampreys belong to an ancient group of fish called Agnatha that evolved 450 million years ago, predating both dinosaurs and trees.

An image of the orange disk of the sun surrounded in a bast, glowing ring of spikes called the corona

Space photo of the week: The sun's violent corona like it's never been seen before

Jamie Carter published 23 September 23

The sun's outer atmosphere was captured at previously impossible extreme ultraviolet wavelengths thanks to a last-minute engineering hack.

Red dirt on Mars surface. Woman wearing futuristic exoskeleton exploring cave and mountain areas.

What would colors look like on other planets?

Joanna Thompson published 23 September 23

Here's how your brain might adjust to see color on another world.

A golden C-shaped bracelet against a black background.

Landslide reveals 2,500-year-old 'richly decorated' gold necklaces in Spain

Hannah Kate Simon published 22 September 23

A landslide in northern Spain has helped unearth two Iron Age gold necklaces that were likely buried in a hoard about 2,500 years ago.

Highly stylized view of Jupiter's icy moon Europa.

James Webb telescope finds potential signature of life on Jupiter's icy moon Europa

Stephanie Pappas published 22 September 23

The discovery of seemingly home-grown carbon dioxide suggests Europa's ice-covered ocean could be habitable.

A photo of the moon in its First Quarter phase

What is the moon phase today?

Colin Stuart last updated 22 September 23

Reference A look at the phases of the moon, from new moon to full moon, including's tonight's lunar phase.

Astronomers have spotted a gigantic void they believe to be a baryon acoustic oscillation — a relic from when the universe was a fiery plasma soup.
Mysterious 'fossilized' bubble 10,000 times the size of the Milky Way could be a relic from the Big Bang Astronomers have spotted a gigantic void they believe to be a baryon acoustic oscillation — a relic from when the universe was a fiery plasma soup.
Analysis of the microscopic structure of an ancient shard of Roman glass has revealed how photonic crystals form, and might enable them to be grown.
Roman glass keeps turning into photonic crystals. Scientists finally know why Analysis of the microscopic structure of an ancient shard of Roman glass has revealed how photonic crystals form, and might enable them to be grown.
The sun's outer atmosphere was captured at previously impossible extreme ultraviolet wavelengths thanks to a last-minute engineering hack.
Space photo of the week: The sun's violent corona like it's never been seen before The sun's outer atmosphere was captured at previously impossible extreme ultraviolet wavelengths thanks to a last-minute engineering hack.
Archaeologists in Kazakhstan have discovered a hexagonal pyramid that served as a burial site in the Bronze Age.
Bronze Age hexagonal 'pyramid' not like anything 'found before in the Eurasian steppe' Archaeologists in Kazakhstan have discovered a hexagonal pyramid that served as a burial site in the Bronze Age.
Here's how your brain might adjust to see color on another world.
What would colors look like on other planets? Here's how your brain might adjust to see color on another world.
A landslide in northern Spain has helped unearth two Iron Age gold necklaces that were likely buried in a hoard about 2,500 years ago.
Landslide reveals 2,500-year-old 'richly decorated' gold necklaces in Spain A landslide in northern Spain has helped unearth two Iron Age gold necklaces that were likely buried in a hoard about 2,500 years ago.
The discovery of seemingly home-grown carbon dioxide suggests Europa's ice-covered ocean could be habitable.
James Webb telescope finds potential signature of life on Jupiter's icy moon Europa The discovery of seemingly home-grown carbon dioxide suggests Europa's ice-covered ocean could be habitable.

Planet Earth

Dragon blood trees in rocky landscape, Homhil Protected Area, Socotra, Yemen.

15 places on Earth that look like alien planets

By Annie Corinne Shaink published 22 September 23

These stunning locations feel out of this world, but are actually right here on Earth.

Planet Earth
Animation of ongoing progress of the 2023 El Niño event.

What is El Niño?

By Aimee Gabay published 22 September 23

El Niño is a climate cycle in which waters off the tropical eastern Pacific are warmer than usual, which in turn affects global weather patterns.

Weather
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  1. Crocodiles appeared to rescue a dog that had been chased into a river, and scientists said this unusual behavior could indicate empathy — but others are skeptical.
    1
    Indian crocodiles seen saving dog from feral pack attack, but scientists divided over what it means
  2. 2
    Snake choking on invasive fish the size of its head saved by scientist
  3. 3
    Mysterious 'fossilized' bubble 10,000 times the size of the Milky Way could be a relic from the Big Bang
  4. 4
    James Webb telescope sees potential signs of alien life in the atmosphere of a distant 'Goldilocks' water world
  5. 5
    'Ghost' particles from the sun could lead us straight to an invisible trove of dark matter
  1. Crocodiles appeared to rescue a dog that had been chased into a river, and scientists said this unusual behavior could indicate empathy — but others are skeptical.
    1
    Indian crocodiles seen saving dog from feral pack attack, but scientists divided over what it means
  2. 2
    Scientists in China find mysterious virus at the bottom of the Mariana Trench
  3. 3
    How does water get stuck in your ear — and how do you get it out?
  4. 4
    Roman glass keeps turning into photonic crystals. Scientists finally know why
  5. 5
    Archaeologists in Zambia discover oldest wooden structure in the world, dating to 476,000 years ago

Space

A galaxy grouping called Stephan’s Quintet, which contains an imposter galaxy that is actually much closer to Earth than the others.

An ancient, ravenous black hole has been hiding an 11-billion-year-old galaxy in its glare

By Robert Lea published 22 September 23

A team of astronomers has used a tricky technique to study an ancient galaxy previously lost in the glare of a blazing quasar.

Black Holes
Mercury.

Mercury reaches its highest point in the sky this weekend. Here's how to see it.

By Jamie Carter published 21 September 23

A bright, yellowish spot in the morning sky is actually Mercury making a rare daytime appearance. Here's how to see it at its highest and brightest this week.

Mercury
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archaeology

A pair of 2,000-year-old Roman swords.

2 rare Roman cavalry swords from 1,800 years ago discovered by UK metal detectorist

By Jennifer Nalewicki published 21 September 23

A metal detectorist unearthed a pair of swords once used by the Roman cavalry.

Romans
The foreground of an unearthed palace-like Mayan building.

Palatial 1,500-year-old Maya structure unearthed in Mexico

By Owen Jarus published 21 September 23

Archaeologists discovered the palace-like building ahead of railway construction in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula.

Archaeology
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Health

man in a button down shirt prepares to swab his cheek with a long cotton swab at home

At-home DNA tests predict how you'll respond to drugs — but how well do they work?

By Philip Empey, Lucas Berenbrok, Kayla B. Rowe published 22 September 23

Pharmacogenomic, or PGx, tests predict how your genes might affect your response to medications. But they have their limitations.

Medicine & Drugs
Girl at the beach tilts head to one side and uses finger to try to get water out of her ear

How does water get stuck in your ear — and how do you get it out?

By Emily Cooke published 22 September 23

Whether it's from a day at the beach or a trip to the swimming pool, getting water stuck in your ear is very common. But how does it happen?

Anatomy
A close-up picture of a Brazilian wandering spider showing its eyes and mouthparts.

Move over, Viagra — this spider's boner-inducing venom could treat people let down by the blue pill

By Sascha Pare published 22 September 23

Scientists say a synthetic compound derived from Brazilian wandering spider venom could treat people with erectile dysfunction for whom drugs like Viagra don't work.

Medicine & Drugs
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Animals

A large brown fish with a torpedo-shape body swims in an aquarium tank

World's oldest aquarium fish 'Methuselah' could be decades older than we originally thought, DNA clock reveals

By Harry Baker published 22 September 23

A new study has found that the famous Australian lungfish Methuselah, who first arrived in the U.S. in 1938, could be up to 101 years old.

Fish
A giant, orange blob-like octopus swimming in kelp

See extremely rare photos of alien-looking '7-arm octopus' spotted near Washington coast

By Harry Baker published 20 September 23

The seven-arm octopus, which actually has eight arms, is one of the largest octopus species and is rarely seen by people because it normally dwells in the deep sea.

Octopuses
A man holds the tail of a giant alligator gar in shallow water

'True rarity': Gigantic alligator gar caught and released in Texas reservoir could break 2 world records

By Harry Baker published 20 September 23

Anglers in Texas reeled in a 283-pound alligator gar after a lengthy battle with the enormous fish. Experts say the catch likely breaks a 72-year record.

Fish
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Human Behavior

Ryan Graves, executive director of Americans for Safe Aerospace, David Grusch, former National Reconnaissance Officer Representative of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Task Force at the U.S. Department of Defense, and Retired Navy Commander David Fravor take their seats as they arrive for a House Oversight Committee hearing titled "Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena: Implications on National Security, Public Safety, and Government Transparency" on Capitol Hill 26, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Several witnesses are testifying about their experience with possible UFO encounters and discussion about a potential covert government program concerning debris from crashed, non-human origin spacecraft.

How wealthy UFO fans helped fuel fringe beliefs

By Keith Kloor published 16 September 23

There is a long U.S. legacy of plutocrat-funded pseudoscience. Congress just embraced it.

Human Behavior
A rock from Mars which looks like a face taken by the Viking 1 spacecraft

What is pareidolia?

By Tia Ghose last updated 13 September 23

Pareidolia is the phenomenon in which people see faces or other patterns in ambiguous images, such as Jesus on toast or the man in the moon.

Human Behavior
Stressed teen suffering heat stroke on the beach.

Hot weather could boost aggression — but only in certain conditions

By Stephanie Pappas published 4 September 23

Under some circumstances, people may become more aggressive when they're overheated. But other decision-making doesn't seem to be affected.

Human Behavior
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Physics & Mathematics

An illustration of the Milky Way on a black background, with the galaxy's edges drooping down on one side and lifting up on the other

Our entire galaxy is warping, and a gigantic blob of dark matter could be to blame

By Ben Turner published 19 September 23

An invisible halo of misaligned dark matter could explain the warps at the Milky Way's edges.

Dark Matter
Scientists think that dark matter produces a bright and spherical halo of X-ray emission around the center of the Milky Way.

Astronomers measure dark matter 'haloes' around hundreds of ancient black holes for 1st time

By Robert Lea published 18 September 23

Studying the mysterious form of matter around ancient quasar galaxies could have profound implications for our understanding of how the cosmos evolved.

Dark Matter
An illustration of various star systems swirling through space, each with multiple planets

Mathematicians find 12,000 new solutions to 'unsolvable' 3-body problem

By Briley Lewis published 15 September 23

Calculating the way three things orbit each other is notoriously tricky — but a new study may reveal 12,000 new ways to make it work.

Physics & Mathematics
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Chemistry

A man holding the coffee filter full of spent coffee grounds. Coffee grounds can be recycled. The spent coffee grounds can be used to produce useful things.

Used coffee grounds make concrete 30% stronger

By Victoria Atkinson published 7 September 23

Used coffee grounds that are heat treated increase the compression strength of concrete.

Chemistry
A still of a slowed-down chemical reaction taken with a quantum computer

Scientists manipulate quantum mechanics to slow down a chemical reaction by 100 billion times

By Stephanie Pappas published 4 September 23

Using a quantum device, researchers have observed, for the first time, a molecular process called conical intersection that is important in reactions such as photosynthesis.

Chemistry
Manufacturing lithium ion batteries in battery research facility.

How do electric batteries work, and what affects their properties?

By Victoria Atkinson published 1 September 23

Electric vehicles use lithium ion batteries with small amounts of nickel, manganese and cobalt. How do they work and what chemistry affects their properties?

Chemistry
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Tech

Stock photo of the Garmin Enduro 2

Save $100 on the world-class Garmin Enduro 2 running watch at Amazon

By Ravi Davda published 20 September 23

Deal The Garmin Enduro 2 adventure watch has been reduced by $100 at Amazon, perfect if you're looking for masses of features and super-long battery life.

Deal
Military drone with a bomb at sunset. Attack drone in military conflicts.

DARPA is funding AI to help make battlefield decisions

By Joe Phelan published 19 September 23

The U.S. military research agency DARPA is spending millions to develop artificial intelligence that can help make strategic battlefield decisions.

Artificial Intelligence
Best laptops for students - Student with long hair is sitting in the library wearing glasses and headphones. Surrounded by books, he's looking at his laptop and writing notes in pencil.

Best laptops for students 2023: Get the perfect laptop for college

By Mike Jennings last updated 19 September 23

Buying Guide Do-it-all work and entertainment laptops for students of all ages and disciplines.

Buying Guide
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