Hidden slippery clay on seafloor may have worsened devastating 2011 tsunami in Japan
A thick layer of slippery clay on the ocean floor may have formed the weak spot that enabled a magnitude 9.1 quake to make such a devastating tsunami.
Space
'The brain consistently moved upward and backward': Astronauts' brains physically shift in their heads during spaceflight
A new study analyzed brain MRI scans from 26 astronauts and found that the longer someone lived in space, the more their brain shifted in their skull.
Deepest views from James Webb and Chandra reveal monster object that defies theory — Space photo of the week
The James Webb Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory have captured the clearest image yet of a galaxy cluster in the making, seen when the universe was only one billion years old.
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'Runaway' black hole detected by the James Webb telescope adds a strange new chapter to our universe's story
Recent observations suggest that 'runaway' black holes are tumbling through the cosmos. Building on decades of theory, the discovery adds a remarkable new chapter to the story of the universe.
Newly visible, city-size 'green comet' will soon be ejected into interstellar space — just like 3I/ATLAS
Comet Wierzchoś, also known as C/2024 E1, is rapidly brightening as it approaches its closest point to Earth next week. But experts predict it will eventually be thrown out of the solar system forever, just like the "alien" comet 3I/ATLAS.
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Planet Earth
'Impossible' mantle earthquakes actually occur all over the world, study finds
Researchers were once unsure whether mantle earthquakes existed. Now they have a global map of this mysterious phenomenon.
There's 13 Great Lakes' worth of water hidden beneath the contiguous US, new map reveals
Researchers used 1 million data points and a machine learning algorithm to estimate groundwater stores with higher resolution than ever before.
China turns desert into carbon sink, a viking giant in a mass grave, real-life inception, and a Valentine's gift idea from nature
Science news this week Feb. 14 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.
Trump is bringing car pollution and other greenhouse gases back to America's skies. Here are the health risks we all face from climate change.
Four researchers dive into the health risks associated with climate change, and why the recent decision by the Trump administration to rescind key environmental policies could lead to serious harm.
'It's telling us there's something big going on': Unprecedented spike in atmospheric methane during the COVID-19 pandemic has a troubling explanation
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the atmosphere temporarily lost its ability to break down methane, leading to a huge spike in the greenhouse gas.
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archaeology
What are ghost lineages, remnants of the past that still exist in our DNA today?
Ghost lineages reveal themselves through ancient genes that still exist in living beings today.
Subterranean tunnel, possibly used for medieval cult rituals, discovered in Stone Age tomb in Germany
A tunnel system discovered in a Stone Age tomb in Germany suggests medieval people created hiding places for their cultic rituals.
Medieval gold ring with dazzling blue gemstone discovered in Norway is a 'fantastically beautiful and rare specimen'
The delicate gold ring was made sometime in the Middle Ages and may have belonged to a high-status woman.
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World's oldest known sewn clothing may be stitched pieces of ice age hide unearthed in Oregon cave
The sewn hide, cordage and needles show how Indigenous Americans used complex technology to survive the freezing temperatures at the end of the last ice age and as a means of social expression.
LATEST ARTICLES
Animals
Archaeopteryx, one of the world's first proto birds, has a set of weird, never-before-seen features, new study reveals
Iconic transition species between dinosaurs and birds may have had weird 'teeth' on roof of its mouth and a highly mobile tongue, study reveals
Extraordinary photo captures first appearance of Siberian peregrine falcon in Australia's arid center
An ecologist has captured a photo of a peregrine falcon subspecies in an unprecedented location.
Spotted lanternflies are invading the US. They may have gotten their evolutionary superpowers in China's cities.
The alarming spread of spotted lanternflies across the U.S. has been made possible by cities acting as evolutionary incubators, fine-tuning the insects and enabling them to thrive.
Kanzi the bonobo could play pretend — a trait thought unique to humans
Past anecdotal observations have hinted that great apes play pretend. But now, experimental research shows that our closest living relatives can keep track of imaginary objects.
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Saltwater crocodiles crossed the Indian Ocean to reach the Seychelles — before humans arrived and wiped them out
A DNA study reveals crocs that lived in the Seychelles represented the westernmost population of saltwater crocodiles, having swam at least 1,800 miles to reach the island.
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Health & Human Behavior
Vaccine denial sets Americans up for more chronic illness
Opinion Despite well-established links between pathogens and chronic illness, the U.S. government continues to weaken public health measures to treat and prevent infectious diseases — a strategy that will ultimately make Americans even sicker.
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In a first, study links maternal genes to risk of pregnancy loss
For the first time, scientists have identified genetic variants that increase the risk of aneuploidy, in which cells have an abnormal number of chromosomes. Aneuploidy in egg cells can lead to miscarriage.
Risk of death from pregnancy in the US is 44 times higher than that from abortion, new analysis reveals
A figure commonly used to compare the risk of death from pregnancy compared with the risk of death from abortion might be based on outdated data, a new study suggests.
'DNA origami' could be key for making an effective HIV vaccine, early study hints
A new vaccine design uses folded DNA to steer the immune system toward producing the rare immune cells needed to make protective antibodies against HIV.
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Life's Little Mysteries
Science questions, answered
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Space photo of the week
Extraordinary images of our sublime universe
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Diagnostic dilemma
Unusual case reports from the medical literature
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Incredible places
A window onto extraordinary landscapes on Earth
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Astonishing artifacts
A glimpse into how people lived in the past
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Earth from space
Incredible images of our planet from above
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Technology
MIT designs computing component that uses waste heat 'as a form of information'
Proof of concept uses passive components to redirect heat across a chip, allowing temperature patterns to be used for data processing.
Physics, Math & Chemistry
Record-breaking gravitational wave puts Einstein's relativity to its toughest test yet — and proves him right again
A record-breaking gravitational wave signal let scientists "listen" to a distant black hole merger and put Einstein's gravity to its toughest test yet.
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Upgrade to Antarctica 'ghost particle' observatory could pave the way to physics breakthroughs
The National Science Foundation's massive IceCube neutrino detector at the South Pole just got a major new upgrade, which promises to take the search for "ghost particles" to a new level.
Physicists push quantum boundaries by turning a superfluid into a supersolid — and back — for the first time
Physicists saw excitons, a type of quasiparticle, undergo a reversible phase transition from superfluid to supersolid for the first time, opening new doors for studying extreme states of matter.
Quizzes & Games
Live Science crossword puzzle #31: First person to walk on the moon — 11 across
Science crossword Test your knowledge on all things science with our weekly, free crossword puzzle!
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Best image-stabilized binoculars 2026: Stability meets clarity
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Capture 2026's space and astronomy highlights with one of our favorite astrophotography cameras — the Sony Alpha 7 IV has 20% off at Amazon
Deals Our camera expert Kimberley Lane gave the Sony Alpha 7 IV an almost flawless review, and it delivered incredibly well, not just for astrophotography but as a brilliant all-rounder.
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