Earth & Environment
40,000-year-old symbols may be humanity’s first step toward writing
Long before the first known writing systems appeared in ancient Mesopotamia, early humans were already carving mysterious symbols into tools, ornaments, and sculptures.
A new...
Scientists create a “cloud in a box” to unlock weather’s biggest mysteries
In a laboratory at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, scientists recently witnessed something remarkable: the birth of a cloud inside a...
Why we may still be waiting for an alien signal
Since the first Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) experiment in 1960, scientists have been scanning the Milky Way for signs of advanced alien civilizations.
They...
Why dark pool trading could make stock market crashes more likely
A growing share of stock trading is moving away from traditional public exchanges into private electronic platforms known as “dark pools.”
While these venues offer...
Scientists discover new Spinosaurus species deep in the Sahara
Scientists have discovered a new species of the famous dinosaur Spinosaurus in the central Sahara Desert, revealing surprising details about how these unusual predators...
Could the world’s smallest possum be living on the Yorke Peninsula
A tiny, threatened marsupial not known to have inhabited South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula may exist as a relict population and still be clinging to...
Traffic pollution may increase breast cancer risk
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women, and understanding what increases the risk has been a major focus of medical...
Why so many space rocks look like snowmen
Far beyond Neptune, at the cold edge of our solar system, millions of icy objects drift quietly in a region called the Kuiper Belt.
These...
Why Triceratops had a giant nose: New study reveals its hidden purpose
Triceratops is one of the most recognizable dinosaurs, famous for its three horns and enormous head.
But scientists have long wondered why this plant-eating giant...
15-second ads may be the secret to beating junk food cravings
A new study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia suggests that very short health advertisements could help people resist junk food cravings and...
Scientists discover strange “boiling” motion deep inside Greenland’s ice
For years, scientists studying the Greenland ice sheet have been puzzled by unusual swirling patterns hidden deep beneath the surface.
Now, researchers believe they have...
The moon is still shrinking: New study reveals recent tectonic activity
For a long time, people imagined the moon as a quiet, frozen world where nothing much happens anymore.
But new research shows that the moon...
FEATURED
A monster solar storm struck earth 14,300 years ago
The Sun is such a stable presence in our lives that we often take it for granted.
Few things are as certain sure as the...
Meet this giant salamander-like creature: The Ice Age’s swamp predator before dinosaurs
Long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, a giant salamander-like creature named Gaiasia jennyae was the top predator in its swampy habitat.
This fearsome creature, with...
Jack Bogle: The cost of index funds
An index fund is a type of mutual fund that purchases similar stocks as in a particular market index. This implies that the scheme will perform...
Earth’s shifting magnetic field causes headaches for polar navigation
The Earth's magnetic field, generated by the movement of liquid iron and nickel in its outer core, protects us from harmful solar radiation.
This magnetic...
Peabody fossils reveal dinosaur evolution in eastern North America
Tyrannosaurus rex, the fearsome predator that once roamed what is now western North America, appears to have had an East Coast cousin.
A new study...
Why has the Gulf of Alaska avoided massive underwater landslides for over a million...
A recent study delves into the mysteries of the Gulf of Alaska, exploring why the region hasn't experienced a massive underwater landslide, known as...
Cats prefer to get free meals rather than work for them, shows study
When given the choice between a free meal and performing a task for a meal, cats would prefer the meal that doesn’t require much...
Scientists discover an unusual time called ‘Carnian Pluvial Episode’ for dinosaur evolution
A dinosaur-like reptile leaves muddy footprints along the shoreline of a lake during a rainstorm some 234 million years ago in northwestern Argentina.
The Triassic...