Earth & Environment
Neanderthals may have performed dental surgery 60,000 years ago
A surprising new discovery suggests that Neanderthals may have carried out a form of dental treatment nearly 60,000 years ago.
Researchers studying an ancient tooth...
Why carbon dioxide cools the upper atmosphere while heating Earth below
Scientists have long known something strange is happening in Earth’s atmosphere. While greenhouse gases are warming the planet’s surface and lower atmosphere, the upper...
Stardust trapped in Antarctic ice reveals tens of thousands of years of solar system’s...
When you think of outer space, you're likely picturing stars, planets and moons. But much of space is filled with clouds of gas, plasma...
Earth’s first continents formed billions of years earlier than expected
Scientists studying some of the oldest rocks on Earth have uncovered new evidence that the planet’s first continents may have started forming through plate...
Scientists discover crystal that captures drinking water using only light
Scientists at the University of Iowa have developed a new material that can capture water directly from the air using only light.
The discovery could...
What it would have been like to experience the dinosaur‑killing asteroid Armageddon
A great Tyrannosaurus rex strides through the conifer trees of her territory, sniffing the air.
She picks up the scent from the carcass of a...
Shark embryos reveal ancient blueprint behind the faces of all jawed animals
Scientists studying shark embryos have uncovered evidence that the basic blueprint for building faces in jawed animals has remained largely unchanged for more than...
How ‘snowball Earth’ was a tug-of-war
Decades of research shows that Earth was once entirely or almost entirely frozen.
The episode is known as Snowball Earth, and though its occurrence is...
Scientists find major errors in global climate pollution database
A new study from researchers at Northern Arizona University has raised concerns about the accuracy of a widely used global greenhouse gas emissions database...
Ancient continents may have helped create the right conditions for life on Earth
Scientists have discovered that the rise of Earth’s first continents may have played a major role in making life possible.
According to a new study...
Climate change is quietly increasing stroke risk, experts warn
Many people think of climate change as something that affects the weather, the oceans, or wildlife. However, scientists are now warning that it is...
Rare metal helped ancient life thrive long before oxygen filled Earth
More than three billion years ago, life on Earth faced a difficult problem.
The planet’s oceans contained only tiny amounts of molybdenum, a rare metal...
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Switching to LEDs saves more energy and money, says study
A recent study from the University of Michigan has shed light on a bright idea: switching from traditional fluorescent lamps to LED lighting can...
Air pollution can make COVID-19 even deadlier
In a new study, researchers found that people with long-term exposure to air pollutants may be more likely to die from COVID-19.
They analyzed more...
How likely is a US recession? About 75 percent
“My estimate is that the probability of a US recession is more than 50 percent: about 75 percent,” Professor Saxena says.
Early North Americans made clothing with bone needles, study reveals
Archaeologists have uncovered fascinating new evidence about how early humans in North America survived cold climates nearly 13,000 years ago.
At a site in Wyoming,...
Atlantic Ocean is headed for a tipping point − once melting glaciers shut down...
Superstorms, abrupt climate shifts and New York City frozen in ice. That’s how the blockbuster Hollywood movie “The Day After Tomorrow” depicted an abrupt...
Scientists discover the first ancestors of scorpions, spiders, and horseshoe crabs
Who were the earliest ancestors of scorpions, spiders, and horseshoe crabs?
A Ph.D. student from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, supported by a CNRS...
Amazon at a crossroads: study highlights tipping point risks
A pivotal study published in Nature by a team of international researchers, including experts from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), sounds...
When to neuter or spay your dog: New guidelines for 40 breeds
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have updated their guidelines on when to neuter or spay 40 popular dog breeds.
Their latest paper in...