Earth & Environment

Nearby super Earth could host life after all

In 2024, astronomers detected a rocky exoplanet, GJ 3378b, orbiting a red dwarf sun just 25 light-years from Earth in the direction of the...

How did it feel to be an American colonist in 1776? Probably itchy, achy...

Trade the tricorn hats, bonnets and homespun shirts for flip flops, sneakers and soccer jerseys, and the intrepid revolutionaries of 1776 would have looked...

Ancient diamonds uncover Earth’s hidden secret for preserving life’s essential element

Two unusual diamonds found deep inside the Earth are helping scientists answer a long-standing question about how our planet has remained suitable for life. The...

Scientists create smart battery material that stops energy loss

Lithium-sulfur batteries have long been seen as one of the most promising technologies for the future of energy storage. They could store much more energy...

Scientists warn 1.7 million satellites could destroy our view of the night sky

The number of satellites orbiting Earth is growing at an incredible speed, and scientists say it could soon change the night sky forever. A new...

Air conditioners alone can’t beat extreme heat, scientists warn

As the world gets hotter, air conditioners are becoming more important than ever. They help people stay safe during heat waves and can even save...

How giant glaciers moved massive rocks across the Alps 24,000 years ago

Thousands of giant rocks scattered across Switzerland have puzzled people for centuries. Many of these huge boulders are sitting far from the mountains where they...

,000-year-old child’s skull found in Norwegian cave reveals secrets of early farmers

Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a young child who lived about 4,000 years ago in a cave on Norway's west coast. The remarkable discovery...

An extended barrage of asteroid impacts made Earth too hot to form continents

The formation of continents was an important step in Earth's history. Continents and plate tectonics are connected to the planet's habitability, and the same is...

A star’s death throes involves a lot of kicking

Imagine being nudged again and again by thousands of tiny shoves, each one barely perceptible alone, until they add up to a steady drift...

Crocodile brains have barely changed in 100 million years, new study finds

Crocodiles are often called "living fossils," and a new study suggests that description may be more accurate than ever. Scientists have discovered that the brains...

Why the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool turned green—and why it matters for America’s drinking...

When the famous Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., suddenly turned bright green, many people were surprised. The unusual color quickly became national news....

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Ancient Maya city may have parks

The ancient Maya city of Tikal was a bustling metropolis and home to tens of thousands of people. The city comprised roads, paved plazas, towering...

Scientists find new ichthyosaur, one of the largest animals ever, in the Alps

The first ichthyosaurs swam through the primordial oceans in the early Triassic period about 250 million years ago. They had an elongated body and a...

Scientists discover moon asteroid impacts mirrored on Earth

Scientists have found asteroid impacts on the Moon millions of years ago coincided precisely with some of the largest meteorite impacts on Earth, such...

Scientists find lots of strange microbes in dinosaur fossils

Bad news, Jurassic Park fans--the odds of scientists cloning a dinosaur from ancient DNA are pretty much zero. That's because DNA breaks down over time...

Scientists find new way to grow extremely tiny diamonds without explosives

Diamonds aren’t just glittery, sparkly gems for jewelry. The smallest ones, only a few nanometers wide, are also crucial for drug delivery, sensors and quantum...

New AI mask can restore damaged paintings in just hours

Restoring damaged artwork is usually a slow, delicate process that can take weeks, years, or even decades. But a new method developed at MIT may...

Pandas love ‘social media’, study finds

Pandas, traditionally seen as solitary animals, are actually more social than previously thought, engaging in a form of communication that resembles a bear version...

What’s next for the CDC?

On Monday, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rochelle Walensky, announced that the agency will undergo a monthlong review to...