Earth & Environment
Hidden Brain Effects of Everyday Air Pollution Alarm Scientists
Most people think air pollution mainly affects the lungs. Dirty air is often associated with coughing, asthma, breathing difficulty, or chest problems.
But scientists are...
Early life on Earth may have thrived in impact craters
When free oxygen accumulated in Earth's atmosphere during the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE), the course of life on Earth changed forever.
It created a new...
100,000-Year-Old Burned Bones Could Rewrite Human Burial History
Scientists studying ancient human remains in Ethiopia may have uncovered the earliest known evidence of human cremation, dating back about 100,000 years.
The discovery comes...
Air Pollution Can Harm the Brain Within Just Hours
Air pollution has long been linked to breathing problems, heart disease, and reduced quality of life. But scientists are now increasingly worried about another...
Earth’s Core Suddenly Changed Direction Beneath the Pacific, Satellites Reveal
Deep beneath the Pacific Ocean, something strange happened inside Earth around 2010.
Scientists have discovered that part of the planet’s liquid outer core unexpectedly reversed...
Why Gold Never Seems to Lose Its Shine
Gold has fascinated people for thousands of years because of its bright, lasting shine.
Ancient civilizations used it for jewelry, coins and artwork, and even...
New Plant-Based Spray Could Eliminate Bad Breath in Dogs
Many dog owners adore their pets but are less enthusiastic about one common problem: bad breath.
Smelly dog breath is more than just unpleasant—it can...
Why T. rex Ended Up With Tiny Arms
The Tyrannosaurus rex is famous for many things—its enormous size, terrifying bite, and surprisingly tiny arms.
For years, scientists have wondered why such a powerful...
Hidden “White Hydrogen” in Ancient Canadian Rocks Could Power the Future
Deep beneath some of the oldest rocks on Earth, scientists have discovered a surprising source of clean energy slowly building up underground: natural hydrogen...
This popular fermented food may help flush microplastics from the body
Tiny plastic particles are now found almost everywhere on Earth. Scientists have discovered them in oceans, rivers, soil, food, drinking water, and even inside...
Data centers can heat nearby neighborhoods by up to 4 degrees, study finds
Data centers are becoming a bigger part of modern life, powering everything from online searches and cloud storage to artificial intelligence and streaming services.
But...
Scientists discover exploding star material hidden in Antarctic Ice
Scientists studying ancient Antarctic ice have discovered new evidence that Earth is currently traveling through a cloud of material left behind by long-dead stars.
An...
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What America can learn from Australia to boost life expectancy
Despite being home to some of the world’s most dangerous animals, Australia has consistently led the English-speaking world in life expectancy for the past...
The Kuiper Belt is much bigger than we thought
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft is just over 8.8 billion km away, exploring the Kuiper Belt. This icy belt surrounds the Sun but it seems...
When Earth’s tectonic plates began to shift
New study suggests it began much earlier than thought, launching the creation of continents, oceans, and other landforms.
An enduring question in geology involves the...
How a giant prehistoric elephant skull helped untangle an evolutionary mystery
About 400,000 years ago, early humans in Europe, Asia and Africa lived alongside giant straight-tusked elephants, far bigger than their modern-day cousins.
Their evolution has...
Oxygen didn’t spark life in ancient oceans, new study shows
Ever wonder how life started on Earth?
For a long time, scientists thought that more oxygen in the oceans helped kick-start the development of more...
Scientists reveal hidden dangers of auroras to critical infrastructure
Auroras have fascinated people for centuries, but their stunning displays come with hidden dangers.
These natural light shows are caused by the same space weather...
Antarctic subglacial lakes are cold, dark and full of secrets
More than half of the planet's fresh water is in Antarctica.
While most of it is frozen in the ice sheets, underneath the ice pools...
Scientists discover 15,000-year-old viruses in Tibetan glacier ice
Most of the viruses were previously unknown to humans, study finds.
Scientists who study glacier ice have found viruses nearly 15,000 years old in two...