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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Ancient rubbish heaps reveal the secret social life of bronze age Britons
Huge prehistoric rubbish heaps, known as middens, are giving archaeologists fresh insight into the feasting habits of communities living in Britain more than 3,000...
Scientists find never-before-seen mechanism fueling huge aurorae at Saturn
Leicester space scientists have discovered a never-before-seen mechanism fueling huge planetary aurorae at Saturn.
Saturn is unique among planets observed to date in that some...
Was Jesus really wrapped in the Shroud of Turin? Medieval scholar said no
The Shroud of Turin, a centuries-old linen cloth believed by many to have wrapped the body of Jesus after his crucifixion, has long been...
Scientists solve the ocean acidity mystery in last mass extinction
A new study led by Yale University confirms a long-held theory about the last great mass extinction event in history and how it affected...
How giant sauropods got their strange skulls
It was always going to be a big lift, piecing together the story of how sauropods — the long-necked, lumbering giants of the dinosaur...
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s another superhero film!
Captain America continues to conquer obstacles and crush villains―not bad for a man approaching age 85.
The comic book hero made his debut in print...
Genome discovery sheds new light on bird evolution
Decoding the avian family tree has always been a complex puzzle for scientists, not least because birds, the descendants of dinosaurs that survived the...
Molten Earth would be 5% larger than its solid counterpart, says study
A hot, molten Earth would be around 5% larger than its solid counterpart.
The difference between molten and solid rocky planets is important for...