Earth & Environment
Australia’s under-16 social media ban has had little immediate impact, study finds
Australia became the first country in the world to introduce a nationwide law aimed at preventing children under the age of 16 from having...
AI could deliver relevant online ads without tracking your every move, study finds
For years, online advertising has been built on a simple idea: if companies want to show people relevant ads, they need to collect large...
Did gravitational tides cause Earth’s extinctions?
Life on Earth took a long evolutionary journey that eventually created us, the purportedly intelligent species that dominates the planet.
But there was no grand...
Heat barcodes could make plastic recycling smarter and cleaner
Recycling plastic is much harder than many people realize.
Every day, homes and businesses throw away large amounts of plastic, which is collected and sent...
If you’re feeling down, maybe don’t pet your cat
You come home after a stressful day and reach out to your cat for a bit of comfort. It hisses. Maybe takes a swipe.
Or...
Scientists discover a new walking shark species in a tiny corner of Papua New...
Scientists studying unusual sharks that can "walk" along the seafloor have made an exciting discovery—a completely new species that was previously unknown to science.
The...
Why Middle Age Is Getting Harder for Many Americans
For many people, middle age is often seen as a time when life becomes more stable. Many adults have built careers, raised children, and...
Cats or Dogs: Which Pets Really Improve Your Mood
People have argued for years about whether cats or dogs make better pets. Some people love dogs because they are playful, loyal, and enjoy...
Meet Mía: The robotic rabbit that learns your voice after just one hello
Imagine a robotic pet that recognizes your voice the first time you speak to it and remembers who you are the next time you...
Ancient plague was already deadly 5,500 years ago, study reveals
Plague is often linked to medieval Europe, crowded cities, and rats carrying infected fleas.
However, a new study published in the journal Nature shows that...
Microbes destroyed an ancient pterosaur’s wingbone, then preserved it for 100 million years
More than 100 million years ago, a flying reptile called a pterosaur flew over the oceans hunting squid and fish.
Much more recently, one of...
Tiny Plastic Particles Could Strongly Harm Liver Health
Microplastics are everywhere. They are tiny pieces of plastic that form when larger plastic items, such as bottles, food containers, plastic bags, and packaging...
FEATURED
Blue hydrogen may be worse than gas, coal
“Blue” hydrogen – an energy source that involves a process for making hydrogen by using methane in natural gas – is being lauded as...
Neanderthals were Europe’s first landscapers—long before farming began
Imagine Europe tens of thousands of years ago—thick forests filled with elephants, bison, aurochs, and small groups of humans armed with fire and spears.
A...
Air pollution during pregnancy may increase autism risk
A new Canadian study has found that exposure to certain air pollutants during pregnancy and early childhood may increase the risk of autism spectrum...
So you’ve been scammed by a deepfake. What can you do?
Earlier this month, a Hong Kong company lost HK$200 million (A$40 million) in a deepfake scam.
An employee transferred funds following a video conference call...
This metal-filtering sponge removes lead from water
Engineers have developed a new sponge that can remove metals — including toxic heavy metals like lead and critical metals like cobalt — from...
Job security can extend your life, new study finds
In today's working world, many people work in jobs that offer little security or benefits. These jobs might pay low wages, offer no job...
Tropical storms could help fight low oxygen levels in oceans
The destructive power of tropical cyclones, known in different regions as hurricanes or typhoons, is well-documented, especially in terms of the havoc they wreak...
New findings challenge old beliefs about earthquake causes
Scientists at Brown University have discovered a new factor that significantly influences where and how earthquakes occur.
Their research shows that the geometry of fault...