Earth & Environment
Why handheld fans are not cool for the planet
Portable handheld fans are now often stacked beside chewing gum and vapes at supermarket checkouts and discount stores, available for less than £10.
Once mainly...
Archaeologists discover spectacular Roman mosaic hidden beneath English farmland
Archaeologists have uncovered an impressive Roman villa beneath farmland in Devon, southwest England, revealing a colorful mosaic floor, a luxurious bathhouse, and a collection...
Where do the world’s biggest diamonds come from
Some of the most extraordinary gems ever found belong to a rare class of diamonds known as CLIPPIRs (Cullinan-like, Large, Inclusion-Poor, Pure, Irregular, Resorbed).
They...
Hidden underground clues could help predict dangerous wildfires before they start
When people think about wildfire danger, they usually focus on hot weather, dry air, and strong winds.
But researchers believe another important warning sign may...
Scientists identify the rare “oddball” space rock that wiped out the dinosaurs
Scientists have uncovered new clues about the giant space rock that slammed into Earth 66 million years ago and triggered one of the biggest...
Doctors Warn That Smoke and Heat Together Can Be Deadly for the Heart
Doctors are warning that two environmental hazards are becoming a dangerous combination for heart health.
Wildfire smoke drifting across large areas and record-breaking summer heat...
Moon’s far side keeps a hidden record of how Earth slows the solar wind
For billions of years, the moon has been constantly bombarded by the solar wind—a stream of charged particles flowing outward from the sun.
Scientists have...
Spain completely dominates Argentina in one‑sided World Cup final
Spain’s victory in this morning’s FIFA World Cup final confirmed what many have long believed: soccer is a team sport, and in the end,...
Driving the speed limit could save Americans billions every year, new study finds
Simply driving at the posted speed limit could save Americans billions of dollars in fuel costs while cutting greenhouse gas emissions, according to a...
Cultural Activities May Help Your Body Stay Younger, Study Suggests
Getting older is something everyone experiences, but people do not all age at the same speed. Two people who are both 70 years old...
Ancient Maya wall reveals the name of a 1,200-year-old astronomer for the first time
For the first time, researchers have identified the name of an ancient Maya mathematician and astronomer thanks to a remarkable set of writings discovered...
New sponge-like material can pull up to 1.8 liters of drinking water a day...
Scientists have developed a new material that can capture water directly from the air, offering a promising way to provide drinking water in some...
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What are lost continents and why are we discovering so many
For most people, continents are Earth’s seven main large landmasses.
But geoscientists have a different take on this. They look at the type of rock...
How Tyrannosaurus rex got its speed and endurance
How did Tyrannosaurus rex catch its food?
Looking at T. rex’s fossilized skull, the answer may seem obvious: monstrous jaws and sharp teeth capable of...
Bering Land Bridge formed surprisingly late during last ice age, finds study
The Bering Land Bridge, the strip of land that once connected Asia to Alaska, emerged far later during the last ice age.
Are the Oscars going bananas?
Hollywood’s biggest night, the Academy Awards, arrives this weekend, but this year there’s some monkey business going on.
It’s easy to focus on the race...
A fresh look at orchid origins and their conservation
Once upon a time, about 85 million years ago, the ancestors of today’s orchids sprouted in the northern hemisphere, a place very different from...
Japanese people can live longer without dementia, study finds
Scientists from the University of Tokyo and Stanford found that more Japanese people will live longer and that overall years spent living with dementia...
Scientists find new way to detect baby planets in the making
Astronomers agree that planets are born in protoplanetary disks — rings of dust and gas that surround young, newborn stars.
While hundreds of these disks...
Vredefort crater asteroid was bigger than one that killed off dinosaurs
The impactor that formed the Vredefort crater, Earth’s largest, about two billion years ago, was probably much bigger than previously believed—and would have had...