Earth & Environment
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...
New AI system predicts robberies in US Cities with more than 86% accuracy
Researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) system that can predict robberies and other crimes more accurately than several existing methods.
By studying where...
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Scientists uncover 20,000-year-old cave used by early Australians in Blue Mountains
A remarkable archaeological discovery in the Blue Mountains has revealed that people lived in this cold, high-altitude region during the last ice age—much earlier...
Scientists find a better way to reduce obesity
In a new study, researchers found taxing sugar-sweetened beverages by the amount of sugar they contain, rather than by the liquid volume of these...
Space dust could help protect the earth from climate change
A new study led by scientists at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian and the University of Utah explores the potential of using space dust to shield sunlight.
Making air travel safer: A new way to spot rough skies ahead
Flying can sometimes get bumpy, with air turbulence shaking things up in the sky.
This isn't just uncomfortable for passengers and crew; it's a big...
Five things to know about rare earth elements
Aside from oil, rare earth elements may be the most buzzworthy thing coming out of the ground these days.
Headlines trumpet news about new partnerships...
Wind, solar could replace coal power in Texas
Texas can be a model for the nation on how to effectively replace coal with wind and solar for the state’s energy needs while...
Contactless payment loopholes could let hackers steal thousands, study warns
Researchers from the University of Surrey and the University of Birmingham have uncovered serious security weaknesses in modern contactless payment systems—vulnerabilities that could allow...
Are cities making us sick? Humans are wired for nature, not modern life, study...
Humans may feel at home in cities, but our bodies tell another story.
According to a new study by evolutionary anthropologists Colin Shaw from the...