Earth & Environment
Lost giant shark fossils confirm megalodon could reach an incredible 80 feet
Scientists have rediscovered a set of giant fossil bones that belonged to the famous prehistoric shark, the megalodon.
The fossils had been missing for decades,...
Solar storms may reduce rain and snow across North America, study warns
Scientists have discovered new evidence that powerful solar storms may briefly affect Earth's weather.
A new study suggests that after a large solar storm, some...
Europa’s ice shell secrets unlocked by ground radar study
Jupiter’s moon, Europa, has become high-value real estate for astrobiologists and the search for life beyond Earth.
This is because the small moon, which is...
Hidden museum fossil solves a 5-million-year-old saber-toothed cat mystery
A fossil that sat unnoticed in a museum drawer for decades has turned out to be one of the most important discoveries about the...
Scientists turn plastic bottles into clean hydrogen using only sunlight
Plastic waste is one of the world's biggest environmental problems. Millions of tons of plastic end up in landfills, rivers, and oceans every year,...
New printable cooling technology could replace harmful refrigerants
Air conditioners, refrigerators, and heat pumps help keep our homes, workplaces, and food cool. However, the refrigerants they use can create environmental and safety...
Europe’s last Neanderthals were more diverse than scientists ever imagined
A new study has revealed that the last Neanderthals living in Western Europe were far more connected and genetically diverse than scientists once believed.
The...
3-billion-year-old asteroid crater offers rare window into Earth’s violent past
Scientists have confirmed the age of the oldest known asteroid impact crater on Earth, revealing that a huge space rock struck our planet about...
New material could pull carbon dioxide directly from the air
Scientists in Spain have developed a new material that can capture carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the air more efficiently than many current technologies.
The...
Scientists find 1,000s-year-old human DNA hidden in cave walls
Scientists have made an exciting discovery that could change the way we study human history.
For the first time, researchers have shown that ancient human...
Earth’s oldest crater really is more than 3 billion years old
In the Pilbara of Western Australia, some of Earth's oldest rocks lie beneath the sky, as they have for billions of years.
They are dark,...
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...
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Scientists rediscover fast-acting German insecticide lost in the aftermath of WWII
Fluoridated DDT swiftly kills disease-carrying mosquitoes, which may lower its environmental impact -- but its history is alarming.
A new study in the Journal of...
WashU scientists help recover gases from moon rock time capsule
Apollo 17 astronauts Harrison Schmitt and Eugene Cernan collected the sample from the site of an ancient landslide in the moon's Taurus-Littrow Valley.
The astronauts...
Why fashion keeps coming back: Scientists find a 20-year style cycle
Have you ever noticed that old fashion trends seem to come back?
Bell-bottom jeans, miniskirts, and vintage styles often return after disappearing for years.
Many people...
How do you forecast eruptions at volcanoes that sit “on the cusp” for decades?
Some volcanoes take their time—experiencing protracted, years-long periods of unrest before eventually erupting.
This makes it difficult to forecast when they pose a danger to...
Cognitive test in dogs could help humans with Alzheimer’s disease
Scientists from North Carolina State University found that a suite of complementary tests can quantify changes in dogs suspected of suffering from cognitive decline.
The...
Earth’s core may hold 70 times more water than the oceans, shows study
High-temperature and high-pressure experiments involving a diamond anvil and chemicals to simulate the core of the young Earth demonstrate for the first time that...
Looking for a US ‘climate haven’ away from heat and disaster risks? Good luck...
Southeast Michigan seemed like the perfect “climate haven.”
“My family has owned my home since the ‘60s. … Even when my dad was a kid...
What to expect at Biden-Xi virtual summit
When President Joe Biden meets with his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping next week, they will both want to show the world that the...