Earth & Environment
How health insurers get a free pass to deny coverage from a 52‑year‑old law...
Florence Corcoran, an employee of South Central Bell Telephone Company, was eight months into a high-risk pregnancy when her obstetrician recommended she spend the...
New catalyst converts plant waste into high-value chemicals with nearly 100% efficiency
Scientists have developed a new way to turn plant waste into useful chemicals, bringing us one step closer to replacing some fossil fuel-based products...
Scientists discover a new pangolin species hidden in the Himalayas for nearly 200 years
Scientists have confirmed that a little-known Himalayan pangolin is a separate species, ending a mystery that has lasted for nearly 190 years.
The discovery could...
Nearby super Earth could host life after all
In 2024, astronomers detected a rocky exoplanet, GJ 3378b, orbiting a red dwarf sun just 25 light-years from Earth in the direction of the...
How did it feel to be an American colonist in 1776? Probably itchy, achy...
Trade the tricorn hats, bonnets and homespun shirts for flip flops, sneakers and soccer jerseys, and the intrepid revolutionaries of 1776 would have looked...
Ancient diamonds uncover Earth’s hidden secret for preserving life’s essential element
Two unusual diamonds found deep inside the Earth are helping scientists answer a long-standing question about how our planet has remained suitable for life.
The...
Scientists create smart battery material that stops energy loss
Lithium-sulfur batteries have long been seen as one of the most promising technologies for the future of energy storage.
They could store much more energy...
Scientists warn 1.7 million satellites could destroy our view of the night sky
The number of satellites orbiting Earth is growing at an incredible speed, and scientists say it could soon change the night sky forever.
A new...
Air conditioners alone can’t beat extreme heat, scientists warn
As the world gets hotter, air conditioners are becoming more important than ever.
They help people stay safe during heat waves and can even save...
How giant glaciers moved massive rocks across the Alps 24,000 years ago
Thousands of giant rocks scattered across Switzerland have puzzled people for centuries.
Many of these huge boulders are sitting far from the mountains where they...
,000-year-old child’s skull found in Norwegian cave reveals secrets of early farmers
Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a young child who lived about 4,000 years ago in a cave on Norway's west coast.
The remarkable discovery...
An extended barrage of asteroid impacts made Earth too hot to form continents
The formation of continents was an important step in Earth's history.
Continents and plate tectonics are connected to the planet's habitability, and the same is...
FEATURED
Global biodiversity needs citizen scientists, says study
Citizen scientists are already providing large amounts of data for monitoring biodiversity, but they could do much more, according to a new study published...
A 5.3-million‑year‑old whale graveyard has been found on the floor of the Indian Ocean
When a whale dies, a very special natural phenomenon can come alive.
The carcass might float at the surface for some time, attracting sharks and...
How gas stoves pollute your home
Many of us love our gas stoves.
But unfortunately, they can create indoor pollution levels that exceed legal outdoor pollution levels.
This video dives into the...
56 million years ago, the Earth suddenly heated up – and many plants stopped...
Around 56 million years ago, Earth suddenly got much hotter.
Over about 5,000 years, the amount of carbon in the atmosphere drastically increased and global...
Philippines once home to extinct giant cloud rats
The Philippines was once home to three previously unknown species of an unusual group of rodents with fluffy tails known as "giant cloud rats",...
The long road to forest recovery after earthquakes
When we think of earthquakes, our minds often go to the immediate human toll: lives lost, homes destroyed, and cities needing to be rebuilt.
But...
Why the end of dinosaurs gave rise to meandering rivers
The extinction of dinosaurs 66 million years ago didn’t just clear the way for mammals to rise. It also transformed the very shape of...
This window coating could cool buildings without using energy
As climate change intensifies summer heat, demand is growing for technologies to cool buildings.
Now, researchers report in ACS Energy Letters that they have used...