Earth & Environment
Tiny zircon crystals reveal new secrets about Earth’s earliest history
Scientists still have many questions about the earliest years of our planet.
Earth formed about 4.55 billion years ago, but almost no rocks from that...
Climate change could wipe out 20% of Colombia’s cocoa land by 2050, study warns
Colombia may lose nearly one-fifth of the land currently suitable for growing cocoa by 2050, according to a new scientific study.
The research suggests that...
Why many middle‑aged Americans feel worse than previous generations
A growing number of Americans in their 50s and early 60s say they feel lonelier, more depressed, and physically weaker than people of the...
Why dance tracks dominate TikTok while love songs rule Spotify
What makes a song become a hit today?
While listeners certainly play a role, new research suggests that streaming platforms and their algorithms also have...
US is less prone to oil price shocks than in past decades
Oil is a global market, so when prices rise in one place, they rise everywhere. The current war against Iran has already raised oil...
Scientists grow chickpeas in “moon dirt,” opening the door to farming on the Moon
As NASA prepares for future missions that could send astronauts back to the Moon, scientists are trying to answer an important question: what will...
Elephants steer clear of humans much more than other wildlife, study finds
Wild animals do not all react to human activity in the same way.
A new study from Botswana shows that some species are much more...
Antarctica has lost ice the size of 10 Los Angeles cities in 30 years
A new 30-year study has revealed how Antarctica’s ice is slowly retreating along parts of its vast coastline.
Scientists led by researchers at the University...
Did the first land plants accidentally trigger two ancient ocean extinctions?
Hundreds of millions of years ago, the first plants began spreading across Earth’s land. This major turning point helped transform the planet into the...
Fossil bite marks reveal ancient predator hunts 280 million years ago
New research suggests that large land predators were already hunting big plant-eating animals more than 280 million years ago, much earlier than scientists once...
Mars Express reveals a landscape filled with ancient craters on the red planet
A new image captured by the Mars Express orbiter offers a striking view of one of the most heavily cratered regions on Mars.
The image...
Wildfire smoke may trigger more severe strokes
Air pollution is often thought of as a long‑term environmental problem, but new research suggests that even short bursts of polluted air may have...
FEATURED
Are UFOs spawning a new religious movement?
A congressional hearing this month calling for greater government transparency on UFOs is one of the latest events spurring public interest in aliens.
But beyond...
E-bikes more risky than e-scooters, surprising study finds
For years, many people have assumed that riding an e-scooter is riskier than cycling an e-bike.
But new research from Chalmers University of Technology in...
Pacific coast gray whales have become 13% shorter, shows study
Gray whales that feed along the Pacific Northwest coast have become 13% shorter over the past 20-30 years, according to a new study from...
Ride-hailing services may be driving up traffic deaths
A Chicago Booth study finds motor vehicle fatalities and fatal accidents increased about 3 percent with arrival of ride-hailing services.
While the era of app-based...
Did modern humans cause Neanderthal extinction?
Neanderthal extinction could have occurred without environmental pressure or competition with modern humans, new study suggests.
Small populations, inbreeding, and random demographic fluctuations could have...
Unlocking the secrets of animal friendships
In the realm of group-living animals, from the dense forests to the vast savannas, scientists have long been fascinated by the intricate social behaviors...
Tiny carnivores: discovering new snail species in Papua New Guinea’s forests
In the remote and lush forests of Papua New Guinea, a place brimming with life, scientists have made an exciting discovery: nine new species...
This is what it sounds like when the Earth’s poles flip
Is there something strange and alien confined deep inside the Earth? Is it trying to break free and escape into the heavens?
No, of course...