Earth & Environment

This Tiny Floating Spinner Could Help Us Navigate Without GPS

A tiny spinning device that can keep rotating for more than 10 hours without being powered could eventually help vehicles navigate in places where...

Scientists Find Cleaner Way to Recover Gold from Electronic Waste

Discarded phones, computers and other electronics contain valuable metals, including gold. Recovering those metals, however, often requires large amounts of chemicals that can create waste...

Scientists Find a Cheaper Way to Extract Valuable Magnesium from Seawater

The world's oceans contain enormous amounts of magnesium, and scientists have developed a new method that could make it cheaper and more sustainable to...

Solar Panel Waste Could Become a $1 Trillion Recycling Opportunity

The global boom in solar power is helping countries move toward cleaner energy, but it is also creating a growing waste problem. New research suggests...

Blood Test Shows How Dirty Air May Raise Lung Cancer Risk

People cannot always see the pollution they breathe, but a new study suggests that long-term exposure may leave traces inside the blood. Scientists found changes...

2-Billion-Year-Old Rocks Could Rewrite a Key Chapter in Earth’s History

Around 2 billion years ago, Earth was going through one of the most important transformations in its history. Oxygen was becoming abundant in the atmosphere,...

Air Pollution Leaves a Lung Cancer Warning in Blood

studies of lung cancer prevention and early detection. If you care about cancer, please read studies that a low-carb diet could increase overall cancer risk,...

Dolphins Learn How to Use Tools to Hunt for Fish from Their Mothers

From spears and the invention of the wheel to smartphones and robots, human societies have been building and using tools from the beginning. Human tool...

Air Pollution Could Worsen Rheumatoid Arthritis Quickly

Rheumatoid arthritis can worsen even when patients are taking their medicine, and sometimes the reason for a flare is difficult to identify. New research suggests...

Small Dinosaur Fossil Reveals a More Diverse Prehistoric Coast in Japan

A small dinosaur bone discovered in Fukushima Prefecture more than 25 years ago is giving scientists new clues about the variety of plant-eating dinosaurs...

The American Dream Is Slipping Away in Orange County, Poll Finds

For many people living in Orange County, California, the American dream is starting to feel increasingly out of reach, especially when it comes to...

Dirty Air May Cause Rheumatoid Arthritis Flares

People living with rheumatoid arthritis may have another reason to pay attention to air quality. A large study from South Korea found that exposure to...

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Giant hidden blobs inside Earth may explain why our planet can support life

Deep under our feet—almost 1,800 miles below the surface—scientists have found two huge and mysterious structures that may hold clues to how Earth formed...

Paying for groceries with your face? Are you sure?

As facial recognition payment technology (FRPT) becomes more popular in stores, hotels, and even government services, not everyone is ready to embrace this new...

Scientists discover matrilineal societies in Iron Age Britain, revealing women’s central roles in power...

A groundbreaking study has uncovered evidence of a society in Iron Age Britain where women played central roles in family, politics, and society. Using DNA...

Almost all of earth’s natural coasts have disappeared

Only 15.5% of the Earth’s coastal areas remained ecologically intact as of 2013, researchers report. The finding is the result of a study that for...

How lead (maybe) caused the downfall of ancient Rome

Ancient Rome's emperors did some pretty bizarre stuff -- bursting into uncontrollable fits of laughter, appointing a horse as a priest, dressing in animal...

From brain Bluetooth to ‘full RoboCop’: Where chip implants will be headed soon

In the 1987 classic film "RoboCop," the deceased Detroit cop Alex Murphy is reborn as a cyborg. He has a robotic body and a full...

Background noise may increase your risk of stroke

Background noise or ambient noise is any sound other than the sound being monitored. Background noise is a form of noise pollution or interference....

Why you can’t stop playing the game Wordle

Over the past few months, Wordle has skyrocketed in popularity, with cryptic grids of gray, green and yellow squares appearing on social media. But why...