Earth & Environment
Scientists turn plastic bottles into high-quality battery material
A plastic bottle that would normally end up in a recycling bin or landfill could one day help power electric cars, smartphones, and renewable...
Australia’s farmland at risk of ‘ecological collapse’
Australia may need to fundamentally redraw its rural landscape — retiring farms, restoring vast tracts of vegetation and reshaping regional economies — if it...
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...
FEATURED
New Mexico Mammoths among best evidence for early humans in North America
The remains of two mammoths discovered in New Mexico show that humans lived in North America much earlier than thought.
About 37,000 years ago, a...
When humans disappeared, these birds evolved different beaks
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the UCLA campus, students weren’t the only ones affected.
A small brown bird called the dark-eyed junco also felt...
Blockchain in finance: what you need to know
Blockchain technology has been making waves in the financial world, but many people still find it confusing. While it might sound like something out...
How much meat can you eat without harming the planet?
If you want to eat meat without damaging the planet, scientists say you should stick to about 255 grams of poultry or pork per...
Whales: The ocean’s giant gardeners
Did you know that whales help keep the ocean healthy by spreading nutrients far and wide?
These massive creatures don’t just swim across the seas—they...
Do pricier, faster internet plans improve streaming video quality?
A recent study found that streaming video performance plateaus long before the upper-tier plans offered by ISPs, with plans above 100 megabits-per-second only marginally...
Wealthiest top 10% of Americans responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, shows study
A recent study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst has found that the richest 10% of Americans produce 40% of the country's greenhouse gas...
North Atlantic reached a tipping point, shows Ice Age study
Scientists have used centuries-old clam shells to see how the North Atlantic climate system reached a "tipping point" before the Little Ice Age.
The Little...