Earth & Environment
Scientists discover strange “boiling” motion deep inside Greenland’s ice
For years, scientists studying the Greenland ice sheet have been puzzled by unusual swirling patterns hidden deep beneath the surface.
Now, researchers believe they have...
The moon is still shrinking: New study reveals recent tectonic activity
For a long time, people imagined the moon as a quiet, frozen world where nothing much happens anymore.
But new research shows that the moon...
What bonobos’ intimate rhythm can teach us about the origins of music and speech
Scientists studying bonobos, one of humanity’s closest living relatives, have uncovered surprising clues about how rhythm and communication may have evolved.
By analyzing the timing...
Why many musicians struggle with hearing problems
Making music brings joy to millions of people, but a new study shows it can also come with serious risks to hearing.
Researchers have found...
Dogs’ gut bacteria may hold clues to surviving cancer
A dog’s chances of surviving cancer may depend partly on the tiny organisms living inside its digestive system, according to a new study from...
Mysterious dinosaur-era shark is rewriting the family tree of modern sharks
A strange prehistoric shark that lived during the age of dinosaurs is giving scientists new clues about how modern sharks evolved — and raising...
Dirty air, fading memories: How pollution may raise Alzheimer’s risk
Breathing polluted air may do more than harm your lungs and heart. A large new study suggests it could also increase the risk of...
What is Lunar New Year
The new moon on Feb. 17 marks the start of the Lunar New Year, a celebration originating in China that today is celebrated around...
Utah’s “soda pop” geysers may hold clues to life on distant ocean worlds
In the dry desert of eastern Utah, strange geysers shoot cold, fizzy water into the air.
Instead of boiling like the famous hot geysers in...
Runners, flat shoes or barefoot—what should I wear to lift weights
If you go to the gym often, you might have been told you shouldn't lift weights in runners. The common belief is it is...
If aliens already called, why didn’t we hear?
For more than 60 years, scientists have been scanning the skies for signs of intelligent life beyond Earth.
Using powerful telescopes, they have searched for...
The hidden cost of longevity: Can families afford elder care?
Americans are living longer than ever before, but the country is facing a difficult question: who will care for people as they reach extreme...
FEATURED
MIT device could turn seawater into cheap drinking water, shows study
Scientists and engineers at MIT, along with collaborators in China, have created an innovative device powered by the sun, capable of turning seawater into...
Are cities making us sick? Humans are wired for nature, not modern life, study...
Humans may feel at home in cities, but our bodies tell another story.
According to a new study by evolutionary anthropologists Colin Shaw from the...
This solar cycle, the sun’s activity is more powerful and surprising than predicted
What do you feel when you see the aurora?
Otherwise known as the northern or southern lights, an aurora is light emitted by upper atmospheric...
Drunk in flight? Some birds may be sipping alcohol daily
Birds that sip nectar or snack on fruit could be getting more than just sugar—they might also be getting a bit of alcohol.
A new...
Why baby pterosaurs, not adults, dominate the fossil record
For two tiny flying reptiles, death came suddenly and violently 150 million years ago.
Now, thanks to remarkable fossils discovered in southern Germany, paleontologists have...
Scientists find way to destroy a forever chemical PFAS
PFAS chemicals seemed like a good idea at first.
As Teflon, they made pots easier to clean starting in the 1940s.
They made jackets waterproof and...
How air pollution drives obesity and diabetes
Air pollution is already known to be bad for our lungs and heart, but now scientists have found it may also hurt our metabolism.
A...
A flesh-eating parasite carried by dogs is making its way to North America
Leishmania is a flesh-eating parasite that affects millions of people each year, in 98 countries and territories — but isn’t native to Canada and...