Why high altitude can make or break Olympic performance
For many Olympic athletes, getting ready to compete is not just about strength, speed, or endurance.
When events take place high in the mountains, training...
Ancient DNA reveals Europe’s last hunter-gatherers survived until 2500 BCE
New research using ancient DNA has revealed that hunter-gatherer communities in parts of northwestern Europe survived far longer than previously believed — continuing their...
How hidden flaws caused light pole disasters in hurricane Ian
When Hurricane Ian swept across Florida in 2022, several aluminum light poles on a bridge in Central Florida suddenly cracked or collapsed.
What puzzled engineers...
How an ancient ocean floor turned Arkansas into a shark foss treasure
More than 300 million years ago, much of what is now Arkansas lay beneath a shallow sea.
Today, that ancient seafloor has made the region...
5,300-year-old drill discovery rewrites history of ancient Egyptian technology
A small metal object discovered more than a century ago is changing what scientists know about ancient Egyptian technology.
Researchers from Newcastle University and the...
Frozen performance: How cold weather changes what athletes can do
At the Winter Olympics, athletes compete in freezing conditions that look dramatic on television but also place intense demands on the body.
Cold temperatures are...
Mars’ “young” volcanoes tell a story of long, hidden activity
Volcanoes may look like simple mountains that erupted once and then fell silent, but in reality they are often the surface expression of complex...
Yangtze river fishing ban sparks dramatic wildlife comeback after 70 years
After decades of environmental decline, the Yangtze River is showing early signs of recovery thanks to a sweeping fishing ban introduced by China in...
How a single Martian storm triggered massive water loss
Mars’ water disappeared somewhere, but scientists have been disagreeing for years about where exactly it went.
Data from rovers like Perseverance and Curiosity, along with...
Olives have been essential to life in Italy for at least 6,000 years—far longer...
How far back does the rich history of Italian olives and oil stretch?
My new research, published in the American Journal of Archaeology, synthesizing and...