Why so many mammals became ant-eaters after the dinosaurs disappeared
A new study has found that mammals have evolved to eat ants and termites at least 12 different times since dinosaurs went extinct.
After the...
Ancient Neanderthal gene still affects muscles and athletic performance today
A new study has found that a gene variant inherited from Neanderthals still affects the muscles of some people living today—especially when it comes...
Why Saber-toothed tigers vanished: It wasn’t just the ice age
New research from scientists in Brazil is shedding light on the long-standing mystery of why saber-toothed tigers went extinct.
According to two new studies from...
A 225-million-year-old leg bone just rewrote dinosaur history
A fossilized leg bone found in Africa is reshaping our ideas about the size of the first dinosaurs.
The 225-million-year-old bone belonged to a mysterious...
Why the Dead Sea is growing salt mountains beneath the surface
The Dead Sea is one of the most unusual places on Earth.
Located at the lowest point on the planet’s surface and known for its...
Ancient lungfish jaws reveal the eating habits of Earth’s first land animals
Long before dinosaurs roamed the Earth, the oceans were teeming with strange and powerful creatures.
Among them were lungfish—an ancient group of lobe-finned fish that...
Dinosaur wrist discovery reveals new clue to how flight evolved
Scientists have uncovered a surprising piece of the puzzle in the evolution of flight: a tiny wrist bone in certain dinosaurs that may have...
Scientists discover seagull-sized pterosaur in Arizona desert
A team of researchers led by the Smithsonian has discovered the oldest known pterosaur fossil in North America.
Pterosaurs were flying reptiles that lived alongside...
These are the most concerning pieces of space debris
Tens of thousands of pieces of space debris are hurtling around Earth right now.
These defunct satellites, spent rocket stages, collision fragments and even a...
Scientists shake 10-story steel building to test earthquake safety—and it passed
In a groundbreaking experiment, engineers have tested the tallest steel-framed building ever placed on an earthquake simulator—and it stood strong.
The 10-story, 100-foot structure was...