Science
Scientific discoveries and research
AI uncovers hidden immune defenses inside bacteria
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have discovered thousands of new proteins that protect bacteria from virus attacks using an AI sy...
Seal tooth pendant reveals ancient human culture and long-distance trading
The identity of a mysterious artifact found in Devon almost 160 years ago has finally been revealed. New research has identified it as a pendant made from the t...
The oldest breath: A 300-million-year-old mummy reveals the origins of how amniotes breathe
Every breath you take is an ancient inheritance. The rise and fall of your chest, the intercostal muscles pulling your ribs outward, the rush of air into your l...
Sound-sensing hair bundles in our ears act as tiny thermodynamic machines
The hair cells lining the inner ear are among the most sophisticated structures in the human body: capable of detecting sounds as faint as a whisper, while help...
Neanderthals in Central Europe hunted pond turtles—not for food, but likely for their shells
Neanderthals hunted European pond turtles (Emys orbicularis) in Central Europe, though probably not for food. The careful cleaning of carapace elements at Neuma...
Triple threat emerges as sharks, beach nourishment and murky waters collide
Each winter, thousands of blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) migrate to the clear, shallow waters off South Florida, where they are easily spotted from the...
Absinthe: What the ban on France's aromatic spirit teaches us about modern-day blaming and shaming
The potent emerald-green blend of wormwood, green anise and fennel, known as "the Green Fairy," was once celebrated by French society, including artists from Ba...
Celestial wonders in Leo
Leo is a prominent sight for stargazers in April. Its famous sickle, punctuated by the bright star Regulus, draws many a beginning stargazer's eyes, inviting de...
Giant jars, ancient bells, buried bones and a mystery that endures
Helping to preserve artifacts, some potentially 2,000 years old, was an irresistible privilege. Since 2016, an Australian-Lao team led by Louise Shewan, Dougald...
Heat from traffic is contributing to rises in city temperatures, study finds
Scientists at The University of Manchester have developed a new way to measure how traffic contributes to rising urban temperatures, revealing that everyday veh...
A volcanic medley near Mammoth Lakes
Take a tour through volcanic history on the edge of the Sierra Nevada near Mammoth Lakes, California. Between the tall granite peaks to the west and the Basin a...
Ancient Romans were obsessed with a plant said to be a contraception and an aphrodisiac. Then one day, it went extinct
Roman leader Julius Caesar is said to have kept a stock of it in the treasury. Ancient writer Pliny the Elder says Rome's Emperor Nero owned the last stalk of i...