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Infamous 'sofa problem' that boggled mathematicians for decades may finally have a solution
By Stephanie Pappas published
A math problem delineating the largest-size sofa that can fit around a corner has finally been solved, though it may not help you move.
New thunderstorms wider than Earth are spewing out green lightning on Jupiter — and could make one of the gas giant's massive bands disappear
By Harry Baker published
A pair of massive thunderstorms have been spotted swirling in Jupiter's "South Equatorial Belt" and are likely unleashing massive bolts of green lightning. Some experts think the pale clouds could end up altering the rusty band's color — and potentially even making it "disappear."
Ancient 'land bridge' that connected Siberia to US wasn't what it seems, scientists find
By Stephanie Pappas published
The boggy landscape of the Bering land bridge may have allowed some ice age animals to cross easily, while others stayed in Asia.
Large, ghostly white crab-like predator discovered at the bottom of the Atacama Trench
By Jacklin Kwan published
A never-before-seen predatory crustacean that feeds on other smaller creatures in the hadal zone was discovered in the Atacama Trench at a depth of 25,900 feet.
New quantum computing milestone smashes entanglement world record
By Owen Hughes published
Researchers have made significant progress in the quest for scalable and fault-tolerant quantum computers after entangling the most logical qubits on record.
How long does it take to travel to the moon?
By Drew Turney published
The answer depends on many factors, including the amount of fuel needed, the moon's orbit and the mission's objectives.
What is the universe expanding into if it's already infinite?
By Nicole Granucci published
The universe is constantly expanding, but how do scientists think about what it's expanding into?
New RSV drug for babies is over 90% effective at preventing hospitalization
By Nicoletta Lanese published
In a new study, the RSV drug nirsevimab was 93% effective at preventing young children from being hospitalized for the respiratory infection.
Possible bust of Cleopatra VII found at ancient Egyptian temple
By Owen Jarus published
A small statue of a woman wearing a royal crown may depict Cleopatra VII, an archaeologist claims. Other archaeologists think it is likely someone else.
New study reveals how ancient 'sky disc' was made, squashing claims it was a forgery
By Tom Metcalfe published
The research details the elaborate process used to manufacture the Nebra Sky Disc during the Bronze Age.
13 proteins tied to brain aging seem to spike at ages 57, 70 and 78
By Emily Cooke published
A new study claims to have identified 13 proteins associated with either accelerated or decelerated brain aging. However, experts have questioned the practical implications of the findings.
Google's new quantum chip has solved a problem that would have taken the best supercomputer a quadrillion times the age of the universe to crack
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet published
Google's new 105-qubit 'Willow' quantum processor has surpassed a key error-correction threshold first proposed in 1995 — with errors now reducing exponentially as you scale up quantum machines.
1,500-year-old Anglo-Saxon burial holds a 'unique' mystery — a Roman goblet once filled with pig fat
By Kristina Killgrove published
The sixth-century burial of an Anglo-Saxon teenage girl surprised archaeologists when they discovered a small third-century Roman goblet full of pig fat near her head.
James Webb telescope confirms we have no idea why the universe is growing the way it is
By Ben Turner published
A dense cluster of bright stars, each with six large and two small diffraction spikes, due to the telescope’s optics.
Philippines volcanic eruption: Kanlaon volcano 'may progress to further explosive eruptions'
By Pandora Dewan published
The Kanlaon volcano in the Philippines erupted today (Dec. 9) at 3:03 p.m. local time, spouting an eruption column of up to 1.86 miles (3 kilometers) into the sky and triggering the evacuation of 87,000 people.
Roman scutum: An 1,800-year-old shield dropped by a Roman soldier who likely died in battle
By Kristina Killgrove published
A wood and leather shield dating to around A.D. 250 is one of only a few complete Roman scuta ever found.
'An existential threat affecting billions': Three-quarters of Earth's land became permanently drier in last 3 decades
By Ben Turner published
A car driving by a raging wildfire in Orange County, California.
Cold Moon 2024: How to watch the year's final full moon rise with Jupiter this week
By Jamie Carter published
The Cold Moon — the 12th and final full moon of 2024 — will rise on Dec. 15 and ascend higher into the night sky than any other, to sit alongside the planet Jupiter.
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