Science News
Latest news
Teeny tardigrades can survive space and lethal radiation. Scientists may finally know how.
By Sharmila Kuthunur published
A new species of tardigrades with thousands of genes that become more active when exposed to radiation could help in devising better protection for astronauts on long missions.
12,000-year-old, doughnut-shaped pebbles may be early evidence of the wheel
By Owen Jarus published
The wheel was likely invented around 6,000 years ago, but a new analysis of curious rocks from Israel suggests that wheel-like technologies existed even earlier.
An asteroid hit Earth just hours after being detected. It was the 3rd 'imminent impactor' of 2024
By Brett Tingley published
A small asteroid burned up in Earth's atmosphere off the coast of California just hours after being discovered and before impact monitoring systems had registered its trajectory.
Why is Pluto not considered a planet?
By Joanna Thompson published
Pluto was demoted from a planet to a dwarf planet in 2006. So why is its status still so controversial today?
24 brain networks kick in when you watch movies, study finds
By Jennifer Zieba published
Researchers created the most detailed map of the brain's functional networks using data from people watching movies, including "Inception," "Home Alone" and "Erin Brokovich."
Mammoth quiz: Test your knowledge of the ice age beasts
By Sascha Pare published
Most of us are familiar with the mammoths in "Ice Age," but how much do you really know about these creatures? Find out by taking our quiz.
Smarter dogs have smaller brains, surprising study reveals
By Olivia Ferrari published
A study looking at the brain size of different breeds relative to their skulls reveals how humans have altered the species through artificial selection.
'Medieval' King Arthur site is 4,000 years older than we thought
By Tom Metcalfe published
The discovery suggests the mysterious "King Arthur's Hall" in England is older than Stonehenge.
Glowing mystery sea slug that feeds like a Venus fly trap captured in deep sea footage for 1st time
By Melissa Hobson published
Deep-sea researchers have discovered a glowing sea slug with a huge hood that helps the creature feed like a Venus fly trap.
IBM's newest 156-qubit quantum chip can run 50 times faster than its predecessor — equipping it for scientific research
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet published
When combined with Qiskit software tools, the 156-qubit R2 Heron quantum processor can perform 5,000 two-qubit gate operations — double the previous best — meaning it's ready for complex quantum computations, IBM scientists say.
Researchers spot rare 'triple-ring' galaxy that defies explanation
By Joanna Thompson published
A recently shared image of a distant galaxy surrounded by three concentric rings challenges our understanding of galactic taxonomy.
'Missing link' found in ancient rocks of Colorado show that Snowball Earth really happened
By Liam Courtney-Davies, Christine Siddoway, Rebecca Flowers published
Geologists found evidence in the way enigmatic sandstones called Tava formed in the Rocky Mountains hundreds of millions of years ago.
Diagnostic dilemma: A man's brain started bleeding after a dentist appointment
By Nicoletta Lanese published
A man's brain started bleeding just after he got teeth pulled at the dentist's office. Why?
Global carbon emissions reach new record high in 2024, with no end in sight, scientists say
By Ben Turner published
There is a 50% chance that global warming will consistently exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius in the next six years, according to a new report.
Canada reports 1st local case of H5 bird flu
By Nicoletta Lanese published
A teen in Canada may be the first person to catch an H5 bird flu virus within the country. Health officials are now working to confirm the diagnosis.
Extremely rare 'failed supernova' may have erased a star from the night sky without a trace
By Ben Turner published
An artist's rendering of a black hole
Our ancestor Lucy may have used tools more than 3 million years ago
By Kristina Killgrove published
An analysis looking at the hand bones of australopithecines, apes and humans reveals that tool use likely evolved before the Homo genus arose.
Leonid meteor shower 2024: How to spot 'shooting stars' and 'fireballs' over the US this week
By Jamie Carter published
The Leonid meteor shower peaks in North America overnight from Nov. 17 to 18, with fast-moving fireballs possible in US skies.
Pando, the world's largest organism, may have been growing nonstop since the 1st humans left Africa, study suggests
By Stephanie Pappas published
The clonal quaking aspen known as Pando is between 16,000 and 80,000 years old.
2,600-year-old Celtic wooden burial chamber of 'outstanding scientific importance' uncovered by archaeologists in Germany
By Margherita Bassi published
The discovery of an impeccably preserved Celtic burial chamber in southern Germany is a "stroke of luck for archaeology," scientists say.
Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now
Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.