Latest news
'We've just seen earthquake after earthquake after earthquake': Santorini earthquake swarm intensifies but likely won't trigger volcano
Santorini's earthquakes are intensifying as a rare earthquake swarm continues to rattle the Mediterranean's Aegean Sea. The earthquakes are probably caused by faults rather than volcanic activity.
US reports 1st outbreak of 'highly pathogenic' H5N9 virus in poultry. Should we worry?
Nearly 119,000 birds have been culled at a farm in California after a bird flu called H5N9 was detected among the poultry.
How accurate are Punxsutawney Phil's Groundhog Day forecasts?
The rodent has been predicting the start of spring since 1887. But how good is Phil at his prognostications?
Dolní Vĕstonice Portrait Head: The oldest known human portrait in the world
A tiny head carved from mammoth ivory looks back at us from the Stone Age.
How do Hula-Hoops work?
How do Hula-Hoops keep from falling down as we twirl them around?
Ice age Europeans as young as 10 years old rocked cheek piercings 30,000 years ago
A study of Paleolithic skeletons from Central Europe suggests people's teeth were worn down and crowded together because of cheek piercings.
7,000-year-old bone holds 3 arrowheads with mixed poisons — the oldest of their kind on record
This is the oldest confirmed use of a mixture comprising two or more plant toxins specifically applied to arrowheads.
Space photo of the week: James Webb and Hubble telescopes unite to solve 'impossible' planet mystery
New James Webb Space Telescope observations of a star cluster called NGC 346 are shedding light on how, when and where planets formed in the early universe.
Biological computers could use far less energy than current technology — by working more slowly
Human biology is vastly more energy efficient than today's computing.
Are birds reptiles?
If you're wondering whether birds are reptiles, know this: The reptile family tree is more varied and diverse than you might realize.
Earth's crust is peeling away under California
A section of the upper mantle and crust under the Sierra Nevada mountains is peeling away, in a process that may mimic how the continents were formed.
It's tough to resist scratching an itch — and evolution may be to blame
A new study conducted in mice suggests that, although it's not all good, our urge to scratch at itchy skin may have an evolutionary benefit.
New fabric can heat up more than 50 degrees to keep people warm in ultracold weather
A new smart fabric converts light into heat and can raise temperatures by more than 54 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) after just 10 minutes in the sun.
Fake studies are slowing lifesaving medical research — all while fraudsters are getting rich, investigation reveals
Fake papers are contaminating the world’s scientific literature, fueling a corrupt industry and slowing legitimate lifesaving medical research
Watch China's 4-legged 'Black Panther 2.0' robot run as fast as Usain Bolt
Researchers in China have developed a unique running stance for their four-legged robot, which allows it to move at far greater speeds than similar machines.
Antarctic scale worm: The glitzy frilly horror show with giant protruding jaws that look like Alien's xenomorph
This deep-sea polar worm looks like it can't decide if it's dressed for a glitzy party or a gruesome massacre.
Newly discovered super-Earth orbits in and out of its star's habitable zone. Could life survive its extreme climate?
The climate on such a world must be beyond bizarre.
