Science Science News: Recent scientific discoveries and expert analysis

Why do we laugh when tickled but are unable to tickle ourselves? Neuroscience has the answer.

Science news this week March 1, 2025: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

Early data suggest that the 2024-2025 flu shots have effectively lowered rates of flu hospitalization and outpatient visits in vaccinated people.

Built by the Norwegian startup 1X, the Neo Gamma humanoid robot is designed to complete mundane household tasks.

Researchers have identified a giant flying squirrel fossil from a cache of unusual animal remains dug out of an ancient sinkhole in Tennessee 25 years ago. The fossil sheds light on how flying squirrels reached North America.

A stunning photo of a "parade of planets", shows Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Venus, Neptune, and Mercury in alignment from Earth. The image could be the first of its kind.

Researchers have discovered that humans lived in tropical rainforests 150,000 years ago, around 100,000 years earlier than previous evidence suggested.

A new study has pinpointed cells in the brains of mice that have the unique ability to proliferate and may help to repair damaged tissue. Scientists now need to determine if similar cells exist in human brains.

The U.S. is home to 63 national parks, which are areas of land protected by the federal government. How many of these parks can you name in our quiz?

Walvis Bay in Namibia is home to the largest solar sea-salt production plant in sub-Saharan Africa. The plant is famous for its brightly colored evaporation ponds.

Ancient footprints and drag marks at White Sands National Park in New Mexico suggest the earliest known Americans dragged wooden travois-like vehicles.

Tiny scraps of genetic material from bamboo might influence the genes of pandas, helping them adapt to a mostly bamboo diet.

Scientists have determined exactly how Earth's orbit and tilt affect glaciation and deglaciation, based on the length of these parameters' cycles and clues hidden at the bottom of the ocean.

Researchers have created a battery that transforms nuclear waste into a power source for microelectronics.

The most powerful cosmic rays in the universe currently have no explanation. New research suggests that exotic, self-annihilating particles in our own galaxy may hold the answer.

The new study on the "glass brain" from Herculaneum is the latest episode in a long-running academic dispute.

AWS's first-ever quantum chip uses "cat qubits" to reduce errors exponentially as more qubits are added to a system. Scientists say it will lead to scalable and efficient quantum computers.

Several groups are working to preserve webpages, tools and data — some of which have already gone missing from government webpages since the start of the Trump administration.

Such a dramatic cut to a flagship space telescope still in its prime will be felt across the mission's entire operations, affecting science.

Most people are exposed to the fungi that cause mucormycosis regularly, but in certain individuals, these microbes can cause a potentially deadly infection.