Features

The Tumaco-Tolita people, who lived in an area rich in natural gold, crafted intricate and delicate metal objects until the group disappeared 1,500 years ago.

Fossil fuels powered the industrial revolution. Would aliens need a similar power source to jump-start a technical revolution?

The final act of the Blue Ghost lander's busy two weeks on the moon was to send back sunset shots featuring Earth and Venus.

There are many famous examples of animals who seem to understand human language. But is there any real science behind them?

Throughout the night, great potoos emit a loud, moaning growl that has earned the bird a mythical status, with some communities believing the sounds to be children calling for lost parents.

Why don't some birds, like penguins, ostriches and kiwis, take to the skies?

Blood tests that detect early cancer are coming to market. Could they lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment?

The Drake Passage off the West Antarctic Peninsula is a notoriously dangerous channel that connects the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern oceans.

"What will be new about heat deaths is the extent to which the lived environment will become physically uninhabitable for everyone, old and young, middle-aged, healthy and ill."

"When a dragonfly hunts, it hovers perfectly still and positions itself between its prey and a shadow cast behind it by, say, a tree, concealing its position. It's a bit like creeping up on someone in a forest hiding behind branches."