Science

The Z pulsed power machine at Sandia.

Nuclear Bomb Can Deflect Future Killer Asteroid, Scientists Discover

It's a bad month for any malicious asteroids out...
rainbows shimmer across the surface of the water in a swamp.

Natural Wonders: The Rainbow Swamps of the American South

Swamps and wetlands get a bad rap, and not...
Mariana Trench

Mysterious Sounds From The Mariana Trench Explained

Underwater surveys picked up mysterious "bio-twang" sounds from the...
a small figure explores a huge cave of crystals

Natural Wonders: Cave of Crystals

The Chihuahuan Desert is a sparse but stunning ecosystem...
An artist's impression of an Earth-like planet with rings.

New Research Suggests Ancient Earth Had Rings

The Earth: a ringed planet, much like Saturn, surrounded...
Dutch scientist Sander Wouterson accepts an Ig Nobel Award.

Pigeon Missiles and Breathing Through Your Anus: The 2024 Ig Nobel Prize

From stuffing pigeons into missiles to discovering that animals...
The Moon

Our Moon Experienced Surprisingly Recent Volcanic Activity

Three tiny glass beads, from a sample of 3,000...
glacier wall

Tibetan Glacier Holds 1,700 Ancient Viruses — But They’re Safe

Ice samples from the Guliya Glacier on the Tibetan...
buffalypso in a forest

Weirdest Animal Hybrids: What on Earth is a Buffalypso?

At school, wildlife is pretty straightforward. Kids are told...
rainbow-colored mineral from the mantle

Mantle Rocks From ‘Lost City’ May Give Clues to Origin of Life

Researchers have drilled a window into the layer of...
Pirin Mountains near Bansko, Bulgaria.

Trees Rings Reveal Avalanche History

Scientists have known for some time that tree rings...
An image of the surface of Mars taken from above, zoomed in on a series of gullies.

This Week in Planetary Science: Unexpected Findings from Mars and the Moon

Three different robotic explorers made planetary news last week....
Three telescopes crest a mountain ridge. The full moon silhouettes the largest of them.

The Hiker’s Guide to Visiting Space Telescopes

Let's cut straight to the bad news: you can't...
Fireflies light up the forest floor of the Great Smoky Mountains.

Natural Wonders: Synchronous Fireflies

Fireflies. Lightning bugs. Whatever you call the little beetles,...
closeup of moss

‘Extremotolerant’ Moss Could Grow on Mars

Scientists have discovered a species of moss that lives...
aerial of Ganges River Delta

A Massive Earthquake Once Changed the Course of the Ganges

About 2,500 years ago, a huge earthquake hit the...
three woolly mammoths

Small Population of Woolly Mammoths Survived for Centuries, Against All Odds

Ten thousand years ago, as the Pleistocene ended and...
Satellite image showing the Moon passing in front of the Earth. The far side of the Moon is illuminated to the camera.

China Just Retrieved Rocks from the Dark Side of the Moon. What Does This Mean for Science?

On Tuesday, a strange bell-shaped casket floated gently down...
a painted lady butterfly

These Butterflies Flew Non-Stop Across the Atlantic Ocean

For the first time, scientists have recorded insects crossing...
AI image of aliens

Harvard Researchers Propose Odd Theory: Could Aliens Walk Among Us?

Some Harvard researchers are considering the possibility that aliens...
examining a diamond under a scope

Lab Grows Diamonds in 15 Minutes

They don’t make them like they used to —...
a desert landscape with lights on the horizon

Exploration Mysteries: The Marfa Lights

There's something spooky happening way out in the desert,...
a dense forest

Single and Ready to Mingle: World’s Loneliest Plant Seeks Mate

If you think it's rough out there for single...

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