Canals used for irrigation, transportation, and drinking water are becoming killing fields for animals all over the world. From Argentina’s dry plains to Mexico’s wetlands and Spain’s fields, animals are being drowned in these man-made waterways in alarming numbers. And even though the losses are astronomical, the problem continues to go largely unaddressed by policymakers ...
When most stars die, they go out with a bang — exploding in brilliant supernovae that scatter heavy elements across space and light up the cosmos. But astronomers have identified a less violent end for certain stars, where they instead fizz out in complex, filament-laden outflows powered by dense winds. These “failed explosions” offer scientists ...
A sun-warmed snake suddenly flips belly-up, mouth agape, tongue limp, and releases a foul stench that screams decay. A hawk hesitates, a fox backs off, and a startled hiker wonders if the animal has died right in front of them. This isn’t a tragic scene – it’s world-class theater. Across fields and sandhills, a small ...
For centuries, Neanderthals have been cast as brutish Ice Age relatives of Homo sapiens, but the discoveries of 2025 continue to overturn old stereotypes while revealing surprising new facets of their lives. From evidence of advanced behaviors and survival strategies to biological differences that may have influenced their fate, this year’s research is painting a ...
Stand on a quiet Pacific shoreline at night and the ocean sounds calm, almost sleepy. Yet miles offshore, the seafloor is flexing, faults are creeping, and hot water is breathing through volcanic vents as if the planet itself were alive. The Pacific basin hides the world’s most potent tectonic engine, a restless ring where plates ...
For more than a century, scholars, cryptologists and history buffs have been captivated by the Voynich Manuscript — a hand-drawn, illustrated codex written in an undeciphered script that has defied translation since its modern discovery. Radiocarbon dating places its vellum in the early 15th century, and its pages depict bizarre plants, astrological signs and enigmatic ...
In a surprising turnaround that defies conventional evolutionary hypotheses, recent research indicates that echidnas Australia’s mysterious, spiny, egg-laying mammals could have evolved from aquatic origins instead of terrestrial ones. This finding, released in PNAS, upends the textbook narrative for how scientists think about monotremes, the strange branch of mammals that comprises echidnas and platypuses. If ...
A unique event in Denmark is blending gastronomy with coastal ecology, transforming food lovers into citizen scientists. The annual Østerjagten (Oyster Hunt) at the Salling Sund Bridge in Limfjorden invites participants to wade into shallow waters, collect oysters, and contribute to marine research—all while enjoying gourmet dishes prepared by top chefs. How the Oyster Hunt ...
In a world where most prehistoric creatures can be tucked into neat textbook boxes, one animal refuses to sit still. The five-eyed oddity from the Cambrian – best known from sites like Canada’s Burgess Shale and China’s Chengjiang – keeps slipping between categories, teasing scientists with traits that look both familiar and alien. It sports ...
It’s one of the most audacious questions of our time: not just whether we can go, but whether we can stay. The difference between a flag-planting visit and a permanent foothold is the difference between a camping trip and building a town. Scientists are now testing hardware, biology, and human limits in a coordinated push ...
