A strange rocky world lurks at the edge of an ‘inside-out’ planetary system discovered
Astronomers have discovered an unusual planetary system orbiting far beyond where rebellious rocky planets would be expected to form. Rocky planets usually develop closer to their star, while gaseous planets form further out. This is the case in our solar system, where a vast asteroid belt draws a line between rocky Mars and gaseous Jupiter. […]
Risk of death from pregnancy in US is 44 times higher than risk of death from abortion, new analysis reveals
Figures often cited to compare the risks of pregnancy and abortion in the United States may significantly underestimate the risk of death from pregnancy, according to a new analysis. The study, published Jan. 21 in the journal JAMA Network Open, suggests that the risk of pregnancy-related death may be at least 44 times higher than […]
China’s carbon emissions may have reached a critical tipping point sooner than expected
Carbon dioxide emissions from China have been flat or falling for 21 months, meaning the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter may have reached a global tipping point sooner than expected. China’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions fell by 1% in the final quarter of 2025, and likely by 0.3% for the year, just below the record […]
Massive upgrade to Antarctic ‘ghost particle’ observatory could pave the way for physics breakthroughs
A detector for ‘ghost particles’ trapped in Antarctic ice has received a major upgrade. The IceCube neutrino observatory is being expanded for the first time in its 15 years of service. Engineers added more than 600 new instruments to the bottom of the detector, which now consists of 92 rows of neutrino detectors buried in […]
‘DNA origami’ may be the key to making an effective HIV vaccine, early research suggests. Here’s how it works:
Vaccines designed using “DNA origami” activated more of the key immune cells needed to fight HIV than traditional vaccines built on protein scaffolds, a new mouse study found. “DNA origami” refers to precisely engineered three-dimensional scaffolds made of folded DNA that can hold and present viral antigens (fragments of the virus that the immune system […]
Medieval gold ring with dazzling blue gemstone discovered in Norway is ‘a fantastically beautiful and rare specimen’
Archaeologists excavating a medieval town in southern Norway had an “out-of-body” experience when they stumbled upon a dreamlike find: a delicate gold ring with a dazzling blue gemstone. “I was completely shaken up and had to ask the people at the construction site if they were messing with me,” Linda Orsheim, an archaeologist at the […]
Newly discovered radio signals from the center of the galaxy could put Einstein’s theory of relativity to the test
Is there an ultra-dense core of a gigantic star lurking at the center of the Milky Way? Scientists think they may have discovered just that. It’s a signal from a pulsar, the fast-rotating core of an ancient star at the center of our galaxy. This unusual discovery could be used to test the predictions of […]
Our dominant dark matter theory may be wrong, hinting at a huge new gravity study
Physicists’ main theories about the nature of the universe may be wrong, new research into strangely distorted light suggests. A new study investigated three major theories about dark matter, the invisible matter that makes up much of the universe and provides structure to most galaxies, but we still don’t know exactly what it is. For […]
Thawing permafrost and “shrub” are pushing Alaska’s northern slopes into wildfire conditions not seen in 3,000 years.
Research shows that wildfires on Alaska’s North Slope are occurring more frequently and are more severe now than at any time in the past 3,000 years. The discovery is based on satellite data as well as soil taken from peatlands that contains ancient charcoal lumps and other signs of wildfires. The researchers say thawing permafrost […]
The world’s oldest known sewn garment may have been sewn together from sections of Ice Age skin unearthed in an Oregon cave.
The world’s oldest known sewn garments may have been pieces of animal skin sewn together with animal and plant string by indigenous peoples and left in an Oregon cave some 12,000 years ago, a new study has found. Although its exact purpose is unknown, the sewn skin is “very likely a fragment of clothing or […]