Human Origins Quiz: How much do you know about the human story?
Our species, Homo sapiens, has evolved for more than 300,000 years, but the human origin story begins much earlier. Since we evolved from a common ancestor with our closest living relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos, the human lineage has included many distinct species known as hominins. Scientists called paleoanthropologists, who study the origins and evolution of […]
New map of Antarctica reveals hidden world of lakes, valleys and mountains buried under miles of ice
Scientists have mapped the rock beneath Antarctica’s giant ice sheet in unprecedented detail, revealing the hidden structures that form glaciers. The ice sheet covers more than 5.4 million square miles (14 million square kilometers) and covers the mountains, valleys, lakes and basins beneath it, according to a new study published Thursday (January 15) in the […]
Fragment of lost tectonic plate discovered at intersection of San Andreas and Cascadia faults
Scientists have discovered that pieces of a long-lost tectonic plate are sliding beneath the North American continent in the southern part of the Cascadia subduction zone. This leftover plate fragment could pose new earthquake hazards to the region. A new study published in the journal Science on Thursday (January 15) reveals that the Pioneer Fragment, […]
These genes were thought to have a 100% chance of causing blindness. it’s not.
Genetic mutations are thought to cause blindness in almost everyone who carries them, but new research has found that less than 30% of people actually experience vision loss. This study challenges the concept of Mendelian diseases, or diseases or disorders that are thought to be caused by a single genetic mutation. The idea is that […]
Our model of the universe is deeply flawed – unless the universe is actually a ‘sticky fluid’, new study suggests
Recent observations have revealed flaws in our understanding of the universe, and a new study suggests that may be because the universe is more “sticky” than we assumed. In a paper published on the arXiv preprint server but not peer-reviewed, Indian Institute of Technology researcher Muhammad Ghulam Khwaja Khan suggests that space may have a […]
New Zealand’s rare nocturnal parrot breeds for the first time in four years – here’s why
Endangered flightless parrots are breeding in New Zealand for the first time in four years, authorities announced on January 6. The kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) is a large, flightless, nocturnal parrot with mottled green and yellow plumage that breeds only every two to four years. Their breeding season is triggered by the mass fruiting of the […]
NASA’s powerful new Roman Space Telescope is complete and will soon begin a mission to discover 100,000 alien worlds
NASA recently released the first photos of the newly constructed Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The telescope could soon help researchers search for exoplanets, map the Milky Way, and unravel some of the universe’s biggest mysteries, such as the identity of dark matter. Experts also revealed the most likely launch date for the next-generation spacecraft, […]
Scientists use a palm-sized tool to observe how microscopic plant mouths breathe in real time
Scientists have created a new tool to observe plant respiration in real time. The new technology could help identify genetic traits that make crops more resilient to global climate change, the researchers said. Human food systems rely on tiny holes in plant leaves. These microscopic pores, called stomata (Greek for mouth), control how much carbon […]
NASA astronauts return to Earth after unprecedented medical emergency on ISS
Four astronauts evacuated from the International Space Station (ISS) due to an unprecedented medical emergency have returned to Earth. NASA astronauts Mike Finke and Zena Cardman, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Kamiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov emerge from NASA’s SpaceX Crew 11 Dragon spacecraft after splashing down in the dark off the coast […]
China unveils world’s first lunar clock, solving strange time dilation predicted by Einstein
Have you ever wondered what time it is on the moon? A software package developed by Chinese researchers has finally told us. The model was built by a team from the Zishan Observatory in Nanjing and the University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei, and was detailed in a paper published in the […]