Differences in red blood cells may have ‘hastened the extinction’ of our Neanderthal cousins, new study suggests
A deadly genetic incompatibility between Neanderthals and modern humans may have hastened the extinction of their ancient cousins, a new study suggests. Researchers have found that a different version of a gene related to red blood cell function may have caused fetuses in Neanderthal-human hybrid women to miscarry. When Neanderthals and early modern humans met […]
There is such a thing as “established science.” Anyone who says otherwise is trying to manipulate you. kit yates
“Science never solves the problem” has become the go-to slogan for populists seeking to legitimize politically expedient but marginal scientific positions. In 2020, MAGA Republican Rep. Nancy Mace was asked whether she agreed that climate change is the result of human-made greenhouse gas emissions. She replied: “My opponents say this issue is scientifically settled. Well, […]
Beheader’s Nosepiece: 1,500-year-old gold jewelry depicting a bloodthirsty Pre-Incan god
simple facts Name: Nose ornament with decapitator What is it: gold-plated copper nosepiece Birthplace: Peru Created: Between 200 and 900 AD This gilt-bronze nosepiece was discovered at the Loma Negra ruins in northern Peru and depicts the important Moche god Ai Apaec, also known as the Beheader. The decorations are inlaid with turquoise and black […]
Why do pumpkins grow so big but blueberries don’t?
Every fall, pumpkin growers put record-breaking giant pumpkins on the scales. Some pumpkins weigh more than 2,700 pounds (1,225 kilograms). But the world’s largest apple barely reaches 4 pounds (1.8 kg), and the heaviest blueberry ever grown weighs less than 1 ounce (28 grams). So why does pumpkin grow to such incredible sizes while other […]
‘Very unusual’ ‘very unusual’ Roman tomb in Germany completely empty
Archaeologists have discovered an unusual circular stone tomb in southern Germany. This large tomb, which dates back to the Roman Empire, is completely empty and may have been built as a monument to honor someone buried elsewhere. “The grave was both a place of mourning and an expression of social status,” Matthias Pfeil, curatorial director […]
900 years ago, Native Americans dragged, carried, or floated five-ton trees over 100 miles to North America’s largest city in northern Mexico.
About 900 years ago, the Native American tribes of Cahokia, the largest pre-Columbian city in northern Mexico until colonial times, cut down giant trees and transported them more than 110 miles (180 km) to use as monument markers, a new study finds. The tree, known as the Mitchell Log, is the largest sign of its […]
The strange symmetry between Earth’s northern and southern hemispheres appears to be breaking down.
Many years ago, scientists noticed something odd: Earth’s northern and southern hemispheres reflect roughly the same amount of sunlight into space. This symmetry is strange because the northern hemisphere has more land, cities, pollution, and industrial aerosols. All of this should lead to a higher albedo, meaning more sunlight is reflected than absorbed. Most of […]
Comet 3I/ATLAS’s upcoming encounter with the Sun could change that in a big way — Space Photo of the Week
simple facts What is it: Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS extending its tail Location: Inside the solar system, heading towards Mars Share date: September 4, 2025 Even as comets bright to the naked eye tear through Earth’s skies (cheers, Comet Lemon!), the solar system’s most famous object today is hidden behind the sun. It is the interstellar […]
Did Neanderthals eat anything other than meat?
Our extinct cousins, Neanderthals, are often depicted as eating only meat, without any fruits, grains, or vegetables. But did Neanderthals really survive on meat alone? There’s plenty of evidence that Neanderthals regularly ate meat, but a series of studies has shown that our evolutionary relatives, who went extinct more than 30,000 years ago, also ate […]
‘I screamed with excitement’: 2,700-year-old cuneiform text discovered near the Temple Mount reveals Judah’s late payments to Assyrians
A 2,700-year-old pottery shard discovered near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount is the first known correspondence between the kingdoms of Assyria and Judah ever found in Jerusalem. The 1-inch (2.5 centimeter) long shard (a term used by archaeologists to describe pottery shards) is covered in cuneiform writing and dates to the First Temple period (1000-586 B.C.). It […]