Stargazing during the Christmas holidays: 10 sights you’ll want to look up to
There are few sights in nature as stunning as the night sky in December. Bright stars like Betelgeuse, Capella, Aldebaran, Sirius, and Orion Belt stars will dominate the night sky after dark, but you can follow some unique astronomical phenomena over two weeks from December 20, 2025 to January 4, 2026. As seen from the […]
2025 Urids meteor shower: When and where to see ‘shooting stars’ on the longest night of the year
If you’re stargazing late on Dec. 21 and 22, keep your eyes peeled for “shooting stars” during the peak of the annual Uruid meteor shower. The Ursa Minor meteor shower will be active from December 13th to December 26th, with its nighttime peak coinciding with the winter solstice on December 21st at 10:03 a.m. ET. […]
Roman soldiers stationed at Hadrian’s Wall suffer from diarrhea and abdominal pain, and microscopic parasites are discovered.
Roman soldiers guarding Hadrian’s Wall in Britain were no strangers to diarrhea and abdominal pain, according to a new study that found traces of at least three different intestinal parasites in soil near centuries-old toilets. This discovery shows that even though the walls had a state-of-the-art sewage system at the time, the Romans’ mettle suffered […]
New ultraviolet images of Comet 3I/ATLAS could help reveal what the comet is made of
A NASA spacecraft designed to search for signs of extraterrestrial life has aimed its lens at comet 3I/ATLAS. But it wasn’t for the reason you might think. The spaceship just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Racing through the solar system at an estimated speed of 153,000 miles per hour […]
Research reveals that lava debris on the ocean floor acts as a carbon dioxide ‘sponge’
Ancient lava debris on the ocean floor may be acting like a giant “sponge” storing large amounts of carbon dioxide, a new study has found. Cores taken from the ocean floor of the South Atlantic Ocean show that this debris, formed by volcanic activity and spread across the ocean floor over millions of years, stores […]
Research suggests the time of day you receive cancer treatment is important
A new study suggests that chemotherapy immunotherapy given earlier in the day can extend the lifespan of patients with advanced lung cancer. Previous research suggests that circadian rhythms, the body’s internal clock, may influence the effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors. These drugs help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells by blocking the tumor’s […]
DNA analysis of 3,700-year-old human bones in Italy reveals first evidence of father-daughter incest
New genetic research reveals that excavations in Italy have unearthed the oldest known evidence of father-daughter incest in the archaeological record. Researchers found genetic clues to this incest in the remains of a teenage boy buried in a Bronze Age cemetery in southern Italy. The cave ruins of Grotta della Monaca in Calabria, the “toe” […]
A rare 1,300-year-old medallion decorated with a menorah found near Jerusalem’s Temple Mount
Archaeologists in Jerusalem have unearthed a rare 1,300-year-old lead medallion decorated on both sides with images of a seven-branched menorah, a ceremonial menorah unique to the Second Temple. Researchers believe the medallion was placed on a necklace by Jews in the late 6th or early 7th century, when the city and surrounding area were under […]
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe mapped the invisible part of the sun during its most active moments
For the first time, scientists have created a detailed 2D map of the Sun’s outermost atmosphere. The feat was accomplished using data from NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, which has been moving in and out of the sun’s atmosphere, known as the corona, since 2021. Parker is the first spacecraft ever to fly so close to […]
Mysterious radiation-exposed ‘scars’ in our galaxy reveal two stars about to collide with the sun
About 4.5 million years ago, the sun passed close to two extremely bright stars, flooding nearby space with their radiation. And that encounter left a ghostly scar that astronomers can still detect today, a new study says. The researchers say this close encounter could help solve decades-old mysteries, such as why the space around the […]