discovery
The most terrifying pterosaur yet is discovered
Meet your new flying nightmare: Thapunngaka shawi.
Cockatoos teach each other the secrets of dumpster diving
Australian parrots have worked out how to open trash bins, and the trick is spreading across Sydney.
How jumping spiders can distinguish the living from the non-living
Eight-eyed arachnids can tell when an object's movement is not quite right.
Every 27 minutes, there’s an X-ray aurora on Jupiter. Here’s why.
Jupiter's mysterious auroral events are caused by vibrating waves of plasma.
Going rogue: runaway planets roam the galaxy
Tiny fluctuations in old Kepler data reveals four runaway planets that are reminiscent of Earth.
Massive fossil find in California includes mastodon, petrified forest
Mastodons, rhinos, and even camels — all in the great state of California.
Discovered: A tiny, glowing, poisonous, singing toadlet
Roughly the size of a thumbnail, this newly discovered toadlet has some anatomical surprises.
Have scientists at CERN found evidence of brand new physics?
We're cautiously optimistic about our new findings.
How your daily coffee can help tropical forests grow back
Researchers find that the coffee pulp is valuable in its own right.
‘Zombie’ genes in the brain get to work after you die
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago find that death triggers increased activity in certain brain cells.
Researchers announce a new state of matter: swirlons
Starling flocks, schools of fish, and clouds of insects all agree.
Lab-grown brain organoids mature like real infant brains
After 20 months, scientists find lab-dish brain cells matured at a similar rate to those of an actual infant.
Drinking coffee while pregnant alters the fetal brain
A large new study puts caffeine-drinking moms on alert.
Grapes are ‘edible sunscreen’ according to a new study
A study says nature's candy can be a valuable supplement to sunblock.
NASA will pay $500,000 for your innovative ideas about food production in space
Introducing the Deep Space Food Challenge.
Scientists confirm quantum response to magnetism in cells
University of Tokyo scientists observe predicted quantum biochemical effects on cells.
4 microbes may lead to new type 2 diabetes probiotics
A new study suggests that maintaining gut health to avoid diabetes may be little simpler than previously believed.
Newly-discovered flower is so rare, there is only one plant of its species
Scientists find a new species of flower in a remote part of Hawaii.
Study finds surprising link between the Moon and methane leaks in the Arctic
Researchers from Norway discover that the Moon's tides influence the release of methane from the ocean floor.
New tech turns space urine into plant fertilizer
An important step toward figuring out our space station future.
An ancient migration across the ocean was no accident
A new study shows that at least one long-ago journey would have required deliberate navigation.
Scientists find the “magic number” that links forces of the universe
Researchers dramatically improve the accuracy of a number that connects fundamental forces.
NOAA discovers a new, beautifully weird sea creature
Exceptionally high-quality videos allow scientists to formally introduce a remarkable new comb jelly.
Water can become two different liquids, prove researchers
Scientists discover that under certain conditions two kinds of water exist.
Newly discovered mineral petrovite could revolutionize batteries
A mineral made in a Kamchatka volcano may hold the answer to cheaper batteries, find scientists.
Zircon in a meteorite opens the door on Mars’ past
Zircons in a Martian meteorite widens the possible timeframe for life on Mars.
Water may naturally occur as rocky planets form, new study suggests
An ancient Martian meteorite carries with it some compelling implications.
New tardigrade species withstands lethal UV radiation thanks to fluorescent ‘shield’
Another amazing tardigrade survival skill is discovered.
Scientists stumble across new organs in the human head
New cancer-scanning technology reveals a previously unknown detail of human anatomy.
In 2020, more men and women are likely to consider sex with a robot
Would you ever have sex with a robot?