Newsifi - Science News

New Sensor Could Detect Electrical Failures in Ships or Buildings

Few minutes ago

A monitoring device could measure overall power consumption and identify critical malfunctions -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Why Global Population Growth Will Grind to a Halt by 2100

Few minutes ago

Global population growth will nearly grind to a stop by the end of the century.

Bone-Crushing Hyenas Lived in Canada's Arctic During the Last Ice Age

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During the last ice age, bone-crushing hyenas stalked the snowy Canadian Arctic, likely satisfying their meat cravings by hunting herds of caribou and horses, while also scavenging mammoth carcasses on the tundra, a new study finds.

Where Are Your Boundaries?

Few minutes ago

Psychological research unveils a central element of individual and group differences -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Ruins of a Lost Colonial Tavern (And Maybe Brothel) Were Just Uncovered in North Carolina

Few minutes ago

This colonial tavern (and maybe brothel) burned down years before the rest of Brunswick Town was razed by British soldiers in 1766.

NASA Wants to Build a 'Starshade' to Hunt Alien Planets

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Such a mission would have to keep two spacecraft, separated by thousands of miles, aligned within 3 feet of each other.

Scientists Explain Puppy Dog Eyes

2 hours ago

You know that feeling you get when a dog looks into your face and either looks really sad or kind of confused? Scientists say they've figured out why they do that, and why it makes us melt.

NASA boss says 'no doubt' SpaceX explosion delays flight program

2 hours ago

The explosion that destroyed a SpaceX astronaut taxi in April "no doubt" delays NASA's drive to return Americans to the International Space Station from U.S. soil later this year, the U.S. space agency's chief said on Tuesday.

Experts cast doubt over Highlands spaceport plan

4 hours ago

Concerns have been raised over the suitability of a site in Sutherland aiming to become the UK's first major spaceport.

MPs call for end to 'throwaway clothes' era

5 hours ago

A report by MPs urges the UK government to end the era of throwaway clothes and poor working conditions in the fashion supply chain.

Monkey Cousins Use Similar Calls

7 hours ago

Two monkey species who last shared a common ancestor 3 million years ago have 'eerily similar' alarm calls. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

How Does Insulin Work in Our Bodies?

11 hours ago

What is insulin and how do our bodies use it? -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Prehistoric settlement in Turkey bears telltale signs of modern woes

11 hours ago

Overcrowding. Violence. Infectious diseases. Environmental degradation. It may sound like the worst of modern mega-cities.

Domestication Made Dogs' Facial Anatomy More Fetching to Humans

12 hours ago

Wolves lack the muscles that allow dogs to raise their eyebrows and make puppy dog eyes -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Atlantic Ocean 'running out of breath'

13 hours ago

Edinburgh University leads an international research programme to assess the health of the Atlantic.

The evolution of puppy dog eyes

13 hours ago

Dogs have evolved new muscles around the eyes to better communicate with humans. New research comparing the anatomy and behavior of dogs and wolves suggests dogs' facial anatomy has changed over thousands of years specifically to allow them to better communica…

Proposed Energy Efficiency Rules Could Slow Emissions Reductions

14 hours ago

More efficient appliances and stricter building codes have driven significant declines in U.S. emissions to date -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Inside Heathrow's high-tech baggage system

14 hours ago

Heathrow's luggage system handles 180,000 items per day. Tom Burridge takes a look inside.

Dogs' eyes evolve to appeal to humans

14 hours ago

Scientists have found a muscle that allows dogs to make 'puppy eyes' and bond with humans.

Sun's history found buried in Moon's crust

14 hours ago

The Sun's rotation rate in its first billion years is unknown. Yet, this spin rate affected solar eruptions, influencing the evolution of life. Scientists think they've figured it out by using the Moon as critical evidence.

NASA's Cassini reveals New Sculpting in Saturn Rings

14 hours ago

As NASA's Cassini dove close to Saturn in its final year, the spacecraft provided intricate detail on the workings of Saturn's complex rings, new analysis shows.

Gene Increases Risk for Pot Addiction

15 hours ago

First gene associated with cannabis abuse likely affects how people respond to the drug -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Here's One More Political Assault on Public Health

15 hours ago

Corporate interests, including the fossil fuel, auto and tobacco industries, are searching for ways to undermine the science that says particulate pollution kills -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

A Clearer Map For Aging: 'Elderhood' Shows How Geriatricians Help Seniors Thrive

17 hours ago

Physician Louise Aronson treats patients who are in their 60s - as well as those who are older than 100. She writes about changing approaches to elder health care in her book Elderhood.

New Space Telescope Will Map the Universe in High-Energy X-rays

19 hours ago

A German-Russian mission called SRG will detect millions of supermassive black holes, many new to science, and hundreds of thousands of stars -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

In the Wiggle of an Ear, a Surprising Insight into Bat Sonar

20 hours ago

It could lead to drones that fly like bats -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Canada backs startup to boost data on space debris

20 hours ago

The Canadian government's contracting arm is backing a proposed new satellite system that will use big data analytics to provide commercially available data about the Earth and its orbit amid growing concerns about the risks posed by space debris.

Most of the World to Face Record-High Temperatures Every Year Without Serious Climate Action

20 hours ago

About 60% of the world will face record-high temperatures every year for the next 100 years if we don't tackle climate change now, a new study suggests.

Which Should Come First in Physics: Theory or Experiment?

20 hours ago

Plans for giant particle accelerators of the future focus attention on how scientific discoveries are really made -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Neolithic People Made Fake Islands More Than 5,600 Years Ago

20 hours ago

Hundreds of tiny islands around Scotland didn't arise naturally. They're fakes that were constructed out of boulders, clay and timbers by Neolithic people about 5,600 years ago, a new study finds.

Icy Martian Clouds Are Formed from the 'Smoke' of Dead Meteors, Study Claims

21 hours ago

The wispy, blue ice clouds of Mars are actually made of pulverized meteors, a new study claims.

Woman Who Requested Mariah Carey Cake Got Marie Curie Instead

22 hours ago

The birthday girl was probably feeling emotions when she saw what the baker had done.

Why Don't We Hear About More Species Going Extinct?

1 days ago

The extinction crisis threatens life all over the planet, but scientists are cautious about declaring a species extinct too quickly -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Replacing Plastic: Can Bacteria Help Us Break The Habit?

1 days ago

Entrepreneurs are eager to find substitutes for plastic that naturally degrade. One option is a "natural" plastic made by microbes and then eaten by them. But the process is still in the early days.

Saving sharks: One woman's mission to protect the hammerhead

1 days ago

Marine biologist Ilena Zanella vowed to save the shark after diving with them off Costa Rica.

How Millipedes Avoid Interspecies Sexual Slips

1 days ago

Millipedes, often blind, have come up with clever physical signals to ward off sexual advances from members of wrong species. -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

'Flesh-Eating' Bacteria May Be Spreading to Beaches Once Thought Off-Limits. Here's Why.

1 days ago

"Flesh-eating" bacteria that live in the ocean may be spreading to previously unaffected beach waters thanks to climate change, according to a new report.

'Cryoegg' to explore under Greenland Ice Sheet

1 days ago

UK sensors placed under the Greenland Ice Sheet will monitor how its glaciers slide towards the ocean.

Did Van Gogh Shoot Himself? Auction of Pistol Reignites Debate.

1 days ago

Did Van Gogh commit suicide, or was he shot by someone else?

Ebola's spread shows how science needs societies to succeed

1 days ago

LONDON - The persistence of Congo's Ebola outbreak and its deadly spread to Uganda in recent days show how societal issues are as crucial as scientific advances in controlling disease outbreaks, specialists in global public health say.

Dawn of the Crunch

1 days ago

A tiny fossil skull reveals the oldest known vertebrate capable of crunching hard-shelled prey -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

The family-of-four living off-grid

1 days ago

Two former vets from Essex and their children are showing others how it is possible to live self-sufficiently.

Hedgehog sign warns drivers of small wildlife hazards

1 days ago

It aims to protect drivers from accident hazards and reverse a decline in small wildlife numbers.

Terrifying 'Fly-Pocalypse' Descends Upon Russian Village

1 days ago

Swarms worthy of a horror movie may have emerged from illegal fertilizer.

These Bizarre Parasites Garden Their Insect Hosts

1 days ago

Be glad human STDs do not include this one -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Using DNA to tailor medicine

1 days ago

Technology is making it possible to tailor treatments to ever smaller groups of patients.

A bridge made of grass

1 days ago

The annual remaking of the last remaining Inca rope bridge at Q'eswachaka in Peru.

Why Do Skulls Have So Many Bones? (It's Loads More Than You Think)

1 days ago

Why are there so many bones in animal skulls, and which animals have the most?

The Plastic We 'Recycle' Is Actually Horrible for the Environment

1 days ago

When you drop your plastic waste into the recycling bin, where does it go?

Global commodities trade and consumption place the world's primates at risk of extinction

1 days ago

A recent study highlights the fact that the economic benefits of commodity export for primate habitat countries has been limited relative to the extreme environmental costs of pollution, habitat degradation, loss of biodiversity, continued food insecurity and …

Baby Pterosaurs Could Fly. So, Did They Need Their Parents?

1 days ago

Newly hatched pterosaurs may have been more independent than once thought.

Pea Burgers Taste Fantastic. They Can Also Help Save the Planet. (Op-Ed)

1 days ago

I ate a burger last night and it surprised me. It was delicious. So what was surprising? It was made from peas.

Scientists Develop New Laser That Can Find and Destroy Cancer Cells in the Blood

2 days ago

This technology can screen the blood from above the skin.

Why Freud Should Be Dead

2 days ago

Freud’s most implacable modern critic recounts the flaws of psychoanalysis and its founder and deplores their persistent influence -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Big Changes Needed to Fight Harassment, Group Tells US Biomedical Agency

2 days ago

Advisory panel says US National Institutes of Health should treat sexual harassment more seriously and do more to help affected researchers -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Planet Plates, Metal Moon and Comet Cocktails

2 days ago

A roundup of some recent astrobiology-related science news -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Dragon Quest: Australia Kicks Off Search for Possibly Extinct Lizard

2 days ago

The Victorian grasslands earless dragon hasn’t been observed for 50 years, but conservationists haven’t given up hope yet -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Was Darwin Wrong?

2 days ago

A journalist recounts the epic story of modern challenges to evolutionary dogma -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Pope warns oil bosses of climate threat

3 days ago

Oil company bosses have been rapped by the Pope for seeking more of the fossil fuels that are damaging the climate.

The Most Interesting Science News Articles of the Week

3 days ago

Here are the most interesting, amazing and unusual things that happened in the world of science this week. A recap of Live Science's best.

A Head Full of Fluid and Burning Eyes: NASA Astronaut Talks about His Year Living in Space

3 days ago

Scientific American spoke with Scott Kelly about the hardships of life in zero gravity and what it was like coming back to Earth -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

As The 50th Anniversary Of Apollo 11 Nears, New Books Highlight The Mission's Legacy

3 days ago

These works make apparent how singular an achievement America's moon landing was - and show that half a century later we're still grappling to understand its long-term meaning.

Largest world stock of animal-killing virus destroyed by UK lab

3 days ago

Scientists destroy final UK laboratory samples of rinderpest, a highly contagious cattle disease.

Plastic pollution: Bangor divers cleaning up the seabed

3 days ago

A group of divers are taking beach clean ups to the next level by diving for litter under water.

Pass The Brazier: Early Evidence Of Cannabis Smoking Found On Chinese Artifacts

3 days ago

Humans have been smoking pot to get high since the first millennium B.C. Archaeologists have found early evidence of cannabis use from wooden bowls exhumed from ancient tombs in western China.

Pumping Breast Milk at 50 Below

3 days ago

Women face unique challenges in field research, but a culture of support helps to ensure success for female scientists -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Amazing Images: The Best Science Photos of the Week

3 days ago

Here are the stories behind the most amazing images in the world of science this week. A recap of the coolest photos featured on Live Science.

The Cannabis Culture Wars

3 days ago

Engaging with enthusiasts and alarmists alike can take its toll on one’s patience -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Not All Military Bases Plan for Warming, Watchdog Finds

3 days ago

The Defense Department recognizes the risks posed by climate change, but needs to do more to protect its facilities -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Small cluster of neurons is off-on switch for mouse songs

3 days ago

Researchers have isolated a cluster of neurons in a mouse's brain that are crucial to making the squeaky, ultrasonic 'songs' a male mouse produces when courting a potential mate.

Bald Eagle Caught Elegantly ... Swimming?

3 days ago

A viral video shows another side of the U.S. national bird. As it turns out, bald eagles frequently swim, moving through the water using an avian-style butterfly stroke.

What Happens If You Don't Take Out a Splinter?

3 days ago

It can be a freeing feeling to shuck off your shoes and walk outside barefoot...until you get a splinter.

Better Memory through Electrical Brain Ripples

3 days ago

A study in mice shows improved cognitive performance when these bursting signals move around memory circuits -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com

Harry Potter star Bonnie Wright joins kids' plastic toy push

4 days ago

Actress Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley, meets children who are upcycling their toys.

Bitcoin causing carbon dioxide emissions comparable to Las Vegas or Hamburg

4 days ago

The use of Bitcoin causes around 22 megatons in carbon dioxide emissions annually -- comparable to the total emissions of cities such as Las Vegas or Hamburg.

Zebras' stripes could be used to control their temperature, study reveals

4 days ago

New research indicates that zebras' stripes are used to control body temperature after all -- and reveals for the first time a new mechanism for how this may be achieved.

Viruses found to use intricate 'treadmill' to move cargo across bacterial cells

4 days ago

Using advanced technologies to explore the inner workings of bacteria, biologists have provided the first example of cargo within bacteriophage cells transiting along treadmill-like structures. The discovery demonstrates that bacteria have more in common with …

More Evidence In Office Temperature Battles

4 days ago

A recent study finds that the temperature of the workplace could be affecting productivity, and women might be getting the worst of it.

Greenpeace rig protest brought to an end

4 days ago

Police said nine people in total had been arrested in connection with the demonstration in the Cromarty Firth.

Squid could thrive under climate change

4 days ago

When scientists subjected two-toned pygmy squid and bigfin reef squid to carbon dioxide levels projected for the end of the century, they received some surprising results.

Russia uncovers 40,000 year-old wolf head, preserved in ice

4 days ago

About 40,000 years ago, a wolf died in what we know as Siberia. Now its severed head has been found, and because of the freezing conditions, it is so well preserved that its fur, teeth, brain and facial tissue are largely intact.

India plans to launch own space station: space agency

4 days ago

India will look to create its own space station following the completion of the country's first manned mission into space in 2022, its space agency chief said on Thursday.

Earth's heavy metals result of supernova explosion, research reveals

4 days ago

New research suggests most of Earth's heavy metals were spewed from a largely overlooked kind of star explosion called a collapsar.

Volcano's Shadow Forms an Eerie, Perfect Triangle

4 days ago

The shadow's pointy tip is a matter of perspective.

Street In Front Of NASA Headquarters Renamed To Honor 'Hidden Figures'

4 days ago

The name pays tribute to the legacy of African American women who played a major role in the space race but were long overlooked by history.

Two hours a week is key dose of nature for health and wellbeing

4 days ago

Spending at least two hours a week in nature may be a crucial threshold for promoting health and wellbeing, according to a new large-scale study.

Gut microbes eat our medication

4 days ago

Researchers have discovered one of the first concrete examples of how the microbiome can interfere with a drug's intended path through the body. Focusing on levodopa (L-dopa), the primary treatment for Parkinson's disease, they identified which bacteria out of…

How Almonds Went From Deadly To Delicious

4 days ago

In a new study, researchers pinpoint the genetic mutation that transformed almonds from toxic and bitter to tasty and sweet.

Reaching and grasping: Learning fine motor coordination changes the brain

5 days ago

When we train the reaching for and grasping of objects, we also train our brain. In other words, this action brings about changes in the connections of a certain neuronal population in the red nucleus, a region of the midbrain. Researchers have discovered this…

Origins of cannabis smoking

5 days ago

A chemical residue study of incense burners from ancient burials at high elevations in western China has revealed psychoactive cannabinoids. The finding provides some of the earliest evidence for the use of cannabis for its psychoactive compounds.

Dolphins form friendships through shared interests just like us, study finds

5 days ago

When it comes to making friends, it appears dolphins are just like us and form close friendships with other dolphins that have a common interest. The research provides further insight into the social habits of these remarkable animals.

How multi-celled animals developed

5 days ago

New findings challenge the long-standing idea that multi-celled animals evolved from a single-celled ancestor resembling a modern sponge cell known as a choanocyte.

Why Noah's Ark won't work

5 days ago

Many species will need large population sizes to survive climate change and ocean acidification, a new study finds.

Chinese tombs yield earliest evidence of cannabis use

5 days ago

Researchers uncover the earliest known evidence of cannabis use, from tombs in western China.

Federal Grants Restricted To Fighting Opioids Miss The Mark, States Say

5 days ago

The U.S. government has doled out at least $2.4 billion in state grants since 2017, specifically targeting the opioid epidemic. Yet drug abuse problems seldom involve only one substance.

Rare 'superflares' could one day threaten Earth

5 days ago

New research shows that the sun could experience a massive burst of energy called a superflare sometime in the next several thousand years.

Scotland's crannogs are older than Stonehenge

5 days ago

Used for building homes on lochs, the artificial islands were previously thought to date from the Iron Age.

Table salt compound spotted on Europa

5 days ago

Researchers have discovered that the yellow color visible on portions of the surface of Jupiter's moon Europa is actually sodium chloride.

Jupiter-like exoplanets found in sweet spot in most planetary systems

5 days ago

A survey of 300 stars in search of exoplanets finds that massive, Jupiter-like gas giants are found just about where Jupiter is in our own solar system.

High times in ancient China revealed in funerary cannabis discovery

5 days ago

Marijuana chemical residue has been found in incense burners apparently used during funerary rites at a mountainous site in western China in about 500 BC, providing what may be the oldest evidence of smoking cannabis for its mind-altering properties.

Tracking the lives of some of the oldest and tallest trees in the world.

5 days ago

Ten years into a unique scientific project monitoring the famous forest, what have researchers learned?

Bermuda land snail: An animal 'back from the dead'

5 days ago

A remarkable story of how a snail was rescued from the edge of extinction and returned to the wild.

Greenland map captures changing Arctic in fine detail

5 days ago

The British Antarctic Survey produces an exquisite new printed sheet map of Greenland and the European Arctic.

Monkeys face climate change extinction threat

5 days ago

Monkeys living in South America are highly vulnerable to climate change and face an 'elevated risk of extinction', according to a new study.

The Swap: Less Processed Meat, More Plant-Based Foods May Boost Longevity

5 days ago

A new study of 80,000 people finds that those who ate the most red meat - especially processed meats such as bacon and hot dogs - had a higher risk of premature death compared with those who ate less.

Hidden Figures: Nasa renames street after black female mathematicians

5 days ago

Hidden Figures Way is named after the African-American women featured in the Oscar-nominated film.

Climate change: Should the UK's 2050 target be sooner?

5 days ago

The UK has promised a stricter emissions target by 2050, but some say it should be sooner.

Baby pterodactyls could fly from birth

5 days ago

Researchers have found that pterodactyls, extinct flying reptiles also known as pterosaurs, had a remarkable ability -- they could fly from birth.

Chandrayaan-2: India unveils spacecraft for second Moon mission

6 days ago

If successful Chandrayaan-2 will make India the fourth country to land a spacecraft on the Moon.

To Save The Science Poster, Researchers Want To Kill It And Start Over

6 days ago

Scientists often share their latest research on posters displayed at big conferences. Posters are a long-standing tradition, but one reformer says they're mostly terrible and need to change.

Saturn's moon Mimas: A 'snowplough' in the planet's rings

6 days ago

Researchers have shown that Mimas, one of Saturn's moons, acted as a kind of remote snowplough, pushing apart the ice particles that make up the rings.

India set to launch second lunar mission; land rover on the moon

6 days ago

India said on Wednesday it will launch its second lunar mission in mid-July, as it moves to consolidate its status as a leader in space technology by achieving a controlled landing on the moon.

Hungarian scientists mull legal action over government controls

6 days ago

The head of Hungary's oldest scientific institute said it was considering taking legal action to challenge government moves to take more control over research work and budgets.

The man who helped feed the world

6 days ago

The crops developed by Norman Borlaug have saved millions of people from starvation.

Dinosaurs Come Back To Life At The Smithsonian

6 days ago

After five years, the exhibit reopens this month with new bones and more scientifically accurate explanations.

Light-powered nano-organisms consume carbon dioxide, create eco-friendly plastics and fuels

6 days ago

Researchers have developed nanobio-hybrid organisms capable of using airborne carbon dioxide and nitrogen to produce a variety of plastics and fuels, a promising first step toward low-cost carbon sequestration and eco-friendly manufacturing for chemicals. …

Baby long-eared owl Rusty learns to fly at botanic garden

6 days ago

Rusty is five weeks old and was born in captivity - so needs a little help to spread his wings.

Climate change: UK government to commit to 2050 target

6 days ago

The UK will set a new legally binding target to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Why is so much of the US under water?

6 days ago

America's heartland has faced months of record-breaking floods. Why is it so bad now and what's the impact?

Rocket firm Relativity signs lease with NASA for new robotic 3D printing factory

6 days ago

Relativity Space, a venture-backed rocket maker, said on Tuesday it will lease space from NASA in Mississippi, where its gigantic 3D printers will produce low-cost rockets to be used to launch small-payload satellites into orbit.

How A Bird Became Flightless Through Evolution - Twice

6 days ago

More than 100,000 years ago, a bird flew from Madagascar to an island chain, where it lost the ability to fly. The seas rose and then fell and the bird flew back, only to become flightless again.

Bowland hen harrier chicks give 'hope for future'

6 days ago

Chicks hatching for the second year on an estate is good news for the endangered species, the RSPB says.

How Safe Is Sunscreen And How Much Should We Wear?

6 days ago

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Trisha Calvo of Consumer Reports about a study that finds the active ingredients in sunscreen may be absorbed into the bloodstream.

Chester Zoo elephant calf's EEHV survival 'momentous'

6 days ago

The survival of a calf which had a "lethal" virus will help the global fight against it, a zoo says.

Female scientist's IVF contribution was 'unrecognised'

7 days ago

One of the fertility treatment's pioneers believed Jean Purdy made an equal contribution, letters reveal.

Aarey forest: The fight to save Mumbai's last 'green lung'

7 days ago

A forest that lies at the heart of India's bustling city is under threat, locals say.

Mysterious holes in Antarctic sea ice explained by years of robotic data

7 days ago

Why did a giant hole appear in the sea ice off Antarctica in 2016 and 2017, after decades of more typical sea ice cover? Years of Southern Ocean data have explained the phenomenon, helping oceanographers to better predict these features and study their role in…

In romantic relationships, people do indeed have a 'type'

7 days ago

Researchers show that people do indeed have a 'type' when it comes to dating, and that despite best intentions to date outside that type -- for example, after a bad relationship -- some will gravitate to similar partners.

Grape expectations: DNA reveals history of vintage wine

7 days ago

The French were probably sipping wines we drink today 900 years ago, according to DNA from old grapes.

Mass anomaly detected under the moon's largest crater

7 days ago

A mysterious large mass of material has been discovered beneath the largest crater in our solar system -- the Moon's South Pole-Aitken basin -- and may contain metal from the asteroid that crashed into the Moon and formed the crater, according to a new study. …

Direct from distant planet: Spectral clues to puzzling paradox

7 days ago

CI Tau b is a paradoxical planet, but new research about its mass, brightness and the carbon monoxide in its atmosphere is starting to answer questions about how a planet so large could have formed around a star that's only 2 million years old.

How to design a superfast car... in the real world

7 days ago

Land Speed Record holder Andy Green explains why the design of a superfast car can't just be done in a computer.

Site of biggest ever meteorite collision in the UK discovered

7 days ago

Scientists believe they have discovered the site of the biggest meteorite impact ever to hit the British Isles.

A call to arms to fight the 'war on plastic'

7 days ago

BBC One presenter Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall investigates what we can all do to reduce our use of plastic.

Ancient DNA from Roman and medieval grape seeds reveal ancestry of wine making

7 days ago

A grape variety still used in wine production in France today can be traced back 900 years to just one ancestral plant, scientists have discovered.

Plant extinction 'bad news for all species'

7 days ago

Almost 600 plant species have been lost from the wild in the last 250 years, according to a study.

Scientists close in on hidden Scottish meteorite crater

8 days ago

Evidence points to a 1.2-billion-year-old impact structure lying hidden off Scotland's north-west coast.

Ocado sows $22 million 'vertical farming' seed to diversify

8 days ago

Britain's Ocado is plowing 17 million pounds ($22 million) into the emerging "vertical farming" industry, further diversifying the online grocer and technology group's business.

Temperature maps from space would 'boost crop production'

10 days ago

A proposed European Union satellite mission could have major benefits for agriculture.

Got $50 million for a vacation? NASA to open space station to private citizens

10 days ago

NASA will allow private citizens to stay at the International Space Station (ISS) for month-long getaways at a cost of about $35,000 per night, the U.S. space agency said on Friday.

Trump criticizes NASA moon mission after promoting it earlier

10 days ago

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday criticized NASA for aiming to put astronauts back on the moon by 2024 and urged the space agency to focus instead on "much bigger" initiatives like going to Mars, undercutting his previous support for the lunar initiative.…

Solar eclipse frenzy fuels astronomical tourism in Chile

10 days ago

The total solar eclipse expected in northern Chile early next month is already drawing flocks of visitors eager to glimpse a rare view of the phenomenon through the region's clear skies.

Nasa to open International Space Station to tourists

10 days ago

The US space agency says it will allow tourists to visit the station from 2020.

New study identifies molecular aging 'midlife crisis'

11 days ago

Research provides a possible new reason why human disease burden increases so sharply from the sixth decade of life onward as health-protective mechanisms disappear.

How fish and shrimps could be recruited as underwater spies

11 days ago

Animals have long been used for military purposes, but could marine creatures also act as sensors?

Ultimate destiny: How undifferentiated cells commit to their biological fate

11 days ago

A new study using mouse neural crest tissue reveals how primitive, undifferentiated cells choose their adult fate. The findings help explain how some neural crest cells become craniofacial cells, while others end up as nervous system cells. The research can he…

Could climate change make Siberia more habitable?

11 days ago

Large parts of Asian Russia could become habitable by the late 21st century due to climate change, new research has found. Scientists used current and predicted climate scenarios to examine the climate comfort of Asian Russia and work out the potential for hum…

Translation of genes more complex than expected

11 days ago

Researchers have shown that translation of the genetic information stored in our DNA is much more complex than previously thought. This discovery was made by developing a type of advanced microscopy that directly visualizes the translation of the genetic code …

How old are your organs? To scientists' surprise, organs are a mix of young and old cells

11 days ago

Scientists once thought that neurons, or possibly heart cells, were the oldest cells in the body. Now, researchers have discovered that the mouse brain, liver and pancreas contain populations of cells and proteins with extremely long lifespans -- some as old a…

California ladybug swarm dozens of miles wide shows up on radar

11 days ago

A swarm of many millions of ladybugs taking to the sky in Southern California this week to hunt for aphids has been captured on a radar screen as a massive blob, officials said on Thursday.

New findings on Earth's magnetic field

11 days ago

The well-known sources of the magnetic field that surrounds Earth are the deep inside core and Earth's crust. Earth's mantle, on the other hand, has been considered to be 'magnetically dead' for the most part. Now researchers show that a form of iron oxide can…

Study provides new insight into origin of Canadian Rockies

11 days ago

The Canadian Rocky Mountains were formed when the North American continent was dragged westward during the closure of an ocean basin off the west coast and collided with a microcontinent over 100 million years ago, according to a new study.

Danger avoidance can be genetically encoded for four generations, say biologists

11 days ago

Researchers have discovered that learned behaviors can be inherited for multiple generations in C. elegans, transmitted from parent to progeny via eggs and sperm cells.

Alzheimer's disease protein links plaques to cell death in mice

11 days ago

A new protein involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been identified by researchers. CAPON may facilitate the connection between the two most well-known AD culprits, amyloid plaques and tau pathology, whose interactions cause brain cell death and symptoms of…

Scientists solve the mystery of the dragon with transparent teeth

12 days ago

Dwelling in the dark ocean depths, the dragonfish is a frightful marvel that would fit nicely into any horror movie, boasting exotic adaptations such as virtually transparent fangs that help it thrive in this extreme environment.

Hoard of the rings: Unusual rings are a novel type of Bronze Age cereal-based product

12 days ago

Strange ring-shaped objects in a Bronze Age hillfort site represent a unique form of cereal-based product, according to a new study.

Honey bee colonies down by 16 percent

12 days ago

An international survey finds that the number of honey bee colonies fell by 16 percent in the winter of 2017-18 across 38 countries.

Surprising enzymes found in giant ocean viruses

12 days ago

A new study furthers our knowledge of viruses -- in the sea and on land -- and their potential to cause life-threatening illnesses. The findings, which examine newly-identified genes carried by mysterious 'giant' viruses, could represent potential new drug tar…

Richard Branson takes satellite launch business to Japan with airline ANA

12 days ago

Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit said on Thursday it plans to bring its satellite launch system to Japan in partnership with airline operator ANA Holdings Inc, which will provide maintenance and possibly aircraft.

Ancient DNA sheds light on Arctic hunter-gatherer migration to North America around 5,000 years ago

12 days ago

An ancient population of Arctic hunter-gatherers, known as Paleo-Eskimos, made a significant genetic contribution to populations living in Arctic North America today, new research shows.

Bees can link symbols to numbers, study finds

12 days ago

We know bees get the concept of zero and can do basic math. Now researchers have discovered they may also be capable of connecting symbols to numbers. It's a finding that sheds new light on how numerical abilities may have evolved over millennia and even opens…

Is there a limit to human endurance? Science says yes

12 days ago

From the Ironman to the Tour de France, some competitions test even the toughest endurance athletes. A study of energy expenditure during some of the world's longest, most grueling sporting events suggests that no matter what the activity, everyone hits the sa…

Cool, nebulous ring around Milky Way's supermassive black hole

12 days ago

New observations reveal a never-before-seen disk of cool, interstellar gas wrapped around the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

First-ever spider glue genes sequenced, paving way to next biomaterials breakthrough

12 days ago

Researchers have determined the first-ever complete sequences of two spider glue genes. Spider glue is a modified form of spider silk that keeps a spider's prey stuck in its web, and it could have applications in organic pest control and beyond.

China launches rocket from ship at sea for first time

12 days ago

China successfully launched a rocket from a ship at sea for the first time on Wednesday, state media reported, the latest step forward in its ambitious space program.

Most-detailed-ever simulations of black hole solve longstanding mystery

12 days ago

Scientists have constructed the most detailed, highest resolution simulation of a black hole to date. The simulation found that the inner-most region of an accretion disk aligns with its black hole's equator, confirming a 1975 prediction.

DNA from 31,000-year-old milk teeth leads to discovery of new group of ancient Siberians

12 days ago

Two children's milk teeth buried deep in a remote archaeological site in north eastern Siberia have revealed a previously unknown group of people lived there during the last Ice Age. The finding was part of a wider study which also discovered 10,000 year-old h…

Details of first historically recorded plague pandemic revealed by ancient genomes

12 days ago

Analysis of eight new plague genomes from the first plague pandemic reveals previously unknown levels of plague diversity, and provides the first genetic evidence of the Justinianic Plague in the British Isles.

Glacial sediments greased the gears of plate tectonics

12 days ago

The transition to plate tectonics started with the help of lubricating sediments, scraped by glaciers from the slopes of Earth's first continents, according to new research.

NASA's first SpaceX astronauts ready for 'messy camping trip' to space

12 days ago

The first U.S. astronauts chosen to fly aboard a SpaceX capsule built for NASA shrugged off a spate of design and test mishaps, saying such setbacks were "part of the process" and the new technology was far more advanced than the space shuttle program that end…

The RAF weathermen who helped save D-Day

13 days ago

How an RAF squadron on a Scottish island helped to get weather data that saved the D-Day landings.

Ear-generated Doppler shifts in bat biosonar

13 days ago

A new study demonstrates that the ears of bats come with a 'built-in ambulance' that creates the same physical effect as the sound of an ambulance passing by. Researchers think the study of ear-generated Doppler shifts in bat biosonar could give rise to new se…

Hungarian government submits bill to tighten grip over scientists

13 days ago

Hungary's government is moving to tighten its grip on the research institutions of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, despite protests by scientists against political control of the academy.

Exomoons may be home to extra-terrestrial life

13 days ago

New research looks at the possibility of moons outside our solar system causing gaps in the rings of planet J1407b.

Pathogens may have facilitated the evolution of warm-blooded animals

13 days ago

Animals first developed fever as a response to infections: the higher body temperatures primed their immune systems. At the time, 600 million years ago, virtually all animal species were cold-blooded. They had to spend long periods of time in warm areas of the…

Solving the sun's super-heating mystery with Parker Solar Probe

13 days ago

It's one of the greatest and longest-running mysteries surrounding, quite literally, our sun: Why is its outer atmosphere hotter than its fiery surface?

Carbon dioxide levels in atmosphere hit record high in May

13 days ago

Atmospheric carbon dioxide continued its rapid rise in 2019, with the average for May peaking at 414.7 parts per million (ppm) at NOAA's Mauna Loa Atmospheric Baseline Observatory.

CRISPR baby mutation significantly increases mortality

14 days ago

Six months ago, a Chinese scientist announced that he had edited the genomes of two babies born last year. The germline edits with CRISPR-Cas9 supposedly changed the CCR5 gene to prevent HIV from invading immune cells. An analysis of records in the U.K. Bioban…

Feathers came first, then birds

14 days ago

New research suggests that feathers arose 100 million years before birds -- changing how we look at dinosaurs, birds, and pterosaurs, the flying reptiles.

Physicists can predict the jumps of Schrödinger's cat (and finally save it)

14 days ago

Researchers have figured out how to catch and save Schrödinger's famous cat, the symbol of quantum superposition and unpredictability, by anticipating its jumps and acting in real time to save it from proverbial doom.

Oldest flaked stone tools point to the repeated invention of stone tools

14 days ago

A new archaeological site discovered by scientists working in Ethiopia shows that the origins of stone tool production are older than 2.58 million years ago. Previously, the oldest evidence for systematic stone tool production and use was 2.58 to 2.55 million …

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