News

A cave in France that was used by Neanderthals – or possibly their ancestors – may contain the oldest direct evidence of controlled fire use by humans in Europe. While it’s currently unclear exactly which species of ancient hominid lit these prehistoric campfires, the discovery suggests that our lineage had developed the ability to ignite […]

Is the future hydrogen-powered? It might be, if a new study turns out to be correct: using longstanding geological models tweaked to include data about natural hydrogen, researchers have estimated an untapped reservoir of potentially trillions of metric tons of the element within the Earth’s subsurface.  For a while now, we’ve been told that the […]

Born in the Santa Isabel Clinic in Lima, Peru, a baby has been born using a new technique called Fertilo. This uses ovarian support cell (OSC) technology, which helps to mature eggs outside of the body. “We are delighted to celebrate the world’s first live birth conceived using Fertilo,” said Dr Dina Radenkovic, CEO and […]

Quantum teleportation has been demonstrated over a fiber optic cable carrying classical traffic (like the Internet) for the first time. The work suggests it will be possible to take advantage of the benefits quantum communication offers without needing to build a whole new infrastructure in parallel to what already exists. Quantum entanglement, famously derided by […]

As the holiday season rolls in, many of us are celebrating with family, friends, and – let’s be honest – a few extra glasses of eggnog. But while we indulge in festive cheer, it’s a good time to think about how alcohol affects not just our bodies but our brains too. Researchers at Texas A&M […]

Say hello to the Picasso bug, Sphaerocoris annulus. This colorific critter gets its nickname for the beautiful combination of pigments splashed across its back like paint on canvas.  It is a member of the Scutelleridae, a group of true bugs known as shield backed bugs or jewel bugs for their brilliant coloration. However, they are […]

The oldest confirmed case of the plague outside of Eurasia has been detected in an ancient Egyptian mummy. Dating back to around 3,290 years ago, the embalmed remains belong to a male individual who was likely suffering from severe symptoms at the time of his horrific death. The bubonic plague – also known as the […]

Giraffes are one of the most iconic species that roam our planet, so you’re likely familiar with most of their quirks and eccentricities (seriously, what’s the deal with those ludicrously long necks?) – but did you know there’s not one but four species of the tallest living terrestrial mammal? The long-necked creatures were long believed […]

It is the holiday season! Sparkling lights, beautifully wrapped presents, and mountains of delicious treats – what’s not to love? Well, there’s one thing that’s not on the wish list: the dreaded sugar hangover. But what is it, and how can we avoid it? What causes sugar hangover? Sugar lights up your brain’s reward center […]

Popping open a bag of potato chips to find its contents are 90 percent air can be a dispiriting and humbling experience, but there are good reasons why your packets of snacks can sometimes resemble an inflated pillow (or at least that’s what Big Potato wants you to think). It’s commonly said that packets of […]

NASA has scheduled an early Christmas present for solar researchers on Tuesday, December 24, when the Parker Solar Probe will pass 6.1 million kilometers (3.8 million miles) from the Sun – closer than it or any other spacecraft has ever gone before. Assuming it survives the experience in a condition to keep sending back data, […]

Along the northwestern coast of North America, a curling crack in Earth’s crust tells the story of cataclysmic tectonic activity that ripped through the region millions of years ago. Due to this massive shake-up, geological features that were once formed together in the same zone are now separated by some 997 kilometers (620 miles). The […]

Did Jesus have a wife and children? This sensational claim surfaces from time to time, sparking curiosity and some less-than-subtle media headlines. However, it often frustrates many religious scholars due to its lack of credible evidence. One of the most recent instances of this debate being fired up was in 2014, sparked by the scandalous […]

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to a cancer drug called dostarlimab (brand name Jemperli) that has so far shown a 100 percent clinical response rate for the treatment of locally advanced mismatch repair deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) rectal cancer. “Today’s designation, which is based on the unprecedented 100% […]

New research has suggested that polymer-based tea bags could release micro- and nanoplastics into the bodies of consumers and the environment – however, the study shows not all tea bags are alike, even from a tiny sample. There’s no need to abandon your comforting cup, which may well be good for your health. On the […]

The bald eagle has been an (unofficial) icon of the USA for centuries, acting as a squawking symbol of freedom that appears on everything from the president’s flag and military insignia to dollar bills. Despite the star status, however, it has not ever been awarded the official honor of being a national bird. On December […]

Wallace and Gromit are returning to our screens this Christmas, but with them comes an arguably even more hotly-awaited guest appearance: that villainous penguin, Feathers McGraw. Yes, the glove-hats are off in Aardman‘s Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, in which we see Wallace grappling with his reputation as an evil inventor. Things get worse […]

Never seen a gogotte before? Also known as concretions, some of the most mesmerizing examples come from the Fontainebleau region in France.  Fontainebleau was covered in water around 30 million years ago, and when it disappeared, it left behind a layer of quartz. Silica-rich water from the environment then flowed through the layers and the […]

“Holiday heart syndrome” may sound like the name of an ER-based Hallmark movie, but it’s actually a dangerous medical condition. While we all like to kick back and indulge a little during the festive season, it turns out that bingeing too hard on your favorite guilty pleasures can turn ugly – fast. “The term ‘holiday […]

Point Nemo is the most remote place on Earth, the coordinates where – most of the time – the nearest humans are those occasionally whizzing overhead on the International Space Station. They sail by at a lofty 408 kilometers (253 miles) above the water’s surface, but recently a father-son explorer duo went splashing through the waters of […]