Smart News Science

Qing-Hua Shang, Xiao-Chun Wu and Chun Li / Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

New Prehistoric Marine Reptile Resembled a Miniature Mix of Loch Ness Monster, Alligator and Toothy T. Rex

The researchers originally thought the fossils belonged to the well-known nothosaurs, but analysis revealed an entirely new species

Initial lockdowns successfully slowed the spread of Covid-19 and saved lives, studies showed in June. But as countries reopened and people let their guard down, cases—particularly in Western countries—began to rise again.

European Countries Enact New Lockdowns Amid Surge in Covid-19 Cases

Unlike the first round of indefinite lockdowns, most restrictions are planned to last about one month

A satellite image shows the A68a iceberg in the lower left. The chunk of ice looks a bit like a pointed finger, and scientists say it's currently on a path to collide with the British Overseas Territory of South Georgia.

Delaware-Sized Iceberg Could Decimate Wildlife on South Atlantic Island

Iceberg A68a is on track to hit the British Territory of South Georgia, where it could complicate access to food for millions of seals and seabirds

Remoras aren’t necessarily hanging on for dear life. In fact, the suckerfish could freely move around on the whale, feeding and socializing even when their ride raced through the ocean at five meters per second.

How Surfing Suckerfish Stick to Whales

Scientists discover the secret behind remoras' ability to cling to their hosts in fast-flowing waters

The U.S., the Netherlands, Denmark and Spain have all reported coronavirus outbreaks on mink farms.

Denmark Plans to Kill 15 Million Mink to Prevent Spread of Mutated Coronavirus on Fur Farms

At least 12 Danish people have been infected with a SARS-CoV-2 mutation linked to the ferret-like animals

Litter, much of it plastic, dots a beach in Santa Monica, CA, the morning after a beach cleanup.

New Research

The U.S. Is the World's Number One Source of Plastic Waste

In 2016, the average American produced 286 pounds of plastic waste, the highest rate per capita of any country on Earth

President Trump originally campaigned on the promise that the U.S. would soon back out of the agreement, and in 2017, he formally started the process.

As of This Morning, the U.S. Has Officially Withdrawn From the Paris Climate Agreement

The country is the first to leave the accord

In the television adaptation, Kit Harington and Emilia Clarke play point-of-view characters Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen.

Art Meets Science

Data Science, Psychology Reveal Why the 'Game of Thrones' Books Are So Riveting

A network model demonstrates how George R.R. Martin's sprawling series remains comprehensible but surprising

Buriolestes schultzi was about the size of a fox and had a pea-sized brain.

New Research

Scientists Reconstructed a Dinosaur’s Pea-Sized Brain

The brain is larger relative to the dinosaur’s body size than brontosaurus’ tennis ball-sized brain

A stunned iguana lying on the ground during a cold snap in Florida on January 22, 2020. When temperatures dropped into the 30s and 40s, some of these cold blooded lizards lost their grip and fell from their nighttime perches up in the trees.

New Research

Lizards Fell From Palm Trees During a Florida Cold Snap, but Now They've Toughened Up

New research finds the lizards are now able to withstand temperatures up to 7.2 degrees colder than lizards tested in 2016

A genetic analysis revealed that by the end of the last ice age—around 11,000 years ago—there were a least five distinct lineages that gave rise to dogs in New Guinea, the Americas, northern Europe, the Near East and Siberia.

How Dogs and Humans Evolved and Migrated in Tandem

Our relationship with pups spans millennia, and new DNA analysis shows just how much people influenced canine evolution

Platypuses' nocturnal nature made researchers suspect they might glow under ultraviolet light.

New Research

Platypuses Glow Green Under Ultraviolet Light

The web-footed monotremes join a small cast of fluorescent, nocturnal mammals

A still from the first ever video of a live ram's head squid in the wild.

See Strange Squid Filmed in the Wild for the First Time

The elusive creature is called the ram’s horn squid after a spiral-shaped internal shell that is often found by beachcombers

The Philippines is naturally exposed to natural disasters like typhoons and experiences around 20 typhoons each year.

The World's Most Powerful Storm in Four Years Strikes the Philippines

The Philippines is naturally at risk for natural disasters, but storms like Goni are expected to strengthen and occur more frequently with climate change

New research identifies a previously unknown type of nerve cell inside octopus suckers that the cephalopods use like taste buds.

New Research

Octopuses Taste Food With Special Cells in Their Suckers

New study reveals biology behind one of the octopus' many super powers

Search and rescue teams search for survivors in the debris of fallen buildings in Izmir, Turkey.

Magnitude 7.0 Earthquake Hits Turkey and Greece

The region has experienced 29 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.0 or higher in the last 100 years

Detail of a medical treatise from the Tebtunis temple library with headings marked in red ink

Why Did Ancient Egyptian Scribes Use Lead-Based Ink?

A new study uncovers the science behind ancient writing traditions

When natural places are destroyed, wildlife are exposed to humans at the edges of their habitat, and they can expand their territories into urban areas, increasing the likelihood of contact with humans.

To Prevent Future Pandemics, Protect Nature

All six of the most recent pandemics have been linked to destructive human activities like deforestation, climate change and the wildlife trade

A swordfish photographed underwater southwest of Tampa, Florida.

New Research

Shark Stabbed Through the Heart and a Swordfish Is to Blame

Recent research documents the latest instance of a strange but not unheard-of phenomenon in which swordfish impale sharks with their bills

This visualization shows the merging of two black holes, which emit gravitational waves.

New Research

Scientists Are Detecting More Gravitational Waves Than Ever Before

The LIGO and Virgo teams have spotted 50 total cosmic signals since 2015

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