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Stories from Sarah Kuta

The four individuals lived in the Andes in Colombia between 1216 and 1797.

These Individuals Were Buried in Colombia Wearing ‘Death Masks.’ Researchers Just Digitally Removed the Skull Coverings to Reveal Their Faces for the First Time

See the portraits of a 6- or 7-year-old child, a woman in her 60s, and two young men who were buried in Colombia between the 13th and 18th centuries

Generations of bearded vultures return to the same nesting sites for centuries, offering archaeologists a glimpse into the past.

Generations of Bearded Vultures Stashed Humans’ Treasures, Including a 650-Year-Old Sandal, in These Bird Nests

Researchers recovered more than 200 human artifacts from historical nests in southern Spain

Smoke from wildfires can cause off-putting, ashy flavors in wine.

Wildfires Are Ruining Your Favorite Wines. These Bacteria Might Be Able to Help

Microbes already growing on grape plants may help neutralize one of the compounds responsible for wildfire-exposed grapes’ off-putting flavors, new research suggests

Large whales can get wrapped up in fishing lines, buoys, nets and other gear, which can lead to injuries and death.

U.S. Whale Entanglements Are on the Rise, New Data Shows

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed 95 large whale entanglement cases last year, a 48 percent increase from 2023

During the summer of 2025, a team of divers pulled up 1,051 silver coins known as reales, five gold coins called escudos and other gold artifacts.

Divers Recover More Than $1 Million Worth of Gold and Silver Coins From 310-Year-Old ‘Treasure Fleet’ Shipwrecks

The vessels sank in a violent hurricane off the coast of Florida in July 1715, when they were traveling from Cuba to Spain with an estimated $400 million worth of coins and jewels from the New World

New research suggests that the Salmon River in northwest Alaska is full of toxic metals.

Why Is This Remote and Rugged River in Alaska Turning Orange?

New research suggests the Salmon River is full of toxic metals that are likely harming fish and other aquatic creatures

Diver Andrew Donn swims above one of the Seiner’s trawl doors on July 27, 2025.

This Fishing Vessel Went Missing Without a Trace in 1929. Divers Just Found It Off the Coast of Nantucket

After the captain completed his required daily check-in on January 18, 1929, no one ever saw or heard from the ST “Seiner” again

The slice was taken from an area of the trunk roughly three feet above the ground.

By Counting Growth Rings, Researchers Solve the Mystery of the Sycamore Gap Tree’s Age

A new analysis shows that the historic tree was at least 100 to 120 years old in September 2023, when two men illegally chopped it down

The ship is still mostly intact on the bottom of Lake Michigan.

This Shipwreck Eluded Searchers for 139 Years. A Group of Historians and Citizen Scientists Found It in Two Hours

The 144-foot-long “F.J. King,” which sank in Lake Michigan in 1886, was known as a “ghost ship” that nobody could locate

According to new research, the Chicago River has become significantly cleaner and healthier in recent decades. 

Fish Are Spawning in the Chicago River, Another Sign the Once-Contaminated Waterway Is Rebounding

A new study suggests at least 24 species of fish are reproducing in the urban river, adding to the evidence that it is getting cleaner and healthier

The Scarlet Sunrise is a new, crack-resistant grape tomato variety developed by researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Researchers Just Developed a Tasty New Tomato Called the Scarlet Sunrise

The snackable grape variety is the brainchild of scientists at Rutgers University, who have spent more than a decade trying to produce a firm, crack-resistant fruit with a vibrant reddish-yellow color

The silver statue of Abraham Lincoln was worth an estimated $166,000 as a historic work of art.

Thieves Steal and Destroy Solid Silver Statue of Abraham Lincoln Created by Mount Rushmore Sculptor Gutzon Borglum

Police have arrested and charged three suspects in connection with the incident, which took place at at the Houmas House Estate and Gardens in Louisiana

Bull elk are fighting and bugling during their annual mating season in Rocky Mountain National Park and neighboring Estes Park in Colorado.

Amorous Elk Are Looking for Love Across North America in an Annual Spectacle Called the Rut

Fall is mating season for the large, antler-adorned ungulates—and you can catch a glimpse of them at several national parks in the United States and Canada

Ned (right) likely won't be able to reproduce unless another left-coiling snail is found.

A Rare, Left-Coiling Snail Needs Help Finding a Mate. New Zealanders Are Looking for Its 1-in-40,000 Match

Known as Ned, the creature needs a fellow left-coiling garden snail to reproduce—but the species almost always has shells that coil on their right side

The hats collected in 2025 are worth nearly $6,000.

More Than 300 Hats Have Been Pulled From Yellowstone’s Geothermal Features So Far This Year

Debris, garbage and clothing often ends up in the park’s hot springs, geysers, fumaroles and mudpots

The National Archives is the permanent home of the United States Constitution.

See the Entire U.S. Constitution on Display for the Very First Time in History

The National Archives in Washington, D.C. will be showcasing the four pages of the historic document, plus a rarely shown “fifth page,” the Bill of Rights and the 17 other amendments

The Louvre has stopped offering its Nintendo 3DS museum guides.

The Louvre Stops Renting Out Nintendo 3DS Consoles, Which Helped Visitors Navigate the Massive Museum for 13 Years

Available since 2012, the handheld gadgets are being retired in favor of a new system—but so far, the Paris museum hasn’t revealed any details about the replacement

The researchers studied the genomes of thousands of ant specimens stored in museum collections.

Fiji’s Ants Are Struggling. Scientists Say They’re Part of the Broader ‘Insect Apocalypse’

New research finds that 79 percent of Fiji’s endemic ant species—those that are native to and only found on the archipelago—are in decline

Some of the barrels off the coast of Los Angeles are surrounded by mysterious white halos in the sediment.

Metal Barrels Dumped Off the Coast of Los Angeles Are Encircled by Mysterious White Halos—and Scientists Think They Finally Know Why

At least some of the barrels contain caustic alkaline waste, which has made the surrounding ecosystems inhospitable to most life forms, a new study suggests

Joro spiders are essentially harmless to humans and pets, but scientists are concerned about their impact on native species.

Scientists Want Your Help to Track the Spread of Invasive Joro Spiders at Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The invasive arachnids were first spotted in the park last year, and now, researchers hope to keep tabs on when and where they occur

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