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Stories from Sarah Kuta

Paleontologists discovered the skull in the Hell Creek Formation of South Dakota.

T. Rex Skull Named Maximus Could Sell for $20 Million

The bones belonged to a dinosaur that lived some 76 million years ago

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Octopuses Caught on Camera Throwing Debris at Each Other

Scientists say this is the first time they have documented the behavior among the tentacled sea creatures

Hikers discovered Ötzi the ice mummy in September 1991 in the Tyrolean Alps.

Rewriting the Story of Ötzi, the Murdered Iceman

A new study suggests that nearly everything archaeologists thought they knew about the 5,300-year-old corpse’s preservation was wrong

The Taposiris Magna Temple west of the ancient city of Alexandria

Archaeologists Discover 4,300-Foot-Long Tunnel Under Ancient Egyptian Temple

Researchers have been digging near the Taposiris Magna Temple in hopes of finding Cleopatra’s long-lost tomb

An illustration of a springtail jumping

Springtails Are Nature’s Tiny Gymnasts, Videos Reveal

The insect-like creatures that leap through the air with remarkable control might inspire new jumping robots

E.T. looks out the window with Elliott (Henry Thomas) in a scene from the 1982 movie. 

Original ‘E.T.’ Mechatronic Model Could Fetch $3 Million at Auction

The metallic skeleton, created by special effects pro Carlo Rambaldi in 1981, features 85 movement points

All of the jewelry archaeologists unearthed from a Viking Age site north of Stockholm

Archaeologists Unearth Trove of Viking Age Jewelry in Sweden

The 1,000-year-old neck rings, finger rings, pearls and coins were in near-pristine condition

New research finds that excessive alcohol consumption is killing Americans during their prime working years.

Alcohol Caused One in Eight Deaths of Working-Age U.S. Adults

CDC research shows excessive drinking is killing Americans in the “prime of their life”

Palcaraju glacier inside Huascarán National Park in Peru

One-Third of Iconic World Heritage Glaciers Will Melt by 2050, Study Finds

A new report from Unesco and the International Union for Conservation of Nature provides a bleak outlook for glaciers amid global warming

Nearly ten percent of all deer-vehicle collisions occur in the two weeks surrounding the time change in the fall.

 

Deer-Car Collisions Rise When Daylight Saving Time Ends

Forgoing the “spring forward, fall back” pattern could save 33 human lives, 37,000 deer and more than $1 billion per year, study suggests

The tunnel opens onto an outdoor platform offering views of Horseshoe Falls.

Wander Through a 2,200-Foot-Long Tunnel Beneath Niagara Falls

The tunnel, which opened to visitors this summer, was once a vital part of a hydroelectric power plant on the Canadian side of the iconic cascades

HAARP's antennas

Why Scientists Are Sending Radio Signals to the Moon and Jupiter

Researchers conducted wide-ranging experiments at Alaska’s HAARP facility, known for atmospheric research and conspiracy theories

Researchers used satellite imagery to help narrow down the location to start digging.

Archaeologists Unearth First-of-Its-Kind Roman Watchtower in Morocco

The military fortification was discovered near the ancient city of Volubilis

Polar bears are back in Churchill, Manitoba.

Polar Bears Are Gathering in Canada—and You Can Watch Them Live

Bears return to Churchill, Manitoba, every autumn to await the formation of sea ice on the Hudson Bay

Ontario International Airport in southern California

You Can Now Meet Friends and Family at the Gate at This California Airport

Ontario International Airport’s new program allows non-ticketed individuals to venture beyond security

El Capitan towers more than 3,000 feet above the valley floor in Yosemite National Park.

This 8-Year-Old Boy Became the Youngest Person to Ascend El Capitan

With the help of guides and ropes, Sam Baker and his father reached the top in four days

Scientists recorded 50 species of turtles making vocalizations.

Scientists Thought These 53 Species Were Silent. Now, They’ve Recorded Their Sounds

Vocal communication may have evolved from a common ancestor some 407 million years ago

Honeybees have a very good sense of smell.

Honeybee Swarms Can Produce as Much Electric Charge as a Storm Cloud

Denser swarms create more atmospheric electricity, new research suggests

Darwin's signature on the note

Charles Darwin’s Rare Autographed Manuscript Could Sell for $800,000

The English naturalist was responding to a magazine editor who had asked for a handwriting sample

Barge 129 loading coal

Unusual 120-Year-Old Whaleback Shipwreck Discovered in Lake Superior

“Barge 129” was the last undiscovered whaleback wreck in the Great Lakes

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