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An illustration of the sun's magnetic fields overlaid on an image of the sun captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory in 2016.

Researchers Trace the Origin of the Sun’s Magnetic Field, Shedding Light on Space Weather and Solar Cycles

In a new study, scientists suggest the sun’s magnetic field originates much closer to the star’s surface than previously thought, a finding that could boost predictions of solar activity

Historians were surprised to discover more than 50 carvings on the door, including initials, last names and depictions of hangings. 

See the Graffiti Bored British Soldiers Carved Into a Castle Door More Than 200 Years Ago

One of the carvings may even depict French emperor and military commander Napoleon Bonaparte being hanged

View of Jiigurru, where the pottery fragments were found

Cool Finds

Oldest Known Aboriginal Pottery Discovered in Australia

Found on the island of Jiigurru, the 82 shards predate the arrival of Europeans by centuries, dating to between 2,000 and 3,000 years ago

Hannah Uzor painted this portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, for Tatler's July 2024 cover.

Trending Today

Why a New Portrait of Catherine, Princess of Wales, Is So Controversial

For the second time this month, a painting of a British royal is garnering backlash

The Black Death killed tens of millions of people in the mid-1300s, but scientists and historians are still trying to figure out how it spread.

Did Body Lice Spread Bubonic Plague? Research Suggests the Parasites Are Better Vectors Than Thought

These blood-sucking insects are capable of transmitting the bacteria that caused the Black Death, according to a laboratory study

Within 72 hours of a patient being admitted with a severe traumatic brain injury, doctors often ask family members to make a difficult choice about whether to continue life support.

After Brain Injuries, Doctors and Families Should Take More Time With Life Support Decisions, Research Finds

A small study suggests some severe traumatic brain injury patients can later recover a level of independence or return to their pre-injury lives

Color-enhanced transmission electron microscope images of adenovirus, which is a common cause of respiratory illnesses. Researchers identified adenovirus remnants, as well as herpesvirus and HPV, in Neanderthal remains in a new study.

50,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Bones Have Remains of Human Viruses, Scientists Find

The preliminary analysis is a first step in testing the theory that infectious diseases played a role in Neanderthals’ extinction

This page from the Madrid Codex depicts the Maya honey harvest.

Cool Finds

Centuries-Old Maya Beekeeping Tools Unearthed in Mexico

Archaeologists in the Yucatán Peninsula found several stone lids used by the pre-Columbian civilization to collect honey from stingless bees

This gold earring found at an Iron Age archaeological site had been stashed inside a pottery jar, which sits behind it.

Did Hannibal’s Army Burn Down This Ancient Mountain Settlement?

In a scorched village in Spain, archaeologists discovered a hidden gold earring that suggests residents foresaw a coming attack around the time of the Second Punic War

The popular chapel has been closed since February because of damage caused by land movement.

A Historical Glass-Enclosed Chapel Overlooking the Pacific Ocean Must Be Dismantled Before Nature Can Destroy It

The one-of-a-kind sculpture in California, designed by the son of famed American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is at the mercy of shifting grounds

At least 138 howler monkeys have been found dead in the Mexican state of Tabasco since May 16.

Mexico’s Howler Monkeys Are Dying, ‘Falling Out of the Trees,’ Amid Scorching Heat Wave

Veterinarians and volunteers are trying to save the threatened primates by hoisting buckets of water and food into trees, as well as providing medical care

The bone measures roughly four inches long and has 17 markings.

Cool Finds

This 130,000-Year-Old Decorative Bear Bone May Be the Oldest Known Neanderthal Art

Researchers say the carved artifact was not a utilitarian item and instead served a symbolic purpose

Venus Williams is getting her own Barbie doll for a new Mattel campaign to celebrate women in sports. 

The Paris Olympics

Tennis Icon Venus Williams Scores Her Own Barbie Doll

The plastic (and fantastic) version of Williams is one of nine new Mattel dolls celebrating female athletes

Found at a property in London last year, this 1972 Q1 desktop microcomputer is now going up for auction.

Cool Finds

Cleaning Crew Discovers One of the World’s Oldest Surviving Desktop Computers

The 1972 Q1 microcomputer could fetch $60,000 at auction

Haring created this whimsical mural, A Book Full of Fun, nine months before his death.

LGBTQ+ Pride

Keith Haring Painted This Mural on the Wall of an Iowa Elementary School Library

Ahead of planned construction, experts removed the 4,000-pound wall behind the 1989 artwork, which is now on public display for the first time

German cockroaches took advantage of human globalization to spread all over the world.

DNA Reveals How German Cockroaches Came to Dominate the World

A new paper looks at the genes of the most common cockroach species, tracing its historical journey alongside humans, from Asia to the Middle East, Europe and beyond

Taquería El Califa de León makes simple tacos with meat, salt, lime juice and optional sauces.

This Tiny Taco Stand in Mexico City Was Just Awarded a Coveted Michelin Star

Founded in 1968, Taquería El Califa de León has just four items on its menu, which diners eat while standing elbow to elbow

The ancient pool was lined with mosaics made with tesserae, or shaped tiles, of different materials.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Discover Ancient Roman Swimming Pool in Albania

Found in an upper-class villa, the indoor pool was accompanied by decorative mosaics and frescoes dating back nearly two millennia

Larinioides sclopetarius, commonly known as bridge spiders, are orb-weavers that listen to the environment through their webs.

How Spider Silk Could Inspire Microphones of the Future and Revolutionize Sound Design

Spiderwebs can pick up vibrations in air flow caused by sound waves, and researchers say microphones designed this way could become more sensitive and compact

Eman Ghoneim and her team studied the remains of an ancient branch of the Nile near the pyramids of Giza.

New Research

Did a Dried-Up Branch of the Nile Help the Egyptians Build the Pyramids?

Researchers say 31 of the monuments were constructed on the banks of the ancient waterway

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