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Researchers gathered bark from two species of trees—downy birch and silver birch—on public land in Germany. Then, they used it to produce birch tar via three extraction techniques.

New Research

Did Neanderthals Use Birch Bark Tar as an Antibiotic to Treat Wounds and Infections?

Scientists created samples of the black resin using three methods and tested their effectiveness against two common bacteria

Robert Mapplethorpe and Patti Smith at the Chelsea Hotel

These Long-Lost Photos of the Chelsea Hotel Reveal Intimate Portraits of Its Bohemian Residents—From Patti Smith to Bob Dylan

Photographer Albert Scopin documented the countercultural hub at its peak in the mid-20th century. Now, the recovered photos are the subject of a new book and exhibition celebrating the New York City landmark

Stars in the ancient dwarf galaxy Pictor II

Astronomers Discover a Rare Primitive Star That Provides a Chemical Snapshot of the Early Universe

PicII-503 is likely a second-generation star, born from the remnants of the very first stars, according to a new study

An artist’s rendition of Masripithecus moghraensis  

Cool Finds

These 17-Million-Year-Old Fossils Could Rewrite the Evolutionary Tree of Apes—Including Humans

Jawbone fragments and teeth from a previously unknown species hint that the evolution of modern apes occurred in what’s now North Africa or the Arabian Peninsula, rather than in East Africa

Sharks in the Bahamas, including the Caribbean reef sharks, are ingesting drugs, a new study suggests.

Sharks in the Bahamas Test Positive for Drugs, Including Cocaine and Painkillers, in a New Study

Around one-third of the studied sharks had detectable levels of the analyzed drugs in their blood

Gansevoort Street, Willem de Kooning, circa 1949

Willem de Kooning Didn’t Get His Big Break Until His 40s. See the Stunning Abstract Paintings That First Captivated Audiences

Artworks that showcase the painter’s early foray into Abstract Expressionism are now on view at the Princeton University Art Museum

A 1931 statue of the d'Artagnan in southwestern France

Cool Finds

Does This Skeleton Found Beneath a Dutch Church Belong to D’Artagnan, the Man Who Inspired ‘The Three Musketeers’?

Workers discovered the skeleton during recent repair work at the church in Maastricht. D’Artagnan died during the siege of the city in 1673

While the cells can play the game, they’re not very good at it.

A Clump of Human Brain Cells on a Computer Chip Learned to Play the Nostalgic Video Game ‘Doom’

The technology could one day help researchers develop drugs and tailor treatments to individual patients

The sling bullet measures just over an inch long.

New Research

Why Was This 2,000-Year-Old Sling Bullet Inscribed With the Word ‘Learn’?

The artifact is the first sling bullet of its kind unearthed at the ancient city of Hippos, though archaeologists have found dozens of other examples without inscriptions at the site

An artist's depiction of dogs living alongside humans at a site in Turkey 15,800 years ago

Scientists Identify the World’s First Known Dog, Which Pushes Back the Animals’ Genetic Record by About 5,000 Years

Two new ancient DNA studies suggest that domesticated dogs were widespread in western Eurasia more than 14,000 years ago

A green fireball meteor flew above central California on the night of March 22.

Two Green ‘Fireballs’ Streaked Across the West Coast Sky, Some of the Latest in a String of Dazzling Meteors Above the U.S.

Some of the space rocks exploded, causing loud booms, and a piece of one may have crashed into a house

Tony Soprano sees a psychiatrist throughout the show.

‘The Sopranos’ Changed How Television Told Stories. These Scripts, Sketches and Set Designs Reveal What Made the Mob Drama So Thrilling

An exhibition at the Museum of the Moving Image in New York provides visitors with a behind-the-scenes look at the award-winning HBO show

Astronauts Neil Armstrong (left) and David Scott (right) greet well-wishers at Naha Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, shortly after the Gemini 8 spacecraft spun out of control.

These Never-Before-Seen Photos Show Astronaut Neil Armstrong Relaxed and Smiling After He Almost Died in the Gemini 8 Emergency

Few members of the media were at the unexpected arrival site. Military police officer Ron McQueeney was one of the few photographers who documented the occasion

Pinot noir grapes in Verzenay, France

New Research

Scientists Say This 600-Year-Old Grape Seed Is ‘Genetically Identical’ to Modern Varieties Used to Make Pinot Noir

Researchers analyzed grape seeds dating to between 2300 B.C.E. and 1500 C.E., including one particularly intriguing sample found in the toilet of a medieval hospital in France

The antimatter went on a roughly 30-minute road trip.

In a First, the World’s Most Expensive and Volatile Substance—Antimatter—Traveled by Truck

The work paves the way for longer-distance transport of the rare material so scientists can study it at other facilities

The perception of sleep is just as important as the quality of sleep.

Vivid Dreams Might Be Key to Feeling Well Rested When You Wake Up, According to a New Study

The findings could help explain the purpose of dreams and help physicians better treat people with sleep disorders

The Old Babylonian Mask of Humbaba

This Spellbinding Exhibition Explores How Ancient Cultures Used Magic to Navigate Life’s Challenges

The Toledo Museum of Art is showcasing a treasure trove of masks, amulets, spellbooks and gems dating to between 2000 B.C.E. and 300 C.E.

Mars' surface as captured by NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter in 2023. The agency's new Mars helicopters will be modeled on this device.

NASA Aims to Launch the World’s First Planet-Hopping Spacecraft Powered by Nuclear Fission

The agency wants the mission to head to Mars by the end of 2028

Library of Congress conservator Heather Wanser works on the Yosemite drawing created by Thomas Almond Ayres in 1855.

See the Stunning 171-Year-Old Sketch That Helped Put Yosemite on the Map

The Library of Congress has acquired a drawing and accompanying lithograph of Yosemite Falls created by Gold Rush-era artist Thomas Almond Ayres in 1855

The intact cannonball weighs four pounds.

Archaeologists Discover an Intact Cannonball From the Battle of the Alamo—One Day Before the Pivotal Conflict’s 190th Anniversary

The projectile is made of bronze, which suggests it was fired by the Mexican Army during the siege leading up to the 1836 battle

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