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Magpies are highly social and live in groups of two or 12 individuals that defend, occupy, and breed cooperatively.

Sneaky Magpies Outwit Scientists by Removing Tracking Devices

The trackers were supposed to track movement behaviors but instead uncovered an unusual problem-solving behavior

Scans of the astronaut's neural networks were taken before they blasted off into space, as soon as they landed safely back home, and some cosmonauts had an additional brain scan seven months after their return to Earth. (Pictured: Astronaut Bruce McCandless II during an untethered spacewalk in 1984)  

Long-Term Space Travel May ‘Rewire’ Astronauts’ Brains

The changes may help the organ adapt to microgravity, but they seem to persist for several months after returning to Earth

Archaeologists found a 5,300 year old skull, possibly from an elderly woman, that showed signs of early ear surgery.

Cool Finds

5,300-Year-Old Skull Offers Earliest Known Evidence of Ear Surgery

Bone growth suggests the patient survived the procedure, which was likely conducted to treat an infection

A Native American group is seeking the return of three artifacts, including these moccasins, taken from the dead following the Wounded Knee Massacre in South Dakota in 1890.

Native Americans Urge Scottish Museum to Return Artifacts From Wounded Knee Massacre

The Lakota tribe is in talks with the institution for the repatriation of a necklace, bonnet and moccasins taken from the dead following the 1890 atrocity

A monument in Germany acknowledges Halvorsen's contributions during the Berlin Airlift.

How the ‘Candy Bomber’ Left a Lasting Legacy in Cold War Germany

Former WWII pilot Gail S. Halvorsen is still fondly remembered as the American who delivered sweets to German children during the Berlin Airlift

Only in recent decades have researchers found that the fish have been gliding through the sea floors for hundreds of millions of years.

Rare Baby Ghost Shark Caught in New Zealand’s Chatham Rise

There are about 52 known species of chimaera, half of which were discovered in the last two decades

The chamber pot stands about 12.5 inches tall and measures 13.5 inches wide at the rim.

New Research

Parasite Eggs Help Archaeologists Identify Ancient Roman Chamber Pot

The ceramic vessel contained whipworm eggs found in human feces, debunking the theory that it simply served as a storage jar

Rye Riptides in Norway

Good News

After 462 Days At Sea, a Mini Boat Launched by New Hampshire Middle School Students Washed Ashore in Norway

The little boat traveled over 8,000 miles across the Atlantic and was found by a sixth grade student in Norway

Black-legged ticks, also called deer ticks, carry a variety of diseases that can be passed to humans.

Scientists Edit Tick Genes for the First Time

Altering tick genomes could bring scientists closer to managing ticks and tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease

A typical black bear in the western United States (pictured) is around half of Hank’s size.

DNA Shows At Least Three Large Black Bears Are Breaking Into Tahoe Homes, Not Just ‘Hank the Tank’

Bears have damaged at least 30 properties in the area

Instllation view of "In Event of Moon Disaster," the centerpiece of an exhibition that explores the history of deepfakes on display at the Museum of the Moving Image. 

This Deepfake Exhibition Shows How Convincing the New Technology Can Be

The Museum of the Moving Image tests whether patrons can spot the difference between fabrication and reality

Scientists tested 16 hearth locations inside Lazaret Cave near Nice, France, to determine how early humans used fire.

New Research

Why Early Humans Built Fires in the Center of Lazaret Cave

A new study suggests pre-Neanderthals carefully placed their hearths to minimize smoke exposure while maximizing room for activities

The patient was treated for HIV using stem cells from umbilical cord blood, a less invasive and risky method compared to bone marrow transplants.

First Woman Has Been ‘Cured’ of HIV Using Stem Cells

The novel treatment using umbilical cord blood could help dozens of people with both HIV and aggressive cancers

Out of 250,000 known marine species, scientists suspect all 126 marine mammals emit sound.

Good News

Scientists Propose the Creation of a Global Aquatic Sound Library

The first-ever international audio collection of aquatic ecosystems would aim to uncover unidentified fish species, discover regional dialects and more

The bat falcon in Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Alamo, Texas

Bat Falcon Is Spotted for the First Time in the United States

Why the bird ventured so far north is a mystery, but the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says the raptor’s range seems to be expanding

Several Gulf Coast cities including Pensacola, Florida suffered flooding from storm surges and heavy rainfall during Hurricane Sally in September 2020.

Sea Levels Will Rise One Foot Along U.S. Coasts by 2050

Some regions could see as much as seven feet of sea level rise by the end of the century if greenhouse gas emissions aren’t curbed

Archaeologist pulled 12 Revolutionary War era cannons from the Savannah River in January. 

Cool Finds

How Did So Many Revolutionary War Cannons End Up in the Savannah River?

Archaeologists pull another dozen sediment-encrusted artillery pieces after finding three last year

Archaeologists found a 5,000-year-old drum, a clay ball and a polished bone pin at a burial site in the English village of Burton Agnes. 

An Ornate, 5,000-Year-Old Stone Drum Is the U.K.’s Most Significant Prehistoric Art Find in a Century

Now on view in London, the chalk sculpture was buried alongside three children between 3005 and 2890 B.C.E.

Researchers attached green LED lights along the gillnet float line to keep unwanted marine animals from getting stuck.

Innovation for Good

Lit-Up Fishing Nets Dramatically Reduce Catch of Unwanted Sharks, Rays and Squid

Decorated nets entrapped fewer undesirable animals without significantly impacting the amount of target fish caught

Antarctic pearlwort (pictured) , grew and spread five times faster between 2009 and 2018 than growth rates observed between 1960 and 2009  

Warming Temperatures Are Turning Antarctica Green

Native flowering plant species grew faster and more densely in the last decade than in the previous 50 years combined

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