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Instead of giving the same mRNA shot a third time, the group suggests boosters could be tweaked to better handle new variants as the emerge, similar the annual flu shot.

Some Experts Say Most Vaccinated Americans Don’t Need Booster Shot Yet

A new analysis concludes vaccines still offer substantial protection against Covid-19

In one piece of fossilized amber, a female spider was astonishingly preserved, clutching an egg sac filled with spiderling embryos nearly ready to hatch.  

Female Spiders’ Maternal Instincts Captured in 99-Million-Year-Old Amber

Four amber pieces are the earliest evidence of maternal care in spiders

Though the fossil shared a resemblance to others found in the region, it had much longer legs. The team decided to name the new species Kairuku waewaeroa, which means “long-legged” in the Maori language.

New Zealand Kids Discovered This Fossil of New Giant Penguin Species on a Field Trip

Paleontologists say the bird would have been roughly the size of a ten-year-old child

The colorful critter features fabulously patterned wings, though it rarely uses them. Instead, the bug hops from plant to plant to devour vegetation.

Kansas Boy’s Bug Collection Garners Blue Ribbon at State Fair—and Federal Investigation

The student’s science project included a spotted lanternfly, an invasive species, that officials did not yet know reached the state

The pages were disposed of as scrap and pasted into an unrelated book.  

Cool Finds

Rediscovered Medieval Manuscript Offers New Twist on Arthurian Legend

The 13th-century pages, found by chance at a British library, show a different side of Merlin, the magician who advised Camelot’s king

Whether the ten hand and footprints constitute art is up for debate, scholars say.

Cool Finds

These 200,000-Year-Old Hand and Footprints Could Be the World’s Earliest Cave Art

Found at a hot spring on the Tibetan Plateau, the impressions were likely left by hominin children

William Trost Richards, Along the Shore, 1903

The Sights and Sounds of the Sea Have Inspired American Artists for Generations

Exhibition spotlights crashing waves, maritime voyages and seafaring vessels painted by Georgia O’Keeffe, Normal Rockwell and Jacob Lawrence

Red forest ant (Formica rufa). This image was awarded honorable mention in this year's Nikon Small World contest.

These Images Reveal Nature in Microscopic Detail

Nikon’s Small World Photography Contest offers at up-close look at slime molds, insect wings, neurons and more

Despite heavy erosion, the camels remain visible some seven millennia after their creation.

Life-Size Camel Sculptures in Saudi Arabia Are Older Than Stonehenge, Pyramids of Giza

New research suggests the animal reliefs date to between 7,000 and 8,000 years ago

Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site is home to hundreds of petroglyphs and pictrographs.

Centuries-Old Pottery Could Reveal When the Crow Arrived in Wyoming

Radiocarbon dating of ceramics found at Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site may offer new insights on the region’s Indigenous history

Italian artist Girolamo di Tommaso da Treviso created the ceremonial shield around 1535.

Ornate Medieval Shield Looted by the Nazis Will Be Returned to the Czech Republic

Created in the 16th century, the intricately decorated piece of armor was once owned by Archduke Franz Ferdinand

A dozen rat carcasses with upturned bellies were found littered along the sand in Brooklyn's Canarsie Park.

Rat Carcasses Wash Ashore in New York City After Hurricane Ida

Flood waters from record rainfall overwhelmed the rodents and forced them out of their homes

Enticed by a sweet treat, a cow learns to use the "MooLoo," a latrine for cattle, where excrement can be collected. The only question is: can this technique work on a larger scale?

Researchers Potty Trained Young Cows, a Promising Measure to Reduce Greenhouse Gases

One cow pees up to eight gallons a day; training them is easy, and capturing and treating the waste could make a difference

At one point, archaeologists thought the art might be modern graffiti due to its high level of detail.

Missouri Cave Filled With Ancient Artwork Sold Against Osage Nation’s Wishes

The Native American tribe had hoped to preserve and protect the site, which may be associated with the Mississippian culture

Poet and Met Gala co-chair Amanda Gorman channeled the Statue of Liberty in this sheer blue Vera Wang dress. Her clutch, emblazoned with the phrase "Give Us Your Tired," references Emma Lazarus' "The New Colossus," which is inscribed on a plaque at the American landmark.

Met Gala Asks What Is American Fashion—and Who Gets to Define It?

From inaugural poet Amanda Gorman to pop star Billie Eilish, here’s how stars interpreted this year’s theme

The restoration project is expected to last two weeks.

Stonehenge Is Undergoing Repairs for the First Time in Decades

Threatened by erosion, outdated restorations and climate change, the monument’s megaliths are in need of extensive conservation

After his recovery, researchers noticed Bruce was using small pebbles to rid his plumage of mites and dirt—a practice that has never been observed before.

Bruce the Parrot Uses Tools to Survive Despite a Broken Beak

Missing his upper beak, an alpine parrot in New Zealand uses small pebbles for preening

A mammoth replica on display at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, Canada.

These Scientists Plan to Fully Resurrect a Woolly Mammoth Within the Decade

A company has raised $15 million to bring the species back from extinction using gene editing technology

The Hispaniolan boa appeared smaller than any other boa the researchers had seen before.

For the First Time in 133 Years, a New Species of Boa Was Discovered in the Dominican Republic

The small snake may be one of the smallest boas in the world

The former tavern now serves as a local history museum.

Archaeologists Discover Trove of Artifacts at Site of 19th-Century Alabama Tavern

During the Civil War, both the Union and Confederate armies used the building as a hospital and command center

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