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Inky paw prints on a 15th-century Flemish manuscript

A Cat Left Paw Prints on the Pages of This Medieval Manuscript When the Ink Was Drying 500 Years Ago

An exhibition called “Paws on Parchment” tracks how cats were depicted in the Middle Ages through texts and artworks from around the world—including one example of a 15th-century “keyboard cat”

Though the study describes only a correlational relationship, the findings reinforce the idea that sleep is important for human health. 

Not Getting Enough Sleep? You Might Be Shortening Your Life Span

In the United States, insufficient sleep strongly correlates with life expectancy, even more than diet, exercise or social connections do, a new study suggests

Researchers investigated the associations between preservatives and the risk of developing cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Eating Large Amounts of Certain Preservatives Might Increase Your Risk of Developing Cancer and Type 2 Diabetes

Two studies tracked more than 100,000 participants over 14 years to reveal the trends. But they can’t confirm a direct link between eating these preservatives and developing disease, especially because some of the additives were eaten in foods that contain known carcinogens

The study involved pups like Miso, a 6-year-old male border collie from Canada who knows the names of about 200 toys.

New Research

Some Dogs Are ‘Gifted Word Learners’ That Learn Language by Eavesdropping—Just Like Human Toddlers

New research suggests prodigious pups that already have large vocabularies can learn new words by listening in on their owners’ conversations

The larvae feed on the leaves of elm trees in a distinctive zigzag pattern.

This Invasive Wasp Is Wreaking Havoc on Elms in North America—and the Damage May Soon Spread to Other Trees

Elm zigzag sawflies can munch on plants beyond their preferred elm trees when foliage isn’t available, a new study suggests

Divers swept away sand and silt to reveal the wreck.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Say They’ve Unearthed a Massive Medieval Cargo Ship That’s the Largest Vessel of Its Kind Ever Found

Spotted off the coast of Denmark, the “Svaelget 2” is a cog, a kind of large trading vessel used in the Middle Ages. Experts say the 600-year-old discovery is “exceptionally well-preserved”

ChatGPT Health is a new function designed to provide users with personalized medical insights based on medical records and health data uploaded by users. 

OpenAI Says ChatGPT Health Can Understand Users’ Medical Data and Provide Personalized Answers to Their Questions

The new feature can give tailored responses based on medical records and wellness app data, according to ChatGPT’s maker. But some experts are concerned about privacy and worry that people may over-trust the chatbot

Kiyoshi Kimura, known as the "Tuna King," poses with the record-breaking bluefin tuna.

See the Record-Breaking Bluefin Tuna the Size of a Grizzly Bear That Sold for $3.2 Million at a Tokyo Fish Market

The 535-pound fish, purchased by Japan’s self-proclaimed “Tuna King,” was sliced and shipped to sushi restaurants across the country

Scientists found the DNA on a drawing similar to the Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk​​​​​​, which is shown.

Could Leonardo da Vinci’s DNA Be Hiding Inside One of His Renaissance Sketches?

Scientists have discovered male human DNA on a chalk drawing that may have been created by the famous artist and scientist. But they cannot definitively link the genetic material, or the sketch, to Leonardo

Three-dimensional reconstructions of the rockhead poacher's insides hint that the fish may beat its cranial pit like a drum

Cool Finds

This Bizarre Fish Has a Hole in Its Head. The Creature Might Use It Like a Drum to Rock Out

The rockhead, or deep-pitted, poacher may use its ribs to beat the inside of its head cavity to communicate with other creatures, according to a new study

The bell, shaped like a boar's head, would have topped a long, thin pole.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Unearth Ancient War Trumpet That Once Struck Fear in the Hearts of Enemies on the Battlefield

Known as a carnyx, the instrument is only the third of its kind to be found in Britain. It was discovered in the territory of the Iceni tribe, which fought the Romans under the leadership of the queen Boudicca

The Hornet's Nest, Jimmy Carter, 2003

You Can Buy President Jimmy Carter’s Paintings, Furniture, Mementos and a Love Letter to His Wife

Christie’s selected the items with help from the president’s daughter, Amy, for a special sale in celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday

Humans have continuously lived and worked aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since November 2000.

NASA to Bring ISS Crew Home Early Because of an Astronaut’s Health Issue, Marking the First Medical Evacuation of the Spacecraft

The unnamed crew member is in stable condition after an undisclosed incident on Wednesday, but the agency is bringing them back to Earth for medical testing

Created by French sculptor Paul Dubois, the statue is located in a public square in front of the Église Saint-Augustin.

Man Arrested in Connection With Theft of Sword From Historic Joan of Arc Statue in Paris

City leaders vowed to repair or replace the damaged artwork by sculptor Paul Dubois, which is on loan from the Musée d’Orsay

Some octopuses have incredible camouflaging abilities. 

Inspired by Octopus Skin, This Synthetic Material Can Change Color and Texture on Demand

The animals’ camouflaging capabilities have long inspired humans. The new material could one day help researchers improve robotics or electronic screens

The introduced population of ostriches consists of five individuals, which conservationists hope will reproduce and flourish at the reserve.

Rare Red-Necked Ostriches Introduced in Saudi Arabia to Replace Birds That Went Extinct More Than 80 Years Ago

The released birds are the closest living relatives of the extinct Arabian ostrich. The flightless animals’ return is part of a broader “rewilding” effort at a huge nature reserve

Five quartz arrowheads unearthed in South Africa contained traces of toxins.

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Just Discovered the Oldest Known Evidence of Poison Arrows, Which Hunters Used to Slow Down Their Prey 60,000 Years Ago

New research reveals traces of plant toxins on arrow tips in South Africa, suggesting that the technique was used tens of thousands of years earlier than scientists thought

Many people in Britain and Ireland started the year off with an annual flower-hunting event.

Hundreds of Flowering Species Bloomed Across Britain and Ireland Last Winter. That’s Not a Good Thing

Citizen scientists in the British Isles documented more than 300 native plant species blooming in early 2025, a phenomenon likely caused by climate change

The silver penny dates to the late 1130s.

Cool Finds

A Metal Detectorist Discovered the Earliest Known Coin Ever Produced in a Scottish Mint

Experts previously thought the first Scottish coins were minted in England, but this penny came from Edinburgh. National Museums Scotland has now acquired the historic piece of silver

The Teal Wand is the only self-collection device for HPV testing approved by the Food and Drug Administration for at-home use.

Many Americans Will Soon Have Access to At-Home Cervical Cancer Screening Tests at No Cost

U.S. guidance announced on Monday recommends self-collection of samples to test for HPV, the virus that often causes cervical cancer. Private insurers must cover the costs of the swab kits by 2027

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