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Researchers studied ancient tooth fossils and found that a gene mutation in modern humans (right) better protected them against lead and gave them an advantage over Neanderthals (left). 

Our Human Ancestors Were Exposed to Lead, and New Research Suggests It May Have Shaped Human Evolution

Lead exposure may have spelled evolutionary success for humans—and extinction for our ancient cousins—but other scientists are casting doubt on the headline-making study

A new study investigates addiction-like behaviors in dogs.

Does Your Dog Love Chasing a Ball? Study Suggests Dog Toy ‘Addiction’ Is Real

The research documents addiction-like tendencies in canines, offering scientific evidence that appears to support owners’ own observations

Jackie's unusual coloring results from changes to her natural pigmentation process.

Meet Jackie, a 1-in-30-Million Calico Lobster Caught Off the Coast of Massachusetts

Now living at Northeastern University’s Marine Science Center, the striking crustacean has a bright orange shell with black freckles and blue joints

Zora Neale Hurston posing outside of a cabin in Belle Glade, Florida, circa 1935

Zora Neale Hurston’s Forgotten Play Premieres on Stage for the First Time

Based on the author’s short story and ethnographic fieldwork, “Spunk” languished in Library of Congress’ archives for decades

Hematoids can shed light on blood formation during early human development.

Researchers Created Structures That Produced Blood Cells in the Lab—With a Process That Mimics Real Human Embryos

The advance could carry significant implications for studying blood diseases and early human development

A radio image of two black holes orbiting each other in Quasar OJ287. The light comes from the glowing gas surrounding the black holes and the particle jets being emitted.

Researchers Just Revealed the First-Ever Image of Two Black Holes Orbiting Each Other

A new study may visually solve an enduring mystery about a bright object that’s been studied since the 19th century

The V-shaped traps funneled animals downhill into a circular enclosure.

New Research

High in the Andes of Northern Chile, Hunters Once Used These Stone Wall Traps to Capture Prey

Archaeologist Adrián Oyaneder discovered dozens of structures called chacu while reviewing satellite images of the Camarones River Basin

Coins left behind as offerings helped the researchers measure the size of the imprint from photos.

Chicago’s Famous ‘Rat Hole’ Wasn’t Actually Made by a Rat, According to a Statistical Analysis

Scientists are almost certain the viral imprint in a city sidewalk was actually made by an unlucky squirrel

The Vaillancourt Fountain at Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco

Can This Controversial Brutalist Fountain in San Francisco Be Saved From Demolition?

Critics have called the Vaillancourt Fountain an “eyesore,” while supporters say it’s an important chapter in the city’s history

Scientists gathered samples from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility in central Alaska.

Scientists Resurrect 40,000-Year-Old Microbes From Alaskan Permafrost. What They Found Raised Worries About the Future of a Warming Arctic

The experiments offer new insights into one of the “biggest unknowns” in how the climate will change in the years to come

The stone is dedicated to soldier Sextus Congenius Verus.

Cool Finds

The Mystery of the Ancient Roman Gravestone Discovered in a Family’s Backyard Has Been Solved

The couple hadn’t known how the artifact made its way to their property in New Orleans. But after their story went viral, a former owner of the home came forward with new information about the object

A male and female olive baboon

Research Sheds Light on Why Women Live Longer Than Men—and Why This Pattern Will Likely Continue

Scientists studied hundreds of mammal and bird species to shed light on sex-based lifespan differences

The Passage of Commodus was used by Roman emperors.

You Can Now Walk Through the Colosseum’s Secret Tunnel Once Used by Ancient Roman Emperors

Experts say the notorious emperor Commodus may have survived an assassination attempt inside this tunnel, which is now open to the public following extensive restorations

Researchers equipped the bats with "backpacks" filled with monitoring instruments.

This Chilling Recording Reveals Large Bats Catching, Killing and Eating Birds Midflight

The data answers an enduring question about the greater noctule bat

A close-up of a gum leaf skeletonizer caterpillar, also known as a "Mad Hatterpillar" because of its distinctive stacked head capsules, left behind with every molt. The photo won the invertebrate behavior category.

See 15 Wondrous Winning Images From the 2025 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards

The eye-catching wildlife photos highlight both the beauty and the harsh realities of nature

SpaceX's Starship test flight launches from Texas.

SpaceX Successfully Launches Giant Starship Rocket’s 11th Test Flight

The company will soon begin testing the third version of its rocket

The hunt includes around $10,000 worth of treasures, with individual prizes ranging from $300 to $3,500.

A Real-Life Treasure Hunt Is Underway in These American Cities

Stack’s Bowers Galleries is hiding certificates for rare coins and banknotes this month as it celebrates the 90th anniversary of its first auction in October 1935

Two new studies are shedding more light on the behavior and lifespans of naked mole rats.

Scientists Explore the Mysterious Lives and Longevity Superpowers of Naked Mole Rats

The nearly hairless rodents are extremely resistant to cancer—and can live to be 37 years old

A gold mining operation in Peru

Study Finds High Levels of Mercury in Hair Samples From Indigenous Women in Peru and Nicaragua

Small-scale gold mining in the area releases mercury into the environment, where it can make its way into fish and, in turn, humans

The liver came from a genetically modified cloned pig with ten gene edits.

Surgeons in China Perform First Pig Liver Transplant in Human Patient

The patient lived with part of a pig liver for 38 days before surgeons removed it, surviving 171 total days after the procedure

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