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Smart News / Smart News Science

A cross-section of a spinal cord at five times magnification.

Researchers Identify Neurons That Might Help Paralyzed People Walk Again

With electrical stimulation and physical therapy, nine people with spinal cord injuries regained the ability to stand and take steps

The monkey's skeletal remains

1,700-Year-Old Monkey Skeleton Suggests Diplomatic Ties Between Mesoamerican Powers

Researchers believe the Maya gave the sacrificial female spider monkey to Teotihuacán as a gift years before relations soured

An illustration of human sperm.

Human Sperm Counts Declining Worldwide, Study Finds

Researchers disagree on whether the trend has implications for human fertility

Flooding caused by heavy monsoon rains and exacerbated by human-caused climate change has killed nearly 1,700 people in Pakistan this year. Countries at COP27 agreed that major emitters of greenhouse gases should create a fund to deal with similar crises.

Five Major Storylines From the COP27 Climate Summit

Delegates agree to a loss and damage fund, but some experts worry the conference didn’t go far enough to address climate change

NASA streamed the Orion spacecraft's approach of the moon Monday morning, with Earth visible in the background.

See the First Stunning Photos of the Earth and Moon From Artemis 1

The uncrewed Orion spacecraft is equipped with 16 cameras that have been documenting its journey through space

Barges stranded by low water in the Mississippi River in Rosedale, Mississippi, a small town near where the lion fossil was found

Drought Reveals Rare American Lion Fossil in Dried-Up Mississippi River

Low water levels have also stranded barge traffic and threatened drinking water

Chicken nuggets made from lab-grown meat in Singapore, the only country where lab-grown meat can currently be sold. 

Lab-Grown Meat Is Safe to Eat, FDA Says

The “no kill” product cultivated from animal cells has only small regulatory hurdles left before it can be sold in restaurants

An illustrated reconstruction of Leviathanochelys aenigmatica.

Scientists Unearth a Prehistoric Marine Turtle the Size of a Car

Fragments of the creature’s pelvis and shell were discovered in the Pyrenees

The study found that the human particpants and rats jerked their heads in a similar rhythm as the songs played. 

Watch These Rats ‘Dance’ to the Rhythms of Mozart, Lady Gaga and Queen

Moving accurately to a song’s beat was long thought to be a skill unique to humans, but new research suggests rats can do it, too

President Biden speaks at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on November 11. 

New Rules Could Slash 36 Million Tons of Methane by 2030

Biden announced plans for tackling the powerful greenhouse gas, which could go into effect by the end of next year

Winchcombe meteorite

Meteorites May Have Brought Water to Earth and Mars

Rare, carbon-containing rocks could have created conditions suitable for life on both planets, two new studies suggest

James Webb's new image of L1527

James Webb Captures a Protostar in a Fiery Hourglass

The very young star is a window into our own solar system’s past

New research suggests earbuds may be an affordable, low-stigma alternative to hearing aids for some people.

Are AirPods the Hearing Aids of the Future?

New research suggests that personal sound amplification products like earbuds may help some people hear better in certain scenarios

Scientists have discovered the first living C. cooki specimen.

Researchers Find Living Clam Thought to Have Gone Extinct Thousands of Years Ago

While looking for sea slugs in California, a marine ecologist came across the tiny, ten-millimeter mollusks

Preet Chandi trains in Chamonix before starting her journey across Antarctica.

‘Polar Preet’ Sets Out to Become the First Woman to Cross Antarctica Solo and Unsupported

After setting a record as the first woman of color to reach the South Pole unsupported last year, Preet Chandi is now tackling a 1,100-mile challenge

Researchers analyzed teeth from a carp-like fish.

New Research

Early Humans May Have Cooked Fish 780,000 Years Ago

New research adds to the debate about when humans began cooking with fire

A sonogram of a human fetus. 

Doctors Treated a Child for a Genetic Disease Before She Was Born

Treating fetuses for the enzyme deficiency might prevent early disease progression

Cows produced more saliva and snot, were wobbly on their feet and moved their tongues around a lot after eating high-cannabinoid hemp.

Cows That Ate Hemp Produced Milk With THC and CBD

New research adds insights to the debate over using industrial hemp as livestock feed

The Space Launch System rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, early Wednesday morning, kicking off NASA's Artemis moon program.

The Revolution in Moon Exploration

NASA Launches Artemis 1 in Giant Leap Toward Returning to the Moon

The historic event has brought humanity one step closer to walking again on the lunar surface

An illustration of the under-ice river

A Massive Freshwater River Is Flowing Under Antarctica’s Ice

The 285-mile-long stretch of meltwater is longer than the Thames and could speed ice loss

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