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The modern horse overtook other equine lineages as it spread across Europe and Asia thousands of years ago.

Genetic Sequencing Pinpoints the Origins of the Domestic Horse

One lineage in southwestern Russia gave rise to all modern domestic horses, from sleek thoroughbreds to heavy-built Clydesdales

Using micro-CT scans, the team visualized the crab's body in 3-D and even imaged its mouthparts lined with fine hairs. It is unknown if the five-millimeter-long crab is a full-grown adult, a juvenile or a baby.

This Tiny Crustacean Trapped in Amber Tells a Different Story About Crab Evolution

The Cretaceous-era fossil suggests that crabs left the sea some 50 million years earlier than scientists previously thought

The volcano (not visible in this image) emerged near Mayotte Island (pictured), located between East Africa and Magagascar.

Underwater Eruption Off France’s Mayotte Island Gave Rise to a New Colossal Seamount

The 2018 blast was the most significant active submarine eruption ever documented

The city’s Health Department informally acknowledged that racism was a public health crisis following the police murder of George Floyd in 2020.

Racism Is Declared a Public Health Crisis in New York City

The new resolution outlines steps toward a ‘racially just recovery’ from the Covid-19 pandemic for all New Yorkers

Africa could lose rare glaciers like Mount Kilimanjaro's Southern Ice Field within 20 years.

Africa’s Last Rare Glaciers May Soon Disappear

The continent is especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, despite its population contributing little to the problem

Colombian wildlife officials hope to control a rather large invasive species—the hippo—with contraceptive drugs.

Officials Use Contraceptives to Control Pablo Escobar’s ‘Cocaine’ Hippos

Smuggled into Colombia by the drug kingpin in the 1980s, the African mammal is now a growing environmental threat in the South American country

After comparing all genomes, the researchers found that the Japanese wolf is part of an evolutionary branch of wolves that arose 20,000 to 40,000 years ago. Some of the wolves from this branch evolved into the Japanese wolves while others branched off and gave rise to modern dogs.

Ancient Japanese Wolves May Be the Closest Wild Relative of Modern Dogs

The results challenge previous theories about the origin of dog domestication

More than half of koalas admitted to Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital are sick with chlamydia. 

Australia Begins Vaccinating Hundreds of Koalas Against Chlamydia in New Trial

The infection affects at least half of koalas living in southeast Queensland and New South Wales

Higher temperatures lead to more severe droughts, wildfires and water shortages, and La Niña will likely exacerbate those issues in the coming months.

The Return of La Niña Spells Bad News for Drought Conditions in the American Southwest

This climatic change will likely prolong the region’s devastating drought through 2022

While many white dwarfs are surrounded by the rocky debris of planets destroyed during their red giant phase, only a few have been found with planets intact.

This Jupiter-Like Planet Narrowly Survived the Death of Its Star

The discovery offers insight into what will happen to our solar system after the sun collapses

The device was developed by The Ocean Cleanup, a nonprofit that aims to remove 90 percent of floating ocean plastic by 2040.

This New Installation Pulled 20,000 Pounds of Plastic From the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

The trash collection device dubbed ‘Jenny’ could help address overwhelming marine plastic pollution

Melting sea ice because of climate change forces walruses to congregate on land instead of ice.

Researchers Need Volunteer ‘Walrus Detectives’ to Help Count the Animals in Satellite Images

The project aims to quantify the impact of climate change on the species

The panel recommended authorizing the booster for Americans 18 years or older at least two months after their first dose.

FDA Panel Unanimously Recommends Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 Booster Shots

The committee said some J&J recipients might have a stronger immune response by opting to get a Moderna or Pfizer booster instead

The researchers plan to to gather images, measurements and possibly samples of the meteorite, per CTV News. They are also asking residents near Golden to check for video, such as dash cam footage, from October 3 at 11:33 p.m. that may have captured a glimpse of the fireball. (Pictured: A shooting star streaks across a starry sky in British Columbia; image is not associated with the incident.)

Meteorite Crash-Landed in a Canada Woman’s Bed While She Slept

Ruth Hamilton awoke unharmed when the fist-sized space rock landed on her pillows

Scientists studied ancient teeth for their findings.

New Research

New Research Dispels Theory That First Americans Came From Japan

Scientists found no distinct relationship after examining ancient teeth of both populations

Every summer, brown bears descend on Brooks River to pack on the pounds needed to survive their winter hibernation. 

Meet the Bodaciously Bulky Bears of Fat Bear Week 2021

The annual tournament celebrates Alaska’s chunkiest brown bears and their summer-long salmon feast

Six African lions, a Sumatran tiger and two Amur tigers are now being treated for Covid-19. Pictured here is an adult male African lion, Luke.

Lions and Tigers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo Test Positive for Covid-19

The big cats are recovering well and other animals at the Zoo have now been vaccinated

This year's overall winner Laurent Ballesta spent more than 3,000 hours trying to capture his stunning undersea image of mating groupers.

Ten Breathtaking Images From the 2021 Nature Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards

The annual awards tell the story of our planet’s creatures and the threats they face

The change to more eco-friendly toys is already underway in some countries like the UK and Ireland. In France, kids can choose between receiving a sustainable toy or a book in the "One Book or One Toy" program with their Happy Meal.  

McDonald’s Will Offer More Sustainable Happy Meal Toys by 2025

New prizes will be made from renewable, recyclable plastics and cardboard in a shift away from using plastic made from virgin fossil fuels

Some zebras in Africa have been known to live on the high slopes of Mount Kenya, and others have been able to migrate to warmer climates when the temperature drops. (Pictured: A zebra stands in a field of yellow flowers in Namibia.)

Two Escaped Zebras Are Still Roaming the Suburbs of Maryland

Officials initially reported five zebras on the loose, but that was incorrect. Only three escaped and with one dead, only two animals remain at large

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