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Smart News / Smart News Science

The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, pictured in 2012

A Cable Snapped, and the Arecibo Observatory Went Dark. Here’s Why That Matters

An accident in the middle of the night damaged one of the world’s most important observatories—and scientists still don’t know what caused it

This embryonic sauropod perished after about four-fifths of its development in an egg.

New Research

Why This ‘Unicorn Baby Dinosaur’ Is the ‘Cutest,’ ‘Weirdest’ Ever

The tiny sauropod had a horn on its snout and forward-facing eyes, unlike its adult counterparts

University of Arizona leaders were able to prevent a potential Covid-19 outbreak by testing wastewater.

University of Arizona Stops a Covid-19 Outbreak by Following the Feces

After wastewater monitoring detected the virus in a dorm’s sewage, the school discovered and quarantined two asymptomatic infections

This global map indicates the temperature differences between now and preindustrial times, where dark blue translates to cooler temperatures.

Scientists Project Precisely How Cold the Last Ice Age Was

Researchers used models and data from fossilized plankton to determine the global average temperature at the time

Dark skies specialist Stephen Hummel of the University of Texas at Austin captured this rare formation at the McDonald Observatory.

How to Spot Elusive ‘Jellyfish Sprites’ Dancing in the Sky During a Thunderstorm

The large red flashes of light only last for milliseconds

The mushroom cloud from Tsar Bomba was 42 miles high, about seven times the height of Mount Everest

Russia Declassifies Video From 1961 of Largest Hydrogen Bomb Ever Detonated

The blast was over 3,000 times bigger than the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima

Researchers found that painting one blade black was enough to encourage the birds to alter their flight path.

New Research

Painting Wind Turbine Blades Black Help Birds Avoid Deadly Collisions

A recent study found the simple intervention reduced bird mortality by 72 percent

An illustration of the poliovirus, which causes polio

Wild Polio Eradicated in 47 African Countries

Experts announced Tuesday that the disease, which can cause paralysis and death in young children, has been virtually eliminated from the continent

In the background, an image taken from the Northern Hemisphere of Comet NEOWISE on July 18, 2020. Inset, the Hubble Space Telescope's most recent snapshot of NEOWISE, taken on August 8 as it careens away from Earth.

Hubble Snapshots Reveal That Comet Neowise Survived Its Trip Around the Sun

A close-up taken in August shows the 11,000-mile-wide cloud of dust and gas that shrouds the comet

Wolverines make dens in snowpack to raise kits

First Wolverine Family Makes a Home in Mount Rainier National Park in 100 Years

A trio of wolverines—a mom and two kits—were spotted on camera traps in the park

Paleontologist David Schmidt (left) and a crew of student volunteers worked together to find and excavate a huge Triceratops skull in South Dakota.

Cool Finds

College Students Unearth Massive Triceratops Skull

On an annual summer fossil collecting trip, the undergraduates struck it big in South Dakota

Geologist Allan Krill spotted these markings on a boulder the side of the Bright Angel Trail in 2016. The boulder weighs several hundred pounds.

Fallen Boulder at the Grand Canyon Reveals Prehistoric Reptile Footprints

313 million years ago, two reptilian creatures crept over this boulder’s surface

Some redwoods were still on fire on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020 in Boulder Creek, CA.

Wildfire Burns California’s Oldest State Park—but Most Redwoods Should Recover Soon

However, the park lost its historic core infrastructure, including headquarters, amphitheater and campgrounds

Prototype biodegradable flip-flops made using algae.

New Research

Researchers Use Algae to Make Biodegradable Flip-Flops

The shoes break down in about 18 weeks under the right conditions

The stomach of a 15-foot fossil ichthyosaur excavated in China contained this massive chunk of another large marine reptile. The ichthyosaur swallowed its prey shortly before it died and was fossilized.

This 15-Foot Ichthyosaur Died With a 13-Foot Meal in Its Stomach

The shocking size of the marine predator’s quarry may force paleontologists to rethink the marine reptile’s role in the Triassic ecosystem

Studying the cat's bone structure revealed it was probably a domesticated cat, rather than a wildcat, swamp cat or sand cat.

Scientists ‘Digitally Unwrap’ Ancient Egyptian Animal Mummies

Detailed scanning technology provides a detailed look at a kitten, cobra and bird

In Vacaville, California, the Hennessey Fire ignited on Tuesday afternoon and "nearly doubled in size in a matter of minutes," according to Getty.

In California, More Acres Have Burned in the 2020 Fire Season Than in All of 2019

Over 500,000 acres have burned in California, sparked by dry lightning storms and an extreme heat wave

A unique moss species thrives underneath translucent quartz rocks in the hot, dry Mojave Desert while its neighbors shrivel.

New Research

Desert Moss Beats Heat by Growing Under Quartz Crystals

Researchers find the translucent rocks keep the moss moist while letting just enough light pass through its milky interior

In spring, fur farms in the United States had raised biosecurity measures by increasing the use of personal protective equipment like masks, gloves and rubber boots.

Covid-19 Reaches Mink Farms in Utah

Veterinarians have confirmed five cases in U.S. minks, but suspect the actual number is higher

New research suggests painting eyes on cattle behinds can help protect them from predators.

New Research

Painting Eyes on Cow Butts Could Save Cattle and Lion Lives

The four-year study in Botswana found cattle with eye marks painted on their behinds were less likely to be killed by predators

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