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Smart News / Smart News Science

Artistic reconstruction of Callichimaera perplexa, the "strangest crab that has ever lived."

Fossil Discovery Has Scientists Questioning: What Makes a Crab a Crab?

The newly described C. perplexa seems to have retained larval features into adulthood

If listed under the Endangered Species Act, giraffes would become eligible for federal funding aimed at conservation, and limits would be placed on the import of the animal's body parts

The United States May List Giraffes as an Endangered Species

Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced plans to conduct in-depth review of the popular animal’s threat status

Surf's WAY up.

New Research

Ocean Wind and Waves Have Grown Stronger Over the Last Three Decades

Decades of satellite data show changes in the ocean that could lead to more destructive storm surges and coastal erosion

55 percent of Americans reported feeling significant levels of stress in 2018

Americans Are Among the Most Stressed-Out People in the World, Reporting Negative Emotions at Highest Rates in a Decade

But the news isn’t all bad: Americans also reported generally more positive experiences than the rest of the world

One of Antarctica’s Largest Emperor Penguin Colonies Has Suffered Three Years of ‘Catastrophic’ Breeding Failures

The penguins have all but abandoned what was once a thriving breeding site at Halley Bay

The SEIS instrument on the surface of Mars.

Future of Space Exploration

NASA Detects First ‘Marsquake’

A 2 to 2.5 magnitude quake on the Red Planet is the first seismic activity detected outside the Earth and the Moon

Ocean-Dwelling Species Are Disappearing Twice as Quickly as Land Animals

Researchers point toward marine creatures’ inability to adapt to changing water temperatures, lack of adequate shelter

One in five kids don't drink any water.

Kids Who Don’t Drink Water Consume More Sweetened Beverages

A new study found that one in five children reported not drinking any water on a given day

Cool Finds

North Carolina’s Famed Shipwrecks Are Now Home to a Shark Conservation Research Study

Unwitting citizen-scientists discovered evidence that vulnerable species return to the same ships, which could help in their recovery

Yum?

Cool Finds

This 1,500-Year-Old Chunk of Fossilized Human Poop Contains Remains of a Whole Rattlesnake

Researchers believe an ancient hunter-gatherer consumed the reptile whole as part of a ceremonial or ritualistic event

New Research

The Rich Get Richer Under Climate Change, 50 Years of Data Shows

According to a new study, rising temperatures have reduced the GDP of many poor nations and boosted economic output of wealthier countries

Meal Kit Delivery May Not Actually Be That Bad for the Environment

Services like Blue Apron have come under fire for using excessive packaging, but a new study found that pre-portioned meals cut down on food waste

The insects do not have lungs, so smoke does not pose the same risk as it does to some other animals.

Honey Bees on Notre-Dame’s Roof Survived the Fire

The three hives are located on a roof above the sacristy—around 100 feet below the cathedral’s damaged main roof

Orcas kill great white sharks, then eat their calorie-dense livers.

New Research

Great White Sharks Are Completely Terrified of Orcas

A new study shows the apex predators will flee their hunting grounds and won’t return for up to a year when killer whales pass by

An artist's rendering of the extinct hypercarnivore

This Toothy Carnivore Was Bigger Than a Polar Bear

Some 22 million years ago, the apex predator ruled the forests of Africa and dined on the ancestors of hippopotamuses and elephants

Elusive River Dolphins Caught Chatting Up a Storm

Researchers previously thought the acoustic repertoire of Araguaian river dolphins was relatively limited

Lead author Tal Dvir says, "Maybe, in ten years, there will be organ printers in the finest hospitals around the world, and these procedures will be conducted routinely"

Scientists Used Human Tissue to 3-D Print a Tiny Heart

The technique could eventually be adapted to create full-sized organs personalized to each patient

Image of planetary nebula NGC 7027 with illustration of helium hydride molecules. In this planetary nebula, SOFIA detected helium hydride, a combination of helium (red) and hydrogen (blue), which was the first type of molecule to ever form in the early universe. This is the first time helium hydride has been found in the modern universe.

Future of Space Exploration

NASA’s Flying Telescope Spots Oldest Type of Molecule in the Universe

An infrared telescope mounted in a Boeing 747 has detected the first type of molecule to form after the big bang

New Research

Scientists Revived Cells in Dead Pig Brains

The accomplishment challenges how we ethically, legally and philosophically define death

Over the past month, scientists have made more than 20 unsuccessful attempts to extract viable cells from the foal's tissue

Cool Finds

Scientists Extracted Liquid Blood From 42,000-Year-Old Foal Found in Siberian Permafrost

The team hopes to grow viable cells out of the foal’s tissue, paving the way for further experimentation aimed at cloning the extinct horse

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