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Smart News / Smart News Science

The shell mound erected above the woman's grave prevented acidic soil from destroying her remains

Archaeologists Identify Oldest Known Human Burial in Lower Central America

The unusually muscular young woman was buried in what is now Nicaragua nearly 6,000 years ago

New York City Has Banned Plastic Foam Containers

Single-use foam products ‘cannot be recycled in a manner that is economically feasible, environmentally effective, and safe for employees,’ the city said

The American Heritage is enjoying a new lease on life as an artificial reef home to hundreds of deep-sea sponges and other marine creatures

He Was on Duty When the Ship Sank. Two Decades Later, the ROV Pilot Aids in Its Exploration

You can now explore a 3-D model of the wreck of the American Heritage

One of the flower-strewn slabs.

Cool Finds

Could These Fossils Push Back the History of Flowers?

A study analyzing 200 tiny flowers from 174 million years ago suggests angiosperms were around during the Jurassic, but paleobotanists are skeptical

A cane toad (Rhinella marina) at Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve, Northern Territory, Australia.

See Ten Lusty Cane Toads Latch Onto a Powerless Python

The toads, which are invasive in Australia, have been known to try and mate with everything from human hands to rotting mangoes

Remembering Nancy Grace Roman, Trailblazing Astronomer Known as ‘Mother of the Hubble’

She worked on and advocated for the space telescope, which changed our view of the universe

Four infected ponies were euthanized at the end of December

Swamp Cancer Kills Seven of Chincoteague’s Beloved Wild Ponies

The deadly infection leaves itchy lesions clustered across victims’ bodies

Victor Vescovo entering the Limiting Factor for his record-breaking descent.

Trending Today

Submersible Is First to Reach Bottom of Atlantic Ocean

U.S. equity-firm founder piloted the craft to the bottom of the Puerto Rico Trench, in a bid to reach the deepest spot in each of the world’s oceans

Magnet, one of the endangered North Atlantic right whales returning to their wintering grounds in Georgia and Florida.

Cool Finds

First Right Whale Calf in Two Years Spotted Off Florida Coast

A mother and calf were recently sighted along with several possibly pregnant endangered North Atlantic right whales

Scientists Cracked Themselves Up With a Study That Found Parachutes Are No More Effective Than Empty Backpacks

Always read the fine print

From L to R: Gymnetis drogoni, Gymnetis rhaegali and Gymnetis viserioni

These New Beetle Species Are Named After the ‘Game of Thrones’ Dragons

Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons—Drogon, Rhaegal and Viserion—provided the inspiration for these three beetles’ new names

Ducklings that hatched in October were reared in lakeside pens, then transferred to the floating aviaries in early December.

One of the World’s Rarest Birds Has Been Reintroduced to the Wild in Madagascar

The 21 Madagascar pochards seem to be faring well in their new home

All of the 45 crewmembers were younger than 30

Laser Scan Reveals Fate of Nazi U-Boat Sunk Near Outer Banks Coast

The July 15, 1942, sinking of submarine U-576 resulted in the deaths of all 45 men onboard

Ring in the New Year With Dazzling Total Lunar Eclipse of a Supermoon

The celestial show will be visible on the East Coast around 12:12 a.m. on January 21, 2019

Trending Today

Images Show Landslide Likely Caused Indonesian Tsunami

Radar images appear to show the southwestern flank of the Anak Krakaktau volcano sheared off into the sea

The night sky from the Upper West Side of Manhattan glows blue after mishap at Queens facility run by Con Edison.

Electric Arc Caused New York Skyline to Glow Blue

No, it wasn’t an alien invasion

Trending Today

A German Grocery Chain Is Selling First-Of-Its-Kind “No-Kill” Eggs

Every year, billions of male chicks are euthanized by the egg and poultry industry, but new tech could end the chick culling

Harpoon aboard a Japanese whaling ship

Japan to Launch Commercial Whaling Operations This Summer

The country has announced that it is leaving the International Whaling Commission

In 2017, researchers recorded a 10-point percentage difference between African-American and Caucasian respondents who slept less than six hours per night

Nearly One-Third of Americans Sleep Fewer Than Six Hours Per Night

The survey reflects a worrying trend of national sleep deprivation, specifically among African-American and Hispanic respondents

The 1999 discovery of the Nebra Sky Disc, a 3,600-year-old bronze object adorned with gold renderings of celestial bodies, sparked resurgence of interest in deceased prince, who was buried at same archaeological site

This Bronze Age Regicide May Be World’s Oldest-Known Political Murder

The prince of Helmsdorf’s skeleton revealed three brutal injuries, including one that suggests he knew his killer and attempted to fend off the attack

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