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Smart News / Smart News Science

A bottlenose dolphin is seen "bow riding," or swimming just in front of a humpback whale, potentially getting a boost from the wave created by the larger mammal.

Whales and Dolphins Interact More Often Than Scientists Thought, Engaging in Mutual Play, Study Suggests

Researchers analyzed nearly 200 videos and photographs documenting interactions between the various kinds of cetaceans

Floods caused devastation across central Texas in July. In one area, volunteers responding to the disaster found newly uncovered dinosaur tracks.

Volunteers Discover 115-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur Tracks Revealed in the Wake of Devastating Texas Floods

Fifteen large prints were probably left behind by meat-eating dinosaurs, and they were revealed as floodwaters washed away dirt in early July

Wildlife officials in Oregon are using drones with speakers to deter wolves from attacking cattle.

Drones Are Blasting Iconic Argument From ‘Marriage Story’ to Scare Wolves Away From Cows in Oregon

Scarlet Johansson and Adam Driver’s charged dialogue is playing from speakers attached to drones as wildlife officials get creative in their efforts to stop wolves from killing cattle

This rabbit's "horns" are made of keratin, which is also found in hair and nails.

Rabbits With ‘Horns’ Seen in Colorado Are Going Viral. Here’s What’s Really Happening

Though the strange growths on these animals may look intimidating, experts say there’s not much to worry about, and they’re caused by a fairly common virus

A new study tested a device trained to translate four participants' inner thoughts.

Science Fiction? Think Again. Scientists Are Learning How to Decode Inner Thoughts

A brain-computer interface has gotten better than ever before at translating thoughts from people with speech difficulties. Researchers are also thinking through how to protect users’ privacy

The khipu examined in the study, found to be made with a primary cord of human hair

A Lock of Braided Human Hair Could Change How We Think About Inca Society and Record-Keeping

The khipu knot-tying system was thought to have only been used by elites, but one artifact suggests commoners, too, knew how to use it

Weaver ants link their bodies together to form chains while bending leaves to create their elaborate dwellings.

Weaver Ants Use Teamwork to Become ‘Superefficient,’ Building Complex Nests From Leaves With Extra Pulling Power

When humans work in large teams, they become less individually effective. But each ant grows more efficient when collaborating—a discovery that could help engineers build better robots

Novaculadon mirabilis is characterized by its razor-sharp teeth.

A Student Spotted a Jawbone at a Beach. It Turned Out to Be a New, Mouse-Sized Mammal That Lived Among Dinosaurs

The species was named for its pointy teeth and could shed light on early mammal adaptations

An illustration of a mother and calf Janjucetus dullardi, a newly discovered tiny whale species with a sharp bite

Cool Finds

Newly Discovered Prehistoric Whale Is ‘Deceptively Cute’—It’s Tiny but Has a Mouth Full of Razor-Sharp Teeth

Found on the southern coast of Australia, the species could fill gaps in scientists’ understanding of baleen whale evolution

Researchers dissected nearly 500 post-mortem birds from five Australian species, including the rainbow lorikeet (species pictured above).

Sex Reversal Is More Common in Birds Than Previously Thought, Suggests Study of Australian Species

Researchers find that about 5 percent of birds studied have a mismatch between genetic and physical sex—including one male bird that seems to have laid an egg

New moons are only visible during solar eclipses. This visualization of a tiny sliver, for example, is technically a crescent moon.

What Is a Black Moon? The Unusual Sky Phenomenon Will Occur Later This Month, but Don’t Expect to See It

A seasonal black moon, to appear on August 22 or 23, is the third of four new moons within an astronomical season

Gouldian finches, endemic to northern Australia, are among the tropical birds that may be vulnerable to extreme heat.

Tropical Birds Are Struggling to Cope With Extreme Heat, Research Suggests

A first-of-its-kind data analysis links high temperatures caused by climate change to tropical bird population declines

A new study suggests blowing into a conch shell helps alleviate obstructive sleep apnea symptoms.

Suffering From Sleep Apnea? Try Blowing Into a Conch Shell Almost Daily, New Study Suggests

Researchers say the practice might provide a simpler and low-cost alternative to the standard treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, though trials with more participants are needed

Ecology Glacier on Antarctica’s King George Island in winter, where the body of Dennis “Tink” Bell was recovered

Remains of a Lost Antarctic Researcher Are Finally Recovered, 66 Years After He Fell Into a Crevasse

A team of Polish scientists found bone fragments and items belonging to Dennis “Tink” Bell near Ecology Glacier on Antarctica’s King George Island

Demonstrators in Berlin last year advocated for increased awareness of ME/CFS.

Scientists Find Links to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Genes and in the Gut Microbiome

Two studies present new data on ME/CFS, offering “credibility and validity” to the experiences of patients struggling with symptoms

Fragments of the McDonough Meteorite, which fell through the roof of a home in Georgia in June

A Meteorite Tore Through a Georgia Home’s Roof. It Turns Out the Space Rock Is Older Than Our Planet

A planetary geologist finds that the meteorite, which fell in June, came from the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter

This year, a nearly full moon will make observing the Perseids harder. Here, a meteor is seen on August 3, 2025, in Spruce Knob, West Virginia.

The Popular Perseid Meteor Shower Will Peak This Week—Here’s How to Watch, Despite a Bright Moon

A waning gibbous moon will impact viewing the shooting stars, but the famous meteor shower is still worth observing

Researchers investigated the Mesozoic Era's atmosphere and vegetation by studying oxygen isotopes in dinosaur tooth enamel. This is a replica of a Stan™ T. rex tooth.

Dinosaur Teeth Provide Key Clues to Earth’s Climate Past, Revealing High Levels of Carbon Dioxide

A new study finds that the Mesozoic Era saw significantly higher quantities of the greenhouse gas than both pre-industrial and modern levels, likely due to volcanic activity

The Hubble Space Telescope captured this image of comet 3I/ATLAS on July 21. 

See the Sharpest Image Yet of an Interstellar Comet Passing Through the Solar System

Data from the Hubble Space Telescope unveils new information about this mysterious visitor

A researcher outlines how we could send a spacecraft to a nearby black hole. 

Could We Send a Superlight Spacecraft to a Theoretical Nearby Black Hole?

An astrophysicist argues that the interstellar mission would be extremely challenging but not completely unrealistic

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