A 110-Year-Old Pickled Thylacine Head Helped Build the Most Complete Ancient Genome to Date, Says ‘De-Extinction’ Company
Colossal Biosciences reports it extracted DNA and RNA from the Tasmanian tiger specimen, a key step forward in its effort to create a modern proxy of the extinct species. Other scientists are calling for data to back up the claim
Can’t Get Enough Carbs? That Craving Might Have Started More Than 800,000 Years Ago
New research traces the genetic underpinnings of the enzyme amylase, which helps humans digest starches and sugars
These Frankenstein-Like Sea Creatures Can Actually Fuse Their Bodies Together
Two comb jellies can merge their digestive and nervous systems and even sync their bodily functions, according to new research. The discovery could have implications for human medicine
The Smithsonian National Zoo’s New Giant Pandas Will Make Their Public Debut on January 24
A pair of 3-year-old giant pandas—a male named Bao Li and a female called Qing Bao—have officially arrived at the Zoo, where they will first acclimate to their new home
How an Elephant’s Wrinkles Reveal Whether It Is Right- or Left-Trunked
A new study sheds light on the muscular, dexterous appendage, suggesting trunk wrinkles are more important than many people realize
Meet Milagra, a Rare Condor Rescued as an Egg and Newly Released Back Into the Wild
Milagra, Spanish for “miracle,” was hatched and raised in captivity by foster condor parents after her mother died of avian flu in April 2023
World-First Stem Cell Treatment Reverses Diabetes for a Patient in China, Study Suggests
Scientists converted the patient’s own cells into blood sugar-regulating cell clusters before injecting them back into her abdomen—and one year later, she still doesn’t need insulin injections
Scientists’ Work on Protein Structure, Which Governs All Aspects of Life, Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry
David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper revealed how amino acids shape protein structure, a finding that could aid in drug discovery
Uncovering the Secrets Behind Hummingbirds’ Extreme Lifestyle
Here’s how the aerial acrobats are able to survive on a nearly all-sugar diet, fly higher than many helicopters can and migrate over the open ocean
Can a Mother’s Mental Health Impact a Baby in the Womb?
Growing research indicates a pregnant woman’s stress level and overall mental well-being can affect fetal and child development, yet access to prenatal mental health care remains inadequate
American Scientists Win Nobel Prize in Medicine for ‘Groundbreaking’ Gene Discovery Made by Studying Worms
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun discovered microRNA, tiny molecules that play a crucial role in how cells develop, paving the way for new treatments for diseases
Bottlenose Dolphins ‘Smile’ at Each Other During Playtime, Study Finds
Researchers still don’t know what the open-mouth facial expression means or whether it’s akin to smiling in humans—but several animals make a similar face during play
Coyotes Might Make ‘Puppy Eyes,’ Suggesting the Facial Expression Evolved for More Than Just Cuteness
The wild canines have the same muscles used by domestic dogs to create the wide-eyed, pleading look that captures humans’ hearts
These Fish Have Legs—and They Can Use Them to Taste Prey
Sea robins have “the body of a fish, the wings of a bird and multiple legs like a crab”
Scientists Have Found Bacteria and Fungi 10,000 Feet Up in the Air
The discovery has implications for human health, since the microbes included some that were still viable, some that could be infectious to humans and others that carried drug-resistant genes
Heart Tissue Shows Signs of Aging After Just One Month in Space, Study Finds
Scientists sent bioengineered heart tissue samples to the ISS to study how to keep astronauts safe during future long-term space travel
Scientists Discover a New Species of Elusive Ghost Shark
Called the Australasian narrow-nosed spookfish, the cryptic species lives deep in the ocean off the coasts of New Zealand and Australia
Mathematicians Discover a New Class of Shape: the ‘Soft Cell’
If the structures look familiar, it’s probably because nature has been using them for a long time in places like nautilus shells, zebra stripes and onions
Europeans Were Using Cocaine in the 17th Century—Hundreds of Years Earlier Than Historians Thought
Scientists identified traces of the drug in the brain tissue of two individuals buried in the crypt of a hospital in Milan
Anus-Breathing Animals and Pigeon-Guided Missiles: Ig Nobel Prizes Reward Unusual but Valuable Science
The annual award ceremony featured costumes, songs and paper airplanes as scientists recognized comedic research across ten disciplines
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