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New Research

A fossilized Mussaurus egg that was the subject of one of two new studies documenting soft-shelled eggs at the time of the dinosaurs. Mussaurus was a long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur that grew to 20 feet in length and lived in modern-day Argentina between 227 and 208.5 million years ago.

New Research

First Soft-Shelled Dinosaur Egg Fossils Found

Twin discoveries reveal that some ancient reptiles laid soft-shelled eggs, challenging long-held assumptions in paleontology

One of the interior passages of the 5,000-year-old Irish megalithic tomb of Newgrange. In this photo, sunlight enters the monument's main chamber at dawn on the winter solstice.

DNA Extracted From Ancient ‘Irish Pharaoh’ May Reveal Royal Incest

New analysis of elite man buried in Stone Age monument suggests he was the product of either a brother-sister or parent-child pairing

A male Broad-tailed Hummingbird photographed at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado, where researchers conducted field experiments on avian color vision.

New Research

Compared With Hummingbirds, People Are Rather Colorblind

Experiments reveal the tiny birds can see “non-spectral” colors that blend ultraviolet light with colors humans can see to create distinct hues we can’t

Researchers are concerned about what the presence of microplastics in protected landscapes will mean for local ecosystems.

New Research

The Forecast in National Parks Is Cloudy With a Chance of Plastic Rain

New research finds America’s western national parks and wilderness areas receive more than 1,000 tons of plastic rain every year

Reconstruction of Batrachopus trackmaker from the Lower Cretaceous Jinju Formation of South Korea

New Research

Fossil Footprints Suggest Ancient Crocodile Walked on Two Legs

The lumbering crocodylomorph lived during the early Cretaceous period, about 106 million years ago

Reptile vertebrae found at el-Wad Terrace Cave

15,000 Years Ago, Humans in Israel Ate Snakes and Lizards

Snacking on reptiles may have helped these prehistoric people adapt to living in more permanent settlements

An aggregation of roughly 64,000 green sea turtles at Raine Island in Australia.

Drone Footage Shows Thousands of Nesting Sea Turtles

The roughly 64,000 green sea turtles were photographed off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia at Raine Island, the turtle’s largest breeding ground

Dr. Frederieke Kroon looking at a crown-of-thorns starfish on the Great Barrier Reef.

New Research

What Eats the Crown-of-Thorns Starfish? The Evidence Is in the Poop

The sea creatures are the second-biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef after tropical cyclones

A young New Caledonian crow (right) wielding a stick that skilled adults use as tools to probe for food. The adult (left) tolerates the youngsters antics.

New Research

A Long Childhood May Be How Crows and Jays Evolved Their Smarts

Like humans, some of the smartest birds enjoy extended periods of parental care

An adult male Hippocampus nalu will grow to a maximum of just 2 centimeters long.

Newly Discovered Pygmy Seahorse Species Is the Size of a Fingernail

This tiny creature is the first of its kind discovered near the continent of Africa

Scientists discovered the remains of some 60 mammoths during excavations for a new airport in Mexico.

Remains of 60 Mammoths Discovered in Mexico

Archaeologists found the trove of bones just six miles from recently discovered human-made ‘mammoth traps’

An aerial view of one of the circular enclosures at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey

Did Geometry Guide the Construction of the World’s Oldest Temple?

New research suggests the center points of three stone megalith circles at Göbekli Tepe form a near-perfect triangle

The Conway Knot

Graduate Student Untangles Decades-Old Math Problem in Less Than a Week

Lisa Piccirillo recently published her proof of Conway’s knot problem, a well-known quandry that stumped mathematicians for more than 50 years

The researchers analyzed snippets of DNA left in the centuries-old tartar buildup.

New Research

New Technique to Study Ancient Teeth Reveals Edo-Era Diet in Japan

Researchers analyzed DNA in tartar from the remains of 13 people who lived between 1603 and 1867

The earliest evidence of mice making themselves at home alongside human settlements comes from 14,500-year-old bones found among the Natufians.

The House Mouse First Invaded Europe 6,500 Years Ago

New research suggests the rodents arrived on the continent some 2,500 years earlier than previously thought

Elephants are missing a gene to digest alcohol, which might mean they probably can't handle their liquor.

New Research

Despite Folklore, Elephants Might Be Lightweights When It Comes to Booze

New study finds elephants lack a genetic mutation that allows humans to efficiently break down alcohol

The interstate was empty in San Francisco after stay at home orders were issued in California in early April.

Covid-19

Carbon Emissions Are Decreasing During the Pandemic but Could Bounce Back Fast

At the height of COVID-19 restrictions, daily carbon emissions declined 17 percent compared to 2019

Mars’ Chryse Planitia region is peppered with small hills topped with craters that might be mud volcanoes.

New Research

Martian Mud Probably Looks Like Lava

Muddy water that drains smoothly on Earth leaves a lumpy trail under Mars-like conditions

The loudest marching band at the Rose Parade was Southern University and A&M College's "Human Jukebox" from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was their first performance at the parade in 40 years—talk about a booming comeback!

New Research

Marching Bands Make Seismic Waves at the Rose Parade

A fiber optic cable system for sensing earthquakes also gives marching bands a new source of bragging rights

New research suggests that humidity is making the painting's yellow cadmium sulfide degrade into white.

Art Meets Science

Humidity Is a Nightmare for ‘The Scream’

Moisture in the air—not light—has made the yellow pigments in Edvard Munch’s masterpiece degrade

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