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New Research

Saurona triangula, one of the newly described butterfly species named for the evil Lord Sauron in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy

Butterfly Group With Fiery ‘Eyes’ Is Named After ‘Lord of the Rings’ Villain Sauron

Beyond their eye-like wing pattern, the two new species don’t seem to show any signs of evil that would link them to Mordor

Stress can contribute to a number of health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and depression.

Stress Can Age You, but It Could Be Reversed, Study Says

While stressful events like surgery and pregnancy can raise biological age—which is linked to health risks—the change may not be permanent

An artist's interpretation of what the pendant may have looked like as a necklace

New Research

Ancient DNA Reveals Who Wore This 20,000-Year-Old Pendant

Researchers have found a new way to extract human DNA from porous artifacts

Diadema antillarum sea urchins in the Caribbean Sea

Scientists Solve a Sea Urchin Murder Mystery

A microscopic parasite that has been killing the Caribbean creatures since last year might also be at fault for a population collapse four decades ago

By reading brain waves, researchers found support for the idea that dying people may see their life flashing before their eyes or have out-of-body experiences.

Surging Brain Activity in Dying People May Be a Sign of Near-Death Experiences

Researchers found that two of four comatose patients had brain waves that resembled consciousness after they were taken off life support

An artist's impression of a doomed planet skimming the surface of its star.

In a First, Scientists Witness a Dying Star Swallowing a Planet

Astronomers believe the doomed world was a gas giant about the size of Jupiter

Mammoth and elephant tusks are elongated incisors, so they're made of the same materials as other teeth.

Male Woolly Mammoths Had Testosterone-Fueled Aggressive Episodes

By studying preserved tusks, scientists suggest the mammals experienced a yearly condition known as musth, like male elephants do today

Fossils in Wales reveal a glimpse into marine life 462 million years ago. In this illustration based on the new finds, the tall sponge in the foreground is less than one inch in height.

This Trove of Fossils in Wales Is Revealing Secrets of Early Animal Life

Scientists have uncovered 170 species from around 462 million years ago, unveiling surprises about when tiny marine creatures evolved and disappeared

A spinning 3D view of one person's cerebral cortex. Pink indicates above average activity and blue shows below average activity.

Researchers Use A.I. to Decode Words From Brain Scans

A new tool translates “something deeper than language,” generating text that captures the gist of podcasts or silent films viewed by participants

Balto and his sled driver, Gunnar Kasson, at the unveiling of Central Park's Balto statue in 1925.

Balto’s DNA Provides a New Look at the Intrepid Sled Dog

Scientists sequenced the famous canine’s genome as part of a larger project studying the genes of 240 mammal species

The first image to show the shadow of black hole M87 as well as its jet

First-of-Its-Kind Image Captures a Black Hole’s Shooting Jet

The finding could help reveal how black holes launch such high-energy ejections

In a recent study, researchers examined 40 videos of great apes spinning on ropes and calculated their average rotational velocity.

Great Apes Love to Spin Around—Here’s Why

A recent study suggests that apes, like humans, seek out altered mental states

The bone fragment from four different angles, with a white scale bar representing one centimeter. The flat side of the bone contains puncture marks that suggest it was a punch board used for tailoring hides.

This 39,600-Year-Old Bone May Have Been Used by Prehistoric Tailors

New research suggests early Homo sapiens punched holes in leather hides to create seams for clothing

Huge quantities of plastics make their way into oceans and other bodies of water.

The Pacific Garbage Patch Is Home to Coastal Species—in the Middle of the Ocean

These out-of-place organisms are thriving on floating trash, but they may compete with open-water species

Sleeping northern elephant seals on the beach at Año Nuevo State Park, California.

Elephant Seals Take Extreme Power Naps in the Open Ocean

While foraging on deep dives, the marine mammals sleep for about two hours per day in short, ten-minute bursts

English king Edward I stole the stone from Scotland in 1296. Approximately 700 years later, England returned the stone to its home country.

New Research

Researchers Find Hidden Markings on the Stone of Destiny, Sacred Slab Used in British Coronations

Ahead of the crowning of Charles III on May 6, experts analyzed the stone with cutting-edge technology

Ellie, an 11-year-old Goffin’s cockatoo, video chats with a friend.

Scientists Taught Pet Parrots to Video Call Each Other—and the Birds Loved It

Wild parrots tend to fly in flocks, but when kept as single pets, they may become lonely and bored

Sarracenia pitcher plants typically live in bogs in the southeastern United States.

Carnivorous Plants May Lure Insects With Specially Tailored Scents

Pitcher plants appear to use different odor cocktails to attract bees, moths, ants and other bugs into their death traps

One of the animal coffins, topped with a part-eel, part-cobra, human-headed figure

Lizard Remains Found Inside 2,500-Year-Old Coffins from Ancient Egypt

Researchers at the British Museum used neutron tomography to get a look inside the still-sealed metal boxes without damaging the artifacts

A medical illustration of the right half of a human brain from 1876.

Scientists Update Map of How Our Brains Control Movement

The traditional diagram showed brain regions linked to specific body parts, but we might also have areas connected to whole-body control

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