A massive prehistoric snake discovered in India may rank among the largest ever to slither across Earth. Named Vasuki indicus, this ancient giant lived around 47 million years ago and is estimated to have stretched an astonishing 11 to 15 meters long—rivaling the legendary
The pace of tropical forest destruction slowed in 2025 after record losses the year before but remained at worrying levels equivalent to 11 football fields per minute, researchers said Wednesday.
A spectacular cosmic event nicknamed “SN Winny” could help solve one of astronomy’s biggest mysteries: how fast the universe is expanding. This rare superluminous supernova, located 10 billion light-years away, appears five times in the sky thanks to gravitational lensing,
Perched on the bow of his long-tail fishing boat, 75-year-old Sukjai Yana untangled a handful of small fish from his net, disappointed by his catch and fretting over whether he can sell them.
Scientists have uncovered the true boundary of the Milky Way’s star-forming region using stellar “age mapping.” They found a telltale U-shaped pattern showing that star formation drops sharply around 35,000–40,000 light-years from the center. Beyond that, stars are mostly
The spacecraft that flew four astronauts around the moon is back where its record-breaking journey began.
A decades-old drug once used to treat sleeping sickness is now showing surprising promise against an ultra-rare and life-threatening genetic disorder called Bachmann-Bupp syndrome (BABS). Early patient treatments suggest the drug, DFMO, may ease severe symptoms by targeting the
A troubling new study from MIT reveals that a common environmental contaminant, NDMA—found in polluted water, certain medications, and even processed foods—may pose a far greater cancer risk to children than adults. In experiments with mice, young animals exposed to the
Mining critical minerals such as lithium and cobalt fuels the "green" energy and digital transitions essential to meeting climate goals. But building the technologies that enable a sustainable future is generating severe, hidden environmental and health crises that the world is
As the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February, the social media posts by some US national security agencies took a particular turn.
Researchers at Kyushu University and Institute of Science Tokyo have developed a new computational model that can simulate the transport of oxygen by red blood cells (RBCs) through tiny blood vessels—or capillaries—and their delivery to surrounding tissues. Published in the
Pollinating insects are important for agriculture and ecological flourishing, but they are difficult to monitor, as identification is tricky, labor-intensive, and typically requires killing some insects. Publishing in PNAS Nexus, Adam Narbudowicz and colleagues use machine
In addition to habitat loss and illegal hunting, the jaguar (Panthera onca) faces another threat that increases its risk of extinction in the South American Atlantic Forest: food scarcity. A study by Brazilian researchers has found that the availability of jaguar prey is
Obesity might be to blame for part of the increase in cancer among young people, a study in the UK has found, but the causes largely remain a mystery
Why are there so many species of coral reef fish? According to a new study, it's because about 50 million years ago, some fish figured out how to bite food from hard surfaces.
Researchers at Skoltech have developed an ultra-compact electro-optic modulator based on silicon photonics and plasmonics that enables high-efficiency optical signal control within a small device footprint. The development could find applications in optical communication
Scorpions wield some of the natural world's most formidable built-in weapons, from crushing pincers to venomous stingers. Scientists have long known that these structures contain trace metals that strengthen them, but only a small fraction of the roughly 3,000 scorpions have
Having a religious affiliation doesn't stop people from betting on sports in the United States, according to a new study. Results showed that people who infrequently attend religious services are more likely to gamble on sports than people who attend services at least weekly or
Researchers from the National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Nagoya City University, and Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science in Japan have identified the first animal ion channel molecules that open and close in response to extracellular potassium ions (K⁺).
After nearly four decades, the world's longest-running soil warming experiment is revealing a surprising result: even "stable" carbon in forest soils can break down as temperatures rise, releasing more CO₂ into the atmosphere. The findings are published in the journal Science
How do photosynthetic organisms harvest light so efficiently? To help answer this question, researchers have developed an ultrafast transient absorption microscope with sensitivity approaching the single-molecule level.
The idea that information should flow freely is deeply embedded in the design of social media. The assumption is that the more information is produced and shared, the better. However, simulations by a team of scientists including University of Groningen Professor of Artificial
Shielding materials are essential in key modern industrial settings—such as spacecraft, nuclear power plants, semiconductor equipment, and advanced medical devices—to protect both equipment and personnel from electromagnetic waves and radiation. In particular, as space
The first study to measure the full economic value of bottom trawling in Europe's waters calculates that the destructive fishing practice imposes up to €16 billion annually in net costs to society. The research is published in the journal Ocean & Coastal Management.
Scientists at the University of East Anglia have uncovered a hidden property of light that allows it to twist, spin and behave differently—without mirrors, materials or special lenses. In a breakthrough that could transform medical testing, data transmission and future quantum
An international team of researchers have made the surprising discovery that urban birds—such as great tits, house sparrows and blackbirds—flee sooner when approached by women compared to men. But they don't understand why. Conducted across five European countries, the study
Anyone who has ever used a microscope knows that it takes time to bring a sample into sharp focus. Each time you move the slide, the image blurs, and you have to stop and carefully turn a knob to bring everything back into clear view. For scientists and clinicians, even if the
Eggs and poultry provide important sources of protein globally, driving a major industry with large economic impacts. Challenges to hatchery operations include embryo mortality, fertility, sex determination, and eggshell characteristics. These features have a substantial impact
Natural rubber, tapped from trees as latex, is the world's most widely used bio-elastomer. Comprising long molecular chains that make it pliable and stretchy yet highly resistant to cracking and strain, natural rubber is foundational to countless products, including the
Nanographenes are organic semiconductor materials used in smartphones, OLED displays, and solar cells. At the molecular level, they are composed of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are a network of connected benzene rings (hexagon-shaped carbon molecules).
The most epic, pseudoscientific adventure ever The post Kon-Tiki Set Sail 79 Years Ago Today appeared first on Nautilus .
Chocolate is one of the world's most widely consumed foods. It is made from cacao beans grown by millions of smallholder farmers globally. High-quality cacao beans require optimal growing conditions, which are essential for producing good-quality chocolates. However, growing
Recent research led by the University of Trento reveals that fundamental atomic vibrations remain unchanged also in ultra-stable glasses. This discovery advances the decade-long debate on the physics of disorder and opens the way to new applications, from electronics to
A study conducted in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has demonstrated that small amounts of Amazonian dark earth (ADE)—an anthropogenic soil created by ancient Amazonian populations—can increase the height and diameter of the pink trumpet tree (Handroanthus avellanedae) by up
Regulators often move in and out of revolving doors between government and the industries they oversee. They can bring valuable expertise. But their ties also can raise questions about whose interests their knowledge ultimately serves. In one recent case, staffers at the U.S.
A technology that could propel crewed missions to Mars and robotic spacecraft throughout the solar system was recently put to the test at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. On Feb. 24, for the first time in years and at power levels exceeding any previous
Zinc is an essential trace element that controls myriad biological processes. The delicate balance of its concentration in the body is critical; both deficiency and excess are linked to severe pathological states such as impaired immunity, delayed wound healing, and sensory
The NASA administrator’s latest remarks in support of reexamining Pluto’s status come 20 years after the orb was downgraded to a dwarf planet by the International Astronomical Union
“I fully believe our results, that urban birds react differently based on the sex of the person approaching them,” said a co-author of a study that made this finding, “but I can’t explain them right now”
Climate change has become entangled in partisan politics. In Canada, as in other countries, climate concern and support for climate policy are often coded as left-leaning positions. Meanwhile, climate change skepticism or denial is more likely to be espoused by those on the
The genes that could help the world's crops survive drought, heat, and disease probably already exist. But much of this genetic diversity remains hidden within ancient plant varieties and forgotten seed collections, among millions of DNA differences that are difficult to spot.
Tiny crystals suggest extinct volcanoes could still grow underground, a finding that could reshape how scientists assess eruption risk.
Artificial light at night not only alters the landscape, but also profoundly disrupts natural ecosystems. A recent study by the RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau shows that light pollution can significantly disrupt the exchange of energy and nutrients between bodies of
How much of the essential trace element iron remains available for marine life in the ocean depends critically on the diversity of organic molecules in seawater, according to new research published in Nature Communications by an international team led by Dr. Martha Gledhill
Each May, nature lovers get out of bed early to experience the seasonal wonder of birds singing, as the sun rises above the horizon to take part in International Dawn Chorus Day.
A research team from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has successfully used mechanical stretching technology to dynamically control the emission color of gallium nitride (GaN) material from ultraviolet (UV) to blue light. This technological
After winning a Breakthrough Prize, the world’s most lucrative science award, theoretical physicist David Gross is using the moment to warn of nuclear war’s existential threat—and how we can escape it
There was a time when one eye was better than two The post Our Eyes Originated in a 600-Million-Year-Old Cyclops appeared first on Nautilus .
Humans are not the only species negatively affected by increasingly hot and humid conditions. Intense heat waves sometimes kill large numbers of wild animals. Eastern Australia's giant fruit bats, known as flying-foxes, provide possibly the most dramatic illustration. In late
The exact origin of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is still a mystery, but researchers believe they are edging closer to the source of one of the most important food staples worldwide. Using genetic studies and ancient plant remains, an international team of scientists has
