All Stories
- Planetary Science
Different moon rocks tell different tales about a long-ago bombardment
Prior moon rock samples, including from Apollo, seem heavily influenced by one impact. The farside samples tweak the story.
- Science & Society
The golden age of language was a few thousand years ago
A few millennia ago, people worldwide may have spoken or signed up to 10 times as many languages as they do today.
- Animals
Watch an orca ram into a sunfish so hard it explodes
This strategy expands orcas’ already broad repertoire for dispatching different types of prey.
- Paleontology
A rare 3-D snake fossil is ssspilling sssecrets of its unusual lifestyle
A new snake’s unique head anatomy suggests early snakes were even more diverse than thought. This one was a rare burrower.
- Astronomy
A newly found world blurs the boundary between planet and moon
The object orbits a brown dwarf that orbits a star, and astronomers aren’t sure if it’s a planet, a moon — or something else entirely.
- Health & Medicine
Measles cases in the U.S. hit a new 34-year high
The U.S. hasn't seen measles numbers like this since 1992. An epidemiologist explains what's driving the surge.
- Animals
This humpback whale hunting strategy has been out of sight — until now
Scientists documented humpback whales hunting together at the seafloor, coordinating their arrival to scoop up sand lances.
- Animals
Ape cuddles could prevent conflicts
Humans could learn from chimpanzees and bonobos, who turn to group members for physical comfort during tense moments.
- Oceans
Deep-sea snails ride surface currents to reach distant hydrothermal vents
The finding shows how life spreads between isolated deep-sea vents — and how closely those ecosystems are tied to the sunlit ocean.
- Health & Medicine
An experimental oral vaccine may prevent invasive bacterial diarrhea
Shigella causes about 450,000 U.S. infections each year. An experimental oral vaccine protected adults in a small human trial.
- Archaeology
Pompeii’s survivors shine in a new documentary series
Hosted by actor Tom Hiddleston, Pompeii: Out of Time mixes facts and fiction to bring three real ancient Romans to life.
- Artificial Intelligence
AI ‘ghosts’ can comfort mourners — even when the bots get the facts wrong
A small study suggests emotional fit, not perfect accuracy, may make chatbot versions of dead loved ones feel real.
