News
- Humans
The Dead Sea Scrolls contain genetic clues to their origins
Animal DNA is providing researchers with hints on how to assemble what amounts to a giant jigsaw puzzle of ancient manuscript fragments.
- Earth
Chicxulub collision put Earth’s crust in hot water for over a million years
An asteroid impact 66 million years ago caused hot fluids to circulate in the crust, creating conditions that may have been ideal for microbial life.
- Space
A weird cosmic flare called the ‘Cow’ now has company
Scientists have now found three similar luminous, short-lived bursts of light, part of a class known as fast blue optical transients.
- Life
More ‘murder hornets’ are turning up. Here’s what you need to know
Two more specimens of the world’s largest hornet have just been found in North America.
- Genetics
Genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s also raise the risk of getting COVID-19
People who have the APOE4 genetic variant appear to be more vulnerable to the disease, but it’s unclear why.
- Life
Neon colors may help some corals stage a comeback from bleaching
When some corals bleach, they turn bright colors. Stunning hues may be part of a response that helps the corals recover and reunite with their algae.
- Planetary Science
Meteorites might be more likely to strike near the equator
Meteorites from Antarctica have helped scientists assess the total number likely to hit Earth every year — and where they are most likely to fall.
- Archaeology
A biblical-era Israeli shrine shows signs of the earliest ritual use of marijuana
Chemical analyses reveal a residue of cannabis and animal dung on an altar from a biblical-era fortress in use more than 2,700 years ago.
- Climate
How more powerful Pacific cyclones may be fueling global warming
Increasingly strong storms in the North Pacific may be speeding up the fast-moving Kuroshio Current — which could bring more heat to high latitudes.
- Health & Medicine
Wastewater could provide up to a week of warning for a COVID-19 spike
A new study adds to evidence that sewage may serve as an early warning signal that the coronavirus has hit a community.
- Space
SpaceX’s astronaut launch marks a milestone for commercial spaceflight
Two NASA astronauts aboard the privately built Crew Dragon capsule are the first to be sent into orbit from U.S. soil since 2011.
- Space
Half the universe’s ordinary matter was missing — and may have been found
Astronomers have used fast radio bursts as cosmic weigh stations to tease out where the universe’s “missing matter” resides.
