Watch an elephant peel a banana with her trunk in incredible first–of-its-kind footage By Cameron Duke published 10 April 23 An Asian elephant at the Berlin Zoo, Pang Pha, taught herself to peel bananas with her trunk by watching her keepers.
What do we know about mifepristone, the abortion pill facing a potential Supreme Court ruling? By Nicoletta Lanese published 10 April 23 A federal judge in Texas has ruled to suspend approval for the abortion pill mifepristone. Here's what you should know about the drug.
'Runaway' black hole the size of 20 million suns caught speeding through space with a trail of newborn stars behind it By Robert Lea last updated 10 April 23 Astronomers have discovered a "runaway" black hole, potentially the first observational evidence that supermassive black holes can be ejected from their host galaxies.
Why don't hurricanes form at the equator? By Charles Q. Choi published 10 April 23 Here's why hurricanes, also known as tropical cyclones and typhoons, don't form at the equator and why it would be rare for them to cross it.
Where is Alexander the Great's tomb? By Owen Jarus published 9 April 23 Based on ancient writings, legends and recent discoveries, where might Alexander the Great be buried?
Are aliens real? By Stephanie Pappas published 8 April 23 Are aliens real? While there is no current evidence for extraterrestrial life anywhere in the universe, scientists are still optimistic.
What's the highest a mountain can grow on Earth? By JoAnna Wendel published 8 April 23 Although a mountain could theoretically grow taller than Mount Everest, forces like gravity and erosion work against it.
Woolly mammoths weren't always shaggy. Here's when they evolved some of their trademark features. By Jennifer Nalewicki published 7 April 23 Genetic testing of 23 woolly mammoths shows that they weren’t always so furry.
6 incredible egg facts, just in time for Easter By Laura Geggel published 7 April 23 Bird eggs are so diverse, so which are the largest and smallest, and how do they get their colors?
In rare cases, COVID-19 infection in pregnancy can cause brain damage to fetuses By Nicoletta Lanese published 7 April 23 In rare cases, COVID-19 can cause fetal brain damage during pregnancy, a case report suggests.
Hidden Ptolemy text, printed beneath a Latin manuscript, deciphered after 200 years By Jennifer Nalewicki published 7 April 23 Researchers have deciphered a long-lost text written by the ancient astronomer Claudius Ptolemy.
Students set to land first US rover on the moon — before NASA By Joanna Thompson published 7 April 23 Students at Carnegie Mellon University are sending America's first lunar rover to the moon this May, beating NASA to the punch by about a year.
Benin Bronzes were crafted of metal from a completely unexpected place By Ben Turner published 7 April 23 The Benin Bronzes were made from rings used to purchase slaves in Africa. Now, scientists have found that most of the metal was mined in western Germany.
Baseball home runs could increase by 10% in the next 80 years. Here's why By Jennifer Nalewicki published 7 April 23 Warmer temperatures due to climate change is resulting in more home runs in Major League Baseball.
Strange radio bursts that outshine entire galaxies may come from colliding neutron stars, new study suggests By Robert Lea published 6 April 23 Powerful bursts of radiation called fast radio bursts could be launched when neutron stars collide and merge, gravitational wave detections indicate.
James Webb telescope discovers the 4 oldest galaxies in the universe, born just 300 million years after the Big Bang By Briley Lewis published 6 April 23 Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected the four oldest galaxies in the known universe, which are forming stars much faster than thought possible.
Most methods for squashing conspiracy theories don't work, study finds. Here's what does. By Anna Demming published 6 April 23 A systematic review of conspiracy theory interventions shows that most traditional approaches have little impact, but certain alternatives show promise.
China must share data on COVID-19's origins 'immediately,' WHO scientist demands By Nicoletta Lanese published 6 April 23 The World Health Organization's COVID-19 technical lead is calling for China to release all its data related to the pandemic's origins.
Geneticist Adam Rutherford on how eugenics, 'Darwin's monster', took over the world By Ben Turner published 6 April 23 Adam Rutherford’s new book takes readers on a journey into genetics's dark past.
30,000-year-old fur ball hidden in Canadian permafrost is actually a mummified squirrel By Harry Baker published 6 April 23 Gold miners unearthed a mangled lump of mummified flesh, which upon further inspection turned out to be a balled-up Arctic ground squirrel.
