Margherita Bassi, Author at Gizmodo

New Study Backs Controversial Claim of 23,000-Year-Old Human Footprints in New Mexico

New research suggests the first Americans weren't who we thought they were.

Human History Margherita Bassi Jun 20 '25

Archaeologists Unearth Viking-Era Burial With Incredibly Rare Casket

The 30 Viking graves range from richly furnished to bare-bones, hinting at a burial ground for both nobles and the people they enslaved.

Human History Margherita Bassi Jun 19 '25

Bogong Moth, Agrotis Infusa. Mt Ginini, Act

Bogong Moths Are First Bugs Known to Use Stars for Long-Distance Travel

Scientists found that an Australian moth navigates using a celestial compass, possibly guided by the Milky Way itself.

Biology Margherita Bassi Jun 18 '25

The Night Shift Might Be Harming Women More Than We Thought, Study Finds

A new study reveals that a woman's chances of getting asthma are significantly impacted by their work shift schedule—a difference that researchers didn't notice in men.

Health Margherita Bassi Jun 17 '25

Astronomers Just Solved the Mystery of the Universe’s Missing Matter

A new study reveals that 76% of all ordinary matter exists in the form of hot intergalactic gas.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi Jun 16 '25

Metal Detectorist Discovers Rare Boat Grave Containing Viking Woman and Her Dog

The cherished pet continues to guard her in the afterlife as it likely did when they were both alive.

Human History Margherita Bassi Jun 15 '25

Neanderthals Spread Across Asia With Surprising Speed—and Now We Know How

A new study suggests our prehistoric cousins likely traveled through the Ural Mountains and southern Siberia.

Human History Margherita Bassi Jun 14 '25

Scientists Just Solved a 14,000-Year-Old Puppy Mystery

New research challenges previous theories suggesting the two young canines were domesticated dogs and reveals their surprising last meal.

Biology Margherita Bassi Jun 13 '25

Why Bats Don’t Get Cancer—and What That Means for Humans

Some bat species can live cancer-free for up to 25 years, which is equivalent to 180 human years. How do they do it?

Biology Margherita Bassi Jun 12 '25

300-Year-Old Coins Help Confirm Shipwreck as the Long-Lost San José Galleon

The Spanish galleon sank in 1708 and was discovered in 2015, but its true identity remained unconfirmed—until now.

Human History Margherita Bassi Jun 11 '25

What Whale Bubbles Can Teach Us About Alien Communication

A new study analyzes 12 events in which whales may have tried to communicate with humans.

Biology Margherita Bassi Jun 10 '25

Archaeologists in France Discover Giant Roman Gallic Villa Hiding in Plain Sight

A recent excavation reveals that a large building excavated in 1966 was just a part of an even grander ancient complex.

Human History Margherita Bassi Jun 9 '25

Cool Physics Feat Makes a Sphere Roll Down a Vertical Wall

Scientists have discovered that under the right conditions, a gummy bear-like ball can roll down a vertical wall all by itself—upending a core assumption in physics.

Physics & Chemistry Margherita Bassi Jun 7 '25

Astronomers Discover Most Energetic Cosmic Explosions Ever Observed

Extreme nuclear transients are 10 million times rarer than supernovae and emit the same amount of energy as 100 Suns.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi Jun 5 '25

Things Humans Still Do Better Than AI: Understanding Flowers

Unlike humans, large language models can't learn via physical senses such as sight, smell, and touch (yet).

Artificial Intelligence Margherita Bassi Jun 5 '25

Early Fire Use Wasn’t for Cooking, New Theory Suggests

The discovery of fire was one of the most fundamental advancements of human development, but researchers can't agree on why it came about.

Human History Margherita Bassi Jun 4 '25

Viral Paragliding Video May Be Partly AI-Generated, Experts Say

A shocking paragliding accident caught on video made international headlines last week—but now it seems like part of the footage may be fake.

Artificial Intelligence Margherita Bassi Jun 3 '25

The Milky Way Might Not Smash Into the Andromeda Galaxy After All, New Simulation Indicates

A recent paper reveals we're almost certainly going to collide with a galaxy in the next couple billion years, but it's not the one we thought.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi Jun 2 '25

Stop Shoving Coins Into the Giant’s Causeway

From Parisian bridges to Rome's Trevi Fountain, tourists love leaving behind mementos—but in Northern Ireland, they're eroding a 60-million-year-old landmark.

Physics & Chemistry Margherita Bassi May 29 '25

Archaeological Dig Sheds New Light on the Other Great Wall of China

This vast frontier served a very different purpose than previously believed, researchers suggest.

Human History Margherita Bassi May 28 '25

Margherita Bassi

New Study Backs Controversial Claim of 23,000-Year-Old Human Footprints in New Mexico

Archaeologists Unearth Viking-Era Burial With Incredibly Rare Casket

Bogong Moths Are First Bugs Known to Use Stars for Long-Distance Travel

The Night Shift Might Be Harming Women More Than We Thought, Study Finds

Astronomers Just Solved the Mystery of the Universe’s Missing Matter

Metal Detectorist Discovers Rare Boat Grave Containing Viking Woman and Her Dog

Neanderthals Spread Across Asia With Surprising Speed—and Now We Know How

Scientists Just Solved a 14,000-Year-Old Puppy Mystery

Why Bats Don’t Get Cancer—and What That Means for Humans

300-Year-Old Coins Help Confirm Shipwreck as the Long-Lost San José Galleon

What Whale Bubbles Can Teach Us About Alien Communication

Archaeologists in France Discover Giant Roman Gallic Villa Hiding in Plain Sight

Cool Physics Feat Makes a Sphere Roll Down a Vertical Wall

Astronomers Discover Most Energetic Cosmic Explosions Ever Observed

Things Humans Still Do Better Than AI: Understanding Flowers

Early Fire Use Wasn’t for Cooking, New Theory Suggests

Viral Paragliding Video May Be Partly AI-Generated, Experts Say

The Milky Way Might Not Smash Into the Andromeda Galaxy After All, New Simulation Indicates

Stop Shoving Coins Into the Giant’s Causeway

Archaeological Dig Sheds New Light on the Other Great Wall of China

Divers Found a WWII Shipwreck Off Maine Linked to a Nazi Spy Mission

The Murdochs Expand Media Empire as Fox’s Roku Acquisition Closes

More Than 100 Protesters Storm a Microsoft Data Center Site in Amsterdam

One of the Year’s Most Underrated Monster Movies Comes Home Soon

Authorities at Lima Airport Find More Than 3,000 Tarantulas Hidden in Dirty Socks

Motorola’s Latest Smartwatch Is All About Budget and Battery Life

FBI Agent Admits Stealing $2.47 Million in Crypto From Crime Victims and Nation-State Targets

Honor’s Newest Phone Has an Extra Screen—And It’s Not Where You’d Expect

1,600 Years Ago, This Man Traveled Across Europe. So Did His Rare Strain of Leprosy

The 15 Coolest Sci-Fi Christmas Ornaments of 2026

Gizmodo’s Best Tech of 2026 Awards: Our Favorite Phones, Laptops, Smart Home Gear, and More

Marshall Stockwell III Review: Big Sound in a Small Package

Sony MDR-3R Review: Walkman Nostalgia Wins Again

MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display Review: Screw Touchscreens, It’s Still the Best Mac

The Best Gaming Gifts Under $100

Arlo Essential Solar Camera Review: Solar Is Great, but Subscription Paywalls Aren’t

iPad mini OLED Review: Apple’s Smallest Tablet Is Also Its Best

HP EliteBook X Flip G2i 14 AI Review: Great for the Office, if Not Your Wallet

The Best Gadgets of October 2026

CMF Speaker M Review: This Bluetooth Speaker Sparks Joy