Margherita Bassi, Author at Gizmodo

Egyptologist in Paris Discovers Secret Messages on the Luxor Obelisk

The 3,300-year-old monument has sat in the French capital's center for almost 200 years, but no one else noticed these strange encryptions.

Human History Margherita Bassi

Lion Bite Marks on 1,800-Year-Old Skeleton Confirm Gladiators Fought in Roman Britain

Researchers compared puncture marks on an 1,800-year-old skeleton in the UK to various animal bites, and concluded that the individual was likely bitten by a lion.

Human History Margherita Bassi

Archaeologists Unearth Roman Horse Cemetery With 100 Skeletons

A construction project in Stuttgart, Germany, resulted in the discovery of the ancient site.

Human History Margherita Bassi

This Tiny Robot Is Part Bee, Part Crane Fly—and It Finally Has Solid Legs

Harvard's RoboBee will one day conduct artificial pollination and survey disaster zones, but first it has to stop crash landing.

Physics & Chemistry Margherita Bassi

A Meteorite From Alaska Challenges Theory of How Earth Got Its Water

Scientists speculate that asteroids colliding with Earth delivered water—an essential building block of life—but new research suggests the planet didn't need the delivery.

Earth Science Margherita Bassi

Good News! Endangered Sea Turtle Populations May Be Recovering

Six of the seven sea turtle species are threatened or endangered but that could soon change for the better.

Biology Margherita Bassi

A New Report Suggests We All May Be Brushing Our Teeth With Lead and Other Toxic Metals

Only five of the analyzed toothpaste and tooth powder products were free of four dangerous heavy metals.

Health Margherita Bassi

Why Your Workouts Before Bedtime Need to Stop

A study with over 14,500 participants links intense workouts within four hours of bedtime to poorer sleep quality and duration.

Health Margherita Bassi

Hail Doesn’t Form the Way You Think, Scientists Say

The truth might be simpler than what you likely learned in high school.

Earth Science Margherita Bassi

Prehistoric Hearths Reveal Ice Age Hunter-Gatherers Were Masters of the Flame

Archaeological records indicate that prehistoric people in Europe relied on fire throughout the Ice Age—but the evidence drops off during its harshest period.

Human History Margherita Bassi

Scientists Link Mysterious Icelandic Rocks to ‘Little’ Ice Age—and Rome’s Downfall

The unexpected discovery of Greenland rocks in Iceland hints that a centuries-long cold snap may have helped finish off the Western Roman Empire.

Human History Margherita Bassi

Researchers Develop a Soft Battery That Has the Consistency of Toothpaste

Devices are often limited by the bulkiness of their batteries—but what if we could shape the batteries into whatever form we want?

Physics & Chemistry Margherita Bassi

Paleontologists Uncover First Known Tracks From Club-Tailed Armored Dinosaur

The footprint was likely left behind by a 19-foot-long spiky dinosaur with a sledgehammer-like tail club.

Biology Margherita Bassi

Sperm Use Secret Corkscrew Power to Turbocharge Their Swim

New research shows sperm generate corkscrew-like fluid vortices that spin in sync with their tails, providing an unexpected boost.

Biology Margherita Bassi

We Keep Coming Up Empty in the Search for Alien Life. Here’s What That Could Mean—and What Comes Next

Seems unintuitive, but the mounting list of lifeless planets might be exactly what scientists need to figure out how common life is in the universe.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi

Tourists Watch in Horror as 60 Orcas Rip Apart Endangered Blue Whale

The episode, witnessed off the Australian coast, offers a rare glimpse into the brutal efficiency of the ocean’s top predator.

Biology Margherita Bassi

The Famous Antikythera Mechanism Was a Mechanical Disaster, New Research Suggests

Researchers simulated the device's ancient gear system to find out whether the contraption actually worked. Apparently, it did not.

Human History Margherita Bassi

After Indigenous Outrage, British Woman Apologizes for ‘First’ Claim on Canadian Island

"There is no way in hell a British colonizer is coming to Inuit Nunaat in 2025 and claiming any firsts,” a member of the local Inuit community wrote on social media.

Human History Margherita Bassi

Mystery Jawbone Pulled From the Sea Is a Rare Fossil From an Elusive Human Relative

Ten years ago, fishermen in Taiwan dredged a jawbone from the seafloor. Now, scientists say it belonged to a Denisovan man.

Human History Margherita Bassi

Dinosaur Doomsday Crater Became an Ocean Oasis for 700,000 Years

Cores extracted from the impact crater revealed evidence of an ancient, life-nurturing hydrothermal system in the wake of the catastrophe.

Earth Science Margherita Bassi

Margherita Bassi

Egyptologist in Paris Discovers Secret Messages on the Luxor Obelisk

Lion Bite Marks on 1,800-Year-Old Skeleton Confirm Gladiators Fought in Roman Britain

Archaeologists Unearth Roman Horse Cemetery With 100 Skeletons

This Tiny Robot Is Part Bee, Part Crane Fly—and It Finally Has Solid Legs

A Meteorite From Alaska Challenges Theory of How Earth Got Its Water

Good News! Endangered Sea Turtle Populations May Be Recovering

A New Report Suggests We All May Be Brushing Our Teeth With Lead and Other Toxic Metals

Why Your Workouts Before Bedtime Need to Stop

Hail Doesn’t Form the Way You Think, Scientists Say

Prehistoric Hearths Reveal Ice Age Hunter-Gatherers Were Masters of the Flame

Scientists Link Mysterious Icelandic Rocks to ‘Little’ Ice Age—and Rome’s Downfall

Researchers Develop a Soft Battery That Has the Consistency of Toothpaste

Paleontologists Uncover First Known Tracks From Club-Tailed Armored Dinosaur

Sperm Use Secret Corkscrew Power to Turbocharge Their Swim

We Keep Coming Up Empty in the Search for Alien Life. Here’s What That Could Mean—and What Comes Next

Tourists Watch in Horror as 60 Orcas Rip Apart Endangered Blue Whale

The Famous Antikythera Mechanism Was a Mechanical Disaster, New Research Suggests

After Indigenous Outrage, British Woman Apologizes for ‘First’ Claim on Canadian Island

Mystery Jawbone Pulled From the Sea Is a Rare Fossil From an Elusive Human Relative

Dinosaur Doomsday Crater Became an Ocean Oasis for 700,000 Years

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Don’t Get Too Attached to Any AI App

‘Paradise’ Writer Teases What’s Coming in Season 3 After That Huge Twist

Trump’s New White House App Is Mildly Concerning and Weird for a Lot of Reasons

Bloodsucking Ticks Can Survive Inside Your Home Longer Than You Might Think

The Best New Toys of March 2026

Judge Denies Liking LinkedIn Post Critical of Elon Musk But Reassigns His Cases Anyway

Amazon Slashes 50% Off Keurig K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, Now a Budget Alternative to Breville and Nespresso Espresso Machines

Sun’s Latest Outburst Complicates Planned Launch of Artemis 2

Instagram Will Finally Let You Lurk to Your Heart’s Content—for a Price

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets