Margherita Bassi, Author at Gizmodo

Microplastics In Chewing Gum Feature Image

Chewing Gum Releases Thousands of Microplastics Into Our Saliva, Researchers Find

Researchers tested ten different chewing gum brands, and found no difference between synthetic and natural gum.

Shackles Found in Egyptian Gold Mine Reveal the Human Toll of Ancient Wealth

The artifacts reveal the harsh working conditions in ancient Egyptian gold mines under the rule of the Ptolemaic dynasty.

Human History Margherita Bassi

WWI’s Famous Dazzle Camouflage Seemed Effective Due to Unexpected Optical Trick, Study Finds

A reanalysis of a 1919 study suggests that a separate illusion, the "horizon effect," played a bigger role in warping visual perception than dazzle paint.

Human History Margherita Bassi

Ancient Greek and Roman Statues Were More Than Eye Candy—They Were Also Perfumed

Thousands of years ago, Greco-Roman statues offered viewers a multi-dimensional experience that also called to our olfactory senses.

Human History Margherita Bassi

‘Microlightning’ May Have Sparked Life on Earth, New Research Suggests

The study supports a new take on a controversial hypothesis from the 1950s.

Physics & Chemistry Margherita Bassi

‘Old Stump’ in Texas Turns Out to Be Incredibly Rare Mammoth Tusk

The tusk may have belonged to a Columbian mammoth, an Ice Age species that disappeared over 11,000 years ago.

Biology Margherita Bassi

Black Holes Could Be Tunnels to White Holes, New Theory Suggests

Black hole singularities might be the beginning rather than an end, new research suggests.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi

New technique manipulates water waves to precisely control floating objects

Wild ‘Waterbending’ Technique Uses Waves to Steer Floating Objects With Precision

Researchers manipulated water waves to move ping pong balls with a level of precision that seems straight out of a sci-fi movie.

Physics & Chemistry Margherita Bassi

AI Sucks at Reading Clocks

Large language models still struggle with simple tasks like telling time.

Artificial Intelligence Margherita Bassi

Scientists Discover Troves of New Species at the Ocean’s Deepest Depths

Researchers descended more than 35,700 feet (10,900 meters) below sea level to collect biological samples that revealed surprising diversity. And also trash.

Biology Margherita Bassi

An Early Mass Extinction Event Cooked Our Planet and Erased Most Life

A new study reveals that Earth's biomes changed dramatically in the wake of mass volcanic eruptions 252 million years ago.

Earth Science Margherita Bassi

When It Comes to Unwanted Weight Gain, Humans and Labradors Have This in Common

New research suggests humans and labradors might be predisposed to gaining weight for similar reasons.

Health Margherita Bassi

Alaskan Volcano Likely to Erupt in the Next Weeks or Months, Experts Warn

Volcanologists at the Alaska Volcano Observatory have been monitoring volcanic unrest since April of last year.

Earth Science Margherita Bassi

This High School Rock Is Teeming With Dinosaur Footprints—but No One Noticed for Decades

A slab of rock at an Australian high school, a boulder in a parking lot, and a bookend in a private collection feature 200-million-year-old dinosaur footprints.

Biology Margherita Bassi

Astronomers Confirm 4 Rocky Exoplanets in Earth’s Backyard, Just 6 Light-Years Away

A new study finally sheds light on our mysterious cosmic neighbors and sets a planet-hunting record.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi

‘Whale Conveyor Belt’ Moves Tons of Nutrients Across the Ocean—Through Urine

When whales migrate from their cold feeding grounds to warmer breeding waters, they carry tons of nutrients in their urine.

Biology Margherita Bassi

An artistic illustration of an Otodus megalodon next to a diver.

Some Megalodons Reached 80 Feet—But They Weren’t Built Like Great Whites, Research Suggests

Researchers refined their size estimates of the prehistoric shark by studying the bodily proportions of 165 other shark species.

Biology Margherita Bassi

Scientists Kept People’s Eyes Open While They Slept, Revealing Surprising Brain Activity

A recent study observed sleeping participants' pupils during sleep, using a new method that could have implications for studying sleep disorders.

Biology Margherita Bassi

New Battery Harvests Energy From Radioactive Nuclear Waste

The battery uses solar power generated by crystals that emit light when they absorb radiation.

Physics & Chemistry Margherita Bassi

A ‘Real Super Female’: 310-Mile Stretch of Seaweed May Be World’s Biggest Clone

A female bladderwrack seaweed plant in the Baltic Sea propagated clones across hundreds of miles.

Biology Margherita Bassi

Margherita Bassi

Chewing Gum Releases Thousands of Microplastics Into Our Saliva, Researchers Find

Shackles Found in Egyptian Gold Mine Reveal the Human Toll of Ancient Wealth

WWI’s Famous Dazzle Camouflage Seemed Effective Due to Unexpected Optical Trick, Study Finds

Ancient Greek and Roman Statues Were More Than Eye Candy—They Were Also Perfumed

‘Microlightning’ May Have Sparked Life on Earth, New Research Suggests

‘Old Stump’ in Texas Turns Out to Be Incredibly Rare Mammoth Tusk

Black Holes Could Be Tunnels to White Holes, New Theory Suggests

Wild ‘Waterbending’ Technique Uses Waves to Steer Floating Objects With Precision

AI Sucks at Reading Clocks

Scientists Discover Troves of New Species at the Ocean’s Deepest Depths

An Early Mass Extinction Event Cooked Our Planet and Erased Most Life

When It Comes to Unwanted Weight Gain, Humans and Labradors Have This in Common

Alaskan Volcano Likely to Erupt in the Next Weeks or Months, Experts Warn

This High School Rock Is Teeming With Dinosaur Footprints—but No One Noticed for Decades

Astronomers Confirm 4 Rocky Exoplanets in Earth’s Backyard, Just 6 Light-Years Away

‘Whale Conveyor Belt’ Moves Tons of Nutrients Across the Ocean—Through Urine

Some Megalodons Reached 80 Feet—But They Weren’t Built Like Great Whites, Research Suggests

Scientists Kept People’s Eyes Open While They Slept, Revealing Surprising Brain Activity

New Battery Harvests Energy From Radioactive Nuclear Waste

A ‘Real Super Female’: 310-Mile Stretch of Seaweed May Be World’s Biggest Clone

Feds Sniffing Around Polymarket After Suspicious Bets

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

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