Science

Research Casts Doubt on Elliptical Galaxies Being Cradles of Intelligent Life

We live inside a spiral galaxy, but one school of thought suggests oval-shaped elliptical galaxies are most likely to host intelligent civilizations. A new paper tries to overturn this assumption by applying a classic philosophical technique used by scientists for centuries. New research published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society questions the life-supporting…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky May 1

Latest Coronavirus Science: Pinning Down the True Fatality Rate

Every day brings new scientific insights into covid-19 and the coronavirus that causes it. Here are some of the latest studies and developments, including research into the virus’s fatality rate and impacts on children. How extreme social distancing slowed China’s outbreak Most countries have implemented social distancing to keep covid-19 at bay, since there are…

Health Ed Cara May 1

Telescopes Around the World Pick Up Mysterious Radio Burst Coming From Our Own Galaxy

Astronomers just spotted an extremely bright burst of radio waves emanating from within our own galaxy. The surprising observation could help us understand the mystery behind these enigmatic emissions, known as fast radio bursts. Telescopes around the world are sharing data on electromagnetic radiation coming from the direction of a highly magnetic neutron star, called…

Space & Spaceflight Ryan F. Mandelbaum May 1

Elon Musk Tries to Stop Reporter’s Covid-19 Question During NASA Call, Saying ‘Move On’

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk attempted to deflect a reporter’s question during a NASA press conference yesterday, saying “move on.” The NASA press conference was announcing the contract winners for concepts to land astronauts on the Moon in 2024. SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Dynetics will receive millions from NASA to develop lunar lander concepts for the…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky May 1

NASA Will Pick One of These Three Astronaut Lander Concepts for 2024 Moon Mission

As NASA prepares to return humans to the Moon in 2024, the space agency has decided to take the private route, selecting three U.S. companies to develop an astronaut landing system. NASA announced yesterday that Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX will receive a combined $967 million in funding to develop a human landing system for…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky May 1

Meteorologists Describe ‘Gargantuan Hail’ From Epic Storm in Argentina

Two years ago, a severe storm in Argentina produced hailstones reaching 9 inches wide, prompting meteorologists to propose an entirely new term: “gargantuan hail.” Scientists don’t fully understand how such enormous balls of ice can take shape, but the 2018 storm is providing some tantalizing new clues. New research in the Bulletin of the American…

Earth Science George Dvorsky Apr 30

No Evidence of Coronavirus Reinfection, South Korean Officials Say

Some recovered covid-19 patients who again tested positive for the coronavirus likely weren’t reinfected after all. On Thursday, South Korean officials stated that there’s no evidence currently that the virus is reinfecting people in the country, and the test results that suggested reinfection were likely false positives finding dead virus particles. South Korea is one…

Health Ed Cara Apr 30

Three African Skeletons Found in Mexico Show Horrors of Early Slavery in the New World

Three skeletons belonging to African individuals have been uncovered at a mass grave in Mexico City. They represent some of the first African people to be forcibly relocated to the New World. An interdisciplinary analysis of these remains is shedding new light on this grim period of history and the harsh conditions endured by the…

Human History George Dvorsky Apr 30

The Scientists Who Won’t Give Up on the Warp Drive

For most of us, traveling faster than the cosmic speed limit—the speed of light—is a science-fiction fantasy that breaks the very foundation of modern physics. But in the eyes of an engineering undergrad at the University of Alabama in Huntsville named Joseph Agnew, it’s a theory worthy of study. The idea first came to Agnew…

Physics & Chemistry Rahul Rao Apr 30

It Could Take Decades for the Ocean Floor to Recover From Deep Sea Mining

A new study has found that the impacts of deep sea mining are still felt a quarter of a century later. As the need for metals like copper, nickel, and cobalt mount, some have looked to harvest them from a vast field of metal-rich rocks called polymetallic nodules in the Pacific. Yet there haven’t been…

Earther Ryan F. Mandelbaum Apr 29

‘Totally Absurd’: Spanish Officials Douse Beach With Bleach to Fight Coronavirus

A picturesque beach in the Spanish province of Cádiz has been sprayed with diluted bleach, in a misguided and environmentally unfriendly attempt to protect children from the novel coronavirus. “It’s totally absurd,” María Dolores Iglesias Benítez, head of a local environmental volunteer group, told the Guardian. “The beach is a living ecosystem. And when you…

Earther George Dvorsky Apr 29

Mass Grave of Elephant-Sized Sloths Poses Murky Mystery

Death might have taken weeks; it might have been days. But when it struck, it struck ruthlessly. Some 20,000 years later, the fossils of these enormous creatures would be found by chance. Many of the bones were disarticulated and had the type of gouges paleontologists would interpret as traces of trampling by other creatures after…

Biology Jeanne Timmons Apr 29

FDA to Allow Emergency Use of Experimental Drug as Studies Show Mixed Results for Treating Covid-19

A wave of results from studies involving remdesivir, an experimental antiviral being used to treat covid-19, has arrived today. The data so far doesn’t provide a concrete answer as to how effective or life-saving the drug truly is for coronavirus patients. Nonetheless, the New York Times reports that the Food & Drug Administration is set…

Health Ed Cara Apr 29

Well-Preserved Tail of Terrifying Aquatic Dinosaur Shows It Was a Formidable Swimmer

The discovery of a well-preserved Spinosaurus tail fossil is refining what we know about these ferocious carnivores, further affirming their role as aquatic hunters. Spinosaurs are among the most frightening dinosaurs to have ever lived, rivaling even tyrannosaurs in size. New research published today in Nature describes the discovery of a well-preserved Spinosaurus tail, unearthed…

Biology George Dvorsky Apr 29

Illustration: Denver Museum of Nature & Science/Andrey Atuchin.

‘Crazy Beast’ Fossil Discovered in Madagascar Reveals Bizarre Mammal From the Cretaceous

An incredible skeleton unearthed in Madagascar over 20 years ago has finally been studied in detail. The well-preserved bones reveal a “crazy beast” that was unlike any mammal living today. The creature belongs to a new genus and species called Adalatherium hui. Its genus name translates to “crazy beast,” while its species name honors researcher Yaoming…

Biology Ryan F. Mandelbaum Apr 29

What Viral Shedding Looks Like During a Covid-19 Infection

You’ve probably heard the term viral shedding at some point during the covid-19 pandemic. Here’s what it actually looks like and what it means. This incredible image was captured by Elizabeth Fischer, head of Rocky Mountain Laboratories, a National Institutes of Health research lab in Hamilton, Montana. Fischer has imaged all sorts of viruses over…

Health George Dvorsky Apr 29

Doctors in Europe Warn of Link Between Covid-19 and Toxic Shock Symptoms in Children

Doctors in Europe are warning that they’ve started to see an alarming rise of rare, life-threatening complications among children confirmed or suspected to have covid-19. However, it’s not certain how common these complications are or whether they’re necessarily connected to the novel coronavirus. On Tuesday, Reuters reported that health officials in the UK and Italy…

Health Ed Cara Apr 28

Image: NASA, ESA, D. Jewitt (UCLA), Quanzhi Ye (University of Maryland

Hubble Captures Incredible Images of Highly Anticipated Comet Breaking Up

The Hubble Space Telescope didn’t rest during its recent 30th anniversary celebration. Instead, it watched the comet C/2019 Y4 (ATLAS) fragment into at least 30 pieces. Last December, the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System discovered this comet, and astronomers soon realized it could put on a show the likes of which hadn’t been seen in…

Space & Spaceflight Ryan F. Mandelbaum Apr 28

Citizen Scientists Recreate Bronze Age Sword-Fighting Techniques to Uncover Ancient Combat Secrets

By recreating prehistoric one-on-one sword fighting and analyzing the ensuing damage inflicted onto replica weapons, experimental archaeologists are shedding new light onto ancient combat techniques and the advanced skills required to be a Bronze Age warrior. Previous investigations into the use of Bronze Age weapons either applied experimental techniques, such as recreations of combat, or…

Human History George Dvorsky Apr 28

First U.S. Dog Tests Positive for Coronavirus

Amid more reports of pets and other animals testing positive for the new coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its guidelines on social distancing this month to include our furry companions. However, there’s no evidence that pets are playing a major role in spreading the virus to people. Earlier this month, officials…

Health Ed Cara Apr 28

Research Casts Doubt on Elliptical Galaxies Being Cradles of Intelligent Life

Latest Coronavirus Science: Pinning Down the True Fatality Rate

Telescopes Around the World Pick Up Mysterious Radio Burst Coming From Our Own Galaxy

Elon Musk Tries to Stop Reporter’s Covid-19 Question During NASA Call, Saying ‘Move On’

NASA Will Pick One of These Three Astronaut Lander Concepts for 2024 Moon Mission

Meteorologists Describe ‘Gargantuan Hail’ From Epic Storm in Argentina

No Evidence of Coronavirus Reinfection, South Korean Officials Say

Three African Skeletons Found in Mexico Show Horrors of Early Slavery in the New World

The Scientists Who Won’t Give Up on the Warp Drive

It Could Take Decades for the Ocean Floor to Recover From Deep Sea Mining

‘Totally Absurd’: Spanish Officials Douse Beach With Bleach to Fight Coronavirus

Mass Grave of Elephant-Sized Sloths Poses Murky Mystery

FDA to Allow Emergency Use of Experimental Drug as Studies Show Mixed Results for Treating Covid-19

Well-Preserved Tail of Terrifying Aquatic Dinosaur Shows It Was a Formidable Swimmer

‘Crazy Beast’ Fossil Discovered in Madagascar Reveals Bizarre Mammal From the Cretaceous

What Viral Shedding Looks Like During a Covid-19 Infection

Doctors in Europe Warn of Link Between Covid-19 and Toxic Shock Symptoms in Children

Hubble Captures Incredible Images of Highly Anticipated Comet Breaking Up

Citizen Scientists Recreate Bronze Age Sword-Fighting Techniques to Uncover Ancient Combat Secrets

First U.S. Dog Tests Positive for Coronavirus

Anker’s EufyMake E1 Finally Brings Printers Out of the Dark Ages

OpenAI Says Elon Musk Is ‘Injecting Chaos’ with Recent Legal Maneuver

Google Displayed Polymarket Bets as News ‘In Error,’ Google Says

‘Marvel Rivals’ Wants to Start Being More Than Just a Hero Shooter

‘How Do We Make Sure That Claude Behaves Itself?’: Anthropic Invited 15 Christians for a Summit

See the Next ‘Hunger Games’ in This Trip Down Memory Lane

Indie Animation Is Having a Moment on YouTube

Trump’s World Liberty Financial Makes FTX-esque Move, Borrows Against Its Own Crypto Token

This Loud-Ass Party Speaker Almost Got Me High AF

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

Let us help find what you are looking for...