News

·Science·2 days ago

Bowerbirds Are Stealing Cash, Plastic and Handcuffs for Love

Male great bowerbirds in urban areas are collecting human objects like cash, plastic, and handcuffs to attract mates, supplementing their traditional use of flowers and seeds that worked for millions of years.

World's largest scorpion had 6-inch pincers, and prowled UK land and waters 415 million years ago

Fossils of a giant scorpion discovered in the UK reveal a creature that lived 415 million years ago and may have reached 3 feet in length with 6-inch pincers, making it unusually large for its era.

U.S. Forest Service to Open Millions of Acres to Off-Road Vehicles

The U.S. Forest Service is opening millions of acres to off-road vehicle use, following President Trump's repeal of executive orders that previously protected public lands from vehicle access.

Flu drugs might fight cognitive decline seen in HIV, early study hints

An early study suggests flu antivirals may help reverse accelerated aging signs in people with HIV, though further research is needed to confirm the effects.

Venus and Jupiter are about to almost touch in the sky in one of 2026's best skywatching events

Venus and Jupiter will appear very close together in the night sky during June 9-11, 2026, in one of the year's best skywatching events. The planetary conjunction of the two brightest planets will be visible over several evenings.

The New World Screwworm Is Back. Here’s What That Means.

The New World screwworm, a parasitic pest, has returned to the United States, raising concerns among farmers and scientists about its agricultural and economic impact.

New Velociraptor cousin was a '4-winged' dragon that hunted prey from the trees of ancient China, fossil find hints

Paleontologists in China discovered a new microraptor species from the Cretaceous period that likely hunted ancient birds. The fossil reveals the dinosaur possessed four wings, suggesting it was an arboreal predator.

James Webb telescope detects most distant dormant black hole, invisible in all wavelengths and weighing as much as 6 billion suns

The James Webb Space Telescope detected the most distant dormant black hole ever observed, located over 10 billion light-years from Earth in a galaxy invisible across all wavelengths, with a mass equivalent to 6 billion suns.

Bernard Roizman, Virologist Who Demystified Herpes, Dies at 96

Bernard Roizman, a virologist who mapped the herpes simplex virus genome and advanced understanding of how it invades cells, has died at 96. His research contributed to developments in vaccines and gene therapies.

'Cannibal' CME from rare 'anti-Hale' sunspot will slam into Earth today, bringing auroras to 23 US states

A strong solar eruption from a rare sunspot will hit Earth today, bringing northern lights visible across 23 US states and Europe. The coronal mass ejection is expected to produce auroras in northern regions.

Gwynne Shotwell, Elon Musk’s No. 2 at SpaceX, Is the Company’s Steady Hand

Gwynne Shotwell, SpaceX's president and COO, serves as a stabilizing force under Elon Musk's leadership as the company prepares for a major initial public offering.

Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 70AZ review

A review of the Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 70AZ telescope, evaluating its performance for beginners and children viewing the moon, planets, and deep-sky objects.

Urban Light Pollution Might Be Worsening Allergies

New research indicates light pollution causes plants to shed pollen for extended periods and with greater intensity, potentially worsening allergies in urban areas.

NASA Says Goodbye to its Longtime Mars MAVEN Mission

NASA is decommissioning the MAVEN spacecraft after more than a decade of orbiting Mars. The mission has completed its extended study of the planet's atmosphere and magnetic environment.

Daddy longlegs may be capturing and devouring frogs in the tropical forests of South America

Researchers have observed daddy longlegs arachnids eating frogs in South American tropical forests, suggesting these creatures may prey on vertebrates despite their small size.

·Science·5 days ago·3 sources

Google wants to release 64 million bacteria-riddled mosquitoes across California and Florida. Here’s why scientists are enthusiastic.

Google has applied for permits to release 64 million mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria across California and Florida to reduce mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile virus.

Unusual Greenpeace Lawsuit May Proceed, Dutch Court Says

A Dutch court has ruled that Greenpeace International may proceed with a lawsuit arguing that Energy Transfer, an American pipeline company, filed a costly North Dakota suit to silence the environmental group.

Diagnostic dilemma: Doctors couldn't explain why a boy was bleeding from his eyes, ears and nose

Doctors diagnosed a rare medical condition in a boy who experienced bleeding from his eyes, ears, and nose—a condition documented fewer than 50 times in medical literature.

'Totally counterintuitive': Scientists accidentally discover magnetic fields around 7 distant planets, opening new window in the search for life

Scientists unexpectedly discovered magnetic fields around seven distant exoplanets while analyzing radio data, potentially providing new insights into planetary habitability and the search for life beyond Earth.

'It was very very good': Ötzi the Iceman's body is covered in ancient yeast — and scientists just used it to make a sourdough

Scientists cultivated four strains of ancient cold-adapted yeasts from Ötzi the Iceman's 5,300-year-old body and used them to make sourdough bread, according to a new study.