Why did the world suddenly become obsessed with the northern lights? It seems like not a week goes by without news of solar flares and, very often, a forecast for auroras in their wake. So are the northern lights being seen from farther south than usual? Or are people merely noticing them more? Here’s why…
The extinction of the Neanderthals is one of the most intriguing mysteries in paleoanthropology, with researchers speculating everything from shifts in the climate to war with modern humans may have escalated their demise. Many have wondered if our lost human cousins simply didn’t have enough variety to cope with these changes. A new study backs…
Giant panda bears evolved away from other bear species about 20 million years ago. Though they have similar characteristics, like body shape and digestive system, they greatly differ in preferred diets. Most bear species will happily feast on meat, fish, and berries, while pandas tend to stick to bamboo. A new study published in Frontiers…
Humanoid robots are supposed to be our loyal assistants, but we saw another side to them the other day. Chinese robot manufacturer Unitree was demonstrating its latest H1 robots at a lantern festival in the city of Taishan, Guangdong province, when one walked up to the crowd barrier and seemed to lunge at an elderly…
Very few painkillers are safe to use during pregnancy, and yet one of the only available options has become embroiled in an international debate in recent years. Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is generally considered to be the safest painkiller to use during pregnancy, and yet emerging research that has linked the drug to attention…
Late is better than never for the ‘Blaze Star’ T Coronae Borealis. It was on track to be the top astronomical event for 2024… and here we are in 2025, still waiting. You might remember around this time last year, when a notice went out that T Coronae Borealis (‘T CrB’) might brighten into naked…
Intense heat generated by Mt. Vesuvius’ eruption turned one victim’s brain to glass. While gruesome, the finding published in the journal Scientific Reports, lends insight into the chaotic events that fatal day in A.D. 79. Although the eruption was a singular event, it killed people in multiple manners. Many Pompeii people suffocated from breathing in…
If this story raises concerns or you need to talk to someone, please consult this list to find a 24/7 crisis hotline in your country, and reach out for help. Doctors are often celebrated as heroes, but they are just as human as the rest of us. A concerning new study in the US has…
An Atlantic puffin Alex Cooper Photography/Shutterstock Last July I visited Bempton Cliffs, a nature reserve on the north-east coast of England managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Throughout the spring and summer, around half a million seabirds nest on the precipitous chalk cliffs, making a cacophonous riot that is one of…
You may think of Vikings as warriors raiding and ransacking Medieval European villages. But this image of Viking hordes embarking on sea voyages with the sole purpose of pillaging is changing with new discoveries that reveal extensive trade networks spanning Europe and beyond. Experts are revealing entirely different relationships built on the exchange of a…