The migration that remade Africa
It's not easy to extract iron from its ore. But the peoples of the ancient city of Great Zimbabwe—the capital of a thriving kingdom in southern Africa between A.D.
Science
Rising cost of living tests UK's net zero ambitions
From floods to wildfires to heatwaves, 2026 is the year it became hard to ignore the impact of climate change on UK weather. But will soaring living costs affect the government’s commitment to tackling climate change?
COP31 opens with leaders under pressure to tackle climate crisis
The COP31 climate talks kicked off Monday with an early fight over money as the U.N.'s chief urged world leaders to "get serious" about tackling the crisis after a year of devastating weather extremes.
A hummingbird's brilliant magenta feathers depend on a hidden middle layer
The brilliant magenta feathers on the head and throat of a male Anna's hummingbird present an optical puzzle. Magenta cannot be produced by a single wavelength of light.
CT scanning the centuries-old head of Jeremy Bentham
Cutting-edge medical imaging techniques have revealed that Jeremy Bentham, the Georgian philosopher and reformer, suffered from chronic toothache and a jaw riddled with arthritis.
New Democratic Congress will likely strip the gilding from Trump's Golden Dome
"There’s no doubt that whatever it’s going to be called, it won’t be called Golden Dome."
Sell-side analysts fail to adequately adjust stock forecasts after Fed meetings
When the U.S. Federal Reserve announces a change in its interest rate, consumers expect shifts in borrowing costs elsewhere and potential price adjustments for things like housing and some consumer goods.
Common supplement could help fight psoriasis, scientists discover
Scientists have discovered that pantethine, a readily available vitamin B5 derivative, can calm overactive immune cells and may help fight psoriasis.
Optical experiment demonstrates the strong Mpemba effect in a single qubit
Typically, after a physical system is disturbed, it can gradually return toward a state of thermal equilibrium by exchanging heat with its surroundings. Thermal equilibrium is a state in which there is no net transfer of heat between the system and its surroundings.
Birds return to waterfowl park after oil vandalism
The vandalism of a nearby home heating oil tank resulted in the death of 13 birds from the park.
When your gut bacteria run out of fiber, they may start eating your gut lining
Scientists have discovered that gut bacteria can feed on the protective mucus lining your intestines, producing potentially harmful compounds, but fiber helps keep this activity in check.
A quantum breakthrough makes light behave like both a solid and a liquid
Scientists have observed a bizarre quantum state of matter that combines the structure of a crystal with the frictionless flow of a liquid, all at room temperature.
Scientists discover a surprising link between acorns and lyme disease
After more than 35 years of research, scientists have uncovered surprising clues about what really drives Lyme disease risk. Contrary to longstanding assumptions, deer populations appear less important than mice, which can fuel a 40% increase in tick numbers the following year.
A simple supplement may help clear brain fog after cancer
A surprising new study from UCLA suggests that a naturally occurring molecule could help breast cancer survivors overcome the frustrating brain fog and exhaustion that can linger long after treatment ends.
Caltech robot makes history by building a structure in space
For the first time, a robot has autonomously built part of a structure in space, demonstrating a breakthrough that could fundamentally change space exploration.
Crystals hint at a volcano's ability to erupt
University of Queensland researchers have shown tiny crystals are a window to activity inside volcanoes and could provide clues to when they might erupt.
'Burning': Life under the world's dirtiest skies
On the outskirts of India's capital, a short motorbike ride through the urban area with the world's worst air pollution leaves salesman Kanwar Singh coated in toxic dust.
NASA reveals bold new plan to return astronauts to the Moon in 2028
NASA has revealed an accelerated plan to land astronauts on the Moon in 2028, with SpaceX and Blue Origin developing competing lunar landers and a crucial orbital test scheduled for 2027.
Common osteoporosis drugs linked to 24% lower dementia risk in major study
A massive study of more than 120,000 older adults suggests that common osteoporosis drugs may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias by up to 24%.
Print commissioned by Nasa uncovered for exhibition
The Pop Art at Cartwright Hall exhibition tells the story of the British International Print Biennale.
How yesterday's waste is becoming tomorrow's fashion
Brands including Dr Martens, Nike and Coach are among those using recycled materials.
Charity wants bee, bird and butterfly population boost
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust aims to raise £70,000 for the project.
Hubble finds dwarf galaxies are missing most of their oxygen
Despite sacrificing people after catastrophic El Niño flooding, ancient societies were generally peaceful
To understand how societies might react to climate change, archaeologists look at social responses to extreme climate events in the past—and in some places, that included measures as drastic as human sacrifice.
Meteor — described as ‘Biggest ball of fire’ by shocked witnesses — lights up sky over Tennessee, NASA says
DNA on the Shroud of Turin reveals centuries of hidden secrets
The Shroud of Turin, one of history's most mysterious religious artifacts, is yielding surprising new clues through DNA analysis. Scientists have uncovered a complex mixture of biological traces that may reveal more about the cloth's past and the environments it encountered.
A little-known protein could be a major culprit in type 2 diabetes
Scientists have discovered that a buildup of a protein called Miro1 may be a hidden driver of insulin resistance in Type 2 diabetes, with preclinical experiments showing that removing it restores the muscles’ response to insulin.
A new clinical simulation model strengthens the empowerment and autonomy of nursing staff
To date, many of the methods used in clinical simulation have focused primarily on assessing technical skills and compliance with medical standards, often from a generic, interprofessional perspective.
Hidden climate superpower: Why some ocean “snow” carries six times more carbon
Scientists have discovered that the stickiness of underwater “marine snow” plays a surprisingly important role in how much carbon reaches the deep ocean.
Radiocarbon analysis uncovers possible traces of hidden earthquakes off Japan's coast
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have used a new type of radiocarbon analysis to study a sediment core taken from the Kumano Sea off the coast of Japan.