Evidence of “snowball Earth” found in ancient rocks
An outcrop in Scotland has material from when the Earth went into a deep freeze. Enlarge / Artist's conception of the state of the Earth during its global glaciations. (credit: NASA) Earth has gone through many geologic.....»»
These are the lasting things that Half-Life 2 gave us, besides headcrabs and crowbars
Beyond the game itself (which rocks), Half-Life 2 had a big impact on PC gaming. It's Half-Life 2 week at Ars Technica! This Saturday, November 16, is the 20th anniversary of th.....»»
Standing Desks Are Better for Your Health—but Still Not Enough
Two recent studies offer some of the most nuanced evidence yet about the potential benefits and risks of working on your feet......»»
NASA satellites reveal abrupt drop in global freshwater levels
An international team of scientists using observations from NASA-German satellites found evidence that Earth's total amount of freshwater dropped abruptly starting in May 2014 and has remained low ever since. Reporting in Surveys in Geophysics, the r.....»»
Genes of ancient animal relatives used to grow a mouse: Study reveals hidden history of stem cells
An international team of researchers has achieved an unprecedented milestone: the creation of mouse stem cells capable of generating a fully developed mouse using genetic tools from a unicellular organism, with which we share a common ancestor that p.....»»
Ancient climate study links past ocean acidification to current trends
A research team led by Prof. Li Mingsong at Peking University has provided new insights into the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and its effects on ocean chemistry......»»
Study uncovers earliest evidence of humans using fire to shape the landscape of Tasmania
Some of the first human beings to arrive in Tasmania, over 41,000 years ago, used fire to shape and manage the landscape, about 2,000 years earlier than previously thought......»»
The Arecibo Message, Earth’s First Interstellar Transmission, Turns 50
In 1974 we beamed a radio transmission into space that changed the way we think about our place in the cosmos.....»»
Troubled waters: How to stop Australia"s freshwater fish species from going extinct
Three-quarters of Australia's freshwater fish species are found nowhere else on the planet. This makes us the sole custodians of remarkable creatures such as the ornate rainbowfish, the ancient Australian lungfish and the magnificently named longnose.....»»
Study confirms Egyptians drank hallucinogenic cocktails in ancient rituals
A University of South Florida professor found the first-ever physical evidence of hallucinogens in an Egyptian mug, validating written records and centuries-old myths of ancient Egyptian rituals and practices. Through advanced chemical analyses, Davi.....»»
Solar wind power likely governs Uranus" thermosphere temperature
Uranus's upper atmosphere has been cooling for decades—and now scientists have shown why. Observations from Earth have shown Uranus' upper atmosphere has been cooling for decades, with no clear explanation......»»
NASA tests new AI chatbot to make sense of complex data
NASA has partnered with Microsoft to develop an AI-powered chatbot aimed at making sense of vast amounts of Earth-related science data......»»
Elon Musk teases sixth Starship flight test with video of spectacular catch
Ahead of the Starship's sixth test flight, SpaceX boss Elon Musk has shared a spectacular video showing the massive booster being caught on its return to Earth......»»
Electric field signals reveal early warnings for extreme weather, study reveals
A new study led by Dr. Roy Yaniv from the Institute of Earth Sciences at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Sheba Medical Center, in collaboration with Dr. Assaf Hochman from The Hebrew University and Prof. Yoav Yair from Reichmann University, ha.....»»
Happy Martian New Year!
The Martian new year arrives with the Red Planet’s vernal equinox. Explaining why requires a deep dive into celestial mechanics and Earth’s calendrical history.....»»
Water under Threat, Wooden Satellites and a Mud Bath for Baseballs
Droughts in 48 of 50 U.S. states, evidence of microplastics mucking up wastewater recycling and the science of a baseball mud bath in this week’s news roundup......»»
You probably haven’t heard of Meanwhile on Earth. It’s only 2024’s best sci-fi movie
In a year filled with great pictures like Dune: Part Two and Furiosa, the best sci-fi movie of 2024 might just be this little-seen film from France......»»
Scientists compile library for evaluating exoplanet water
By probing chemical processes observed in the Earth's hot mantle, Cornell scientists have started developing a library of basalt-based spectral signatures that not only will help reveal the composition of planets outside of our solar system but could.....»»
Scientists identify flaw in astrophysics models of massive stars and supernovae
An international team of researchers has uncovered evidence that astrophysics models of massive stars and supernovae are inconsistent with observational gamma-ray astronomy......»»
Meteorite contains evidence of liquid water on Mars 742 million years ago
An asteroid struck Mars 11 million years ago and sent pieces of the red planet hurtling through space. One of these chunks of Mars eventually crashed into the Earth somewhere near Purdue University and is one of the few meteorites that can be traced.....»»
Planet saw its 2nd-warmest October in 175-year record: 2024 on pace to be world"s warmest year on record
Earth saw another unusually warm month, with October 2024 ranking as the second-warmest October in NOAA's 175-year global climate record......»»