Once-crowded city streets are now empty. Highway traffic has slowed to a minimum. And fewer and fewer people can be found milling about outside. Global containment measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus have seemingly made the world much quieter. Scientists are noticing it, too. Around the world, seismologists are observing a lot less…… MORE
It’s a banner week for ancient humans. A multitude of studies are revealing intriguing new details, silencing debates about our ancient human ancestors, and strengthening their connections to modern humans. Timelines are being pushed back, mysteries are solved and details of everyday life are revealed. Even though ancient human ancestors differ in many ways from…… MORE
Mice, unlike most people, cannot force a smile or disguise their disgust (as far as we know). Most of us may not have realized that their tiny, fuzzy faces can muster an emotional expression at all. But a group of German neurobiologists have proven mice can, in fact, express emotions — and they play out…… MORE
Astronomers have long studied supermassive black holes and smaller black holes that form when massive stars implode, but they have searched for intermediate-mass black holes for years. Now, thanks to observations by the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have found their “missing link” to understand how black holes evolve. They were able to confirm the observation…… MORE
Marine life in the world’s oceans could recover to healthy levels in the next thirty years if decisive and urgent action is taken, an international review has found. A team of scientists from around the world found marine life to be “remarkably resilient” despite damage caused by human activity and interference, they said in a…… MORE
When scientists find microbial life thriving in some of the most extreme environments on Earth, it gives them hope that they may be able to find life on other planets. Now, researchers have discovered billions of bacteria living in tiny cracks in volcanic rocks beneath the ocean floor, more than nine miles below the surface…… MORE
The largest waterfall in Ecuador has seemingly vanished after a sinkhole swallowed part of its water source. San Rafael Waterfall on the Coca River was a prominent tourist attraction for the country, and according to NASA, drew tens of thousands of people every year. The water dropped 150 feet into a crater-like opening on the…… MORE
The Wizarding World just got bigger. “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling has launched an online Potter hub to keep children educated and entertained during the coronavirus pandemic. “Harry Potter at Home” brings together a number of resources related to the international franchise, including free access to the audiobook version of the first installment in the…… MORE
If you’ve ever seen a production of “West Side Story,” you’ll be familiar with gangs of males, clicking their fingers in synch while seeing off rivals or prowling for a mate. Up until now, scientists believed that humans were the only animals that worked together, synchronizing their actions and noises with their friends. But some…… MORE
When dinosaurs roamed the Earth 90 million years ago, the planet was much warmer, including Antarctica at the South Pole. But in a surprising twist, researchers have discovered evidence that Antarctica also supported a swampy rainforest at the time, according to a new study. Researchers captured a slice of the seafloor using a drill rig…… MORE
