
Science News Briefs from around the World: December 2023
The explosive secret behind Saturn’s rings, a Scandinavian arrow frozen for 4,000 years, the world's deepest-known virus, and much more in this month’s Quick Hits

Science News Briefs from around the World: December 2023
The explosive secret behind Saturn’s rings, a Scandinavian arrow frozen for 4,000 years, the world's deepest-known virus, and much more in this month’s Quick Hits

Machine Learning Creates a Massive Map of Smelly Molecules
Scientists can finally predict a chemical’s odor without having a human sniff it


The Oldest Deep-Sea Fish Discovered in Fossil Traces
Ancient fish followed prey into the crushing pressures of the deep ocean

Earth’s Earliest Rocks Forged by Colliding Tectonic Plates
Our planet’s crust has been shifting and sliding for four billion years, a new study suggests

Scientists Sequence DNA from a 3,000-Year-Old Brick
A chunk of a Mesopotamian palace revealed genes from dozens of ancient plants

This Molecule Is a Nanoscale Bulldozer
Researchers discovered that a heart-shaped molecule will jump in straight lines when given an electric jolt

These Male Stick Insects Aren’t ‘Errors’ After All
Some female stick insects can reproduce without males—but they have a secret

Drones and AI Could Locate Land Mines in Ukraine
An AI model could speed up laborious and dangerous demining efforts

Psychiatric Disorders Spike After Gun Violence
Survivors of gun violence, especially young ones, are often forgotten among those affected by such shootings, and they bear a substantial health burden over the following year

This Bat Uses Its Oversized Penis as an ‘Arm’ during Sex
Dozens of mating bats caught on video at a Dutch church reveal an unusual use for their "huge" penises

New Map Reveals Secrets of Io, the Solar System’s Most Volcanic Moon
The best-yet map of active volcanoes on Jupiter’s moon Io hints at a hidden magma ocean—and more

Is Snoozing the Alarm Good or Bad for Your Health?
New research suggests that hitting the snooze button to squeeze in an extra five or 10 minutes of sleep may actually be good for you