Mysterious Fossil Foot Belonged to Ancient Human That Lived Alongside ‘Lucy’
Newly identified bones tie the mysterious Burtele foot to a new Australopithecus species that lived alongside Lucy more than three million years ago
This fossil is rewriting the story of how plants spread across the planet
An enigmatic group of fossil organisms has finally been identified—and is changing the story of how plants took root on land
CDC to End Monkey Research Program
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s decision to end its monkey research program will affect studies involving some 200 macaques, and the fate of the animals is unclear
Nanocosmos Shows Nature’s Invisible Art
Artist Michael Benson reveals the hidden beauty of snowflakes, radiolarians and lunar rocks through stunning electron microscope images in his new book, Nanocosmos.
Meet the Weird and Wonderful Life-Forms That Can Survive in Space
The moss Physcomitrium patens joins tardigrades and thale-cress as a species that has survived in space
AI Uncovers Oldest-Ever Molecular Evidence of Photosynthesis
A machine-learning breakthrough could lift the veil on Earth’s early history—and supercharge the search for alien life
These birds learned to tweet like R2-D2. Listen to the uncanny results
This lovable Star Wars droid is helping to shed light on why some bird species are better at mimicking sounds than others
Oldest RNA in the World Extracted from Frozen Woolly Mammoth
RNA has been extracted from an ancient woolly mammoth, providing insight into its last moments on Earth
Raccoons Are Showing Early Signs of Domestication
City-dwelling raccoons seem to be evolving a shorter snout—a telltale feature of our pets and other domesticated animals
Dog Skull Analysis Rewrites Evolution of Humanity’s Best Friend
A surprising diversity of dog shapes and sizes evolved long before the Victorians began making modern breeds
Jeffrey Epstein E-mails Reveal Depth of Ties to High-Profile Scientists
A trove of e-mails from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was released by a congressional committee on Wednesday
This Cave Holds a Spider Web ‘Megacity’ the Size of Half a Tennis Court
This finding is the first documented case of colonial behavior between two solitary species of spider