SCIENCE
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These bizarre fossils represent some of the earliest moving, sexually reproducing life ever discovered
May 20, 2026 3 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm These bizarre fossils represent some of the earliest moving, sexually reproducing life ever discovered New trove of fossils reveals that ancestral animals likely emerged in the deep sea By Jack Tamisiea edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier A paleoartist’s interpretation of what a newfound fossil site’s deep-sea ecosystem looked like…
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Did Homo erectus and Denisovans mate? Tooth proteins hint at ancient trysts
It is well known that human relatives interbred: Homo sapiens with Neanderthals, Neanderthals with Denisovans, Denisovans with Homo sapiens. Now there is evidence for another ancient tryst, between Denisovans and Homo erectus. That’s according to an analysis of ancient proteins extracted from the teeth of six H. erectus individuals that lived in China 400,000 years ago. The work, published in…
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Can helium-3 create a ‘gold rush’ on the moon?
Since time immemorial, humans gazing up at the moon have asked grand questions. Where did it come from? Why does it wax and wane? Is it made of cheese? We now have responses to most of these (“a giant impact,” “orbital phases” and “no, sadly,” respectively). But as an international 21st-century lunar race intensifies, one pragmatic query remains: How can…
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See the National Park Service’s newest canine rangers
May 11, 2026 3 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm See the National Park Service’s newest canine rangers Sled dogs have worked alongside humans for thousands of years. In the harsh Alaskan winter they remain the best option for traversing the snowy landscape By K. R. Callaway edited by Claire Cameron The five puppies born in Denali National Park…
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U.S. neutrino megaproject takes shape in abandoned gold mine
The U.S.’s most ambitious particle physics project ever is one step closer to reality. The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will be a giant in both budgetary and basic science terms: A cavernous, multibillion-dollar Department of Energy facility one mile below the town of Lead, S.D., that will serve as a catcher’s mitt for ghostly particles, called neutrinos, beamed from…
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Why some mathematicians think we should abandon pi
May 5, 2026 4 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm Why some mathematicians think we should abandon pi A growing minority believes it’s a mistake to tie so many mathematical formulas to the famed 3.14… value. Another value, tau, could be better By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas Antonio Iacobelli/Getty Images This article is from Proof Positive, our…
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Why the FDA rejected a ‘breakthrough’ melanoma drug
For patients whose skin cancer doesn’t respond to traditional treatments, a new drug called RP1 has been a lifeline—at least for those who can get into a clinical trial. The drug has shown so much promise in such trials that, at the end of 2024, its development was placed on a fast track, with all signs pointing to a speedy…
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What happened after the fall of Rome? Ancient genomes offer new clues
April 29, 2026 2 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm What happened after the fall of Rome? Ancient genomes offer new clues A genomic analysis of people buried on the border of the ancient Roman Empire show how distinct groups combined after the empire’s fall By Emma Gometz edited by Claire Cameron The skull of an early medieval woman,…
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‘Staggering’ number of people believe unproven claims about vaccines, raw milk and more
More than two-thirds of the public believe at least one false or unproven health claim — such as the idea that taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism — a new survey finds. The results hint that a large, and potentially growing, number of people are questioning scientific evidence. The survey, of more than 16,000 people across 16 countries, asked whether…
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‘Kraken’ fossils show enormous, intelligent octopuses were top predators in Cretaceous seas
April 23, 2026 3 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm ‘Kraken’ fossils show enormous, intelligent octopuses were top predators in Cretaceous seas Fossil jaws from colossal octopuses place them at the top of a prehistoric marine food chain By Kate Wong Giant octopuses may have been apex predators in the Late Cretaceous period. Yohei Utsuki: Department of Earth and…
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