Science
“Science is fun. Science is curiosity. We all have natural curiosity. Science is a process of investigating. It’s posing questions and coming up with a method. It’s delving in.”
Earth will briefly have a second ‘mini moon’ this autumn
Earth’s gravitational pull will cause a trapped asteroid to orbit around planet for about two months.
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Source. theguardian.com, 19.09.2024
Pair of huge plasma jets spotted blasting out of gigantic black hole
Streams are the largest ever seen, measuring 23m light years and with combined power of trillions of suns.
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Source. theguardian.com, 18.09.2024
Lizards use nostril bubbles to breathe underwater and evade predators, researchers find
Water anoles jump into streams when threatened and produce a bubble that helps them stay underwater for up to 20 minutes.
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Source. theguardian.com, 18.09.2024
There Might Be More Than One Way to Make a Planet
Astronomers have found evidence of a process that supports an alternative, more rapid approach to planetary formation, more top down than bottom up.
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.09.2024
‘Entire ecosystem’ of fossils 8.7m years old found under Los Angeles high school
Researchers find two sites with fossils including saber-toothed salmon and megalodon, the huge prehistoric shark.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.09.2024
Polaris Dawn astronauts complete first commercial spacewalk
Two astronauts have completed the first commercial spacewalk and tested slimmed-down spacesuits designed by SpaceX, in one of the boldest attempts yet to push the boundaries of privately funded spaceflight.
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Source. theguardian.com, 12.09.2024
Scientists find seismic role in formation of large gold nuggets
Forces unleashed by quakes squeeze quartz enough to generate electric fields, driving formation of deposits.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.09.2024
Polaris Dawn mission blasts off with plans for first commercial spacewalk
Privately funded five-day mission by four astronauts led by US billionaire launches on SpaceX rocket from Florida.
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Source. theguardian.com, 10.09.2024
Experience: we discovered a rare T rex fossil
My hands were shaking. It was the first time a person had touched it and the first time it had been seen in 66 million years
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Source. theguardian.com, 06.09.2024
Why Do Apes Make Gestures?
Chimps and other apes have been observed making more than 80 meaningful gestures. Three theories have tried to explain why.
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Source. nytimes.com, 06.09.2024
Jupiter’s moon Ganymede was struck by asteroid bigger than dinosaur-killing rock
Impact may have caused largest moon in solar system to swing on its axis, say scientists.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.09.2024
Scientists find seismic role in formation of large gold nuggets
Forces unleashed by quakes squeeze quartz enough to generate electric fields, driving formation of deposits.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.09.2024
Dogs can remember names of toys years after not seeing them, study shows
Research into canine cognition suggests some pets store object names in long-term memory.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.09.2024
Under a Frozen Army Base, He Found Incredible Fossils
In a new book, geologist Paul Bierman recounts the moment he found astonishing evidence that Greenland’s ice sheet had melted in the ancient past.
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Source. nytimes.com, 21.08.2024
How Did the First Cells Arise? With a Little Rain, Study Finds.
Researchers stumbled upon an ingredient that can stabilize droplets of genetic material: water.
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Source. nytimes.com, 21.08.2024
Ancient Tablets Foretold Doom Awaiting Babylonian Kings
A new translation of cuneiform relics from the second millennium B.C. highlights the warnings that astrologers saw in eclipses.
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Source. nytimes.com, 24.08.2024
These Fossils Are Found All Over, but What Made Them Was a Mystery
Scientists in Brazil identified marine worms that made at least some trace fossil burrows called Bifungites.
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Source. nytimes.com, 22.08.2024
Early Humans Left Africa Much Earlier Than Previously Thought
Scientists have found evidence of several waves of migration by looking at the genetic signatures of human interbreeding with Neanderthals.
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Source. nytimes.com, 11.07.2024
The Chimps Who Learned to Say ‘Mama’
Old recordings show captive chimps uttering the word, which some scientists believe may offer clues to the origins of human speech.
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Source. nytimes.com, 25.07.2024
How Did Roses Get Their Thorns?
The “prickles,” as botanists call them, evolved in roses and other plants thanks to a single gene, a new study found.
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Source. nytimes.com, 01.08.2024
Move Over, Robots: Sea Lions With Cameras Can Map the Ocean Floor
Daphne, Phoebe, Iris and Pasithea demonstrated how marine mammals can help scientists understand mysterious places that humans may never visit.
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Source. nytimes.com, 07.08.2024
Fish That School Together Save Energy, Study Finds
Like Olympic cyclists, fish expend less effort when swimming in tight groups than when alone. The finding could explain why some species evolved to move in schools.
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Source. nytimes.com, 01.08.2024
Unusual Origin Found for Asteroid That Killed the Dinosaurs
A study adds strong evidence to the hypothesis that the deadly rock came from a family of objects that originally formed well beyond the orbit of the planet Jupiter.
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Source. nytimes.com, 15.08.2024
Ancient Scribes Got Ergonomic Injuries, Too
The scriveners of ancient Egypt were more than papyrus pushers, but they suffered many of the same repetitive ailments as desk jockeys today, a new study suggests.
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Source. nytimes.com, 16.08.2024
Beware the Toxic and Explosive Blue Backpack This Termite Carries
Scientists studied the unusual chemical reaction used by a species of the insect in an act of self-sacrifice to save nests from invaders.
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Source. nytimes.com, 15.08.2024
For Stonehenge’s Altar Stone, an Improbably Long Ancient Journey
A six-ton megalith at the heart of the archaeological site traveled more than 450 miles to get there, a new study concludes.
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Source. nytimes.com, 14.08.2024
This Spider Uses a Light Show to Trick Eager Male Fireflies Into Its Web
In China, the arachnids seem to somehow manipulate the flashing of a caught male firefly to resemble a female’s come-hither signal.
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Source. nytimes.com, 19.08.2024
Fossils Show Giant Predatory Sea Scorpions Were Distance Swimmers
Specimens of what appear to be the largest eurypterid species found in Australia could shed light on the sudden extinction of the massive arthropods.
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Source. nytimes.com, 16.08.2024
Scientists Seeking Life on Mars Heard a Signal That Hinted at the Future
In 1924, a radio receiver built for the battlefields of World War I tested the idea that humans were not alone in the solar system, heralding a century of searches for extraterrestrial life.
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Source. nytimes.com, 20.08.2024
Strange and wondrous creatures: plankton and the origins of life on Earth
Without plankton, the modern ocean ecosystem – the very idea of the ocean as we understand it – would collapse. Earth would have no complex life of any kind.
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Source. theguardian.com, 20.08.2024
Technicolour skies glow across Australia and NZ as solar flares trigger aurora australis
Observations of spectacular southern lights phenomenon recorded from Tasmania and Melbourne to Western Australia.
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Source. theguardian.com, 31.07.2024
‘Dark oxygen’ in depths of Pacific Ocean could force rethink about origins of life
Charged metallic lumps found to produce oxygen in total darkness in process akin to how plants use photosynthesis.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.07.2024
‘Million year old’ moa footprints discovered in Northland could be washed away in weeks
Moa footprints from “one million years ago” have been discovered in Northland, but are expected to be washed away within two weeks.
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Source. stuff.co.nz, 21.07.2024
The universe is built a lot like a giant brain – so is it conscious?
Research has found the universe is remarkably similar in structure to the human brain. But does this mean the cosmos has a consciousness of its own?
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Source. newscientist.com, 25.06.2024
Could this be New Zealand’s next dark sky reserve?
An increase in visitors hoping to catch the southern lights has resulted in a call for the Catlins to be made a dark sky reserve.
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Source. theguardian.com, 18.07.2024
Signs of two gases in clouds of Venus could indicate life, scientists say
Separate teams find evidence of phosphine and ammonia, potential biomarkers on planet whose surface reaches 450C.
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.07.2024
Underground cave found on moon could be ideal base for explorers
Researchers find evidence for cave accessible from surface – which could shelter humans from harsh lunar environment.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.07.2024
MOTAT's hopes to capture school holiday crowds with new exhibit
Auckland's Museum of Transport and Technology is trying to make science, engineering and mathematics more fun for kids with a massive new facility.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.07.2024
Archaeological survey detects Roman villas and iron age farmsteads in Shropshire
National Trust ground-scanning technology maps new features close to site of Roman city of Wroxeter.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.07.2024
Fangs and toilet seat-shaped head: giant salamander-like fossil found in Namibia
About 2.5 metres long, creature was an apex predator 280m years ago, before age of dinosaurs, say scientists.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.07.2024
‘Once-in-a-lifetime event’: rare chance to see explosion on dwarf star 3,000 light years away
T Coronae Borealis, or the Blaze star, was last seen in 1946 and will be visible again some time between now and September.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.07.2024
Oldest known picture story is a 51,000-year-old Indonesian cave painting
New dating technique finds painting on island of Sulawesi is 6,000 years older than previous record holder.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.07.2024
Ants can carry out life-saving amputations on injured nest mates, study shows
Research on carpenter ants provides first example of a non-human animal severing limbs to curb infections.
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Source. theguardian.com, 02.07.2024
Rocket launch pads may operate from Kaitorete Spit near Christchurch
Kaitorete Spit is being considered as a site for multiple launch pads by a joint venture.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 03.07.2024
Rocket Lab offers 'heartbroken' students tour after Nasa trip abruptly cancelled
Rocket Lab is stepping in to fill the vacuum that more than a dozen students find themselves in after their space camp dreams came crashing down.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 17.06.2024
US astronomer Dr Michael Brown's search for Planet Nine
US astronomer Dr Michael Brown's theory of a ninth planet, lurking on the very edge of our Solar System, is gaining momentum.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.06.2024
‘The only limit is our imagination’: Tim Peake on what living in space taught him about life on Earth
Nine years after his first trip to outer space, Tim Peake is ready to blast off once again. He talks about preparing for the first all-British space mission – and setting his sights on Mars.
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Source. theguardian.com, 09.06.2024
‘We’re trying to find the shape of space’: scientists wonder if the universe is like a doughnut
Rather than stretching to infinity and beyond, the universe may have a topology that can eventually be mapped.
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Source. bbc.com, 08.06.2024
Earth-sized planet discovered by researchers
Scientists at the University of Warwick say they have been part of an international team to discover a new habitable Earth-sized planet.
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Source. bbc.com, 24.05.2024
Earliest-known galaxy, spotted by Webb telescope, is a beacon to cosmic dawn
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has spotted the earliest-known galaxy, one that is surprisingly bright and big considering it formed during the universe's infancy - at only 2 percent its current age.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 03.06.2024
Boeing launches NASA astronauts for the first time after years of delays
Boeing launched astronauts for the first time, belatedly joining SpaceX as a second taxi service for NASA.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 06.06.2024
Three boys left ‘completely speechless’ after finding T rex bone in North Dakota
Trio hit upon the bone, which was likely entombed about 67m years ago, in July 2022 on a stretch of land around Marmarth.
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Source. theguardian.com, 04.06.2024
In their prime: how trillions of cicadas pop up right on time – podcast
Right now, across much of the midwestern and eastern US, trillions of cicadas are crawling out from the soil.
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.05.2024
Detectorist unearths bronze age hoard after getting lost on treasure hunt
John Belgrave, 60, uncovered rare sword, axe head and bangle in Dorset after becoming separated from group.
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Source. theguardian.com, 30.05.2024
Babbling babies may be warming up for speech, say scientists
Squeals and growls tend to occur in groups, finds study of infants aged up to 13 months.
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Source. theguardian.com, 29.05.2024
$10m prize launched for team that can truly talk to the animals
AI expected to help researchers unlock two-way communication, say team that includes Tel Aviv University.
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Source. theguardian.com, 30.05.2024
Northern lights illuminate skies in US and Canada – in pictures
Rare sightings of aurora borealis in North America as atmospheric phenomenon fills overnight skies from California to Ontario.
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Source. theguardian.com, 11.05.2024
Earth-sized planet spotted orbiting small star with 100 times sun’s lifespan
Speculoos-3b, 55 light years away, is only second planetary system to be found around an ultra-cool red dwarf.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.05.2024
Euclid telescope spies rogue planets floating free in Milky Way
Wandering worlds are seen deep inside Orion nebula, a giant cloud of dust and gas 1,500 light years away.
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Source. theguardian.com, 23.05.2024
Potentially habitable planet size of Earth discovered 40 light years away
Queensland- and Scotland-based PhD students co-lead team celebrating ‘Eureka moment’ spotting Gliese 12b.
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Source. theguardian.com, 24.05.2024
Rocket Lab puts first of two NASA polar satellites into space
Rocket Lab says it has successfully launched the first stage of a NASA climate change-focused mission from the North Island's East Coast.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 26.05.2024
Starwatch: red jewel of Antares meets silvery charm of the moon
Moon will be highly illuminated when it rises in a pas de deux with the brightest star in Scorpius.
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Source. theguardian.com, 20.05.2024
World’s only lungless frog species actually does have lungs after all
The rare Bornean flat-headed frog was thought to be the only frog with no lungs, but we now know it has very, very tiny ones.
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Source. newscientist.com, 20.05.2024
Why are there so many rogue planets and what do they look like?
Estimates suggest there are trillions of free-floating worlds in our galaxy alone. Most of them will be frozen planets like Pluto, but some might be warmer – and possibly even habitable.
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Source. newscientist.com, 20.05.2024
Earth’s Magnetic Field Nearly Collapsed 600 Million Years Ago. Then, Weird and Complex Life Evolved
A new study suggests more solar radiation reached Earth while the magnetic field weakened, leading to a rise in oxygen that drove an explosion of multicellular organisms during the Ediacaran Period.
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Source. smithsonianmag.com, 15.05.2024
Black holes observed colliding when universe was only 740m years old
Glimpse of galactic merger, via James Webb telescope, may explain presence of monster black holes.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.05.2024
Fungal foray-ing and the search for new antibiotics
Could the answer to the global problem of antibiotic resistant bacteria be in our backyard? It’s a question being given serious time and consideration by Dr Siouxsie Wiles and Dr Bevan Weir, with help from fungi enthusiasts around Aotearoa.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 16.05.2024
Tenet
Professor Bill Williams, MacDiarmid Institute Principal Investigator and Professor in Biophysics and Soft Matter at Massey University talks us through the science of Tenet, the 2020 sci-fi film directed by Christopher Nolan.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 17.05.2024
Scientists map Lake Wānaka to better understand natural disaster risks
Lake Wānaka has been mapped in intricate detail by scientists to better understand the risk of earthquakes and tsunamis.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 16.05.2024
Solar storm exciting rather than scary, says physics expert
An expert helping prepare New Zealand for the impacts of solar storms says Earth is in the middle of a pretty seriously big geomagnetic storm right now, but he stresses it is not an extreme event.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 11.05.2024
Rare geomagnetic storm sparks power grid alerts around the world, stunning auroras in the sky
A rare geomagnetic storm caused by solar activity put power and communications systems around the world on alert on Saturday.
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Source. stuff.co.nz, 11.05.2024
Scientists find 57,000 cells and 150m neural connections in tiny sample of human brain
Harvard researchers teamed up with Google to analyse the makeup of the brain, much of which is not yet understood.
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Source. theguardian.com, 09.05.2024
Ferocious solar storm could give US rare view of northern lights
Large sunspot cluster has produced several moderate to strong solar flares since Wednesday morning, Noaa says.
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Source. theguardian.com, 10.05.2024
Video of sun’s surface shows solar rain, eruptions and coronal moss
Ethereal scenes of flowing super-heated material may help explain why atmosphere is hotter than surface.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.05.2024
‘We live in a golden time of exploration’: astronomer Lisa Kaltenegger on the hunt for signs of extraterrestrial life
Austrian astronomer Lisa Kaltenegger has spent her life hunting for signs of life in the universe. Here she talks about aliens, space exploration and why studying cosmology is like eating pizza.
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Source. theguardian.com, 27.04.2024
Mysterious Roman dodecahedron to go on display in Lincoln
There are no known descriptions or drawings of object in Roman literature, making its purpose unclear.
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Source. theguardian.com, 29.04.2024
Astronauts could run round ‘Wall of Death’ to keep fit on moon, say scientists
Researchers suggest cylinder to prevent astronauts losing muscle mass in low gravity environment.
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Source. theguardian.com, 01.05.2024
Much of NZ 'dotted' with little-known volcanoes, scientist reveals
Most New Zealanders are familiar with our big volcanoes like Ruapehu and Taranaki - but there are lesser-known volcanoes "dotted" over much of the country, a scientist has revealed.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 27.04.2024
After an absence of 71 years, the green-tinged ‘Devil comet’ returns to Australian skies
While 12P/Pons-Brooks may not be as famous as Halley’s, its appearance close to Jupiter is causing great excitement for stargazers.
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Source. theguardian.com, 19.04.2024
Physicist Claudia de Rham: ‘Gravity connects everything, from a person to a planet’
The scientist on training as a diver, pilot and astronaut in order to understand the true nature of gravity, and what happens at the centre of a black hole.
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.04.2024
Huge, fearsome … and slender: rethink megalodon body shape, experts say
Researchers suggest image of prehistoric giant based on proportions of great white shark could be mistaken.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.01.2024
Astronomers discover Milky Way’s biggest stellar black hole – 33 times mass of sun
BH3 spotted when scientists chanced upon star in Aquila constellation ‘wobbling’ under its gravitational force.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.03.2024
Try something new to stop the days whizzing past, researchers suggest
Researchers find memorable images make time feel slower because we are trying to gather more information about them.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.03.2024
Voyager 1 transmitting data again after Nasa remotely fixes 46-year-old probe
Engineers spent months working to repair link with Earth’s most distant spacecraft, says space agency.
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Source. theguardian.com, 23.03.2024
‘An enigma’: scientists finally learn what giant prehistoric shark looked like
Full and part skeletons found in Mexico reveal body shape and anatomy of Ptychodus as well as its likely diet.
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Source. theguardian.com, 27.03.2024
Rare traces of tooth decay and gum disease found in Bronze Age teeth
Keeping our teeth clean has been a pain for thousands of years, with some particularly painful methods historically used to take care of our chompers.
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Source. popsci.com, 27.03.2024
Kiwi students off to NASA to work on hunt for alien life
The top brass of NASA have visited Parliament to celebrate five New Zealand students being awarded scholarships to intern at the prestigious space agency.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 15.03.2024
Watch: Nasa, Rocket Lab launch solar sail from Hawke's Bay
Nasa has launched its new solar sail mission from the Māhia Peninsula in Hawke's Bay. Once at a Sun-synchronous orbit, about 1000 km above Earth, the spacecraft will deploy its sails and use the pressure of sunlight for propulsion, instead of rocket fuel.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 24.04.2024
Fossil of ‘largest snake to have ever existed’ found in western India
Fossil vertebrae unearthed in a mine in western India are the remains of one of the largest snakes that ever lived, a monster estimated at up to 15 metres in length – longer than a T rex.
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Source. theguardian.com, 18.04.2024
Fossils found in Somerset by girl, 11, ‘may be of largest-ever marine reptile’
Experts believe remains belong to a type of ichthyosaur that roamed the seas about 202m years ago.
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.04.2024
Astronomers discover Milky Way’s biggest stellar black hole – 33 times mass of sun
BH3 spotted when scientists chanced upon star in Aquila constellation ‘wobbling’ under its gravitational force.
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Source. theguardian.com, 16.04.2024
Plantwatch: why does a rainforest vine turn into a part-time carnivore?
Scientists have finally discovered why this remarkable plant becomes hungry for bugs
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.04.2024
Bumblebee species able to survive underwater for up to a week
Bumblebees might be at home in town and country but now researchers have found at least one species that is even more adaptable: it can survive underwater.
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Source. theguardian.com, 17.04.2024
Rare lunar event to shed light on Stonehenge’s links to the moon
The rising and setting of the sun at Stonehenge, especially during the summer and winter solstices, continues to evoke joy, fascination and religious devotion.
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.04.2024
Total solar eclipse: A 4-minute window into the universe's secrets
Eclipse fever is building. Millions in North America are hoping to spend around four minutes in total darkness as the Moon blocks the Sun's light on Monday (Tuesday NZ time).
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 07.04.2024
Total solar eclipse to sweep across Mexico, the US and Canada
The moon will pass directly in front of the sun, exposing ghostly traces of the sun’s atmosphere.
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Source. theguardian.com, 01.04.2024
UK genetics project looks for lost apple varieties to protect fruit in climate crisis
Heritage orchard at RHS Rosemoor to be sampled this spring as part of search for previously unrecorded ‘survivor’ cultivars.
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Source. theguardian.com, 23.03.2024
Two nights of broken sleep can make people feel years older, finds study
Beyond simply feeling decrepit, perception of being older can affect health by encouraging unhealthy eating and reducing exercise.
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Source. theguardian.com, 27.03.2024
Dogs can understand the meaning of nouns, new research finds
Study confirms our canine companions can grasp more than simple commands – or at least for items they care about.
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Source. theguardian.com, 22.03.2024
New gadgets for Marlborough’s Omaka Observatory
As the early autumn evenings start to draw in, staff at the Omaka Observatory are hoping the longer nights will draw Marlborough’s stargazers out.
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Source. stuff.co.nz, 25.03.2024
Searchers may have found New Zealand’s 10th meteorite
Searchers in the Mackenzie Country believe they may have found New Zealand's 10th meteorite.
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Source. stuff.co.nz, 21.03.2024
New Zealand could be billions of years older than first thought, geologists say
Kiwi geologists have discovered New Zealand could be billions of years older than previously thought.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 17.03.2024
Science: Ladybug's chemical warfare, handwriting brain boost
Science commentator Allan Blackman looks at how the mealybug ladybird uses carminic acid to scare off an attack from ants, and the new research that's found it "steals" it from an invasive bug that came to Spain via the Americas. How did it adopt this defence? A new study backs up the theory that handwriting is beneficial for absorbing information and why is adapting to daylight savings so hard? Allan Blackman is a Professor of Chemistry, School of Science, Auckland University of Technology.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 19.03.2024
What’s found on Earth, Mars and Satan’s biggest moon Titan?
Scientists unearth mysteries of giant, moving Moroccan star dune
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Source. The Guardian, 04.03.2024
What fish makes a sound as loud as a gunshot?
Scientists discover how Danionella cerebrum, measuring width of adult human fingernail, can create noises exceeding 140 decibels
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Source. The Guardian, 27.02.2024
Watching the weather in the far southern seas
As part of their expedition to South Georgia, the young New Zealanders continued Antarctic explorers’ tradition of meticulous data collection, by recording rare weather observations from this remote destination.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 22.02.2024
Deep sea exploration: what’s it like to take a trip on a submersible?
Submersibles allow us to witness the wonders of the depths of our planet like nothing else. But after the OceanGate disaster, how safe are they? Cal Flyn goes aboard…
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Source. The Guardian, 10.03.2024
Colorado could bring back wolverines in an unprecedented rewilding effort
Move would be the first return of the animal in North America and is part of ongoing effort to restore native species
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Source. The Guardian, 09.03.2024
Patagonia cave paintings are earliest found in South America
Move would be the first return of the animal in North America and is part of ongoing effort to restore native species
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Source. reuters.com, 08.03.2024
Stone tools in Ukraine offer oldest evidence of humans in Europe
A dating method based on cosmic rays has identified stone tools found in western Ukraine as the oldest-known evidence of human occupation in Europe - 1.4 million years ago
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Source. reuters.com, 07.03.2024
People with tails? No, because of this ancient genetic mutation
Director James Cameron's "Avatar" movies are populated by a species of outsized blue beings resembling humans, except with tails.
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Source. reuters.com, 29.02.2024
Pest-free tomatoes: could the dream finally be coming true?
Anthony and Angela Tringham, who grow heirloom tomatoes commercially under the brand Curious Croppers, have two main greenhouses in Clevedon, Auckland where they produce their fruit.
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Source. stuff.co.nz, 06.03.2024
Darwin’s plant specimens stored for 200 years to go on public display
Specimens collected on Voyage of the Beagle have been unearthed at Cambridge University archive
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Source. theguardian.com, 15.03.2024
I discovered a cavefish that we named ‘big sickness’ – for good reason
Unexplored caves can be scary, home to crocodiles, huge eels or tarantulas, but we can also find incredible new life in there
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.12.2023
Let forests grow old to store huge volume of carbon – study
Report says cutting emissions should still be key priority as it cautions against mass monoculture tree-planting
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Source. theguardian.com, 13.11.2023
Should forests have rights? – podcast
A growing movement of ecologists, lawyers and artists is arguing that nature should have legal rights.
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Source. theguardian.com, 19.03.2024
Astronomers detect ‘waterworld with a boiling ocean’ in deep space
Significant discovery, made by James Webb telescope, provokes disagreement over conditions on planet’s surface
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Source. The Guardian, 08.03.2024
Huge, bitey, freakishly ugly: is this the world’s nastiest prehistoric reptile?
Khinjaria acuta was bigger than a great white shark, with blade-like teeth and awesome jaws. Just as well it died out 67m years ago
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Source. The Guardian, 06.03.2024
‘I can speak to millions. There’s a power to that’: naturalist Steve Backshall
The infectious enthusiasm of the host of the wildly popular children’s television show Deadly 60 has educated a generation.
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Source. The Guardian, 17.09.2023
Earliest-known 'dead' galaxy spotted by Webb telescope
The James Webb Space Telescope since becoming operational in 2022 has uncovered numerous surprises about what things were like in the universe's early stages. We now can add one more - observations of a galaxy that was already "dead" when the universe was only 5% of its current age.
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Source. reuters.com, 07.03.2024
Hey, chocolate lovers: new study traces complex origins of cacao
Scientists are getting a better taste of the early history of the domestication and use of cacao - the source of chocolate - thanks to residues detected on a batch of ancient ceramics from South and Central America.
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Source. reuters.com, 08.03.2024
Archaeologists in Egypt unearth section of large Ramses II statue
Scientists are getting a better taste of the early history of the domestication and use of cacao - the source of chocolate - thanks to residues detected on a batch of ancient ceramics from South and Central America.
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Source. reuters.com, 05.03.2024
Hunting for New Zealand's 10th meteorite
The hunt is on for New Zealand's 10th meteorite - and it could be sitting on your back doorstep.ca.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 11.03.2024
Kittens and blue cod could have more in common than you think
A kitten chasing a laser is one of life’s simple pleasures, but scientists have found another creature that likes to have the same kind of fun.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 15.03.2024
I discovered a tiny frog that lives its whole life inside one plant
Everyone told me there is no water on top of this Brazilian mountain, there won’t be any frogs. Now I’ve dedicated my life to preserving this incredible species
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Source. theguardian.com, 25.01.2024
I discovered a tiny 700-year-old forest within sight of North America’s busiest highway
I realised other ancient trees could have survived, right under our noses. In France, they discovered one tree that had started growing before the Romans left
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Source. theguardian.com, 14.12.2023
Is going to bed at 9pm the secret to happiness? My week of sleeping like a gen Zer
Young people are increasingly heading to bed early and getting almost 10 hours of sleep. But how do they nod off – and are they missing out on anything?
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.2.2023
Goalkeepers perceive the world differently, study suggests
Goalies’ brains appear able to merge signals from different senses more quickly, say researchers.
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Source. theguardian.com, 09.10.2023
Watch live: Millions across North America await total solar eclipse
The first total solar eclipse to grace North America in seven years made landfall in Mexico on Tuesday (NZT) as millions of skywatchers gazed upward for the start of a celestial display at least partially visible, weather permitting.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 09.04.2024
Keep winning at tennis? You may see more images each second, scientists say
Elite athletes and professional gamers may have higher than average visual temporal resolution, research suggests.
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Source. theguardian.com, 01.04.2024
Moon Standard Time? Nasa to create lunar-centric time reference system
Space agency tasked with establishing Coordinated Lunar Time, partly to aid missions requiring extreme precision.
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Source. theguardian.com, 03.04.2024
AI to track hedgehog populations in pioneering UK project
National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme aims to understand why population has declined
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Source. theguardian.com, 25.03.2024
Scientists name newly discovered ancient amphibian species after Kermit the Frog
Kermitops gratus are thought to be among first true amphibians and a key step in transition of life from water to land.
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.03.2024
‘Truth behind the myths’: Amazon warrior women of Greek legend may really have existed
Excavations of bronze age graves have found battle-scarred female archers, says the historian Bettany Hughes
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Source. theguardian.com, 24.03.2024
Scientists find skull of enormous ancient dolphin in Amazon
Fossil of giant river dolphin found in Peru, whose closest living relation is in South Asia, gives clues to future extinction threats
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Source. theguardian.com, 21.03.2024
"Fizziology is phun"
Ever wondered why the heart is associated with love, how it beats relentlessly without thought of mind, or why your physical fitness changes your resting heart rate? Understanding how the body works is "physiology" and Julian Paton is a passionate physiologist who insists "Fizziology is phun".
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 19.03.2024
Shower Thoughts: Who owns outer space?
Space law expert Dr Maria Pozza told Nights it was one of the most asked questions she received, and she was sure other space lawyers around the world would frequently encounter the question, too.
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Source. rnz.co.nz, 19.03.2024