Latest scientific discoveries and research news
Excavations at Tambo Viejo, Peru, reveal a stunning Inka ritual practice: sacred coca leaves deliberately placed on sacrificed llamas. This discovery offers unprecedented insight into the ceremonial use of one of the Inka empire's most revered plants.
Explore the dramatic evolution of child car seats, from dangerous metal frames to today's rigorously tested, life-saving devices. Discover how innovations have drastically reduced child fatalities in car accidents.
Before vertebrate paleontology, medieval people interpreted fossils as remnants of giants, unicorns, and dragons, influenced by mythology and religious texts. This article explores how these beliefs, reinforced by discoveries of large bones, hindered the understanding of extinction and ancient life until scientific inquiry, notably by Cuvier, finally revealed the truth.
A new study in The Lancet Oncology reveals that infections cause 1 in 8 cancer cases worldwide, totaling 2.3 million in 2024. Four key pathogens—H. pylori, HPV, Hepatitis B, and EBV—are responsible for 92% of these cases, underscoring the critical role of vaccination and preventive measures.
AI's rapid progress in mathematics is challenged by a security crisis in formalisation tools. A staged bug exploit revealed vulnerabilities, prompting developers to bolster defenses against AI "cheating" and ensure the integrity of mathematical proofs.
A 120-million-year-old fossil, Dongoconodon platycauda, unearthed in China, displays reptile-like teeth that were replaced multiple times, defying the long-held mammalian trait of single tooth replacement. This semi-aquatic creature also possessed platypus-like feet and a streamlined body, offering new insights into early mammal evolution.
New mathematical models suggest that the unique chemical signatures in some ancient stars, previously attributed to rare hypernovas, could instead be explained by more common supernova explosions with uneven material distribution. This challenges the existence of hypernovas as a distinct phenomenon.
A rare sighting off Australia's coast shows a humpback whale mother lingering with her deceased calf, suggesting complex emotions like grief may extend to baleen whales, not just toothed whales.
Canada's CHIME telescope has independently measured dark energy using ancient hydrogen gas, a breakthrough for studying the universe's expansion. This cost-effective method, detailed in The Astrophysical Journal, could revolutionize cosmology.