A hidden network of earthquake faults running beneath Seattle may be far more active than scientists realized. New research reveals that smaller “secondary” faults in the Seattle Fault Zone appear to rupture roughly every 350 years — much more often than the massive main fault that has long worried geologists.
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Antarctic glacier collapses at record speed as Hektoria retreats 15 miles in just 15 months
Antarctica’s Hektoria Glacier collapsed with shocking speed, retreating 15 miles in only 15 months and setting a modern record for grounded ice loss. Scientists say warming conditions and ocean-driven instability turned the glacier from seemingly stable to rapidly unraveling almost overnight.
Plant believed extinct for 60 years suddenly reappears
A random photo snapped in the Australian outback has led to the rediscovery of a plant thought extinct for nearly 60 years — proving that ordinary people with smartphones are quietly transforming science. After bird bander Aaron Bean uploaded pictures of a strange shrub to iNaturalist, botanist Anthony Bean immediately...
Scientists think they’ve cracked the mystery of human right-handedness
A new study suggests humans became overwhelmingly right-handed because of two major evolutionary shifts: walking on two legs and developing much larger brains. Researchers found that as human ancestors evolved, their right-hand preference steadily intensified — transforming a mild tendency into one of humanity’s most distinctive traits.
Stunning fossil discovery in Ethiopia rewrites human origins
A stunning fossil discovery in Ethiopia shows that early Homo and a previously unknown Australopithecus species lived together around 2.6 to 2.8 million years ago. The find overturns the classic “ape-to-human” progression and paints human evolution as a crowded, branching tree with multiple species coexisting. Scientists dated the fossils using...
Scientists discover hidden “brakes” that stop massive earthquakes
A mysterious underwater fault near Ecuador has been producing nearly identical magnitude 6 earthquakes every five to six years, baffling scientists for decades. Researchers now believe the fault contains hidden “brake zones” where seawater and unusual rock structures work together to stop quakes from becoming even larger. The discovery came...
Scientists discover tiny gut particles that may drive aging and chronic disease
A new study suggests microscopic particles from the gut may actively drive inflammation and chronic diseases associated with aging. Remarkably, gut particles from young animals appeared to counter some aging-related damage in older animals, hinting at new possibilities for future treatments.
Scientists discover giant “last titan” dinosaur, Southeast Asia’s largest ever
A massive new dinosaur discovered in Thailand is rewriting Southeast Asia’s prehistoric history. The newly named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis was a colossal long-necked sauropod that weighed around 27 tonnes and lived more than 100 million years ago. Scientists believe it may be the last giant sauropod ever to roam the region...
A grad student’s wild idea sparks a major aging breakthrough
A casual conversation between graduate students helped spark a breakthrough in aging research at Mayo Clinic. Researchers discovered that tiny synthetic DNA molecules called aptamers can selectively attach to senescent “zombie cells,” which are linked to aging, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease. The method could eventually help scientists identify and target...
Paleontology rocked by discovery of organic molecules in 66-million-year-old dinosaur bones
Scientists have uncovered compelling evidence that dinosaur fossils may still contain traces of their original proteins, overturning a long-standing belief that fossilization destroys all organic material. In a remarkably well-preserved Edmontosaurus fossil from South Dakota, researchers detected remnants of collagen — the main protein found in bone — using advanced...