Scientists have uncovered evidence that the DNA of two previously unknown “ghost lineages” of extinct human populations still survives in people living today. One of these ancient groups appears to have contributed genetic material to...

A new study has reignited debate over one of geology’s most controversial ideas: that Earth’s biggest catastrophes—including mass extinctions, asteroid impacts, and massive volcanic eruptions—may occur on a surprisingly regular schedule. Published in the journal...

For centuries, the Amazon rainforest has been portrayed as an untouched wilderness with only scattered human settlements before European contact. A new archaeological study is challenging that long-held assumption. Using advanced laser mapping technology, researchers...

More than 80 years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, scientists have identified a previously unknown material created during the explosion, offering fresh insight into how matter behaves under some of the most extreme conditions...

A new study proposes that some of Earth’s largest geological and biological upheavals may follow a roughly 27-million-year cycle, potentially linked to the solar system’s motion through the Milky Way. The research, led by geologist...

A new theoretical study has explored what happens when a single photon interacts with a rapidly moving mirror, producing a surprising prediction: instead of behaving like a simple reflected particle, the quantum state can evolve...

For more than a century, one of cosmology’s biggest paradoxes has remained unresolved: if the second law of thermodynamics says the Universe is becoming increasingly disordered, how did it produce galaxies, stars, planets—and ultimately life?...

Humanity may once have spoken far more languages than exist today, according to a new study published in Science. Researchers estimate that the number of spoken and signed languages may have reached as many as...

Archaeologists in El Salvador have uncovered nearly 3,000-year-old human remains buried beneath layers of volcanic ash, offering a rare glimpse into one of Central America’s earliest known societies. The discovery, announced by the country’s Ministry...

The growing militarization of space, the rapid expansion of satellite networks, and increasingly compressed nuclear decision timelines could create dangerous new risks for global security, according to American physicist Laura Grego. In an interview with...