discoveries

Read the latest news stories about recent scientific discoveries on Newser.com

Stories 301 - 320 | << Prev   Next >>

Crocodiles Perk Up When They Hear a Human Baby Cry
Crocodiles Perk Up When
They Hear a Human Baby Cry
new study
Aug 14, 2023 10:50 AM CDT

Crocodiles Perk Up When They Hear a Human Baby Cry

It could mean lunch is near, but the responses also were sometimes protective

(Newser) - Scientists have discovered that crocodiles become very interested when they hear a human baby wailing. The grim reality is that in most cases, the crocs quickly investigate the source of the cries because they think a meal is at hand, reports the New York Times . That is, the cries are...

NASA Spots Grape Disease Early, From the Sky
NASA Spots Grape Disease
Early, From the Sky
New Study
Aug 13, 2023 2:20 PM CDT

NASA Spots Grape Disease Early, From the Sky

Innovation could be a huge benefit to vineyards

(Newser) - Up to 30% of global grape harvests fall prey to pathogens including bacteria, mold, and viruses each year. Now, the Sacramento Bee reports that there's hope on the horizon: Researchers using tech from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab detected early signs of a grape disease before it could...

The Real Count Dracula May Have Cried Bloody Tears
The Real Count Dracula
May Have Cried Bloody Tears
new study
Aug 11, 2023 11:54 AM CDT

The Real Count Dracula May Have Cried Bloody Tears

Scientists have the peptides to prove it

(Newser) - The brutal 15th-century ruler Count Vlad Draculea may or may not be the inspiration for the fictional Dracula, but he had a blood-themed quirk of his own: Scientists say he likely cried tears tinged with blood. In the journal ACS Analytical Chemistry , researchers say they analyzed three letters written by...

Get Your 10K Steps? Don&#39;t Sweat It if Not
When It Comes to Steps,
10K Is Not a Magic Number
new study
Aug 9, 2023 12:31 PM CDT

When It Comes to Steps, 10K Is Not a Magic Number

Study suggests that 4K is enough to convey health benefits

(Newser) - Ten thousand has become something of a magic number among people who count their daily steps for health reasons. A new study adds to the evidence that the figure is arbitrary, suggesting that 4,000 steps are enough to convey benefits, reports the BBC . That's not to say people...

Weight-Loss Drug May Cut Heart Risks, Too
Study May Change Coverage
for Weight-Loss Drugs
new study
Aug 8, 2023 11:12 AM CDT

Study May Change Coverage for Weight-Loss Drugs

Maker of Wegovy cites heart benefits, which could pressure insurers to start covering

(Newser) - A new study suggests the popular weight-loss drug Wegovy might cut the risk of heart disease as well. If the study is confirmed—and it hasn't yet been peer-reviewed—the results could pressure insurers to start covering the pricey drug, reports the New York Times . Maker Novo Nordisk charges...

This Guy Might've Been the Heaviest Animal Earth's Seen

Meet the long-extinct Perucetus colossus

(Newser) - There could be a new contender for heaviest animal to ever live. While today's blue whale has long held the title, the AP reports that scientists have dug up fossils from an ancient giant that could tip the scales. Researchers described the new species—named Perucetus colossus, or "...

What&#39;s Blind, Glassy, and Has 486 Legs?
LA's Newest Discovery
Is Blind, Has 486 Legs
NEW STUDY
Jul 31, 2023 9:20 AM CDT

LA's Newest Discovery Is Blind, Has 486 Legs

Meet the Los Angeles thread millipede, found near a Starbucks and a freeway

(Newser) - The City of Angels, a metropolis of freeways and traffic, has a newly discovered species named in its honor: the Los Angeles thread millipede. The tiny arthropod was found just underground by naturalists at a Southern California hiking area—near a freeway, a Starbucks, and an Oakley sunglasses store. About...

It's Blinked in Space Every 22 Minutes for 30 Years

Astronomers never spotted unusual magnetar because they didn't expect it to be there

(Newser) - Writer Aldous Huxley said "consistency is contrary to nature." He'd maybe never heard of neutron stars or fast radio bursts. A study noted by Gizmodo and published in Nature found that a rotating neutron star with a powerful magnetic field, or a magnetar, has puzzled astronomers since...

Depressed Adults See Higher Risk of Dementia as Seniors

Large study sees a link, though not an explanation as to why

(Newser) - Young adults and those in middle age who are dealing with depression appear to have a higher risk of another serious issue later in life: dementia. A new study in JAMA Neurology found that those diagnosed with depression between the ages of 18 and 59 were 2.4 times more...

Orca Moms Fight for Sons Even Into Old Age
Older Orca Moms
Defend Sons in Fights
New Study
Jul 30, 2023 12:00 PM CDT

Older Orca Moms Defend Sons in Fights

Males have less injuries in the presence of mothers, even after moms' menopause

(Newser) - Orca moms look after their sons for a surprisingly long time, a new study suggests. Researchers from the UK's University of Exeter found that killer whales who have passed through menopause will defend their adult male offspring in fights, though they don't appear to provide the same protection...

Researchers Cast Doubt on a Popular Loch Ness Theory

Study rejects the idea that the 'monster' is a giant eel

(Newser) - Score one for the mystery of the Loch Ness monster. A popular theory emerged in recent years suggesting Nessie is merely a giant eel, not some elusive creature of the deep. But a new study all but rejects the possibility, per Science Alert . In the journal JMIRx Bio , data scientist...

After 46K Years, Possibly Extinct Worm Awoke, Reproduced
Worm Took
46K-Year Nap,
Then Woke Up
and Got Busy
NEW STUDY
Jul 28, 2023 4:05 PM CDT

Worm Took 46K-Year Nap, Then Woke Up and Got Busy

It's the longest recorded period of cryptobiosis in nematodes by far

(Newser) - Scientists have revived a possibly extinct microscopic worm that survived in Siberian permafrost for nearly 50,000 years. Nematodes, better known as roundworms, were found inside a fossilized squirrel burrow some 130 feet underground near Siberia's Kolyma River in 2002, per the Wall Street Journal . Scientists successfully resuscitated the...

She May Have Carved Path for an Ancient Warrior Queen
Researchers: This
Ancient Warrior
Was No Man
NEW STUDY
Jul 27, 2023 10:35 AM CDT

Researchers: This Ancient Warrior Was No Man

Grave of female on UK island of Bryher suggests women had leading roles in warfare 2K years ago

(Newser) - When archaeologists came across a a 2,000-year-old grave on an island off the coast of Britain in 1999, they were confused. Inside lay a sword and shield, typically buried with men, and a brooch and mirror, typically buried with women, reports the Guardian . DNA testing failed to tell archaeologists...

The Ocean Is Changing Color
The Ocean Is
Changing Color
new study
Jul 24, 2023 12:02 PM CDT

The Ocean Is Changing Color

Scientists detect shift in most of world's oceans, and they point the finger at a warming climate

(Newser) - The ocean's color isn't what it used to be. In a study in Nature , scientists say they've detected a color shift in 56% of the world's oceans over the last 20 years, reports Space.com . And while seawater can be a variable thing, the pace of...

These Sea Mammals Can Never Live on Land Again
These Sea Mammals
Can Never Live on Land Again
New Study
Jul 23, 2023 2:45 PM CDT

These Sea Mammals Can Never Live on Land Again

New study is good news for anyone fearing the orcas are coming for their cars, too

(Newser) - Anyone surprised by recent news of orcas attacking boats might be relieved to know that scientists have determined these massive mammals have evolved to the point where they can never migrate back to land. The same applies to all whales and dolphins, and, in fact, all "fully aquatic" mammals,...

&#39;I&#39;ve Never Seen a Fossil Like This Before&#39;
'I've Never Seen
a Fossil Like This Before'
new study
Jul 18, 2023 12:33 PM CDT

'I've Never Seen a Fossil Like This Before'

Find in China shows a mammal attacking a small dinosaur

(Newser) - An unusual find in China suggests some early mammals may have hunted dinosaur for dinner, per the AP . The fossil shows a badgerlike creature chomping down on a small, beaked dinosaur, their skeletons intertwined. The find comes from a site known as "China's Pompeii," where mud and...

Historians Get Rare, Uncensored Peek at Elizabeth I

British Library uses imaging technology to uncover pages of old account of her reign

(Newser) - As Elizabeth I lay on her deathbed in 1603, she chose King James VI of Scotland to succeed her on the British throne. Or at least that has been the long-accepted version of history recorded in the first official account of her reign, William Camden's Annals. Now, however, some...

Your Car's Biggest Source of Pollution Isn't the Tailpipe

Studies point to tires and brakes as the bigger culprits

(Newser) - Scientists researching the way vehicles spew potentially dangerous pollutants into the environment have reached some surprising conclusions about the culprits. The Washington Post reports your car's exhaust pipe isn't the only source of harmful particulates; brake and tire emissions are a problem too, and a growing one....

A Known Antibiotic Could Be a Fierce Weapon in STI Fight

Doxy-PEP has shown promise at preventing new infections in studies involving men

(Newser) - The inexpensive antibiotic doxycycline has been around for years—but new research indicates it may be more versatile than previously known. NPR reports that when taken within 72 hours of condomless sex, studies have shown that doxy-PEP (that's short for post-exposure prophylaxis) may protect against contracting sexually transmitted infections....

A Fortune in Gold Emerges From Kentucky Cornfield
Buried Treasure's Significance
Is 'Hard to Comprehend'
in case you missed it
Jul 16, 2023 11:55 AM CDT

Buried Treasure's Significance Is 'Hard to Comprehend'

More than 800 Civil War-era coins emerge from Kentucky cornfield

(Newser) - At first glance, the video appears to show your average pile of dirt. Then a breathless man points to what lies beneath layers of dirt and dust in his Kentucky cornfield: dozens upon dozens of gold coins, unearthed from the spot they've sat hidden for more than 150 years....

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