Science

The scientists have been keeping a watchful eye on small pieces of radioactive uranium that appear to be the cause of some star bursts we’re seeing in the sky. As dwarf stars die it’s been seen that small amounts of radioactive settle to the bottom of the star. This then causes the cooling dead stars to form what’s much like a snowflake. This snowflake is full of radioactive … [Read more...] about How Radioactive Stars Burst into Flames

There’s a group of butterflies known as the Atala butterfly and its five closest relatives have been known to be poisonous. A poisonous butterfly isn’t something one typically thinks of when looking at these beautiful winged creatures, but this fairly recent discovery has scientists studying the caterpillars that eventually turned into these poisonous butterflies. When … [Read more...] about Discovery of How a Group of Caterpillars Turned Poisonous

Fossilized remains of an ancient lizard uncovered in the Italian Alps could completely alter the reptile family tree, according to a new study published in the journal Nature. The species -- known as Megachirella wachtleri -- existed during the Triassic period some 240 million years ago. The small lizard-like animal is significant because it is the … [Read more...] about Oldest Known Lizard Fossil Uncovered in Italian Alps

Scientists have discovered a new ocean zone located off the coast of Bermuda that is harboring more than 100 new species. Researchers discovered the new zone during a research mission to Bermuda undertaken by Nekton—the British charity for Ocean Exploration, report India Sturgis and Sarah Knapton for The Telegraph. Because the waters of Bermuda are well-studied, the … [Read more...] about Scientists Discover 100 New Species In the Rariphotic Zone Off the Coast of Bermuda

While mantis shrimp are best known for their incredibly powerful punches, new research from scientists at the University of Bristol shows the small crustaceans have some of the most unique eyes on Earth. The animals' eyes -- which sit on the end of long stalks -- rotate independently in all directions and always know which way is up. That includes even if the shrimp are spun … [Read more...] about Mantis Shrimp Have Extremely Unique Eyes

An ancient artifact known as the Shigir Idol is likely one of the oldest art samples on Earth, according to a new study published in the journal Antiquity.  Gold prospectors working in Russia first found the relic -- known as the Shigir idol -- in 1894. However, though more than a century has passed since that time, dating the item has proven to be a real challenge. Now, thanks … [Read more...] about Shigir Idol Is One of the World’s Oldest Art Pieces

A series of ancient fossils reveal our ancestors once tracked and hunted giant ground sloths, a new study published in Science Advances reports. The footprints -- which were analyzed by researchers from various U.S. universities -- were found 10 years ago at the White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. Though the human prints first caught the researchers’ eyes, they soon … [Read more...] about Ancient Footprints Tell a Tale of Early Hunters

At the end of the Cretaceous period 66 million years ago, mammals took over as the largest creatures on land. However, around 125,000 years ago during the late Pleistocene, these megafauna started disappearing, writes Ed Yong for The Atlantic. Today they are all gone, and according to a new study by Felisa Smith from the University of New Mexico, the blame lies with humans … [Read more...] about Human Progress Has Led to the Collapse of the Largest Land Mammals

Sea turtle fossils unearthed in Alabama come from a never before seen species that dates back to the Late Cretaceous epoch, according to new research published in the journal PLOS ONE. Scientists have long believed that modern day sea turtles all come from one ancestor of the Peritresius clade that lived during the Late Cretaceous epoch some 100 … [Read more...] about New Sea Turtle Ancestor Uncovered in Alabama

A mass extinction event paved the way for dinosaurs to take over Earth, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Communications. While there is plenty of research on the way dinosaurs died out, there is very little information on how they first came to be. In the new study, a group of scientists from the University of Bristol set out to shed light on that … [Read more...] about Mass Extinction Allowed Dinosaurs to Thrive, Study Reports

Scientists have determined the coloration of a 200-million-year-old insect, a new study published in Science Advances reports. In the research, a group of international scientists successfully determined the color of an ancient butterfly wing by looking at wavelength-selective scattering patterns. This is important because, unlike pigments, structural colors are not easy to … [Read more...] about Fossilized Wings Shed Light on Butterfly Evolution

A decade of fossil evidence uncovered and analyzed by researchers at the University of Washington sheds new light on the Triassic period, according to new research set to be published in the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. A mass extinction rocked the Earth roughly 252 million years ago. Shortly after, animals -- including early mammals and the first dinosaurs -- … [Read more...] about Mass Fossil Collection Provides Insight Into Ancient Time Period