Scientists have discovered a planet that could have the good conditions to support life, and it is one of the closest known planets around Earth. The planet, called GJ 3378b, is about 25 light-years away, which is very close to the Milky Way galaxy. It is about twice the size of Earth and orbits its […]
Deep in Niger’s Ténéré Desert once stood what was widely regarded as the world’s loneliest tree, an umbrella thorn acacia that survived for around 300 years despite having no other tree within roughly 400 kilometres. Hidden beneath the scorching Sahara, its roots stretched more than 30 metres underground to reach precious groundwater, allowing it to […]
A seismic wave generated by Japan’s devastating 2011 magnitude 9.0 Tohoku-Oki earthquake travelled nearly 2,900 kilometres to the boundary of Earth’s core, reflected back about 13 minutes later and shifted the entire country eastward by roughly six millimetres, according to a study published in the journal Science. The movement was far too small for anyone […]
Nanoplastics found in Antarctic soils for first time, suggesting long-range atmospheric transport Scientists have detected nanoplastics in Antarctic soil for the first time. This provides fresh evidence that tiny plastic particles can travel through the atmosphere and reach some of the most remote places on Earth. But how is it even possible?The study was published […]
Strange Spheres Washed Ashore on an Australian Beach. Authorities Say They’re Probably ‘Space Balls’ What began as an ordinary day in a small Australian beach town turned into an unusual investigation after six large metallic spheres washed ashore. The discovery forced residents to evacuate and raised fears that the objects could be dangerous.The shiny objects […]
Some of the world’s most advanced robots are preparing for an extraordinary expedition to one of the planet’s most dangerous environments. Beginning this July, a fleet of autonomous drones, robotic boats, underwater vehicles and intelligent sensors will travel to Greenland to investigate how its glaciers are melting where they meet the ocean. The mission, known […]
For a long time, the story seemed straightforward. As atmospheric carbon dioxide levels fell and the planet cooled, large ice sheets began spreading across the polar regions. Yet there was an awkward detail that never quite fitted. Antarctica became locked beneath vast quantities of ice around 34 million years ago, while the Arctic remained largely […]
Earth will reach its farthest point from the Sun on July 6, a yearly astronomical event known as aphelion. At around 152.1 million kilometres from the Sun, the planet will be about 5 million kilometres farther away than it is in early January. Yet, despite this greater distance, the Northern Hemisphere will remain firmly in […]
Spanish endurance athlete and mountaineer Beatriz Flamini spent 500 days alone inside a cave 230 feet beneath the Earth’s surface without sunlight, clocks or direct human contact, all in the name of science. The unprecedented experiment was designed to understand how prolonged isolation affects the human brain, body and perception of time. Cut off from […]
Whenever you spot a rainbow stretching across the sky after a monsoon shower, you think you’re seeing the same arc of colours as everyone around you. But here’s what science reveals: that rainbow is yours alone. Every person viewing what appears to be the same rainbow is actually seeing a completely different one, formed by […]
