Discoveries

Recent Discoveries Stories

Ice shelves in Bellinghausen Sea, Antarctica, taken onboard the R/V Falkor (too) in 2025.

Antarctica’s ice shelves face a growing threat from warm waters below

A long-term ocean study finds warm deep water edging toward Antarctica, where it can melt vulnerable ice shelves from below.

Rebecca ShavitupdaPublished Apr 29, 2026 4:07 PM PDT

New research finds East Africa’s Turkana Rift is in a critical breakup phase that also may explain its rich fossil record. Christian Rowan at Lothagam fossil site in West Turkana.

Green Impact East Africa’s Turkana Rift may be closer to splitting than scientists thought Rebecca Shavit

Astronomers now know of more than 350 molecules in the spaces between and around stars.

Space Promising biosignatures on alien worlds could take years to confirm Joshua Shavit

Greek physicists propose that microscopic wormholes could generate an effective dark energy term through topology changes.

Space Microscopic wormholes may be warping reality all around us Joseph Shavit

One of the Twelve Apostle sea stacks.

Green Impact New research reveals how the twelve apostles formed and their true age Rebecca Shavit

Study finds ancient regulatory DNA tied to human language, with effects that predate the split from Neanderthals.

Discoveries Humans and Neanderthals share ancient DNA linked to human language Joshua Shavit

Teleportation may be possible in physics, but it raises a disturbing question about identity, death and perfect copies.

Discoveries Human teleportation is possible, but would you survive Joseph Shavit

Eccentric exercise may build strength and health without exhausting workouts or major muscle soreness, a new review argues.

Health You don’t need exhausting workouts to build strength and health, study finds Rebecca Shavit

Mars has almost no breathable oxygen. Here’s why that matters, and how NASA’s MOXIE could help future astronauts survive.

Space Mars has air, but almost none of it can keep you alive Joseph Shavit

Two Nature studies link healthier adult thymus tissue to longer life and better cancer immunotherapy outcomes.

Health Previously irrelevant organ could be key to longer life and better cancer outcomes Mac Oliveau

In 2019, LIGO and Virgo detected GW190521—a mysterious gravitational wave that could mark either the colossal merger of two black holes or the tantalizing possibility of a wormhole echo from another universe.

Space Black hole GW190521 may be a wormhole from another universe Joseph Shavit

The picture shows the dynamic environment around the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's center, featuring the newly discovered gas cloud G2t alongside previously known clouds G1 and G2, whose similar orbits suggest a common origin from the star system IRS16SW.

Space Massive binary star system may be feeding the Milky Way’s central black hole Joseph Shavit

Space NASA cleanroom fungus could survive a trip to Mars, raising contamination concerns Joshua Shavit

Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS carries deuterium-rich water, pointing to a far colder birthplace than our solar system.

Space Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS points to a far colder planetary birthplace Joshua Shavit

A sketch of the giant octopus.

Discoveries Giant octopuses were the ocean’s apex predators 100 million years ago Hannah Shavit-Weiner

Artist's impression of the planet Epsilon Indi Ab, with water clouds atop its ammonia-dominated atmosphere.

Space Astronomers find thick water-ice clouds on Jupiter-like exoplanet Epsilon Indi Ab Joseph Shavit

These discoveries hint that the area was once submerged, strengthening theories that the site could be linked to the biblical vessel.

Discoveries New scan data of Turkish formation is reviving the Noah’s Ark debate Rebecca Shavit