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Science

The latest science news, photos and videos covering space, the environment, human development and more.

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Winter weather forecast: Wetter than average for the Northwest and Great Lakes, NOAA says

For the rest of the country, it predicts an average or warm and dry winter.
A resident carries a shovel during a storm in Hudson, New York on Jan. 7, 2024.
A resident carries a shovel during a storm in Hudson, New York on Jan. 7, 2024.

Phoenix ends 21-day streak of record October heat

The Southwest has been contending with unseasonably warm autumn temperatures 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above average.
A large cactus with a shining sun
A large cactus with a shining sun

The evolutionary history of humans' ability to eat starch

The gene for amylase, which helps break down foods like pasta and potatoes, has a longer evolutionary history than scientists previously thought.
Photo illustration of an ancient spear piercing a piece of pasta and a fork with spaghetti around it
Photo illustration of an ancient spear piercing a piece of pasta and a fork with spaghetti around it

Photo contest reveals strange beauty of the microscopic world

Nikon's annual Small World competition showcases images of a world that humans can't usually see, as captured through the lens of a microscope.
Anterior section of palm weevil
Anterior section of palm weevil

Half of all global food threatened by growing water crisis, report says

Densely populated areas such as northwestern India, northeastern China and southern and eastern Europe will bear the brunt of water mismanagement, according to the Global Commission on the Economics of Water.
Around 80 percent rely on subsistence farming, according to the World Food Programme.
Around 80 percent rely on subsistence farming, according to the World Food Programme.

Meteorologists say they're facing pushback like never before, despite highly accurate forecasts

Meteorologists have been falsely accused of steering hurricanes toward Florida or Appalachia, and some have reported threats of violence or personal attacks online.
Florida Residents Prepare For Hurricane Milton
Florida Residents Prepare For Hurricane Milton
13d ago

Secret underground tomb with 12 skeletons is found in Jordan's Petra

Researchers who used ground-penetrating radar also discovered an extensive array of grave offerings beneath the ancient Treasury building.
Jordan Petra Seven modern wonders of the world
Jordan Petra Seven modern wonders of the world
14d ago

Fifty well-preserved Viking-era skeletons are discovered in Denmark

Experts hope to conduct DNA analyses and possibly reconstruct detailed life histories, as well as look into social patterns in the Viking Age.
Fifty well-preserved Viking-era skeletons discovered in Denmark
Fifty well-preserved Viking-era skeletons discovered in Denmark
14d ago

Foot of a famed Mount Everest climber is possibly found after 100 years

If confirmed by DNA, the discovery would be the first evidence of Andrew "Sandy" Irvine’s remains.
A sock embroidered with "A.C. Irvine", along with a boot, discovered on the Central Rongbuk Glacier below the North Face of Mount Everest by a team led by Jimmy Chin.
A sock embroidered with "A.C. Irvine", along with a boot, discovered on the Central Rongbuk Glacier below the North Face of Mount Everest by a team led by Jimmy Chin.
14d ago

NASA launches mission to icy Jupiter moon thought to harbor a vast ocean

NASA's Europa Clipper probe will study Jupiter's moon Europa, which is thought to have an underground ocean and a potentially habitable environment.
Europa Clipper spacecraft
Europa Clipper spacecraft
15d ago

SpaceX catches Starship rocket booster in dramatic landing during fifth flight test

The FAA issued SpaceX a license to launch Starship’s fifth flight Saturday, sooner than it had estimated.
 SpaceX successfully "caught" the first-stage booster of its Starship megarocket Sunday as it returned to the launch pad after a test flight, a world first in the company's quest for rapid reusability.
 SpaceX successfully "caught" the first-stage booster of its Starship megarocket Sunday as it returned to the launch pad after a test flight, a world first in the company's quest for rapid reusability.

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