National GeographicScience First blue feathers found on a fossilized birdNational Geographic - Michael GreshkoAn ancient relative of today’s rollers with a deep blue hue adds to our understanding of nature’s prehistoric palette. Somewhere over the rainbow 48 million years ago, a happy little blue bird flew—until
National GeographicPrimates These monkeys are 3,000 years into their own 'Stone Age'National Geographic - Michael GreshkoWhile capuchins won't use tools like us any time soon, the species now “has its own individual archaeological record,” scientists report. For capuchin monkeys at Brazil’s Serra da Capivara National Park,
National GeographicSolstice What is the summer solstice? The answer might surprise you.National Geographic - Michael GreshkoOnce a year, an astronomical alignment ushers in this seasonal change. Amazing facts and myths surround it. This year, the northern summer solstice falls on June 21 at 11:54 a.m. ET. South of the Equator,
National GeographicThe Arctic Hyenas once stalked the Arctic, fossils revealNational Geographic - John PickrellThe prehistoric predators may have had shaggy coats that changed colors with the seasons, helping them hunt caribou and mammoth. Two fossil teeth found in northwestern Canada confirm that hyenas once in
National GeographicToronto Raptors Two potentially life-friendly planets found orbiting a nearby starNational Geographic - Nadia Drake“We will eventually see if they are actually habitable and, perhaps, even inhabited,” astronomers predict. A tiny, old star just 12 light-years away might host two temperate, rocky planets, astronomers
National GeographicScience Big earthquakes might make sea level rise worse. Here's how.National Geographic - Maya Wei-HaasThe Samoan islands are sinking faster than expected due to warming alone, and a pair of huge quakes is likely to blame. A geologic one-two punch rocked the South Pacific in September 2009, as a magnitude
National GeographicScience T. rex had an amazing sense of smell, gene study suggestsNational Geographic - Michael GreshkoFresh analysis of modern genes and ancient brains backs up the notion that the meat-eating dinosaur had an especially powerful nose. Talk about inhaling your food: The iconic predator Tyrannosaurus rex
National GeographicScience Huge mystery blob found under the moon's far sideNational Geographic - Maya Wei-HaasThe massive find promises to help scientists better understand how all rocky bodies—including our own planet—came to be. Researchers have discovered something massive lurking underneath the far side of
National GeographicScience Fossils of oddball crocodile relative found in Texas suburbNational Geographic - Michael GreshkoThe newly described creature with an unusual jaw showcases the rich diversity of Cretaceous crocodyliforms. Some 96 million years ago, the suburbs of Dallas, Texas, were part of a lush river delta that
National GeographicScience Fossil 'sea monster' found in Antarctica was the heaviest of its kindNational Geographic - Joshua Rapp LearnThe 15-ton elasmosaur adds to evidence that a vibrant marine ecosystem existed just before the dinosaur mass extinction. It took decades of struggling with the weather on a small, desolate island off Antarctic
National GeographicScience Prehistoric tree is first of its kind found below the EquatorNational Geographic - Catherine ZuckermanNew fossils suggest the chinquapin, found today in parts of Asia, first took root in the Southern Hemisphere. Millions of years ago, a volcano erupted in what’s now the Patagonia region of southern Argentina,
National GeographicScience Giant 'thread' of radio emissions found linking galaxy clustersNational Geographic - Nadia DrakeScientists predicted that our universe's structure resembles a huge web. We've finally seen one of the strands. A billion light-years away, two galaxy clusters are slowly crashing into one another. Now,
National GeographicScience What jumpstarted Earth's plate tectonics? New clues point to ancient glaciers.National Geographic - Maya Wei-HaasThe provocative theory has geologists hotly debating when and why our planet's modern geologic dance kicked into high gear. Earth's fractured outer shell is in perpetual motion. While usually imperceptible
National GeographicScience First gene-edited babies may be at risk of early deathNational Geographic - Michael GreshkoIn 2018, a Chinese researcher shocked the world by announcing the birth of two gene-edited babies. The mutations may have hurt, not helped. Chinese researcher Jiankui He shocked the global medical community
National GeographicFossils Exclusive: Gem-like fossils reveal stunning new dinosaur speciesNational Geographic - John PickrellFour members of this newly described plant-eater were found together in what may be Australia’s first known dinosaur herd. Unusually colorful fossils found in Australia belong to a stunning new species
National GeographicScience Solstice arrives, and more top stargazing events in JuneNational Geographic - Andrew FazekasPlanets big and small shining at their best and the moon in motion also offer reasons to look up this month. The seasons transition this month with the arrival of the June solstice, heralding summer heat
National GeographicStarlink Will Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites harm astronomy? Here’s what we know.National Geographic - Nadia DrakeAn ambitious project to offer global internet service has raised concerns about space junk, light pollution, and astronomical observations. If SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has his way, Earth’s skies will soon
National GeographicScience Cold fusion remains elusive—but these scientists may revive the questNational Geographic - Michael GreshkoThe first public results from a Google-funded project reveal renewed interest in the long-sought but controversial nuclear energy source. Thirty years ago, a pair of chemists made headlines around the
National GeographicExoplanets 18 Earth-size planets found in our galaxy—all hiding in plain sightNational Geographic - Nadia DrakeAnd a hundred more small worlds may be awaiting discovery, astronomers predict, thanks to a new method for combing through NASA data. Since its launch a decade ago, NASA’s planet-hunting Kepler spacecraft
National GeographicScience The world's second-biggest Ebola outbreak is still raging. Here's why.National Geographic - Nadia DrakeDespite a coordinated response and a vaccine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s struggle with the deadly virus seems to have no quick end in sight. Editor's Note: This story has been updated with
National GeographicScience This is the world's rarest form of gold. New clues are revealing why.National Geographic - Maya Wei-HaasMore than 130 years after its discovery, scientists just got their first high-tech peek at the unexpected crystal structure inside the Ram's Horn. In 1887, as Colorado's gold production neared its peak,
National Geographic Strange waves rippled around Earth. Now we may know why.National Geographic - Maya Wei-HaasAn “exceptional phenomenon” near the tiny islands of Mayotte may help explain a low-frequency rumble that swept around the world last year. On May 10, 2018, the geologic beasts of the tiny island of Mayotte
National Geographic The kilogram is forever changed. Here's why that matters.National Geographic - Maya Wei-HaasFrom bathroom scales to medical lab balances, the mass standard is now based on a value that is “woven into the fabric of the universe.” Sealed under a trio of nested glass bell jars, a gleaming metal
National Geographic Like humans, this dinosaur crawled before it walkedNational Geographic - Jason BittelDinosaurs like the "mouse lizard" are among the few animals that made this particular shift in age-related locomotion, fossils suggest. It’s a special moment when a baby learns how to go from crawling
National Geographic The volcano that built Bermuda is unlike any other on EarthNational Geographic - Robin George AndrewsRock samples from the island suggest it’s a strange hybrid that represents a whole new way for the planet to make volcanoes. No two volcanoes are the same, but they all form in the same handful of ways.
National Geographic Chinese rover finds strange rocks that may come from deep inside the moonNational Geographic - Robin George AndrewsThe record-setting Chang’e-4 mission might have spotted minerals that would reveal long-held secrets about the moon's origins. Kicking off the new year with a bang, China made history in early January
National Geographic This ancient sea creature fossilized in tree resin. How'd that happen?National Geographic - Michael GreshkoIn what may be a first of its kind, a lump of amber has preserved the shell of an ammonite and other shoreline life in stunning detail. Ninety-nine million years ago in what's now Myanmar, a glob of tree
National GeographicApollo Missions The moon may be tectonically active, and geologists are shakenNational Geographic - Adam MannA new look at Apollo-era seismic data revealed that the moon's insides might be warmer than scientists thought possible. When building a remote outpost, it’s usually a good idea to stay away from active
National Geographic Here's who's aiming to land on the moon within the next decadeNational Geographic - Michael GreshkoFrom governments to grassroots startups, these are some of the most promising players who have announced lunar missions in the coming years. Nearly 50 years after Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael
