An international team of paleontologists has uncovered the oldest known fossil reptile embryos, dating back approximately 280 million years. This discovery, featuring well-preserved embryos of mesosaur, an ancient aquatic reptile, was made in both Brazil and Uruguay. The embryos suggest that mesosaurs may have been viviparous, giving birth to live young, potentially pushing back the
Our oldest known vertebrate ancestors had four eyes to spot predators — and, my goodness, they were cute. Rare fossils from China have revealed that the earliest recorded creatures with spines — jawless fish from half a billion years ago — were equipped with two sets of peepers. Researchers have released an adorable reconstruction of
On January 30 2026, SpaceX filed an application with the US Federal Communications Commission for a megaconstellation of up to one million satellites to power data centres in space. The proposal envisions satellites operating between 500 and 2,000 kilometres in low Earth orbit. Some of the orbits are designed for near-constant exposure to sunlight. The
Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Japan have identified two brain receptors that help regulate the breakdown of amyloid beta, the protein that builds up in Alzheimer’s disease. Their findings suggest it may be possible to develop future medications that are both safer and more affordable than
For a long time, scientists knew of a “gravity hole” beneath Antarctica—an area with particularly weak gravitational force. Considering the various threats currently faced by the region, scientists are hoping to understand this anomaly better. At last, they may have a new lead. Perhaps unsurprisingly, any shifts in Antarctica’s gravity overlap with major shifts in
NASA will take another crack at fueling up its huge Artemis 2 moon rocket this week. The agency plans to load more than 700,000 gallons (2.65 million liters) of liquid hydrogen (LH2) and liquid oxygen (LOX) into Artemis 2’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket on Thursday (Feb. 19), wrapping up a crucial two-day-long test called
Deep within the caves of New Mexico, researchers have uncovered a mysterious phenomenon that could change how scientists search for life beyond Earth. In 2018, a team of scientists, led by Hazel Barton from the University of Alabama and Lars Behrendt from Uppsala University, explored the Carlsbad Caverns, where they found bright green microbial colonies
Home Reef, a mid-ocean volcano in the Tonga archipelago, continues to build onto its modest land area. Volcanic activity ramped up in December 2025, marking the latest in a series of periodic eruptions that began in 2022. The eruption was ongoing as of mid-February 2026. Satellites are critical to monitoring volcanoes such as Home Reef
Vanishing lakes in southern Tibet may have triggered earthquakes in the region by “awakening” long-dormant faults in Earth’s crust, researchers say. The finding adds to evidence of an unexpectedly strong link between our planet’s climate and the geological activity deep beneath our feet. About 115,000 years ago, southern Tibet was home to enormous lakes, some
Scientists may be one step closer in their hunt for signs of past life on Mars after the Curiosity rover’s latest find. Nearly a year ago, the car-sized robot – one of two NASA rovers roaming the red planet – came across an intriguing rock sample that contained some interesting features. On the rock, Curiosity’s