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Stories
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Welcome to the mammalverse: Scientists sequence DNA from 240 species around the world
Researchers have examined the genomes of 240 mammal species. The project reveals when mammals evolved, how some developed the ability to hibernate, and clues that may help explain humans' brains.
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This floating ocean garbage is home to a surprising amount of life from the coasts
A study of plastic trash hauled out of the Pacific Ocean found that most of it had been colonized by coastal life that was thriving right next to species that normally live in the open sea.
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Goodbye fuzzy donut: The famous first black hole photo gets sharpened up
Scientists have created a new version of a historic black hole image that was first unveiled back in 2019. The central black nothingness now looks larger and darker.
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Scientists think they know why interstellar object 'Oumuamua moved so strangely
A strange comet-like object discovered over 5 years ago was the first known visitor from another solar system. Its movement though space was so odd that scientists struggled to explain it, until now.
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Stone flakes made by modern monkeys trigger big questions about early humans
Monkeys using stones to crack open nuts generate many stone flakes accidentally that look exactly like the ones archaeologists have long thought early humans made intentionally as tools. Oops.
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Scientists find signs of horse riding in ancient human remains
Researchers have found evidence of horseback riding in skeletal remains of people who lived about 5,000 years ago, adding to a body of research on when people first started using horses to get around.
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Here's why Jupiter's tally of moons keeps going up and up
The first astronomer to discover moons around Jupiter was Galileo, back in the year 1610, but astronomers are still finding more and more moons around this gas giant.
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What's the fairest way to share cosmic views from Hubble and James Webb telescopes?
Astronomers are debating how quickly the observations of the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope should be made public.
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When is it OK to make germs worse in a lab? It's a more relevant question than ever
Policymakers have long grappled with how to handle experiments that might generate potentially dangerous viruses. Now, officials are considering whether oversight needs to be expanded.
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Scientists dig up biologist Gregor Mendel's body and sequence his DNA
To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, a group of scientists decided to dig up his body and sequence his DNA.