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Witch's head to God's eye: 12 of the spookiest objects in the universe

Brandon Specktor last updated 30 October 24

A shrieking skull, a cackling witch, a ghostly hand and other cosmic illusions haunt our skies. Which do you think is the spookiest object in the universe?

Bird flu could become deadlier if it mixes with seasonal flu viruses, experts warn

Kamal Nahas published 30 October 24

As of now, 17 states have reported H5N1 bird flu cases in humans, but there is still no evidence for transmission between people. Could that change?

Voyager 1 loses contact with NASA, turns on retro transmitter not used since 1981

Brandon Specktor published 30 October 24

NASA lost contact with the interstellar Voyager 1 spacecraft for nearly a week after a technical glitch shut off the probe's main transmitter. Using Voyager's weaker backup transmitter, engineers are assessing the problem from 15 billion miles away.

Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old Bronze Age settlement hidden in Saudi Arabian oasis

Owen Jarus published 30 October 24

A Bronze Age settlement hidden on the Arabian Peninsula reveals secrets about the slow growth of urbanization in the region.

Oldest tadpole on record was a Jurassic giant

Sierra Bouchér published 30 October 24

The fossilization of the tadpole's "delicate structures," like its eyes and gills, allowed for a detailed analysis of the rare find.

Drones could use 'robotic cat's eyes' to track targets more precisely than ever before

Keumars Afifi-Sabet published 30 October 24

A new computer vision system inspired by the design of a feline eye could give future drones and other military robots the ability to track targets in low-visibility and dynamic environments.

Planet Earth

Massive blue 'melt pond' in Arctic glacier is an eerie sign of things to come

By Harry Baker published 29 October 24

Earth from space A 2014 photo shows a massive, iceberg-littered pool of vibrant blue meltwater sitting alone on top of a glacier in Alaska. Similar "melt ponds" are becoming increasingly common in the Arctic due to climate change and are further accelerating the rate of ice loss across the region.

What's the difference between a tsunami and a tidal wave?

By Richard Pallardy published 28 October 24

Tsunamis and tidal waves are the powerful types of wave on Earth, but very different processes are involved in their formation.

• 2 Voyager 1 loses contact with NASA, turns on retro transmitter not used since 1981
• 3 Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old Bronze Age settlement hidden in Saudi Arabian oasis
• 4 Oldest tadpole on record was a Jurassic giant
• 5 Drones could use 'robotic cat's eyes' to track targets more precisely than ever before

42 jaw-dropping James Webb Space Telescope images

By Brandon Specktor last updated 29 October 24

From nebulas and black holes to baby star nurseries and ancient collisions, the universe has never looked more beautiful thanks to NASA's $10 billion-telescope.

Why wait for Black Friday? The Celestron 114LCM computerized telescope is $115 off right now

By Paul Brett published 29 October 24

Deal This powerful Newtonian reflector telescope has hundreds of 5-star Amazon reviews and a previous Black Friday best price-beating discount.

archaeology

7 centuries-old suits of battle armor from around the world

By Tom Metcalfe published 29 October 24

From Roman "fish scale" armor to Japanese samurai suits, these examples of battle armor were designed to protect and impress.

Lasers reveal Maya city, including thousands of structures, hidden in Mexico

By Sierra Bouchér published 28 October 24

The new city, dubbed Valeriana, was a dense urban settlement with temple pyramids and a ball court.

Can air purifiers help with asthma?

By Lou Mudge, Anna Gora last updated 30 October 24

Reference We take a closer look to see if using air purifiers helps with asthma.

Do air purifiers help with allergies?

By Kerry Taylor-Smith, Anna Gora last updated 30 October 24

REFERENCE Air purifiers can improve air quality, but do these devices help relieve allergies?

Do air purifiers help with dust?

By Katie Treharne, Anna Gora last updated 29 October 24

REFERENCE Can air purifiers help with dust and dust mite allergies?

From black cats to white spirit bears, 'superstitions, lore and myths can shape your subconscious' − biases that have real effects

By Elizabeth Carlen, Tyus Williams published 27 October 24

What may be scariest about a spooky black cat is the way superstition and tradition shape people's perceptions and biases about animals based only on their color.

Babirusa: The prehistoric 'deer' pigs with huge antler teeth

By Lydia Smith published 26 October 24

Babirusas are believed to have diverged from their pig ancestors between 26 million and 12 million years ago after getting isolated on Sulawesi when sea levels rose at the end of the last ice age.

Predatory birds from the Jurassic may have driven cicada evolution for millions of years

By Sierra Bouchér published 25 October 24

Researchers calculated the flight ability of more than 80 ancient cicada species to analyze their evolution over time.

Human Behavior

How many nuclear bombs have been used?

By Sierra Bouchér published 26 October 24

The first nuclear bomb test, conducted in 1945, set off an international arms race that included nuclear testing. But how many nuclear bombs have been detonated during tests and in active war?

What's the scientific explanation for 'ghost encounters'?

By Patrick Pester published 19 October 24

People all over the world believe they've seen or heard a ghost, but there's no scientific evidence for spirits, hauntings or the paranormal. So what's behind these "encounters"?

28 best science books for kids and young adults

By Ben Biggs last updated 18 October 24

Looking to inspire the next generation of curious minds? These are our picks of the best popular science books for children of all ages.

Physics & Mathematics

High school students who came up with 'impossible' proof of Pythagorean theorem discover 9 more solutions to the problem

By Sascha Pare published 28 October 24

In a new peer-reviewed study, Ne'Kiya Jackson and Calcea Johnson outlined 10 ways to solve the Pythagorean theorem using trigonometry, including a proof they discovered in high school.

Keeping time: The history, origin and meanings of B.C. and A.D.

By Robert Coolman, Owen Jarus last updated 24 October 24

The use of "anno domini" and "before Christ" to mark time began in the early days of Christianity, when clerics needed to know when Easter would fall.

What is the largest known prime number?

By Charles Q. Choi last updated 23 October 24

There are infinitely many prime numbers, but the biggest one we know of goes by the name M82589933 and contains more than 24 million digits.

Periodic table of elements quiz: How many elements can you name in 10 minutes?

By Alexander McNamara published 14 October 24

Can you name everything from Ac to Zr? Test your knowledge of the periodic table and see if you can top the leaderboard

Watch atoms fuse into world's 'smallest bubble' of water in 1st-of-its-kind 'nanoscale' video

By Harry Baker published 10 October 24

A new study captured never-before-seen footage of hydrogen and oxygen atoms combining to form a miniature water droplet out of "thin air." The newly improved reaction could one day help astronauts make water in space.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry: 1901-Present

By Live Science Staff last updated 10 October 24

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry includes famous winners such as Marie Curie and Otto Hahn.

Air purifiers vs ionizers: What's the difference?

By Kerry Taylor-Smith last updated 29 October 24

REFERENCE We pit air purifiers against ionizers to get to the bottom of what each appliance really does.

How well do air purifiers work?

By Helen Alexander last updated 29 October 24

Reference Air purifiers are intended to remove pollutants from the air, but how well do they really work?

AI-powered app performs full-body motion capture using just your smartphone — no suits, specialized cameras or equipment needed

By Keumars Afifi-Sabet published 29 October 24

Motion capture requires special equipment and infrastructure that can cost upward of $100,000 — but scientists have created a smartphone app and AI algorithm to do the same job.