Pottery, coins, and buried defenses point to a Roman fort in west Wales, offering a possible setting for Emperor Magnus Maximus’s camp in medieval Welsh folklore. My recent discovery of a Roman fort and its extraordinary connection with medieval folklore was the fruition of many hours of painstaking research. This all began in 2002 when […]
These Mysterious Underwater Reefs Could Help Save Marine Life As Coral Reefs Decline
Submerged ancient forest floors off Mozambique now shelter young reef fish, suggesting overlooked peat reefs could offer some species refuge as coral reefs decline. Much of the seabed along Mozambique’s Bazaruto coastline is shifting sand, leaving marine life few solid places to settle and shelter. Exposed layers of ancient peat provide that foothold, supporting fish […]
Scientists Discover “D-Rex,” a Giant Fungus Unlike Anything Seen Before
A newly discovered giant fungus belongs to a previously unknown family that may have emerged around 65 million years ago, shortly after the mass extinction that killed the non-avian dinosaurs. A fungus discovered in China’s Yunnan forests produces whitish, spore-bearing structures up to 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) tall and weighing as much as 2.2 […]
Scientists Develop a Remarkable New Coating for the Powerhouses of Our Cells
Scientists have given the tiny powerhouses of our cells a remarkable high-tech makeover that preserves their energy production and could pave the way for future treatments. Scientists have developed a way to coat mitochondria, the tiny structures responsible for producing energy inside cells, with advanced materials without interfering with their ability to function. The breakthrough […]
A Single Gene Could Hold the Key to Taming One of the Deadliest Cancers
Blocking one gene’s activity shifted aggressive pancreatic cancer cells into a less aggressive form in experiments, pointing to a possible way to disrupt tumor evolution. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma kills nearly 85 percent of people within five years of diagnosis. Part of the challenge is that its cancer cells can change, shifting between less aggressive and […]
Scientists Discover That One Common Protein Source Makes Gut Inflammation Much Worse
A diet’s protein source may influence how severely the gut becomes inflamed, with mouse experiments offering clues for more tailored dietary guidance for people with inflammatory bowel disease. The protein on your plate may do more than build muscle. Growing evidence suggests that where dietary protein comes from could influence inflammation in the gut, raising […]
Forgotten Material From the 1960s Is Hiding Something Unexpected
A long-overlooked material has revealed a hidden atomic pattern that challenges conventional expectations about magnetism. A uranium compound that has received little scientific attention for decades has been found to contain a previously unknown atomic structure with unusual magnetic properties. The discovery could help researchers identify materials capable of supporting faster, more resilient computer memory. […]
Study Finds the Arctic Could Lose Far More Sea Ice Than Scientists Previously Predicted
Clues from a warmer Arctic 6,000 years ago suggest the region could lose a million square kilometers more winter sea ice than scientists previously expected. The loss of Arctic sea ice has been linked to colder winters and heavier snowfall in the UK, the rest of northern Europe, and North America. The ice regulates how […]
A Massive Volcanic Eruption Devastated Japan 7,300 Years Ago – but Survivors Found a Way To Thrive
Survivors of Japan’s ancient volcanic catastrophe may have found a lifeline along the coast, where communities grew even as more distant populations faltered. Around 7,300 years ago, the Kikai-Akahoya eruption damaged ecosystems and made parts of Japan uninhabitable for the Jomon people, who lived there by hunting and gathering. Yet some Jomon populations continued to […]
James Webb Finds a Tiny World’s Rings Changing in Opposite Ways
James Webb has revealed unexpected changes in Chariklo’s two rings, which appear to be evolving in opposite ways over only a few years. For much of modern astronomy, rings were believed to belong only to the giant planets of the Solar System, including Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. That assumption changed in 2013, when astronomers […]