The forces of rotation caused red hot masses of stones to be torn away from the Earth and to be thrown into the ether, and this is the origin of the stars.

— Anaxagoras 428 BC

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Updated: 3 hours 56 min ago

Natural ovulation the best option before an IVF frozen embryo transfer

5 hours 25 min ago
Women using frozen embryos as part of their IVF treatment can either choose to use a medicated cycle or their natural one to prepare their uterus for a pregnancy. Now, scientists have found that the latter option seems to carry fewer risks
Categories: Astronomy

Our earliest vertebrate ancestors may have had four eyes

12 hours 55 min ago
Extraordinary fossils of 518-million-year-old jawless fish, among the earliest known vertebrates, appear to show that these animals had two pairs of eyes
Categories: Astronomy

Oldest known rock art is a 68,000-year-old hand stencil with claws

12 hours 55 min ago
Newly discovered rock art sites in Sulawesi, Indonesia, that date to nearly 68,000 years ago are thought to be the oldest rock art in the world, pre-dating Neanderthal hand stencils in Spain by 1100 years
Categories: Astronomy

Ape-like hominin Paranthropus was more adaptable than we thought

12 hours 55 min ago
A fossil discovery in northern Ethiopia expands the known range of Paranthropus, a genus of strong-jawed hominins that lived around 2 million years ago, and suggests they lived in a range of habitats
Categories: Astronomy

Bird retinas work without oxygen, and now scientists know how

12 hours 55 min ago
The light-sensitive tissue of birds’ eyes is not supplied with oxygen by blood vessels – instead, it powers itself with a flood of sugar, and this may have evolutionary benefits
Categories: Astronomy

Alex Garland’s The Bone Temple is brutal, brilliant - and mind-blowing

15 hours 25 min ago
This follow-up to the influential 28 Days Later continues to take the zombie movie franchise in a surprising and thought-provoking direction
Categories: Astronomy

Octopuses prompt rethink of why animals evolve big brains

18 hours 55 min ago
A popular idea suggests a link between big brains and a rich social life, but octopuses don't fit the pattern, which suggests something else is going on
Categories: Astronomy

Bubble feeding trick spreads through humpback whale social groups

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 7:01pm
Humpback whales off the west coast of Canada have learned a cooperative hunting technique from whales migrating into the area, and this cultural knowledge may help the population cope as food becomes scarce
Categories: Astronomy

Cross-training may be the key to a long life

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 6:30pm
People who combine different types of exercise - such as running, cycling and swimming - seem to live longer than those with less varied workouts
Categories: Astronomy

Scientists investigate ‘dark oxygen’ in deep-sea mining zone

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 2:00pm
Startling findings in 2024 suggested that metallic nodules on the sea floor produce oxygen and might support life. Now researchers are planning an expedition to learn more and refute criticism from mining companies
Categories: Astronomy

World is entering an era of 'water bankruptcy'

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 1:00pm
Countries have spent beyond their sustainable water budgets for so long that critical assets are depleted and the world faces huge economic, social and environmental costs
Categories: Astronomy

Chernobyl cooling systems have lost power but meltdown risk is low

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 11:25am
An electrical outage at Chernobyl nuclear power plant risks dangerous fuel overheating, but experts say that the chances are extremely slim due to the age of the reactors, which were shut down over two decades ago
Categories: Astronomy

Satellites could use magnetic fields to avoid collisions

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 11:00am
Two or more satellites could communicate and manoeuvre around one another using magnetic fields, although getting the technique to work at scale in space might be tricky
Categories: Astronomy

The 3 best ways to tackle anxiety, according to a leading expert

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 10:00am
It is impossible to get rid of anxiety because it exists to help us, says cognitive psychotherapist Owen O'Kane. Instead, he suggests three ways to reframe your relationship with anxiety in order to take back control
Categories: Astronomy

Mars once had a vast sea the size of the Arctic Ocean

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 7:00am
Spacecraft orbiting the Red Planet have helped researchers map out an ancient coastline that surrounded a large ocean billions of years ago
Categories: Astronomy

Sunscreens made from ground-up wood reach an SPF of over 180

Tue, 01/20/2026 - 5:00am
Concerns around common sunscreen chemicals have prompted the search for natural alternatives, with lignin from wood being one of the most promising candidates
Categories: Astronomy

Embracing quantum spookiness: Best ideas of the century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
The strange principle of quantum entanglement baffled Albert Einstein. Yet finally putting quantum weirdness to the ultimate test, and embracing the results, turned out to be a revolutionary idea
Categories: Astronomy

Why a tool-using cow could change how we see farm animals

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
A pet cow has learned to scratch herself with a broom, showing creative problem-solving skills that make it harder to ignore the fact that these animals have minds, says Marta Halina
Categories: Astronomy

The one diet that’s good for everything: Best ideas of the century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
Time and time again, scientists have found that one diet beats all others when it comes to our health. Fortunately, it's delicious – and also good for the planet
Categories: Astronomy

We can block the spread of HIV: Best ideas of the century

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:00am
The “enormous revelation” that drugs can be used to prevent catching HIV has benefitted millions and helped slash transmission rates
Categories: Astronomy