News
We now know much more about how our ancestor 'Lucy' lived — and died
3+ hour, 27+ min ago (1709+ words) Fifty years after a fossil skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis was unearthed in Ethiopia, we know so much more about how this iconic species lived and died. From a distance, it might have looked like a small child was wending her…...
Scientists claim 'Lucy' may not be our direct ancestor after all, stoking fierce debate
1+ day, 22+ hour ago (1338+ words) Recent fossil finds could mean that "Lucy" wasn't our direct ancestor, some scientists say. Others strongly disagree. For a half century, the iconic "Lucy" fossil species, Australopithecus afarensis, has held the title of being the most likely direct ancestor of…...
Oldest known evidence of father-daughter incest found in 3,700-year-old bones in Italy
6+ day, 5+ hour ago (660+ words) Archaeologists have found the earliest DNA evidence to date of a father-daughter pairing. An excavation in Italy has unearthed the oldest and first known evidence of father-daughter incest in the archaeological record, a new genetic study reveals. The team found…...
Today's biggest science news: 'Little Foot' potential unknown human ancestor | Geminids peak | Comet 3I/ATLAS closest approach
1+ week, 2+ day ago (342+ words) Here's the biggest science news you need to know. Did you catch any meteors this weekend? The Geminid meteor shower peaked on Saturday night and Sunday morning in a near-moonless sky, making it perfect conditions for capturing the spectacle on…...
Scientists finally sequence the vampire squid's huge genome, revealing secrets of the 'living fossil"
1+ week, 3+ day ago (455+ words) The genetic link between squids and octopuses may just be found in the vampire squid genome. Cephalopod evolution has long had a missing chapter in its story: how did squid-like ancestors give rise to today's octopuses? The answer, it turns…...
Science news this week: Neanderthals made fire, orcas and dolphins team up, and the 'Star of Bethlehem' explored
1+ week, 4+ day ago (823+ words) Dec. 13, 2025: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend. It has been an exciting week in science news, with our understanding of human evolution…...
18,000 dinosaur tracks discovered along ancient Bolivian coastline — and they set a new record
2+ week, 6+ day ago (413+ words) Researchers have counted 16,600 fossilized dinosaur footprints and 1,378 swim tracks at a site in Bolivia that showcase a variety of behaviors and different theropods from the Cretaceous period. Scientists have discovered a record-breaking number of fossilized dinosaur footprints and swim tracks…...
'An extreme end of human genetic variation': Ancient humans were isolated in southern Africa for nearly 100,000 years, and their genetics are stunningly different
3+ week, 4+ hour ago (494+ words) Ancient genomes from southern Africa show that people evolved in isolation for upward of 100,000 years. Humans were isolated in southern Africa for about 100,000 years, which caused them to "fall outside the range of genetic variation" seen in modern-day people, a…...
Anacondas became massive 12 million years ago — and it worked so well, they haven't changed size since
3+ week, 18+ hour ago (375+ words) The snakes stayed large and thrived even when cooling temperatures and shrinking habitats killed off other giant reptiles millions of years ago. Anacondas have been giant for millions of years, a new study finds. During the Middle and Upper Miocene…...
Modern humans arrived in Australia 60,000 years ago and may have interbred with archaic humans such as 'hobbits"
3+ week, 4+ day ago (627+ words) New genetic research shows that DNA and archaeological evidence align with the "long chronology" of the peopling of Australia. A new study of nearly 2,500 genomes may have finally settled the debate about when modern humans arrived in Australia. Using a…...