A 113-Million-Year-Old Pterosaur Fossil Holds Chemical Clues to a Fish-and-Squid Diet

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 22:00:00 GMT)

Learn how bacteria, oxygen, and layers of minerals locked fragile molecules inside a Cretaceous pterosaur fossil from Brazil instead of destroying them.

400 Gold Coins Recovered From 17th-Century Shipwreck Shed Light on Dutch Trading History 

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:24:00 GMT)

Learn about the wreck of the Dom can Keulen, a Dutch trading ship that sank along with gold coins and other cargo in the 17th century.

Hidden Mozart Manuscript Reveals Rare Lesson Notes and Music Never Performed Publicly Before

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:03:00 GMT)

Learn how a hidden manuscript was identified as Mozart's earliest known lesson notes and found to contain previously unknown compositions.

Newborn Pygmy Hippo Steals Hearts in Berlin, Your Cat May Not Help Relieve Stress, and a Sea Squirt Could Help Fight Cancer

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 20:45:00 GMT)

Discover the top stories from June 15 to June 19, 2026, including the sea squirt with a cancer-fighting ability and what Greenland's thawing garbage heaps can tell us about the past. 

A Seismic Wave from the 2011 Japan 9.0 Earthquake Shifted the Entire Country — Now We Know Why

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:39:00 GMT)

Learn how a seismic wave from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake reactivated plate boundaries beneath Japan and exposed a new earthquake hazard.

These Humpback Whales Rarely Leave Oman — One Just Made a Surprising Trip to India

(Fri, 19 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT)

Learn how an Arabian Sea humpback whale named Luban left Oman’s non-migrating humpback whale population, crossed to India, and completed a 4,300-mile round trip.

Ancient Crocodile-Like Babies Challenge What We Know About Tetrapod Evolution  

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 22:30:00 GMT)

Learn more about the fossilized baby embolomeres that show no signs of amphibian-like traits, changing our understanding of early tetrapod evolution. 

Neanderthal Fetus Grew Like a Human Baby, While Children’s Teeth May Show Earliest Metabolic Disease

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 22:15:00 GMT)

Learn how scans of 50,000- to 75,000-year-old Neanderthal remains from Bavaria traced fetal growth and possible metabolic stress.

Box Jellyfish Venom Punctures Cells, Disrupts the Heart, and Can Kill Within Minutes

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:49:00 GMT)

Learn what makes the Australian box jellyfish so venomous, what happens when it stings, and which first-aid steps matter most.

Can You Cut Out Too Much Sugar? Going Completely Sugar-Free May Disrupt Gut Health

(Thu, 18 Jun 2026 19:51:00 GMT)

Learn how a preliminary study in mice found that eliminating sugar entirely may harm the gut microbiome, with potentially negative effects on overall health.

Birth Control Pill May Increase Risk of Binge Eating — but Self-Monitoring Could Help Reduce the Behavior

(Wed, 17 Jun 2026 22:15:00 GMT)

Learn more about oral contraceptives and the impact they can have on disordered eating, and how self-monitoring may help mitigate the effect. 

Ancient Plague Killed Hunter-Gatherer Families in Siberia 5,500 Years Ago

(Wed, 17 Jun 2026 22:00:00 GMT)

Learn how DNA from teeth buried near Lake Baikal showed that plague was already deadly before the rise of cities, farming, and efficient flea-borne spread.

"Well-Preserved Time Capsule" of an 18th-Century Shipwreck Found Nearly 2,000 Feet Below Norwegian Waters

(Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:45:00 GMT)

Learn how a Norwegian watchmaker found a merchant ship nearly 2,000 feet below the Skagerrak, its porcelain cargo, and unopened crates still inside.

These Tropical Butterflies Boast Long Lifespans and Barely Age — Their Secret May Be Eating Lots of Pollen

(Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:30:00 GMT)

Learn about Heliconius butterflies' long lifespans and graceful aging, both of which may be achieved with a pollen-heavy diet.

The Giant’s Causeway Volcanic History Was 8 Million Years Shorter Than Once Thought

(Wed, 17 Jun 2026 20:06:00 GMT)

Learn how new rock dating shortened Northern Ireland’s volcanic timeline to 5.5 million years and linked the Giant’s Causeway to Greenland.

Greenland’s Thawing Ancient Garbage Heaps Are Releasing a 4,500-Year Bacterial Record

(Wed, 17 Jun 2026 04:01:00 GMT)

Learn how bacterial DNA preserved in Greenland’s ancient middens traces 4,500 years of settlement and why thawing permafrost poses little risk for now.

A Tiny Antarctic Sea Squirt Hosts a Bacterium That Could Kill Melanoma Cells and Help Develop Cancer Treatments

(Tue, 16 Jun 2026 22:10:00 GMT)

Learn more about Antarctic sea squirts and how they could one day help with advanced melanoma treatments. 

Medieval Gameboard in Moroccan Bathhouse Highlights Early Islamic Gaming Traditions

(Tue, 16 Jun 2026 22:00:00 GMT)

Learn about a gameboard that was found at a medieval-era bathhouse in Morocco, showing how people used to play games while freshening up. 

Spending Time With Your Cat May Not Help Your Mood When Feeling Stressed

(Tue, 16 Jun 2026 21:06:00 GMT)

Learn how tracking 188 pet owners found that cats and dogs lifted moods overall, but cat interaction after stressful events was linked to worse feelings.

Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements May Not Prevent Fractures or Falls in Older Adults

(Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:33:00 GMT)

Learn how 69 trials involving nearly 154,000 adults found little evidence that calcium and vitamin D supplements prevent fractures or falls.