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Muddy footprints suggest 2 species of early humans were neighbors in Kenya 1.5 million years ago

Muddy footprints left on a Kenyan lakeside suggest two of our early human ancestors were neighbors some 1.5 million years ago. Researchers say the footprints were left in the mud by two different species, perhaps within a matter of hours or days.
 
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Joshua trees are in peril. California has a plan to save them

 
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Fossilized dinosaur feces and vomit help scientists reconstruct the creatures’ rise

 
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Northern lights may be faintly visible across parts of the US this Thanksgiving

 
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Bill to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales faces heated parliamentary debate

 

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Scientists map out the human body one cell at a time

Researchers have created an early map of some of the human body’s estimated 37.2 trillion cells. Each type of cell has a unique role, and knowing what all the cells do can help scientists better understand health and diseases such as cancer.
 
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The dark energy pushing our universe apart may not be what it seems, scientists say

Distant, ancient galaxies are giving scientists more hints that a mysterious force called dark energy may not be what they thought.
 
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The far side of the moon once had erupting volcanoes too

New research confirms volcanoes were erupting on the far side of the moon billions of years ago. Researchers analyzed lunar soil brought back by China’s Chang’e-spacecraft and found fragments of volcanic rock that were about 2.8 billion years old.
 
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This ancient tadpole fossil is the oldest ever discovered

Scientists have uncovered the oldest-known fossil of a tadpole that wriggled around 160 million years ago. Found in Argentina, the new fossil surpasses the previous record holder by about 20 million years.
 
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A brown dwarf discovered 30 years ago is actually twins circling each other

Scientists say a celestial object discovered decades ago is actually twins orbiting each other. The discovery was published Wednesday in the journal Nature. Astronomers have puzzled over a brown dwarf spotted 30 years ago.
 
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Missed out on the northern lights? Scientists expect more solar storms to produce auroras

Space weather experts say expect to see more northern lights in unusual places as the sun continues to sizzle.
 
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Tubeworms, snails and other weird creatures found under the seafloor

Scientists have uncovered an underworld of animal life thriving beneath the seafloor. An expedition to hydrothermal vents off the west coast of South America has revealed worms, snails, tubeworms and other strange creatures living under the vents.
 
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A rare comet brightens the night skies in October

A rare, bright comet will be visible in October, clear skies permitting. The comet will make its closest approach to Earth on Saturday. Astronomers say it should be bright enough to see with the naked eye.
 
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Supreme Court declines Biden’s appeal in Texas emergency abortion case

The Supreme Court decided Monday that a court order finding Texas hospitals cannot federally be required to provide pregnancy terminations when they violate a state abortion ban will stay for now.
 
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Solar flares may cause faint auroras across top of Northern Hemisphere

Solar storms may cause faint auroras across fringes of the northern United States this weekend. Forecasters are also monitoring for possible disruptions to power and communications.
 
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The engine of Japan’s flagship new small rocket explodes during a test for a second time

 

  1. New Zealanders save more than 30 stranded whales by lifting them on sheets

  2. Here’s what to know about the new funding deal that countries agreed to at UN climate talks

  3. Earth bids farewell to its temporary ‘mini moon’ that is possibly a chunk of our actual moon

  4. Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of ancient Maya

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Science v. Waste: The quest for fresher produce

Crisper apples year-round? Berries and avocados that last longer? Increasingly, companies are using eco-friendly science to try to keep produce fresher — and prevent food waste. (Dec. 9) (AP Video: Martha Irvine)

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Ice baths are cool, science on benefits lukewarm

The touted benefits of cold water immersion include improved mood, more energy, weight loss and better immune function. But the science supporting some of these claims is lukewarm. Experts say the jury is still out. (Feb. 10)(AP Video: Teresa Crawford, Erin Hooley)

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Biohealing Company Offers Alternative to Modern Science

Tesla Biohealing is part of a growth industry marketing unproven treatments to those who have grown distrustful of science and medicine. Experts say such claims are on the increase, thanks to the internet and skepticism about traditional health care. (Jan.31)

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First launch failure for Bezos’ rocket company

Jeff Bezos’ rocket company has suffered its first launch failure. No one was aboard, only science experiments. (Sept. 12)

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NASA provides highlights from Mars exploration

NASA’s Perseverance rover is well into its second science campaign on Mars (Sept.15)

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Univ. of Chicago lauds Economics Nobel winner

Douglas Diamond of the University of Chicago shared the Nobel Prize in economic sciences with two other American economists, including Ben Bernanke. (Oct. 10) (AP video: Teresa Crawford)

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First launch failure for Bezos’ rocket company

Jeff Bezos’ rocket company has suffered its first launch failure. No one was aboard, only science experiments. (Sept. 12)

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AP Explains: 2023 was the hottest year on record

Two top American science agencies announced Friday that global average temperatures for 2023 shattered existing heat records by a bit more than a quarter of a degree. AP’s science writer Seth Borenstein explains what the numbers mean to humanity. (Jan. 12) (AP Video by Dan Huff. Produced by Teresa de Miguel).

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Clockwork musical treasures from China’s Forbidden City on display in London

Chinese clockwork treasures from the Forbidden City in Beijing are being displayed together for the first time in the UK at a major new exhibition in London’s Science Museum. The intricate moving and musical clocks, known as Zimingzhong, were made in Britain and sent to China to please its emperors. (Feb. 2) (AP video by: Tom Rayner)

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Total Solar Eclipse arrives in Eagle Pass, Texas

People cheered as the solar eclipse in Eagle Pass, Texas reached totality on the football field of the Eagle Pass Sports Athletic Complex. The watch party was hosted by NASA and the National Science Foundation.

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Inside a family’s choice to test a pig kidney in the dead that might one day help the living

A sister’s decision to donate her brother’s body to science is helping doctors in the quest to one day ease the nation’s transplant shortage with organs from animals. (Aug. 18) (AP video/Shelby Lum)

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Corpse flower’s stinking bloom draws crowds in San Francisco

Crowds lined up at the California Academy of Sciences to see - and smell - the rare blooming of an endangered tropical flower that releases a pungent odor when it opens once every several years. (Feb. 28) (AP Video: Terry Chea)

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British lawmakers give initial approval to a bill to allow terminally ill adults to end their lives

British lawmakers have given initial approval to a bill that would help terminally ill adults end their lives in England and Wales. The assisted dying bill was approved on Friday by a vote of 330 to 275 after an impassioned Parliamentary debate.
 
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First right whales of season gorge on critical food off Massachusetts, giving hope for a strong year

Scientists who study a critically endangered species of whale that lives off New England say encouraging early signs suggest the animals could have a strong season for feeding and breeding.
 
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Emperor penguin released at sea 20 days after waddling onto Australian beach

The only emperor penguin known to have swum from Antarctica to Australia has been released at sea 20 days after he waddled ashore on a popular tourist beach.
 
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Volcano on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula erupts for the 7th time in a year

A volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland is spewing lava from a fissure in its seventh eruption since December.
 

A volcano on the Rekjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland is erupting for the seventh time since December

 
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SpaceX launches giant Starship rocket, but aborts attempt to catch booster with mechanical arms

SpaceX has launched another Starship rocket, but passed up catching it with giant mechanical arms. The world’s biggest and most powerful rocket blasted off from Texas on Tuesday.
 

SpaceX launches Starship rocket, but skips trying to catch booster

SpaceX launches Starship rocket, but skips trying to catch booster.
 
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New eagle camera is going live in Minnesota to the delight of global viewers

Eagle lovers around the world who were crushed when the nest of a Minnesota pair and their chick collapsed on live video last year will get a when a new eagle camera goes live this week.
 
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4 monkeys remain free nearly 2 weeks after dozens escaped a South Carolina compound

Authorities say four monkeys remain free nearly two weeks after a group of 43 escaped from a South Carolina compound that breeds them for medical research.
 
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6 monkeys are still on the loose from a South Carolina compound after dozens escaped

Authorities say only six monkeys are still on the loose after dozens escaped earlier this month from a South Carolina compound that breeds the primates for medical research.
 
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Protesters gather at UN climate talks in global day of action as progress on a deal slows

Hundreds of activists formed a human chain outside one of the main plenary halls at the United Nations climate summit on what is traditionally their biggest protest day during the two-week talks.
 
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Frustration grows at fossil fuel influence and structure of UN climate talks. Some call for reform

Environmental advocates released reports Friday decrying fossil fuel industry influence at these climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, called COP29.
 
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Only 8 monkeys remain free after more than a week outside a South Carolina compound

Authorities say Just eight monkeys remain free from the group who broke out of a South Carolina compound that breeds the primates for medical research.
 
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The Leonid meteor shower peaks as the supermoon wanes

The November supermoon will still be almost full when the Leonid meteor shower peaks this weekend. Astronomers say the moonlight will likely obscure all but the brightest meteors in most locations.
 
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Earth’s projected warming hasn’t improved for 3 years. UN climate talks are still pushing

For the third straight year, efforts to fight climate change haven’t lowered projections for how hot the world is likely to get — even as countries gather for another round of talks to curb warming, according to an analysis Thursday.
 
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California researchers discover mysterious, gelatinous new sea slug

More than two decades after spotting a mysterious, gelatinous, bioluminescent creature swimming in the deep sea, California researchers this week announced that it was a new species of sea slug.
 
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Amid Earth’s heat records, scientists report another bump upward in annual carbon emissions

Even as Earth sets new heat records, humanity this year is pumping 330 million tons (300 million metric tons) more carbon dioxide into the air by burning fossil fuels than it did last year.
 
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2 more escaped monkeys recaptured and enjoying peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in South Carolina

Authorities say two monkeys have been returned to a South Carolina compound that breeds the animals for medical research.
 

Proposed assisted dying bill for England and Wales rekindles debate over choice and ethics

Details about a proposed law to legalize assisted dying in England and Wales have been published, rekindling debate on the controversial topic ahead of a vote in Parliament later this month.
 
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World’s largest active volcano Mauna Loa showed telltale warning signs before erupting in 2022

Scientists can’t know precisely when a volcano is about to erupt, but they can sometimes pick up telltale warning signs. That’s what happened two years ago with the world’s largest active volcano in Hawaii.
 
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South Carolina lab recaptures 5 more escaped monkeys but 13 are still loose

Authorities say five more monkeys have been returned to a South Carolina compound that breeds the animals for medical research.
 
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When to catch the last supermoon of the year

Astronomers say better catch this week’s supermoon. It will be a while until the next one. This will be the year’s fourth and final supermoon, looking bigger and brighter than usual.
 
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Vatican and Microsoft create AI-generated St. Peter’s Basilica to allow virtual visits, log damage

A digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica has been created using artificial intelligence to explore one of the world’s most important monument’s.
 
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24 more monkeys that escaped from a South Carolina lab are recovered unharmed

Authorities say more than half of the monkeys bred for medical research that escaped from a compound in South Carolina have been recovered unharmed. Police said Sunday that another 24 monkeys were captured, bringing the total number recovered to 25.
 
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1 monkey recovered safely, 42 others remain on the run from South Carolina lab

Officials say one of 43 monkeys bred for medical research that escaped a compound in South Carolina has been recovered unharmed. Police said in a statement on Saturday that many of the others are still located a few yards from the property.
 
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NASA astronauts won’t say which one of them got sick after almost 8 months in space

Three NASA astronauts whose prolonged space mission ended with a trip to the hospital last month won’t say which one of them got sick.
 
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Biden administration to restrict drilling, renewables in the US West to help struggling bird

U.S. officials are proposing tighter restrictions on oil, solar and wind energy development across more than 6,500 square miles of federal land in the U.S. West. The goal is to protect a declining bird species, the greater sage grouse.
 
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43 monkeys remain on the run from South Carolina lab. CEO thinks they’re having an adventure

Authorities say 43 monkeys bred for medical research that escaped a compound in South Carolina have been spotted in the woods near a fence surrounding the site and that workers are using food to try to recapture them.
 
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43 monkeys escape from a South Carolina medical lab. Police say there is no serious danger

A police chief in South Carolina says there is no “almost no danger” to the public after 43 monkeys escaped from a compound used for medical research.
 
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New DNA evidence rewrites long-told stories of people in ancient Pompeii

When a volcanic eruption buried the ancient city of Pompeii, the last desperate moments of its citizens were preserved for centuries.