By Lianne Kolirin, CNN (CNN) — Archaeologists have assembled the “world’s most difficult jigsaw puzzle” to reveal huge frescoes that once adorned a luxury villa in Roman London. Fragments of shattered wall plaster, which were discovered during excavations by experts from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA), have been meticulously pieced together to reveal frescoes
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By Katie Hunt, CNN (CNN) — An enigmatic skull recovered from the bottom of a well in northeastern China in 2018 sparked intrigue when it didn’t match any previously known species of prehistoric human. Now, scientists say they have found evidence of where the fossil fits, and it could be a key piece in another
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By Laura Paddison, CNN (CNN) — Rising global temperatures are set to devastate food crops across the world, with particularly alarming impacts projected for the United States, where production of key crops could plummet 50% by the end of the century, according to a sweeping new analysis. Of the many impacts of the fossil fuel-driven
Continue ReadingBy Kameryn Griesser, CNN (CNN) — Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Heat-trapping methane may be best known for the dangers it poses to humans and Earth’s atmosphere, but in the dark depths of the ocean, the greenhouse gas is a
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By Ashley Strickland, CNN (CNN) — Astronomers have used mysterious fast radio bursts, or millisecond-long bright flashes of radio waves from space, to help them track down some of the missing matter in the universe. Dark matter and dark energy make up most of the universe. Dark matter is an enigmatic substance that shapes the
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By Andrew Freedman, CNN (CNN) — The human fingerprint on global warming was likely evident in Earth’s atmosphere far earlier than previously thought—even before the invention of modern cars, a new study says. Using a combination of scientific theory, modern observations and multiple, sophisticated computer models, researchers found a clear signal of human-caused climate change
Continue ReadingBy Ashley Strickland, CNN (CNN) — Two well-preserved ice age “puppies” found in Northern Siberia may not be dogs at all, according to new research. Still covered in fur and naturally preserved in ice for thousands of years, the “Tumat Puppies,” as they are known, contain hints of a last meal in their stomachs, including
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By Mindy Weisberger, CNN (CNN) — The sun was setting on a busy London street on a May evening in 1337 when a group of men approached a priest named John Forde. They surrounded him in front of a church near Old St. Paul’s Cathedral, stabbed him in the neck and stomach, and then fled.
Continue ReadingBy Kameryn Griesser, CNN (CNN) — A tiny creature with frilly gills, a polite smile and glowing green skin just gave scientists a major clue to solve one of biology’s biggest mysteries: limb regeneration. Aquatic salamanders called axolotls are known for their unusual ability to regrow limbs lost to injury or amputation. Now, researchers have
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By Ashley Strickland, CNN (CNN) — Scientists have identified a previously unknown 86 million-year-old dinosaur species that fills an early gap in the fossil record of tyrannosaurs, revealing how they evolved to become massive apex predators. Researchers analyzing the species’ remains have named it Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, which translates to “dragon prince of Mongolia,” because it
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By Ella Nilsen, CNN (CNN) — The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to scrap two major federal regulations that limit air pollution and planet-warming emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants, the agency’s head announced Wednesday. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the proposal targets a rule regulating all planet-warming carbon emissions from existing and new
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By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — New research revealing details of gold coins found aboard a shipwreck off Colombia provides further evidence that the vessel was the San José galleon, a 300-year-old Spanish warship believed to contain artifacts worth billions of dollars. Scientists used an unmanned underwater vehicle to survey the wreck and captured images
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By Laura Paddison, CNN (CNN) — The collapse of a crucial network of Atlantic Ocean currents could push parts of the world into a deep freeze, with winter temperatures plunging to around minus 55 degrees Fahrenheit in some cities, bringing “profound climate and societal impacts,” according to a new study. There is increasing concern about
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By Jack Guy, CNN (CNN) — Scientists studying ancient human remains uncovered in Colombia have found that the people they were researching have no known ancestors or modern descendants. In a study published May 30 in the journal Science Advances, a team of researchers reported on the genetic data of 21 individuals whose skeletal remains
Continue ReadingBy Helen Regan, CNN (CNN) — Climate lawyers are taking the New Zealand government to court, alleging its plan to reduce planet-heating pollution contains “glaring holes,” which will have “huge consequences for our country.” Two groups, Lawyers for Climate Action NZ and the Environmental Law Initiative, argue that the government’s plan to reach net zero
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By Jacopo Prisco, CNN (CNN) — An accidental discovery might change how we think about one of the most mysterious structures in our solar system. The Oort Cloud, a large expanse of icy bodies revolving around the sun at a distance 1,000 times greater than the orbit of Neptune, is widely thought to be spherical
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By Ashley Strickland, CNN (CNN) — June’s full moon, nicknamed the strawberry moon, will shine brightly on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The moon will be at its fullest at 3:44 a.m. ET Wednesday but will still appear bright and low in the east after sunset on Tuesday, as well as low in the west
Continue ReadingBy Ashley Strickland, CNN (CNN) — As scientists search for worlds that may be habitable for life, they’ve discovered a type that is common in the universe — but doesn’t exist in our own solar system. These enigmatic planets are called sub-Neptunes, which are larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune. An April study catapulted
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By Jacopo Prisco, CNN Many of the Dead Sea Scrolls, some of the most widely known archaeological finds of all time, may be older than once thought, according to a new study. The fresh analysis, which paired radiocarbon dating with artificial intelligence, determined some of the biblical manuscripts date to about 2,300 years ago, when
Continue ReadingBy Laura Paddison, CNN (CNN) — Jan Beutel was half-watching a live stream of Kleines Nesthorn, a mountain peak in the Swiss Alps, when he realized its cacophony of creaks and rumbles was getting louder. He dropped his work, turned up the sound and found himself unable to look away. “The whole screen exploded,” he
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