Fossils

A spectacular fossil trove on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen shows that marine life made a stunning comeback after Earth’s greatest extinction. Tens of thousands of fossils reveal fully aquatic reptiles and complex food chains thriving just three million years later. Some predators grew over five meters long, challenging the idea of a slow, step-by-step recovery. The find rewrites the early history of ocean ecosystems.

A spectacular fossil trove on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen shows that marine life made a stunning comeback after Earth’s greatest extinction. Tens of thousands of fossils reveal fully aquatic reptiles and complex food chains thriving just three million years later. Some predators grew over five meters long, challenging the idea of a slow, step-by-step recovery. The find rewrites the early history of ocean ecosystems.

A spectacular fossil trove on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen shows that marine life made a stunning comeback after Earth’s greatest extinction. Tens of thousands of fossils reveal fully aquatic reptiles and complex food chains thriving just three million years later. Some predators grew over five meters long, challenging the idea of a slow, step-by-step recovery. The find rewrites the early history of ocean ecosystems.

The year's top paleontological wonders ranged from a 540-million-year-old penis worm to a decades-old rodent impression.

The James Webb Space Telescope detected an atmosphere on a lava-covered exoplanet, evidence that small planets close to stars can have atmospheres.

James Riordan’s new book will help readers wrap their heads around this mysterious, fundamental force of nature.

Are we reading our dog’s moods right? Does TV really comfort them when we’re away? These pet stories were catnip to us this year.

It has been claimed that because most of our DNA is active, it must be important, but now human-plant hybrid cells have been used to show this activity is mostly random noise

Advances delivered what may feel like medical miracles, including the first bladder transplant, a lifesaving personalized gene therapy and more.

The detection of mercurial particles of light emanating from mice led to a flurry of interest in biophotons, a mysterious phenomenon that could have applications in agriculture

Palaeontologists reported some remarkable dinosaur fossils this year, including a Velociraptor relative, a dome-headed pachycephalosaur and one of the most heavily armoured creatures that ever lived

This year, researchers took a bite out of culinary innovation. Check out some of our favorite food-related stories from 2025.

There was more good health news about the COVID-19 vaccine for infants, kids and adults in December. There’s still time to get the shot this winter.

Space is always inspiring and 2025 was no exception, with finding Betelgeuse’s buddy, debuting a prolific survey telescope and more.

The bacteria behind the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea is known for developing antibiotic resistance. Now there are two new treatment options.

Scientists exploring Romania’s Hațeg Basin have discovered one of the densest dinosaur fossil sites ever found, with bones lying almost on top of each other. The K2 site preserves thousands of remains from a prehistoric flood-fed lake that acted like a natural bone trap 72 million years ago. Alongside common local dinosaurs, researchers uncovered the first well-preserved titanosaur skeletons ever found in the region. The site reveals how ancient European dinosaur ecosystems formed and evolved in the final chapter of the age of dinosaurs.

Scientists exploring Romania’s Hațeg Basin have discovered one of the densest dinosaur fossil sites ever found, with bones lying almost on top of each other. The K2 site preserves thousands of remains from a prehistoric flood-fed lake that acted like a natural bone trap 72 million years ago. Alongside common local dinosaurs, researchers uncovered the first well-preserved titanosaur skeletons ever found in the region. The site reveals how ancient European dinosaur ecosystems formed and evolved in the final chapter of the age of dinosaurs.

Scientists exploring Romania’s Hațeg Basin have discovered one of the densest dinosaur fossil sites ever found, with bones lying almost on top of each other. The K2 site preserves thousands of remains from a prehistoric flood-fed lake that acted like a natural bone trap 72 million years ago. Alongside common local dinosaurs, researchers uncovered the first well-preserved titanosaur skeletons ever found in the region. The site reveals how ancient European dinosaur ecosystems formed and evolved in the final chapter of the age of dinosaurs.

From clever cockatoos to vomiting spiders, these cool critters captivated us this year.

Data from Axial, the most-monitored underwater volcano, are helping geophysicists hone eruption predictions. For Axial, 2026 is their next bet.