Fossils

A proclivity for dancing seems to be found in at least 10 species of cockatoo, and the birds will even jive to white noise or a financial podcast

Social media influencers are convinced that the number of lobes on the base of a bell pepper give us information about its sex and taste. James Wong debunks this myth with some science

The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week

From squat toadstools to web-like mushrooms, images from Funga Obscura celebrate some of the most striking fungi on our planet

Excavated implements suggest a Homo species arrived on Sulawesi over 1 million years ago, before a nearby island hosted hobbit ancestors.

A gene called IBSH1 helped spreading earthmoss thrive at high gravity, hinting at how plants adapted to photosynthesize on land.

Golden apple snails can regrow full, functional eyes. Studying their genes may reveal how to repair human eye injuries.

The unique architecture of some ball-like plants high in trees in Fiji lets violent ants live peacefully and feed the plant with valuable droppings.

Government agencies are rapidly adopting AI, but experts warn the push may outpace privacy safeguards and leave data vulnerable to leaks and attacks.

Tyrannosaurus rex might be the most famous meat-eater of all time, but it turns out it wasn’t the only way to be a terrifying giant. New research shows that while T. rex evolved a skull designed for bone-crushing bites like a modern crocodile, other massive carnivorous dinosaurs like spinosaurs and allosaurs took a very different route — specializing in slashing and tearing flesh instead.

Tyrannosaurus rex might be the most famous meat-eater of all time, but it turns out it wasn’t the only way to be a terrifying giant. New research shows that while T. rex evolved a skull designed for bone-crushing bites like a modern crocodile, other massive carnivorous dinosaurs like spinosaurs and allosaurs took a very different route — specializing in slashing and tearing flesh instead.

Tyrannosaurus rex might be the most famous meat-eater of all time, but it turns out it wasn’t the only way to be a terrifying giant. New research shows that while T. rex evolved a skull designed for bone-crushing bites like a modern crocodile, other massive carnivorous dinosaurs like spinosaurs and allosaurs took a very different route — specializing in slashing and tearing flesh instead.

An analysis of 30 trials delivered a surprising twist: One exercise outperformed walking, resistance training and aerobic exercise in the treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia.

Differences in the skulls of carnivorous dinosaurs suggest some dinosaurs ripped flesh while others crushed bones

A bacterium called Vibrio pectenicida may be melting sea stars along North America’s Pacific coast.

The recommended age for starting colorectal cancer screening is now 45. That shift may explain a rise in early cases.

A new long-necked marine reptile, Plesionectes longicollum, has been identified from a decades-old fossil found in Germany’s Posidonia Shale. The remarkably preserved specimen rewrites part of the Jurassic marine story, revealing unexpected diversity during a time of oceanic chaos. It is now the oldest known plesiosaur from Holzmaden.

A new long-necked marine reptile, Plesionectes longicollum, has been identified from a decades-old fossil found in Germany’s Posidonia Shale. The remarkably preserved specimen rewrites part of the Jurassic marine story, revealing unexpected diversity during a time of oceanic chaos. It is now the oldest known plesiosaur from Holzmaden.

A new long-necked marine reptile, Plesionectes longicollum, has been identified from a decades-old fossil found in Germany’s Posidonia Shale. The remarkably preserved specimen rewrites part of the Jurassic marine story, revealing unexpected diversity during a time of oceanic chaos. It is now the oldest known plesiosaur from Holzmaden.

The superclouds probably produce star-forming clouds of gas, since most nearby stellar nurseries are located within the giants.