Science

The mystery loss of Tasmanian tigers from mainland Australia was likely caused by climate change and not wild dogs or hunting by Aborigines, researchers said on Thursday. The research, published in the Journal of Biogeography, could have implications for the fight to save the endangered Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), says geneticist and research team leader Jeremy Austin of the University ... Read More »

Astronomers at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), based in the US, and the Virgo detector, in Italy, have successfully detected gravitational waves from space for the fourth time. “Today marks an exciting milestone in the growing international scientific effort to unlock the extraordinary mysteries of our universe,” France Córdova, director of the National Science Foundation, which funded LIGO, said ... Read More »

In a world first, a Tonkean macaque mother has been seen eating the mummified remains of her dead baby after carrying its lifeless body around for weeks. Scientists studying macaques at the Parco Faunistico di Piano dell’Abatino animal sanctuary observed a new mother named Evalyne “caring” for her deceased infant for weeks, and then consuming its mummified body until nothing ... Read More »

Hundreds of sharks have been filmed hunting baitfish “unusually” close to shore on the New South Wales coast during the busy school holiday season. Helicopter surveillance footage discovered white sharks, bull sharks and whaler sharks of various sizes feeding on the baitfish, along with seabirds and a whale. The NSW Department of Primary Industries warns beachgoers to avoid swimming or ... Read More »

Paolo Nespoli, an astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) has shared some stunning footage of the Aurora Australis, otherwise known as the southern lights. The result is a downward view of the aurora borealis that flips the very concept of stargazing upside down — not to mention one of the most radiant displays of the green, streaking light-show visible ... Read More »

Researchers on an expedition led by polar explorer Pen Hadow have discovered plastic pollution lying on remote frozen ice floes in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. The discovery shows how far plastic pollution has spread, prompting fears that new plastic waste is flowing into the Arctic as the ice melts due to climate change. The thaw is also releasing ... Read More »

A German-led group of astronomers announced on September 20, 2017 that they’ve used the Hubble Space Telescope to discover an object that’s a binary asteroid – two asteroids orbiting each other – with comet-like features. In September 2016, just before the asteroid 288P made its closest approach to the Sun, it was close enough to Earth to allow astronomers a ... Read More »

We have good news, and bad news. The good news is that a massive hidden death planet didn’t crash into Earth on September 23. But the bad news is it’s due to arrive on October 21st instead! Christian numerologist David Meade has now claimed that October will be the month of “real pain.” Meade, who laid out the doomsday conspiracy ... Read More »

This is what the Aurora Borealis looks like from the International Space Station. The Northern Lights are stunning from the ground – but equally as mesmerising from onboard the ISS. A 30-second video, filmed from the International Space Station, shows a bright green light moving over the dark surface of the Earth. The northern lights, or aurora, is a natural ... Read More »

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, en route to asteroid Bennu to retrieve samples and return them to scientists, slingshot past Earth on Friday, using gravity to change its trajectory for a rendezvous with its target late next year. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx flew approximately 11,000 miles above Antarctica. The spacecraft used the planet’s gravity to help it pick up speed on its way to ... Read More »

Researchers have discovered ancient dung that shows some dinosaurs previously believed to have been strict vegetarians often ate shellfish, as well as fungus and insects living in rotten logs. A new report says that the fossilized feces, called coprolites, contained crab and mollusk shells and rotted wood that date back to between 74 and 76 million years ago. A team ... Read More »