Blue Zones, places home to an unusual number of centenarians, are looked to for their secrets to living healthier lives – but are they even real? ​Blue Zones, places home to an unusual number of centenarians, are looked to for their secrets to living healthier lives – but are they even real? Blue Zones, places home …

Why the world’s longevity hotspots may not be all they seem Read More »

Changes in Earth’s orbit drive long-term glacial cycles, but a new forecast suggests this ancient pattern is being disrupted for tens of thousands of years due to human-induced global warming ​Changes in Earth’s orbit drive long-term glacial cycles, but a new forecast suggests this ancient pattern is being disrupted for tens of thousands of years …

We now know how much global warming has delayed the next ice age Read More »

A cloud of super-heated volcanic ash and gas exploded the brain of one Herculaneum resident and the fragments inside his skull became an extremely rare organic glass ​A cloud of super-heated volcanic ash and gas exploded the brain of one Herculaneum resident and the fragments inside his skull became an extremely rare organic glass A cloud …

A man’s brain was turned into glass by the eruption of Vesuvius Read More »

There may be logic in keeping spacecraft as sterile as possible, but this could inadvertently be affecting astronauts’ health ​There may be logic in keeping spacecraft as sterile as possible, but this could inadvertently be affecting astronauts’ health There may be logic in keeping spacecraft as sterile as possible, but this could inadvertently be affecting astronauts’ …

Spacecraft may need to be dirtier to keep astronauts healthy Read More »

While experimenting with waves, researchers discovered that vibrating a container of liquid would cause bubble to “gallop” across its surface ​While experimenting with waves, researchers discovered that vibrating a container of liquid would cause bubble to “gallop” across its surface While experimenting with waves, researchers discovered that vibrating a container of liquid would cause bubble to …

‘Galloping’ bubbles could act as tiny robotic vacuum cleaners Read More »

For a few evenings around 28 February, every planet in the solar system will be visible in the night sky, thanks to a rare great planetary alignment. Here’s how to make sure you don’t miss this planetary parade. ​For a few evenings around 28 February, every planet in the solar system will be visible in …

How to see every planet in the solar system at once this week Read More »

Spending more days in extreme heat seems to be linked to markers of increased biological ageing in people aged 56 and over, suggesting that it could raise the risk of age-related diseases ​Spending more days in extreme heat seems to be linked to markers of increased biological ageing in people aged 56 and over, suggesting …

Extreme heat may speed up biological ageing in older people Read More »

Climate models predict that even under extreme warming, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation will weaken but not collapse entirely – although this could still have serious impacts ​Climate models predict that even under extreme warming, the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation will weaken but not collapse entirely – although this could still have serious impacts Climate models …

Vital ocean current is unlikely to completely shut down this century Read More »

By far the oldest evidence of humans living in dense forests comes from a site in Ivory Coast, where stone tools and plant remains reveal a human presence stretching back 150,000 years ​By far the oldest evidence of humans living in dense forests comes from a site in Ivory Coast, where stone tools and plant …

Humans were living in tropical forests surprisingly early Read More »