Could we prevent dementia? A new trial may point the way. Explainer - While much funding for dementia research goes toward treatments, some scientists want to reduce people's risk of developing the condition in the first place. Explainer

12 hours ago

Why Aug. 12 could be the greatest single day and night for skywatchers for years -- A solar eclipse, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower, Venus at dichotomy and the Milky Way at its annual best will create one of 2026's best days for skywatching. -- Jamie Carter -- Published

12 hours ago

Sharks reveal their secret lives, coldest temperature recorded in Antarctica, geoglyphs hint at lost Amazonian civilization and why inflammation causes false memories. -- Science news this week -- August 1, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend -- Pandora Dewan

14 hours ago

'We are not giving up yet': Private mission to rescue NASA's Swift telescope is spinning out of control -- Katalyst Space's LINK spacecraft is recovering from an unexpected spin in orbit, and will need a little more time to rescue NASA's falling Swift observatory. -- Elizabeth Howell -- Published

15 hours ago

Astronomers accidentally discover 2 supernovas that exploded from a single star system -- Astronomers have identified a supernova remnant beside the well-known Jellyfish Nebula (IC 443), and evidence suggests both are the wreckage of two stars that once orbited each other before exploding separately. -- Olivia Maule -- Last updated

1 day ago

IBM scientists claim they've achieved 'quantum advantage' - and they've dared others to prove them wrong -- Using IBM's quantum computer, scientists say they have shown in three different experiments that quantum computers can outpace classical machines in useful computations. -- Tristan Greene -- Published

1 day ago

Alzheimer's blood tests are transforming how patients get diagnosed - here's what to know -- Explainer -- New tests for Alzheimer's are helping people who are at risk of dementia get clarity on their condition, Live Science reports from the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in London. -- RJ Mackenzie

14 hours ago

Scientists discover 2 new 'ghost' lineages that contributed DNA to modern humans -- A new method of analyzing modern humans' DNA is revealing secrets about our extinct ancestors. -- Charles Q. Choi -- Published

2 days ago

Scientists put cameras on whale sharks for the first time and saw something they'd never seen before -- Animal-borne cameras have revealed that the world's largest fish spends far more time feeding below the surface than scientists realized. -- Olivia Maule -- Published

2 days ago

500-year-old Inca mummies prove that European colonists brought devastating smallpox to the Americas -- Ancient DNA from Chilean mummies is the first ever molecular evidence that European colonizers brought smallpox to the Americas, decimating Indigenous populations. -- Olivia Ferrari -- Published

2 days ago

40,000-year-old bird figurines the size of a thumbnail discovered in German cave -- Two newly discovered bird carvings reveal early humans' keen eye for artistry in the ice age world 40,000 years ago. -- Kristina Killgrove -- Published

2 days ago

A unique antibody system may help explain bats' unusual tolerance of viruses -- Researchers found that vesper bats use two separate sets of genes to build antibodies ‪-‬ a rare evolutionary quirk that may give them different ways to fight infection. -- Kenna Hughes-Castleberry -- Published

2 days ago

Lasers reveal hundreds of geoglyphs made by a mysterious civilization in the Amazon rainforest thousands of years ago -- A new lidar survey of dense Amazonian rainforest has revealed hundreds of earthworks made by a mysterious civilization two millennia ago. -- Kristina Killgrove -- Published

2 days ago

Chinese rocket struck by lightning moments after launch in front of packed crowd (video) -- A Long March 3B rocket was struck by lightning in front of a packed crowd, around 30 seconds after lifting off from a Chinese spaceport. Despite this, the spacecraft survived its ascent and successfully deployed its payload in orbit. -- Harry Baker -- Published

3 days ago

Antarctica just experienced minus 119 F, Earth's coldest temperature since 2012 - here's why -- Too hot? Head to the Concordia research station in Antarctica, where "astronauts of ice" just experienced near-record-breaking cold. -- Patrick Pester -- Published

3 days ago

After 100-year hunt, scientists get their best look yet at Betelgeuse's secret sidekick -- A century-old mystery about the night sky's famous "shoulder star" may finally be solved, as astronomers capture the sharpest image yet of a small star tucked close beside the dying Betelgeuse. -- Olivia Maule -- Published

3 days ago

Three galaxies in this cosmic string are missing a crucial component of the universe -- Astronomers have discovered a third galaxy without dark matter in a strange string of a dozen dwarf galaxies. A violent collision is likely to blame. -- Ivan Farkas -- Last updated

3 days ago

Monkeys have a basic intuition for geometry, study suggests -- Baboons and macaques appear to use some of the same mental strategies as humans when matching shapes, suggesting that the foundations of geometry evolved in a common ancestor. -- Kenna Hughes-Castleberry -- Published

3 days ago

Biological 'superspreader' event could be imminent as more than 1,000 ships idle in the Strait of Hormuz, scientists warn -- The prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz may pose significant biosecurity hazards as well as economic impacts, with potentially devastating consequences for global ecosystems and human health. -- Pandora Dewan -- Published

3 days ago

High-powered lasers can wirelessly charge drones mid-flight -- Chinese researchers have successfully charged a drone using just a laser, in a breakthrough that could change how we approach unmanned flight -- Rory Bathgate -- Published

3 days ago