Florida is facing its most intense drought in 15 years. Here's how it got so bad and how long it will last. -- Sascha Pare -- More than 70% of the state is under "extreme" to "exceptional" drought conditions, and other parts of the U.S. Southeast are similarly affected. But why, and what are the impacts?

2 hours ago

Neanderthal toddlers grew faster than modern humans, probably because of the harsh environment they evolved in -- Kristina Killgrove -- A new study of a Neanderthal toddler reveals that our closest evolutionary relatives' growth patterns differed from those of modern humans.

2 hours ago

'Nations need to prepare now': Key Atlantic ocean current is much closer to collapse than scientists thought -- Sophie Berdugo -- An alarming study claims the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation is weakening more than believed previously. But experts say its findings are far from the final word.

1 hour ago

New blood test aims to spot liver scarring before it paves the way to cancer -- Hanan Hammad -- Liver scarring can pave the way to cancer down the line. A new blood test in development might help doctors spot it.

7 hours ago

'We're the best servants anyone could dream of!': AI superintelligence has no need to enslave humans because we're already bowing to it -- Gregory Stock -- Book -- A future AI would have no need to rid the world of humanity because we're incredibly useful. But if it did want to shrug us off, this is how it would likely play out.

6 hours ago

Glowing ring of plankton surrounding New Zealand islands linked to deadly underwater plateau -- A recent satellite photo captured a gleaming halo of phytoplankton encircling the remote Chatham Islands. The stunning sight is the result of a hidden underwater structure, which has also helped kill hundreds of cetaceans.

1 hour ago

Lyrid meteor shower 2026: See spring's first rain of 'shooting stars' peak in moonless skies -- Expect bright fireballs during the Lyrid meteor shower, which will peak in moonless skies on April 22, 2026.

1 day ago

Largest-ever 3D map of the universe shows 47 million galaxies, from the Milky Way to 'cosmic noon' - Space photo of the week -- The largest 3D map of the universe, created with data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument, shows 47 million galaxies in stunning detail.

1 day ago

Scientists identify main cause of extreme nausea and vomiting in pregnancy -- A key gene tied to hyperemesis gravidarum, an extreme form of vomiting in pregnancy, is also linked to a heightened risk of type 2 diabetes, scientists report.

1 hour ago

A giant 'shadow' has been creeping across Mars for 50 years - and scientists aren't sure why -- A dark patch in Mars' Utopia Planitia region has grown significantly since it was first photographed in 1976. Scientists have a loose understanding of what it is, but they can't properly explain its gradual growth.

1 hour ago

'The chances of you living 50 years are very small': Theoretical physicist explains why humanity likely won't survive to see all the forces unified -- Live Science spoke with Nobel prize-winning physicist David Gross, who recently received the $3 million Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, about the quest to unite all the forces and why humanity might not live to see a unified theory.

1 day ago

Altar to Sol: A rare 1,900-year-old monument dedicated to the Roman god of light and used in a secret underground ritual -- This unique carved altar represents the triumph of light over darkness in ancient Roman religion.

19 hours ago

Can the US be trusted with the moon? A law scholar raises concerns after Artemis II's success. By - Art Cotterell - published - 19 April 26 - The Artemis II moon mission was a great success. But America's longterm ambitions in space may deserve some scrutiny, a law scholar argues, given the nation's recent conduct on Earth.

1 day ago

Physicists witness faster-than-light darkness pinpricks, humans found to still be evolving, and the endangered polar bears that are getting fatter than ever -- Ben Turner -- Science news this week -- April 18, 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

1 day ago

Some polar bears are adapting to their melting habitat. Will it be enough to save the iconic species? By - Chris Simms - published - 17 April 26 - Bears in Svalbard, Norway, are fatter than expected, and others in Greenland are showing signs of genetically adapting to climate change - but the signs elsewhere are not good.

3 days ago

Ancient process that created rare earth elements discovered - and it could help us locate desperately needed deposits - By - Sascha Pare - published - 15 April 26 - A new study suggests rare earth elements form in magma above ancient subduction zones, as that magma reacts with substances that are released when one tectonic plate dives beneath another.

2 days ago

Mini lake meets snowy rim of Canada's oldest ice mass -- Harry Baker -- Earth from space -- A 2010 satellite photo shows the point where a small lake bisects the snowy rim of an ancient glacier on Canada's Baffin Island. The rippling, snow-rimmed structure is the last remaining fragment of a colossal ice sheet that once covered large parts of North America.

6 days ago

'I've seen the movies. What a horrible way to die': What it's like to be sucked into a tornado and survive -- Hannah Osborne -- Interview -- Perry Samson was helping students conduct field experiments on supercell storms in Kansas in 2008 when one suddenly turned into a tornado and dragged him in.

6 days ago

Analysis -- In-depth analysis on the science happening in the news right now

3 months ago

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3 months ago

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3 months ago

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3 months ago

Did King Arthur really exist? By - Owen Jarus - published - 18 April 26 - The stories about King Arthur are almost certainly false or greatly exaggerated, but did the man himself exist?

2 days ago

15 old shoes found in archaeological excavations around the world, including at Roman forts - By - Jennifer Nalewicki, Laura Geggel - last updated - 17 April 26 - Shoes can give us an interesting insight into what people used to wear. Here are a dozen of the most extraordinary finds from the archaeological record.

3 days ago

Can chickens really run around with their heads cut off? By - Ashley P. Taylor - published - 19 April 26 - There's lore about chickens surviving from seconds to months after their heads are chopped off, but what does the science say?

2 days ago

New study confirms lobsters feel pain, driving scientists to call for a ban on boiling them alive - By - Kenna Hughes-Castleberry - published - 15 April 26 - A new study adds to the growing body of evidence that lobsters feel pain, with the crustaceans seemingly responding to electrical shocks with emotional distress.

1 day ago

Strange mammal ancestor laid huge, leathery eggs -‬ and it was key to surviving the world's worst mass extinction - By - Kenna Hughes-Castleberry - published - 15 April 26 - Using synchrotron X-ray CT scans of a fossilized, intact embryo, researchers found evidence that the plant-eating mammal Lystrosaurus laid eggs, which answers a key question about mammalian evolution.

2 days ago

Triassic croc relative from Ghost Ranch, New Mexico finally identified after nearly 80 years in museum basement - By - Skyler Ware - published - 14 April 26 - During the Triassic, a newly described species related to modern crocodiles and alligators stalked prey on land, not the water, a new study finds.

3 days ago

Loneliness may contribute to memory issues, but not dementia - they are 'not the same thing' By - Ivana Babicova - published - 19 April 26 - A researcher explains what we know - and what we don't - about the link between loneliness and memory problems.

7 hours ago

Science history: Doctor autopsies the brain of a man who couldn't speak - and reveals the seat of spoken language - April 18, 1861 - By - Tia Ghose - published - 18 April 26 - Dr. Paul Broca conducted an autopsy on a patient known as "Tan," who had aphasia, or the inability to speak. Broca's work identified a region of the brain that is key to spoken language.

2 days ago

Diagnostic dilemma: A woman heard voices telling her she had a brain tumor ‪-‬ and scans confirmed she did - By - Mindy Weisberger - published - 15 April 26 - In a strange medical case, a woman suddenly started hearing voices, and they directed her to seek care for a brain tumor.

6 days ago

Life's Little Mysteries -- Science questions, answered

1 year ago

Space photo of the week -- Extraordinary images of our sublime universe

1 year ago

Diagnostic dilemma -- Unusual case reports from the medical literature

1 year ago

Incredible places -- A window onto extraordinary landscapes on Earth

1 year ago

Astonishing artifacts -- A glimpse into how people lived in the past

1 year ago

Earth from space -- Incredible images of our planet from above

1 year ago

Hackers used AI to steal hundreds of millions of Mexican government and private citizen records in one of the largest cybersecurity breaches ever - By - Kenna Hughes-Castleberry - published - 16 April 26 - A group of hackers used both Claude Code and ChatGPT in a cybersecurity hack that lasted two and a half months.

2 hours ago

This humanoid robot does all your housework for you ‪-‬ and its makers say it's ready for your home - By - Kenna Hughes-Castleberry - published - 15 April 26 - Panther has been filmed doing basic household chores, like making the bed and cooking breakfast.

1 day ago

AI for breakup texts? How 'sycophantic' chatbots are messing with our ability to handle difficult social situations. By - Roland Moore-Colyer - published - 11 April 26 - Overly agreeable AI responses to interpersonal issues could mess with human moral perspectives.

5 days ago

Physicists witness pinpricks of darkness moving faster than the speed of light - By - Damien Pine - published - 14 April 26 - For the first time, researchers measured singularities in combined light and sound waves moving faster than the speed of light. The findings have implications in fluid dynamics, optics and many other fields.

3 days ago

Physicists entangle two moving atoms for the first time, validating 'spooky' quantum theory - By - Larissa G. Capella - published - 13 April 26 - For the first time, scientists have observed quantum entanglement in the momentum of massive particles. The result, decades in the making, could help physicists probe the relationship between quantum mechanics and gravity.

4 days ago

'They are literally everywhere': The shocking story of how forever chemicals polluted the world -- Ben Turner -- INTERVIEW -- Live Science spoke with Mariah Blake, an investigative journalist and author of the book "They Poisoned The World," about one of the greatest corporate scandals in history.

4 days ago

Live Science crossword puzzle #40: Closest planet to the sun - 11 across -- Harry Baker -- last updated -- Science crossword -- Test your knowledge on all things science with our weekly, free crossword puzzle!

1 day ago

Artemis II quiz: Is your knowledge of NASA's historic moon mission out of this world? -- Sophie Berdugo -- published -- QUIZ -- The slingshot around the moon has catapulted the Artemis II mission to legendary status. How much do you know about this iconic mission?

4 days ago

Octopus quiz: Are you a sucker for cephalopod science? By - Kenna Hughes-Castleberry - published - 4 April 26 - This quiz tests what you know about octopus anatomy and behavior.

16 days ago