Will the U.S. megadrought ever end?
For 27 years, the Southwest has been gripped by a historic drought. Scientists think it might be here to stay.
SCIENTIFIC NEWS
This ‘anti-vampiric’ grave used two strategies to stop the undead
A sickle across the throat and a padlock on the toe were likely meant to keep this 17th-century Polish teen from resurrecting.
What’s behind ‘one of paleontology’s most enduring enigmas’?
New research suggests that Paleodictyon — honeycomb-shaped formations perhaps sketched by da Vinci — are not made by soft-bodied creatures.
Math puzzle: Shape-birding
Solve the math puzzle from our October 2026 issue, in which a bird watcher seeks an indoor hobby.
Big space mirrors could bring Earth on-demand light — and upend our night sky
A space satellite that would offer light on demand has astronomers asking: Who controls the night sky?
Nepal’s deadly debris flow points to risks in other high mountain regions
As human-caused climate warming destabilizes high mountain regions, the threat of rock-ice avalanches and other glacial hazards grows.
During menopause, brain changes surprisingly take a break
Major hormonal milestones in women’s lives are usually associated with changes in brain volume — but a new study shows menopause is an exception.
When AI goes rogue, its human overseers may be to blame
When AI agents hack real systems, the bigger issue may be the human choices that gave them access, autonomy and too few safeguards.
These mice have human (nerve cells) on the brain
Scientists have grown human brain tissue to fill most of a mouse’s cortex, creating a new model for studying brain disease and neural circuits.
The U.S. has weapons in space. Here’s what that could mean
A cryptic announcement raises questions about the type of weapons and how they could be used. We talked to an expert about the consequences.
AI could turn scientific papers into research assistants 
WHO supports Nigeria after first Ebola case confirmed 
A lifesaving medication is not behind the drop in U.S. overdose deaths 
Peek into hidden worlds revealed by the 2026 Nikon Small World contest