Learn more about termite evolution and how shedding key genes from their cockroach ancestors helped them build more complex colonies.
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A Supermassive Black Hole Shredded a Star — and Is Still Burping Out Its Bright Remains
Learn how a shredded star triggered a black hole jet that evolved into a years-long energy surge that continues to intensify.
Fossils Show Pronghorn Speed Predates the American Cheetah by 5 Million Years
Learn how Miocene fossils from the Mojave Desert reveal that pronghorn running adaptations developed long before high-speed cheetahs appeared in North America.
Elusive Beaked Whales May Dive Over 3,000 Feet to Forage Near the Seafloor
Learn how six months of underwater recordings uncovered new details about how beaked whales hunt near the ocean bottom.
Archaeopteryx — The Earliest Known Bird — Had a Strange Mouth, but Fed Like Modern Birds
Learn how looking in Archaeopteryx’s fossilized mouth uncovered weird features unique to birds, supporting their ability to fly.
Cats’ Hair and Whiskers Suggest a Vegan Diet in Lab Tests — Despite Being Carnivores
Learn how nitrogen isotope tests made meat-eating cats appear plant-based, and what their protein metabolism reveals about interpreting animal diets.
New Model Clarifies a Jupiter Mystery After Finding Oxygen Hidden Beneath Storm Clouds
Learn about the latest model of Jupiter’s deep atmosphere that reveals how much oxygen the planet contains.
Unusually Small Dinosaur Fossil Helps Fill a 70-Million-Year Gap in Ornithopod Evolution
Learn how tiny fossils from Spain led to the discovery of Foskeia and a new chapter in dinosaur evolution.
What is the Nipah Virus and Should We Be Concerned?
Two patients have been hospitalized in India — learn more about the zoonotic disease responsible.
Alzheimer’s-Related Memory Concerns Linked to Glitches in the Brain’s Replay Process
Learn how the brain’s replay system helps us consolidate memories — and what goes wrong when Alzheimer’s disease interferes with the process.