Jan 28th, 2026 - Australian authorities have sparked a backlash by killing a group of dingoes linked to the death of a young Canadian woman on an island in the country's east. The Queensland government said six wild dogs were put down after 19-year-old backpacker Piper James's body was found on January 19 at a beach on the World Heritage-listed island of K'gari. The euthanization program has stirred debate about how to manage the local population of dingoes, a sandy-colored canine believed to have first arrived in Australia 4,000 to 5,000 years ago. An autopsy conducted on James' body found evidence ... [Read More]

Jan 28th, 2026 - Seeking to dampen alarm in the region, Indian officials have declared that an outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus has been contained. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said late on Tuesday that it has ensured "timely containment" as it confirmed two cases in West Bengal state. Several Asian countries have introduced screening procedures for travellers arriving from India. The ministry said 196 contacts linked to the confirmed cases had been "identified, traced, monitored, and tested", with all tests for the virus negative. It said the statement was intended to clarify "speculative and ... [Read More]

Jan 27th, 2026 - "What's particularly exciting about finds like this is that we just so rarely have wood preserved for that long," the study's lead author told NBC News. The earliest known hand-held wooden tools, used by our early human ancestors around 430,000 years ago, have been uncovered by researchers at an archeological site in Greece. One is made from the trunk of an alder tree and could have been used for digging, and the other is a small willow or poplar artifact that may have been used to shape stones, according to a study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of ... [Read More]

Jan 27th, 2026 - Remote cameras hidden in a forest captured an elusive and rare mammal in its glory. The coastal marten, also known as the Humboldt marten, is a ferret-sized carnivore captured in an adorable pose, as it leans on a bark of a tree. The spotting was not a cute capture of a wild animal , but it was essential to know that the coastal marten exists despite nearly being pushed into extinction in the 20th century. These creatures were thriving until human activities, such as hunting, prompted their population to decline, so much so that they were presumed extinct. In 2022, scientists from Oregon ... [Read More]

Jan 27th, 2026 - It's quick and easy to access Live Science Plus, simply enter your email below. We'll send you a confirmation and sign you up for our daily newsletter, keeping you up to date with the latest science news. Sharktober is real in Hawaii — and it's down to the reproductive pattern of predatory tiger sharks, an analysis of 30 years of data reveals. Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Join the conversation Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter "Sharktober" — the spike in shark bite incidents off the west coast of North America during ... [Read More]

Jan 27th, 2026 - By EarthTalk, E/The Environmental Magazine Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that plants communicate by sending chemical signals through the air? -- Melissa, via email Recent research reveals that plants, despite lacking brains or nervous systems, possess a surprising ability to "talk" via chemical signals. This fascinating discovery sheds light on a hidden world of plant communication with profound implications for agriculture, ecology and climate resilience. Plants communicate mainly through volatile organic compounds (VOCs)- chemical signals they release into the air - which serve as a ... [Read More]

Jan 27th, 2026 - Within the wide-open grassy landscapes and plateaus of Yellowstone, a dramatic episode is unfolding these days. It's a one-sided relationship between wolves and cougars, where wolves are the dominant ones and cougars the peacemakers. While the brash wolves unabashedly steal prey, cougars often withdraw from the kill sites to avoid conflict with their fellow carnivores. Since both have the same diet, mostly bison, elk, and deer, the competition for the menu evokes a power struggle. Wolves are commanding creatures that stop at nothing to grab their prey. Cougars have to adopt shabby strategies ... [Read More]

Jan 27th, 2026 - Ethiopia has declared its Marburg virus outbreak over after meeting World Health Organization criteria requiring 42 consecutive days with no new infections, health officials said. Health Minister Mekdes Daba said on Monday that the country is now free of the virus under WHO standards, citing the absence of new cases for six weeks. According to earlier government data, the outbreak was first detected in November in the Southern Ethiopian Region. Laboratory testing was conducted on about 3,800 suspected cases, with 14 infections confirmed. Nine people died and five recovered, officials said. ... [Read More]