Feb 18th, 2026 - Deep Earth conditions created in a lab reveal the core is chemically packed with hydrogen. Earth's core has often been described as just a giant ball of iron and nickel. Now, a new study argues that it is also a major storage place for hydrogen , possibly equivalent to dozens of oceans' worth of water, locked away in metal deep below our feet. In the paper, researchers led by Motohiko Murakami at ETH Zurich conducted laboratory experiments designed to simulate the intense pressure and heat present during Earth's formation. They concluded that hydrogen likely entered the core early, traveling ... [Read More]

Feb 18th, 2026 - Ice is supposed to be solid. This is what scientists believed when they thought about the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS). The reality of GIS jolted the scientists of the University of Bergen into utter puzzlement. Underneath the grounds of  Greenland , the thousand-year-old ice sheet is jiggling like the clappers, not much different from a pan of boiling noodles. Within the cold columns and walls of ice, plumes of steam are billowing sinisterly. Ever since scientists detected these swirling plumes of steam wafting within the ice sheet, they were left riddled until quite recently, when they ... [Read More]

Feb 17th, 2026 - Follow Earth on Google For tens of millions of years after animals first walked onto land, nearly all vertebrates were predators. Leaves, stems, and other plant foods were abundant, but early land animals largely ignored them. So when did the first backboned animals begin eating plants? A newly described fossil from Nova Scotia is helping answer that long-standing question. Scientists have identified a 307-million-year-old skull belonging to one of the earliest known land vertebrates capable of processing plant material, pushing the origins of terrestrial herbivory further back in time. The ... [Read More]

Feb 17th, 2026 - Follow Earth on Google Most massive stars end their lives in spectacular supernova explosions that briefly outshine entire galaxies. But astronomers are now seeing evidence that some stars skip the fireworks entirely, collapsing inward so quietly that the only sign of their death is a gradual fading glow. Researchers studying a massive supergiant in the Andromeda Galaxy, named M31-2014-DS1, found that the star disappeared without any visible explosion, leaving behind only faint infrared traces of dust and heat. The observation offers one of the clearest records yet of a "failed supernova," a ... [Read More]

Feb 17th, 2026 - Follow Earth on Google Scientists have reconstructed the genome of a cold virus that infected a woman in London about 250 years ago. The finding represents the oldest confirmed example of a human RNA virus identified to date. The achievement is striking because RNA is far less stable than DNA and usually degrades rapidly after death. Its survival in preserved human tissue suggests that museum and medical collections may hold an untapped archive of past viral infections . Ancient RNA rarely survives Researchers have recovered ancient viral traces from human remains dating back tens of ... [Read More]

Feb 17th, 2026 - Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. . B irds are great talkers and listeners, using vocalizations to communicate within their species. Whether for wooing mates, warning of predators, or chatting with offspring, birds excel at using their voices and ears to share meaningful information. All of which means they're particularly vulnerable to noise disturbances.  Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Individual studies have documented the impacts of human noise on bird behavior and fitness, but now, a review study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B paints a ... [Read More]

Feb 17th, 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. Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Join the conversation Add us as a preferred source on Google Get the Live Science Newsletter Get the world's most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful ... [Read More]

Feb 17th, 2026 - After a tumultuous run, we've arrived at the end of Tell Me Lies . And we mean the end : Showrunner and creator Meagan Oppenheimer and Hulu confirmed on Feb. 16, 2026, that season 3 is the final season of the hit psychological thriller series. That means this week's episode, "Are You Happy Now, That I'm On My Knees?" serves as not only the season 3 finale, but also the series finale. Let's get into how everything wraps up (or doesn't?!) for this toxic group of Baird College friends. The finale begins in 2015–-not at the wedding events that we've seen thus far in season 3, but a few ... [Read More]