Mar 27th, 2026 - From harvesting feathers to training eagles, humans have exploited birds for as long as the two groups have lived alongside each other. For thousands of years, a diverse array of peoples have developed relationships with—and traditions around—their avian neighbors. They've closely studied some, enfolding the animals' knowledge in oral tradition. Others they've partnered with (like Mongolian hunters and golden eagles , or the Yao people of southeastern Africa and the honeyguide ), or domesticated, like junglefowl, waterfowl, and doves. And many more they've consumed for ... [Read More]

Mar 27th, 2026 - Kandy, Sri Lanka – On a sunny March day in the hill city of Kandy in central Sri Lanka, Keerthi Rathna waited in a serpentine queue to buy his share of petrol for his three-wheeler tuk-tuk. The government-allocated ration for him was 20 litres (about 5 gallons) per week. In the past, Rathna used to buy as much petrol as he needed, whenever he needed it, but everything has changed since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28. Iran responded by halting most traffic via the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's oil and gas passes. Sri ... [Read More]

Mar 26th, 2026 - What a joyous time of year. It's that magical time when we gather round and unveil the year's new COVID-19 variant. What new terrifying mutation has the virus that shut down the world six years ago taken on now? and has been nicknamed "Cicada." It has not yet become the most dominant strain, but it very well could one day, for one big reason: it seems to be pretty good at slipping past our bodies' defenses against COVID-19. BA.3.2 was first detected through airport screening in the United States in 2025. It has since been detected in patients across multiple states and in wastewater samples ... [Read More]

Mar 26th, 2026 - Sharks in the Bahamas are consuming substances including caffeine, painkillers and even cocaine, according to a new study by marine scientists who say it could potentially impact the animals' health and behavior. The research team, made up of marine biologists and scientists from a variety of international programs, analyzed blood samples from 85 sharks of five different species. The sharks were captured about four miles off the coast of a remote island and their blood levels were tested for 24 legal and illegal drugs.  Twenty-eight of the sharks had detectable levels of caffeine, two ... [Read More]

Mar 26th, 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 Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now 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 ... [Read More]

Mar 26th, 2026 - Follow Earth on Google When a hummingbird hovers near a flower or a bee lands on soft petals, the goal seems simple: drink nectar and help the plant. But what if that nectar contains alcohol? Scientists from the University of California, Berkeley ( UC Berkeley ) found that many flowers naturally produce tiny amounts of alcohol. This discovery changes how we understand everyday interactions between plants and animals. Alcohol in nectar is common In a detailed study, researchers tested 147 nectar samples from 29 plant species. They found that almost half of all samples contained alcohol, and ... [Read More]

Mar 26th, 2026 - Study into how fertilisation could work in space finds sperm may get disorientated when trying to find an egg Sperm in space are likely to get disoriented and lost while struggling to find their way to an egg, a new study has found. When exposed to microgravity in experiments, sperm tumble around like an untethered astronaut, according to Adelaide University researchers. "It causes them to flip around, to go upside down … they don't really know which way is up or down," researcher Dr Nicole McPherson said. Australia is part of Nasa's planned Artemis mission to go to the moon and on to ... [Read More]

Mar 26th, 2026 - Scientifically speaking, there is no such thing as 'touching' something. When objects with mass – any objects with mass – touch each other, they aren't physically in contact at all. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, atoms consist of positively charged protons and negatively charged electrons. The protons, often with electrically neutral neutrons, are within the central nucleus of the atom. The electrons are 'orbiting' around the nucleus. Opposite charges attract while like charges repel – this is known as an electromagnetic force. So, if two atoms approach, they'll ... [Read More]