ScienceDaily

A high-resolution 3D model of Rano Raraku shows that the moai were created in many distinct carving zones. Instead of a top-down system, the statues appear to have been produced by separate family groups working independently while sharing techniques. Evidence of varied carving styles and multiple transport routes supports this decentralized picture. The results challenge old assumptions about ho…

MIT scientists found that what we see is strongly influenced by how alert or active we are. Parts of the brain responsible for planning and control send specialized signals that either boost or quiet visual details. These areas seem to balance each other, sharpening important information while dimming distractions. The study shows vision is constantly being shaped by our internal state.

Scientists have uncovered how too much sunlight can flip a hidden switch inside skin cells that makes inflammation spiral out of control and increases the risk of cancer. Their research reveals that UV radiation breaks down a protective protein called YTHDF2, which normally prevents a small RNA signal from activating an immune sensor linked to dangerous inflammation. Once that protection is lost,…

Researchers at UC Riverside have uncovered why soybean oil, one of America's most widely consumed ingredients, drives significant weight gain—at least in mice. The findings point not to the oil itself but to the fat-derived molecules it produces inside the body, called oxylipins, which can trigger inflammation, alter liver function, and influence genes tied to metabolism.

Five hundred years ago, a Bible accidentally printed with a backwards map of the Holy Land sparked a revolution in how people imagined geography, borders, and even nationhood. Despite the blunder, the map reshaped the Bible into a Renaissance book and spread new ideas about territorial organization as literacy expanded. Over time, sacred geography evolved into political boundary-making, influenci…

Scientists have uncovered a stepwise system that guides how the brain sorts and stabilizes lasting memories. By tracking brain activity during virtual reality learning tasks, researchers identified molecules that influence how long memories persist. Each molecule operates on a different timescale, forming a coordinated pattern of memory maintenance. The discoveries reshape how scientists understa…

New findings show that some coastal regions will become far more acidic than scientists once thought, with upwelling systems pulling deep, CO2-rich waters to the surface and greatly intensifying acidification. Historic coral chemistry and advanced modeling reveal that these regions are acidifying much faster than expected from atmospheric CO2 alone, raising serious concerns for fisheries, marine …

A tiny 242-million-year-old fossil from Devon is shaking up scientists’ assumptions about the earliest members of the lizard lineage. Instead of the expected skull hinges and palate teeth typical of modern lizards and snakes, this ancient creature shows a surprising mix of primitive and unusual traits—along with strikingly large, blade-like teeth. High-resolution synchrotron scans revealed detail…

Researchers have found that ongoing thyroid hormone imbalance in pregnancy may be linked to higher autism risk in children. Treated thyroid disorders did not show the same effect. The longer the imbalance lasted across trimesters, the more the risk appeared to rise. The study underscores the need for consistent thyroid monitoring.

Researchers studying thousands of canine genomes discovered that wolf DNA is still present in most dog breeds. This ancient genetic influence shows up in traits like body size, behavior, and environmental resilience. Even dogs bred far from wolves, including tiny chihuahuas, carry detectable wolf ancestry. The findings highlight how deeply intertwined the histories of dogs and wolves really are.

Scientists have reconstructed the most complete and lifelike profile of Edmontosaurus annectens thanks to an extraordinary preservation process called clay templating, in which a thin clay film captured the dinosaur’s skin, scales, spikes, and even hooves in three dimensions. By combining newly excavated “mummies,” advanced imaging, and artistic reconstruction, researchers revealed a tall crest, …

Quantum communication is edging closer to reality thanks to a breakthrough in teleporting information between photons from different quantum dots—one of the biggest challenges in building a quantum internet. By creating nearly identical semiconductor-based photon sources and using frequency converters to sync them, researchers successfully transferred quantum states across a fiber link, proving a…

Scientists found that RSV infection early in life can set the stage for childhood asthma, particularly in kids already genetically prone to allergies. The virus appears to skew the developing immune system toward exaggerated responses to everyday allergens. But when newborns were protected from RSV, asthma development was prevented. The results point to a powerful added benefit of RSV prevention …

The discovery of strange, ultra-red objects—especially the extreme case known as The Cliff—has pushed astronomers to propose an entirely new type of cosmic structure: black hole stars. These exotic hybrids could explain rapid black hole growth in the early universe, but their existence remains unproven.

Nearly a century after astronomers first proposed dark matter to explain the strange motions of galaxies, scientists may finally be catching a glimpse of it. A University of Tokyo researcher analyzing new data from NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has detected a halo of high-energy gamma rays that closely matches what theories predict should be released when dark matter particles collide an…