Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Jupiter’s iconic Great Red Spot is a massive storm that has swirled within the atmosphere of the largest planet in the solar system for years. But astronomers have debated just how old the vortex really is, […]
Astronomers have been able to observe a supermassive black hole waking up and setting the heart of its host galaxy alight for the first time, the European Southern Observatory said on Tuesday. The galaxy 300 million light years from Earth in the Virgo constellation had been quiet for decades until late 2019, when it suddenly […]
Juneteenth is both a New Jersey holiday and a federal holiday, though how it affects government and private workplaces and schedules varies a lot. Juneteenth is the name given to an action by Union Army Gen. Gordon Granger at the end of the Civil War. On June 18, 1865, Granger and 2,000 troops arrived at […]
The James Webb Space Telescope has discovered what appears to be a new record-holder for the most distant known galaxy, a remarkably bright star system that existed just 290 million years after the Big Bang, NASA said Thursday. Since coming online in 2022, the Webb telescope has ushered in a new era of scientific breakthroughs, […]
When a wild orangutan in Sumatra recently suffered a facial wound, apparently after fighting with another male, he did something that caught the attention of the scientists observing him. The animal chewed the leaves of a liana vine – a plant not normally eaten by apes. Over several days, the orangutan carefully applied the juice […]
When a wild orangutan in Sumatra recently suffered a facial wound, apparently after fighting with another male, he did something that caught the attention of the scientists observing him. The animal chewed the leaves of a liana vine – a plant not normally eaten by apes. Over several days, the orangutan carefully applied the juice […]
As spring continues, it brings us closer to Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer. If you’re already sorting out your holiday plans or brainstorming how to spend your three-day weekend, here’s what you should know about Memorial Day’s origin and meaning. What is Memorial Day? Memorial Day is one of 11 permanent federal holidays […]
As our closest non-human relatives, primates remain some of the smartest creatures in the animal kingdom. And they continue to surprise science with their knowledge. A new research paper published in Nature journal shows just how resourceful one orangutan in Indonesia is. Scientists have been observing a male Sumatran orangutan named Rakus in Indonesia’s Gunung […]
Scientists working in Indonesia have observed an orangutan intentionally treating a wound on their face with a medicinal plant, the first time this behavior has been documented. Rakus, a male Sumatran orangutan, treated a wound on his face by chewing leaves from a climbing plant named Akar Kuning and repeatedly applying the juice to it, […]
Two British military horses seriously injured after running loose through London on Wednesday “continue to be cared for and closely observed”, the Army has said. The animals underwent surgery overnight on Wednesday and were said to be in a “serious condition” by defence minister James Cartlidge on Thursday morning. A British Army spokesperson said later […]
By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Astronomers on Wednesday announced that they have detected a strong and organized magnetic field twisted in a spiral pattern around the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, revealing previously unknown qualities of the immensely powerful object lurking at the center of our galaxy. The structure of the magnetic field emanating […]
When their kin aren’t attacking boats and porpoises or monitoring their large adult sons, some pods of orca whales are also known to attack the fearsome great white shark. Groups of these marine mammals are known to hunt and kill these giant fish in an epic battle of apex predators. Now, a solitary orca–aka killer […]