Prehistoric Japan was home to cave lions—not tigers
Present-day Japan may see its fair share of bears, but the islands’ big cat populations are long gone. Between 129,000 and 11,700 years ago, temporary land bridges allowed the ancient…
2026
World’s smallest possum may be hiding in South Australia
Weighing less than one pound, the little pygmy possum (Cercartetus lepidus) is one of the smallest mammals in Australia. These miniscule mammals feed on nectar, pollen, and insects, and differ…
Stormy, Snowy Winter for Hokkaido
Northern Japan, especially the island of Hokkaido, is home to some of the snowiest cities in the world. Sapporo, the island’s largest city and host of an annual snow festival,…
NASA Advances High-Altitude Traffic Management
4 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A NASA simulation of higher airspace traffic management with industry partners Aerostar and Sceye in the Airspace Operations Laboratory…
Inside the Colosseum’s Passage of Commodus, where emperors once walked
They say all roads lead to Rome. But in the Eternal City, all of the major roads were thought to lead somewhere very specific—a single column called the Milliarium Auereum,…
5,000-year-old bacteria thawed in Romanian ice cave
Whether it’s the ocean’s deepest hydrothermal vents or tall mountain peaks, bacteria is likely surviving and thriving. Ice caves can host a wide variety of microorganisms and offer biologists a…
How hibernating hamsters could help astronauts
With the freezing temperatures that have recently pummeled parts of the northeastern United States, the idea of curling up for the winter and snoozing until spring sounds very appealing. There’s…
Why do cats’ eyes glow in the dark?
One foggy night in 1933, a businessman named Percy Shaw was driving home from the pub in Yorkshire, England. The road was twisty and hard to see. Suddenly, two bright…
Deadly scorpions are picky about their soil
Scorpions sting between 1 and 2 million people every year, and while most victims only endure temporary pain and swelling, the injuries can still prove fatal. Researchers estimate that the…
550 pigeons rescued in North Carolina
Rescuers in North Carolina recently saved over 500 pigeons from a home in Greensboro. Guildford County Animal Services and two other bird rescues based in Charlotte initially believed that the…