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Researchers link a gene to the emergence of spoken language
Why did humans start speaking? Scientists suggest genetics played a big role. They say the evolution of this singular ability has been key to our survival. A new study links a particular gene to the ancient origins of spoken language.…
Why asteroid 2024 YR4 is unlikely to hit Earth in 2032 and how scientists keep track
Scientists say the threat of a newly discovered asteroid has risen slightly in the past few weeks, as the world's telescopes rush to track its course. But the chance is still quite slim — a mere 2% — that the space rock will smack Earth in…
A deep-sea neutrino telescope spots the most energetic ghost particle yet
A neutrino detector submerged in the Mediterranean Sea has sniffed out the most energetic ghost particle yet. The newly detected neutrino is 30 times more energetic than the previous recordholder. Neutrinos spew from stars like the sun and…
Looking for love this Valentine’s Day? Don’t fall for Instagram romance scams
Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta Platforms is urging users to stay vigilant about “romance scams” ahead of Valentine’s Day, warning of unsolicited messages through its apps and other social media platforms, as well as general text…
NASA’s 2 stuck astronauts may return to Earth sooner under new plan
NASA's two stuck astronauts may end up back on Earth a little sooner than planned. The space agency said Tuesday that SpaceX will switch capsules for upcoming crew flights to bring Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams home in mid-March instead…
Space telescope spots rare ‘Einstein ring’ of light around galaxy in our cosmic neighborhood
Europe’s Euclid space telescope has detected a rare halo of bright light around a nearby galaxy. The halo, known as an Einstein ring, encircles a galaxy 590 million light-years away. That's considered close by cosmic standards. Astronomers…
Amazon to pay nearly $4M to settle lawsuit alleging it took tips from drivers
Amazon has agreed to pay nearly $4 million to settle charges that the e-commerce company subsidized its labor costs by taking tips its delivery drivers received from customers, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb said…
Nebraska government system shutdown disrupts the Legislature, DMV and other offices
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A systemwide outage of state goverment computers shut down everything from the work of the Legislature to driver’s licensing offices for several hours Thursday.
The state Office of the Chief Information Officer confirmed…
Newly spotted asteroid has a tiny chance of hitting Earth in 2032
A newly discovered asteroid has a tiny chance of striking Earth in 2032. NASA and the European Space Agency said Wednesday the chance of impact is slightly more than 1%. The asteroid was first spotted last month. It's estimated to be 130 to…
Many animals and plants are losing their genetic diversity, making them more vulnerable
Two-thirds of animal and plant populations are declining in genetic diversity, which makes it harder to adapt to environmental changes. That's according to research published Wednesday in the journal Nature. Researchers examined data for…
Are we all aliens? NASA’s returned asteroid samples hold the ingredients of life from a watery world
A NASA spacecraft has returned asteroid samples that hold not only the pristine building blocks for life but also the salty remains of an ancient water world. Scientists published their findings Wednesday. The pair of studies provide the…
Nvidia faces a reckoning as Chinese upstart raises questions about Wall Street’s darling
NEW YORK (AP) — The superstar run for Nvidia’s stock the last few years has been astonishing. So was its tumble Monday, which caused $595 billion in wealth to vanish. That’s about as much as PepsiCo, McDonalds, Starbucks and Target are…
Book Review: Maggie Su’s debut novel ‘Blob: A Love Story’ offers unique look at humanity
With the rise of Artificial Intelligence and the uncertainty of the geopolitical moment, it seems appropriate to start 2025 with some surreal fiction.
So how about “Blob: A Love Story,” starring a Taiwanese-American named Vi, who stumbles…
A private US spacecraft headed to the moon captures a glorious view of Earth
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A private U.S. spacecraft bound for the moon has captured stunning images of Earth one week into its flight.
Still circling Earth, Firefly Aerospace’s lunar lander fired its thrusters Thursday to put it on a…
Samsung aims to turn its next generation of Galaxy smartphones into AI companions
Samsung is injecting another dose of artificial intelligence into the next version of its Galaxy smartphones, escalating an effort to simplify people’s lives while deepening their dependence on a device that accompanies them almost…
Scientists detect chirping cosmic waves in an unexpected part of space
NEW YORK (AP) — Scientists have detected cosmic waves that sound like birds chirping in an unexpected place.
These bursts of plasma, called chorus waves, ripple at the same frequency as human hearing. When converted to audio signals, their…
