Margherita Bassi

Margherita Bassi

Margherita Bassi is a trilingual storyteller and freelance journalist with a particular interest in ancient history, astronomy and human interest stories.

A new study of giant danios (not pictured) suggests schools of fish save 79 percent more energy in turbulent conditions than fish swimming individually.

Swimming in Schools May Help Fish Save Energy in Turbulent Waters

A new study suggests schooling fish use up to 79 percent less energy in rough conditions than fish that swim alone

The mummy was preserved with her mouth wide open.

Egyptian Mummy Dubbed 'Screaming Woman' May Have Died in Agony

The woman, preserved with an open mouth, went through an expensive mummification process 3,500 years ago

A woman stands behind a model of a Neanderthal at the Natural History Museum in London. Contrary to the narrative that early humans left Africa roughly 50,000 years ago, a new study finds our species migrated from the continent on multiple occasions.

Early Humans Migrated Out of Africa Several Times, DNA Study Suggests

Homo sapiens interbred with Neanderthals as early as 250,000 years ago and may have ultimately bred them out of existence, according to new research

The cotton candy lobster caught by Joseph Kramer.

Rare 1-in-100-Million 'Cotton Candy' Lobster Found off the Coast of New Hampshire

A rare genetic mutation gives the crustacean its unique hues but also makes it more vulnerable to predators

Scotty, the largest T. rex specimen on record, is on display at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Canada.

The Largest T. Rex Could Have Been 70 Percent Heavier Than Fossils Suggest

Two scientists used modeling to predict how big the giant carnivores could have really grown, making a point that fossils likely don't represent the largest or smallest individuals of a species

A team of archaeoastronomers suggests the Pyramid of the Moon in Teotihuacán, Mexico, may have been constructed to align with the movement of the sun.

Ancient Mesoamerican 'Pyramid of the Moon' May Align With Summer and Winter Solstices

New research suggests the monument in Teotihuacán, along with the larger Pyramid of the Sun, were designed based on astronomical movements

A California condor chick rests in a clear container lined with paper at the L.A. Zoo.

A Record-Breaking 17 California Condor Chicks Hatched at the L.A. Zoo This Year

The successful breeding season offers more hope for the endangered species, which has come back from the brink of extinction due to captive breeding efforts

An artist's impression of the shrew-like Krusatodon kirtlingtonensis, which a new study suggests lived long and matured slowly, in contrast to modern small mammals.

Two Rare Jurassic Skulls Could Help Unlock the Secrets of Mammals' Evolutionary Success

Fossils reveal a prehistoric, mouse-like creature matured slower and lived longer than similar mammals of today

An illustration of the taco-shaped Odaraia, which researchers say likely swam upside-down and trapped prey in its spine-covered legs.

Taco-Shaped Creature Had a 'Major Edge' in Evolution—and 30 Pairs of Spiny Legs

This shrimp-like arthropod was among the first to have a mandible, and it used a complex feeding mechanism during the Cambrian explosion, according to a new study

Two chimpanzees at the Budongo Conservation Field Station in Uganda

Chimpanzees Take Turns in Fast-Paced Conversations, Just Like Humans Do

A new study finds the average chimpanzee response time in gestured conversations is 120 milliseconds, which isn’t that far from the human average of 200 milliseconds

The Kei apple tree (Dovyalis caffra) is native to southern Africa. It is one of the species that will have its scientific name changed after a recent vote.

Botanists Vote to Remove Racial Slur From Hundreds of Plant Species Names

In a first for taxonomy, researchers opted to change scientific names containing derivatives of the slur “caffra” to derivatives of “afr,” in reference to the plants' origins in Africa

An illustration of NASA's VIPER rover drilling on the moon

NASA Cancels VIPER Moon Mission After Spending $450 Million to Build a Rover

The project was intended to look for water ice in the shaded craters on the lunar south pole

An artist's rendition of the eight planets in our solar system. The planets are depicted closer together than they really are.

Astronomers Propose New Criteria to Classify Planets, but Pluto Still Doesn't Make the Cut

The new definition would define planets based on mass, rather than more ambiguous shape and size characteristics

DOC ranger Jim Fyfe and Māori ranger Tūmai Cassidy walk alongside a cetacean, thought to be a rare spade-toothed whale, being transported by Trevor King Earthmoving.

The World's Rarest Whale May Have Just Washed Ashore in New Zealand

No one has ever recorded a live sighting of the spade-toothed whale, but experts say the dolphin-like creature found earlier this month is "no doubt" a member of the elusive species

A new butter alternative uses synthetic fat to create taste of dairy butter without the need for cows.

New 'Butter' Made From Carbon Dioxide Tastes Like the Real Dairy Product, Startup Says

The company, called Savor, uses a synthetic fat to approximate the taste of butter and is seeking regulatory approval

Protesters with the activist group Last Generation stand in front of Sandro Botticelli's The Birth of Venus at Florence's Uffizi Gallery on February 13. 

Climate Activists Stage Protest in Front of Botticelli's 'Birth of Venus'

Two men taped images of flooding in Tuscany to the Renaissance painting's protective glass

Taylor Swift performs in New Jersey during her Eras tour on May 27, 2023.

At the Swiftposium, Scholars Gather to Analyze a Superstar's Astonishing Influence

The University of Melbourne welcomed academics from all over the world for its Taylor Swift conference

An aerial view of the 100-foot-long wreck taken on January 30

Locals Work to Save Mysterious Canadian Shipwreck Before It Disappears Into the Ocean

The 100-foot-long wreck, which likely dates to the 19th century, washed up off the coast of Cape Ray in January

Casting directors have been pushing for a dedicated Oscar for decades.

The Oscars Are Adding a New Award for Casting

When it debuts in 2026, the casting award will be the Academy's first new category since 2001

The First Supper (Galaxy Black), Tavares Strachan, 2023

Monumental Sculpture Reimagines 'The Last Supper' With Black Historical Figures

Tavares Strachan's "The First Supper" took four years to sculpt and is now on display at an exhibition in London

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