Smart News

Using human genomes, researchers have developed a massive family tree identifying nearly 27 million ancestors dating back more than 100,000 years ago. 

New Research

Largest Human Family Tree Identifies Nearly 27 Million Ancestors

Researchers create massive genealogical network dating back 100,000 years

Medical professionals agree Pfizer’s current three-shot vaccination schedule still provides strong protection for healthy, young people against getting very sick with Covid-19. 

Pfizer Seeks Authorization of a Second Covid-19 Booster for Older Americans

The request comes after mounting evidence that protection from three shots has faded with time, especially against the Omicron variant

This 17th-century Flemish tapestry, titled The Apotheosis of the Arts, is the largest of a six-part series that was stolen from the Church of Santo Domingo in Castrojeriz, Spain, in 1980. (Note the missing two-by-two-foot square in the lower left corner.)

Cool Finds

With a Stolen Fragment Restored, This Stunning 17th-Century Tapestry Is Made Whole

Spanish authorities had all but given up the search for the missing piece, which was lost in a heist carried out by notorious art thief "Erik the Belgian"

Utah state officials set out two barrel traps to capture an elusive wolverine that was spotted from an aircraft. 

Utah Captures and Collars First Wolverine in State History

The state has only confirmed eight wolverine sightings in 40 years. Data from the GPS collar will provide invaluable insights about the elusive species

Russia has dismissed the idea that their cosmonauts’ bold wardrobe colors have anything to do with Ukraine.

Russian Cosmonauts Board Space Station Wearing Blue and Yellow

Roscosmos denies color choice was a show of support for Ukraine

Historic Royal Palaces conservators hang a portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales, taken in 1988 by photographer David Bailey and commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery. 

How the Royal Family Uses Photography to Connect With the Public

An exhibition at Kensington Palace features images from the 19th century through today, including a never-before-seen portrait of Princess Diana

Artist Victor Ehikhamenor posing with his work, Still Standing, a mixed-media depiction of a Benin ruler.

New Artwork in St. Paul's Cathedral Reckons With the British Attack on Benin 125 Years Ago

Nigerian artist Victor Ehikhamenor's 'Still Standing' sparks conversation about how to deal with colonial monuments

A feral fox in Australia.

Cats and Foxes Kill 2.6 Billion Animals Per Year in Australia

A new study is the first to quantify the impact the two non-native predators have on local wildlife in the country

The facade of Talbot County Courthouse in Easton, Maryland, as pictured in 2010

History of Now

Maryland Removes Its Last Confederate Monument on Public Land

Workers removed the Talbot Boys Statue on Monday after years of pressure from the local community

Detail from Tolkien's Conversation With Smaug, 1937

Rarely Seen Paintings by J.R.R. Tolkien Portray a Lush 'Lord of the Rings' Landscape

The Tolkien Estate recently published a trove of rare, unpublished art by the famed fantasy author on its website

Reservoirs like Lake Powell are falling to record-low water levels due to years of persistent drought.

The West Coast Should Brace for Spring Megadrought, NOAA Warns

More than half of the United States is likely to struggle with limited water supply and increased risk of wildfires in the coming months

Because of shore development and its heavily populated coastal cities, the Persian Gulf was one of the areas with the most light pollution.

First Global Atlas Reveals How Deep Artificial Light at Night Goes Underwater

Offshore development and coastal city lights negatively impact many marine species

Researchers unearthed 10-pound Civil War artillery shell at a national park in Georgia in February. Local authorities say they plan to safely detonate the bomb—a decision that angered some historians arguing for the artifact's preservation. 

Cool Finds

Unexploded Civil War Shell Unearthed in Georgia

Local authorities plan to safely detonate the ordnance, potentially destroying it in the process. The decision has sparked controversy among history buffs

Emerald ash borers are already predicted to kill all ash trees in more than 6,000 urban areas.

1.4 Million Urban Trees May Fall to Invasive Insects by 2050

It could cost 30 million a year to replace infected trees in areas hardest hit by the non-native species

MIT researchers wove a fiber designed from a piezoelectric material with traditional yarn to create a machine-washable fabric. 

Researchers Create a Fabric That Can 'Hear' Your Heartbeat

This fabric acts as both a speaker and microphone, detecting even faint noises and converting them into electrical signals

Most people who had only mild Covid-19 infections are not at higher risk for persistent mental health challenges.

The Future of Mental Health

Lasting Depression and Anxiety Can Follow Severe Covid-19 Cases

Some patients with serious reactions to the virus reported mental health symptoms almost a year and a half after infection

Smog hangs over downtown Los Angeles, here in 2019. A new study found links between heavy air pollution and historical redlining in urban areas.

Redlined Neighborhoods Have Higher Levels of Air Pollution, Study Suggests

A new analysis documents a link between discriminatory housing practices and local air quality

Italy's Arma dei Carabinieri seized 79 archaeological goods last year.

Officials Recover Thousands of Cultural Goods in Crackdown, Including Roman Gold Coins

International police and U.S. Customs and Border Protection performed checks at museums, border crossing points, airports and auction houses

Entomologists obtained and synthesized the pheromone by swabbing various virgin giant hornet queens captured in Yunnan, China.

Scientists Are Using Sex Pheromones to Lure in Murder Hornets

The method may be the best way to eliminate the insects from non-native habitats

Flamingos in the Atacama region of Chile

Mining Lithium for Electric Vehicle Batteries May Threaten Flamingos, a Study Finds

A lake in Chile has seen decreases in two flamingo populations over the last 11 years, which researchers link to lithium mining

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