Key Takeaways on Suni Williams: Sunita, “Suni,” Williams was born in Ohio in 1965 and has an extensive career in space. During her first outing on the International Space Station (ISS), she set many new records for women in space. With her recent over-extended stay on the ISS, Suni Williams has spent a total of 608 days in space, the second-longest stay amongst American astronauts.After nine-months stranded on the International Space Station (ISS), Sunita, “Suni,” Williams touched down w ...read more

When NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams inadvertently spent nearly nine months in space, their bodies likely underwent a series of physiological changes due to the pressures of living in space.The duo left Earth on June 5, 2024, in what was supposed to be a roughly weeklong test mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Instead, they spent 286 days waiting to hitch a ride back to their home planet after their spacecraft experienced multiple issues.Upon their arrival on Earth ...read more

Thorin was the name given to a Neanderthal specimen found amongst a small group of Neanderthals that lived between 42,000 years and 52,000 years ago in the Grotte Mandrin, a cave located in southern France. According to a 2024 study in Cell Genomics, Thorin was a Neanderthal found in Eurasia, and he’s genetically similar to the Gibraltar Neanderthals, who lived across the continent. Thorin was an adult male, identified through 30 fossilized teeth and bones, and buried at the mouth of the cave ...read more

In 2002, divers in Lake Huron were swimming among the shipwrecks in the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The sanctuary protects the remains of almost 100 ships that met their demise when trying to navigate through “shipwreck alley.”The divers saw the usual sunken schooner. The overturned steamer. The remains of the tugboat. But there was something else. There appeared to be a massive sinkhole near Middle Island, about a mile off the coast of Michigan.Scientists sent down a remotely ope ...read more

Living longer, healthier, and happier lives is a priority for many people. Oftentimes, we look to the food we eat as a way to optimize our well-being and extend our lifespans.As fad diets and supplement trends come and go, one dietary recommendation that seems to remain constant is adding more plant-based foods into your daily meals. There has long been an association between animal-based products, especially of the processed variety, and increased health risks. Specifically, sourcing the majori ...read more

Rocks on the coast of Iceland couldn’t possibly tell us anything about the Roman Empire. Or could they? According to a study in Geology, a collection of rocks on Iceland’s coast reveals the severity of the Late Antique Little Ice Age — a period of climate change that may have contributed to the Roman Empire’s collapse. “When it comes to the fall of the Roman Empire, this climate shift may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Tom Gernon, a study author and a profes ...read more

A golden opportunity in the Caribbean has led to the discovery of an extinct “dirt ant” that has been confined within a piece of amber for 16 million years. Dirt ants (Basiceros) are true experts of camouflage that can blend in with the ground, and now, a fossilized member of the group is shedding light on their complex evolutionary history. A recent study published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B describes the species as Basiceros enana and its link to modern dirt ants. Although ...read more

Excavation involving the transformation of an English department store site into a Gloucestershire University facility unearthed artifacts from three eras — Roman, medieval, and post-medieval — including more than 300 skeletons that were likely buried in or near two separate churches that previously stood on the site.Roman era artifacts include cobblestones — potentially from a 2nd century road — as well as pottery and the footings of a townhouse. About half the skeletons were found in w ...read more

NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has reported “evidence of a carbon cycle on ancient Mars,” according to a recent press release. These new findings could help researchers better understand if and how Mars ever supported life.As Curiosity continues to traverse the Gale Crater, researchers are working to better understand the Red Planet’s habitability and climate transitions that lead to the environment it has today. The findings have been published in the journal Science. Curiosity’s Latest ...read more

We’ve long known that the gut microbiome plays a huge role in digestion — but current research keeps revealing just how deeply these microbes are tied to our overall health. From supporting brain function to fine-tuning our immune response and even lowering the risk of chronic diseases, the list of their benefits keeps growing.Now, a new study published in Cell by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York suggests that the microbiome may go even further — by turning bile acids into ...read more