Discovery

They say that everything comes back around, and it seems that even classroom gossip refuses to disappear. While plumbers were tearing up floors in a dilapidated building dating back to 1806, they came across something more interesting than dust and rusty nails: a large bundle of notes, drawings, and doodles that students had hidden two … Read more

After an 18‑day shutdown blamed on staffing shortages, Arches National Park will again issue self‑guided Fiery Furnace permits for visits beginning April 15. Daily ranger‑led tours are slated to resume May 4, just in time for the spring rush. Park lovers who scrambled to adjust their itineraries can breathe easier: the labyrinth of narrow sandstone passages known … Read more

A frozen “lost world” preserved since long before glaciers arrived offers scientists a rare window into our planet’s deep past. The icy white of East Antarctica has concealed a secret for eons—an ancient river‑carved landscape about the size of Wales, sealed off under nearly two kilometers of ice. Now, a Durham University–led team using Canada’s … Read more

The $2 million purchase of an aging coal pit has morphed into a potential $36 billion windfall, positioning rural Wyoming at the heart of America’s clean‑tech race. Former banker–turned–miner Randall Atkins thought he was buying a bargain coal operation. Instead, his Ramaco Resources crews struck an underground trove of neodymium, dysprosium and terbium—the magnetic metals that make electric … Read more

An ordinary search for shark teeth ends with a 12,000‑year‑old surprise. Daniel Sawyer’s weekend hobby of beachcombing near High Island delivered more than sea glass. The Texas visitor spotted a stone shard in the shell beds beside the famed “Lonely House,” three hours from his home. Within minutes social‑media sleuths were calling it the broken … Read more

Scientists track a 35‑mile fissure and a vast underground water cache that could forever change our view of the planet. East Africa’s slowly stretching crust could one day give the planet a brand‑new body of water—an idea that reshapes how we view oceans, earthquakes, and even the deep water hidden beneath our feet. A 35‑mile … Read more

Marine sand miners off Indonesia have stumbled on the first underwater hominin fossil trove in Southeast Asia, rewriting what we know about early humans and a continent now drowned beneath the Java Sea. Indonesia’s Madura Strait is usually a busy shipping lane, not a time machine. Yet a routine dredging job near Surabaya has exposed a … Read more

Archaeologists say a 23,000‑year‑old wall in Theopetra Cave rewrites the timeline of early architecture and pushes Egypt’s pyramids far down the list of “oldest.” First discovered in the 1990s and re‑dated in 2012, the low masonry barrier inside Greece’s Theopetra Cave has been confirmed—through optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) testing—to be roughly 23,000 years old. The finding … Read more

Archaeologists at the Magna fort in northern England have unearthed a remarkably intact leather sandal measuring 32 cm—evidence that a supersized soldier once patrolled Rome’s frontier. A freshly uncovered leather sandal from the 2,000‑year‑old Roman fort of Magna, just south of Hadrian’s Wall, is causing a stir among researchers. The shoe is so large—comparable to a modern … Read more

Century‑old relics emerge as North Carolina community dredges its storied lake. A routine cleanup turned time‑machine this week when crews lowering Lake Lure for post‑hurricane repairs exposed a rust‑caked Model T truck and a 32‑foot wooden boat nicknamed “Pooh Bear,” both believed lost since the 1920s. Who stands to gain from the surprise? History buffs, local officials and—perhaps—thousands … Read more

Tiny hydrozoan found off California sports four bulbs with seven eyes each, challenging long‑held evolutionary theories. Marine biologists at the University of California thought they were studying Tripedalia cystophora—until, in September 2021, an uninvited guest drifted into the tank. The newcomer, Bougainvillia cf. muscus, proved unforgettable: its 28 light‑sensing eyes set a new bar for strangeness and scientific intrigue. … Read more

New findings in the Smackover Formation could jump‑start domestic battery supply chains and cut U.S. dependence on imported minerals. Southwestern Arkansas might soon sit at the heart of America’s clean‑tech future. Geologists estimate that brine trapped thousands of feet below the Smackover Formation contains up to 19 million tons of lithium—enough to power millions of electric vehicles … Read more

YouTuber Silas turns routine land clean‑up into a once‑in‑a‑lifetime barn‑find story that has gearheads buzzing nationwide. An ordinary real‑estate deal in rural Kansas just rewrote every car‑lover’s daydream. Silas—best known for his channel Adventures Made From Scratch—picked up a long‑neglected farm, grabbed a rake, and uncovered something far more valuable than cornstalks: dozens of vintage Chevys, … Read more

It sounded like the ultimate lucky break: a heavy, rust‑red rock found in the fabled Maryborough goldfields that surely had to be precious metal. Instead, it became an even bigger story—and a scientific jackpot—for hobby prospector David Hole. Ever wondered how you’d react if your metal detector beeped over something heavy? In 2015 Hole took … Read more

Researchers say slow‑moving under‑ice currents could generate a third of America’s electricity, offering remote communities reliable, diesel‑free power. The race for energy independence may have found an unlikely front‑runner: the Yukon and other Alaskan rivers that never stop flowing, even in deep winter. Scientists testing new underwater turbines believe these hidden currents could supply up … Read more

With gold flirting with $3,300 an ounce, a little‑known stone called jadeite is shattering records, fetching millions for a single necklace and reshaping the precious‑metals pecking order. Jadeite, the rarer cousin of common jade, now tops every list of luxury minerals. Collectors, jewelers, and investors are scrambling for the vibrant green gem, whose price per … Read more