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An illustration of a prehistoric snake burrowing underground with birds and dinosaurs in the background.

A rare 3-D snake fossil is ssspilling sssecrets of its unusual lifestyle

A new snake’s unique head anatomy suggests early snakes were even more diverse than thought. This one was a rare burrower.

By Libby Riddle9 hours ago

An illustration shows a glowing Jupiter-size object in the foreground, a brown dwarf behind it and a star as a bright point beyond.

A newly found world blurs the boundary between planet and moon

By Lisa Grossman9 hours ago

A folding sign that says "Measles vaccines and flu vaccines SC DPH" stands in the middle of a sidewalk with a distant building in the background

Health & Medicine

Measles cases in the U.S. hit a new 34-year high

By Erin Garcia de Jesús9 hours ago

Two humpback whales swim in the open ocean

Animals

This humpback whale hunting strategy has been out of sight — until now

By Priyanka Runwal10 hours ago

One young chimpanzee hugs another.

Animals

Ape cuddles could prevent conflicts

By Meghan RosenJuly 21, 2026

An underwater shots shows two spires of a deep-sea vent spewing hot water. Small deep-sea organisms cling to the structures.

Oceans

Deep-sea snails ride surface currents to reach distant hydrothermal vents

By Javier BarbuzanoJuly 21, 2026

Illustration of Shigella sonnei bacteria that cause infections

Health & Medicine

An experimental oral vaccine may prevent invasive bacterial diarrhea

By Sahas MehraJuly 21, 2026

We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.

Spotlight on Wildfire Smoke and Health

photo of a baseball stadium with a cityscape obscured by smoke in the background

Wildfires aren’t going away. Here’s how smoke can affect your health

How does repeat exposure to wildfire smoke affect our health? Three experts weigh in on the massive air pollution fueled by Canada’s ongoing fires.

By Meghan RosenJuly 12, 2023
Western wildfires’ health risks extend across the country
Wildfire smoke may cause tens of thousands of premature deaths

Science News Magazine

August 2026 issue of Science News

August 1, 2026 Vol. 208 No. 8

From Science News Investors Lab

Featured Media

A satellite image of hot sea surface temperatures, shown by shades of red and orange, in the eastern Pacific Ocean that signaled the start of an El Niño event.

Can geoengineering blunt El Niño’s fury?

Marine cloud brightening could cool part of the Pacific and weaken extreme El Niños, simulations suggest. But the approach could have risks.

Pickles glow when you plug them in. Science explains why

A landscape of a tropical rainforest canopy with trees of various heights

Giant trees have tricks to work around drought

a collage of images from items on display at the Smithsonian museum of natural history overlaid on a photo of the museum building. items include fossils, a bird, a crab, a bison, and butterflies.

The natural history of every U.S. state is on display at a new D.C. exhibit

A tan, long, skinny shark is seen on the seafloor resting on colorful rocks. It sports a pattern of dark brown spots and white dashes.

A new species of walking shark has been found in Papua New Guinea

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Life

Can DEET attract mosquitoes? A lab study offers clues

By Erin Garcia de JesúsMay 28, 2026
Cows’ methane burps may be fueled by a newfound organelle in gut microbes

By Tina Hesman SaeyApril 30, 2026
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Humans

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Climate

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Astronomy

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Physics

A potential hindrance to fusion power may help instead

By Emily ConoverJune 24, 2026
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Clocks made from an atomic nucleus just ticked on for the first time

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Health & Medicine

Inside the fight against the parasite Cyclospora

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A new sort of Alzheimer’s drug shows glimmers of promise

By RJ MackenzieJuly 14, 2026
Support goes a long way to boost birth control effectiveness

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Earth

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By Danielle BeurteauxJune 22, 2026
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Science & Society

Here’s what happens when you put politicians in charge of science

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Lost in Curiosity reveals the messy reality of doing science

By Shi En KimJuly 10, 2026
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