Quirks and Quarks

An unusual hellscape of a planet found 34 light years from Earth has a deep ocean of molten magma surrounded by noxious, hot, rotten egg-type fumes. It just may be the most uninhabitable alien landscape we've ever come across.

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Neanderthal DNA can help explain how human faces form
Nearly indestructible teeny tiny tardigrades struggle to survive in Martian dirt
Tiny tags on monarch butterflies allow scientists to track their exact migration route
A weird fish has a big hole in its head. Scientists finally have an idea why.

We used to think that of our primate relatives, chimps were the more aggressive ape and bonobos were more peaceful. A recent study found that bonobos are just as antagonistic as chimps, but it's the females targeting males.

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Mission to deflect an asteroid was a smashing success
Low gravity environments can lead to stronger blood clots in astronauts
From fire to galaxy formation, a celebration of friction as a fundamental force
Winter spiders survive subzero temperatures with a potent antifreeze

You may have seen Black Hole, the image, but have you heard of the upcoming Black Hole, The Movie? This week, astronomers launched a new campaign to capture video footage of the supermassive black hole pulsing at the heart of the M87 galaxy.

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Sunlight and fungi inspiration can help recycle plastic waste into vinegar
Ancient kangaroos were hopping giants
How monogamy helps termite colonies number in the millions
Our infant universe's primordial soup was soupy, according to new study

Starfish don't have brains, and yet they're able to mobilize hundreds of tiny hydraulic tube feet to get around. Now scientists are getting an understanding of just how they do that.

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Atmospheric pollution from an individual rocket re-entry event measured for the first time
How the Earth’s greenhouse age transitioned into a world with frozen poles
What is dark matter? The contenders — from WIMPs to dark matter stars
Quirks Question: why doesn’t flowing water freeze at the same temperature as still water?

(Correction: A previous version of the dark matter story referred to a study published last fall that mapped the distribution of dark matter, but the study was published on Jan. 26, 2026.)

From the pressurized space suits to living in underground spaces, it's clear that living on Mars would cause irreversible biological changes to any humans living there, to the point that it may be impossible for them or their descendants to return to Earth. With bigger heads and lighter bodies, might we also end up looking like Martians?

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Yellowstone’s predators battle it out, and wolves remain top dog
fossil of the earliest veggie-eater found in Nova Scotia
Covid is disappearing in animals, which is good news for deer but not as good for humans
how genes affect our lifespan more than we thought