Mystery

The midair maneuver that lets cats touch down paws-first, explained by New research

Researchers used high-speed cameras and motion tracking to show the air-righting reflex relies on spine flexion, front and rear body rotation, and tail adjustments that conserve zero angular momentum

An illustrative image of a cat alongside Hanukkah paraphenalia.
Black Hole Blues

Black Hole Blues: At the Edge of Time, Space, and No Return

Gold coins.

French police confirm mystery hoard is legal after man finds coins and ingots near Lyon

Mystery space debris discovered near Western Australia mine sparks multi-agency probe.

Mystery space debris discovered near Western Australia mine sparks multi-agency probe


Unraveling Rapa Nui mysteries: Researchers made the Moai ‘walk’

The researchers employed high-resolution 3D modeling alongside field experiments, where they moved a 4.35-ton replica Moai statue 328 feet in 40 minutes, using only 18 people.

A field experiment showing how the ancient people of Rapa Nui "walked" the iconic moai statues.

Turkish dig shows how people used daily objects in mysterious 5,000-year-old ceremonies

Head archeologist says face-carved pottery from Konya Plain served ritual purposes rather than daily cooking or storage functions.

Illustration: the neolithic Site of Çatalhöyük in Konya.

The 137-foot mystery that survived five rescue attempts and 138 years underwater

Grain and coal hauler built in 1867 discovered spread across lake floor like puzzle pieces after crew abandoned ship in thick fog.

A diver near the ruin of the Fran D. Barker.

Checua mystery: 6,000-year-old genomes of extinct humans upend the peopling of South America

A previously unknown genetic group at preceramic Checua shows no ties to other prehistoric communities, suggesting isolated hunter-gatherers diverging from early South American settlers.

Checua desert, home to mysterious extinct human lineage.

Mystery at Petralona Cave: 286,000-year-old skull near Thessaloniki upends the human family tree

Buried for hundreds of thousands of years, the Petralona cranium finally reveals its ancient secret.

The Petralona skull.

Ritual burial or ancient crime? Mysterious human remains found in Celtic box well sparks debate

Excavations in Bavaria reveal a haunting mix of bones, ceramics, and metal objects - pointing to a rich and complex culture at the oppidum of Manching between 120–60 BCE.

Illustration: Ruins of a German Oppidum.

Did the British Navy scuttle the guns before 1890? Fresh Helgoland find rekindles the mystery

High-res sonar and 3D mapping revealed 12-pounders and carronades from ~1800 over 80×70 m, likely scuttled by the Royal Navy before the 1890 transfer to the German Empire.

German Helgoland in the North Sea.

The Missing Link? Mysterious Unnamed Human Ancestor Found Near Lucy Site

Researchers recovered 13 teeth, ten attributed to a new unnamed Australopithecus and three to primitive Homo, hinting at co-existence.

The 13 fossil teeth. LD 750 and LD 760 localities represent a newly-discovered species of Australopithecus. LD 302 and AS 100 represent early Homo already known.

66-Year Antarctic Mystery Solved: Missing Meteorologist Recovered after Glacier Melt

DNA tests matched bone fragments to the meteorologist's brother: “After so many years, I can finally say: Dennis has come home.”

Dennis Bell in 1959.

The Mysterious Petroglyphs of Oahu: Fingered figures emerge out of the waves

The petroglyphs, created by ancient Hawaiians between 500 and 600 CE have reignited interest in Hawaiian history and the need to preserve this cultural heritage.

The Mysterious Petroglyphs of Oahu: Fingered figures emerge out of the waves.