Science Daily

• DNA on the Shroud of Turin reveals centuries of hidden secrets

  The Shroud of Turin, one of history's most mysterious religious artifacts, is yielding surprising new clues through DNA analysis. Scientists have uncovered a complex mixture of biological traces that may reveal more about the cloth's past and the environments it encountered. The findings offer a fresh scientific perspective on a centuries-old mystery that continues to spark fascination and debate.

• An ancient ocean full of giant predators reveals a surprising twist in evolution

  A remarkable fossil discovery in Colombia is challenging how scientists understand major evolutionary changes in Earth's history. Researchers uncovered an incredibly diverse ancient marine ecosystem where giant reptiles, sharks, and other creatures thrived as older evolutionary groups approached extinction and newer ones emerged. They call this previously unrecognized pattern a "Biotic Inflection," suggesting that major transformations in life can occur without mass extinctions.

• Ancient Siberian tomb reveals surprising secrets of cannabis use 2,800 years ago

  Scientists investigating a 2,800-year-old Siberian tomb discovered roughly 1,000 cannabis seeds and chemical evidence suggesting ancient Scythians used the plant for its intoxicating effects. The remarkable find, surrounded by evidence of elaborate burial rituals and animal sacrifices, offers the oldest directly dated archaeological evidence of psychoactive cannabis use.

• Scientists discover a surprising link between acorns and lyme disease

  After more than 35 years of research, scientists have uncovered surprising clues about what really drives Lyme disease risk. Contrary to longstanding assumptions, deer populations appear less important than mice, which can fuel a 40% increase in tick numbers the following year. Even acorn production can predict tick population surges two years in advance, while extreme temperatures may be far less deadly to ticks than scientists once believed.

• Hidden climate superpower: Why some ocean “snow” carries six times more carbon

  Scientists have discovered that the stickiness of underwater “marine snow” plays a surprisingly important role in how much carbon reaches the deep ocean. Gooier particles resist bacterial breakdown and can transport more than six times as much carbon to the depths, revealing an unexpected connection between ocean slime and Earth's climate.