Science Daily

• Scientists find two tiny new snails with shells that close like doors

  Scientists discovered two tiny new snail species in Montenegro, showing that even Europe still holds animals unknown to science. One lives in the threatened Komarnica Canyon, where a proposed hydropower reservoir could destroy habitat before its full biodiversity is understood.

• The “big one” might not come alone: Two major West Coast faults may strike back to back

  The Cascadia subduction zone and northern San Andreas fault may sometimes rupture in rapid succession, according to evidence preserved in 3,100 years of ocean sediments. Researchers identified unusual sediment layers suggesting that earthquakes on the two systems have occurred just minutes to hours apart, including around the massive Cascadia earthquake of 1700. If such synchronization happened again, several major West Coast cities could face emergencies at nearly the same time.

• Scientists say a critical Atlantic Ocean current is weakening and the effects could be global

  Scientists have found strong observational evidence that a key part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation has been weakening across a wide stretch of ocean for nearly two decades. The slowdown could eventually reshape weather patterns, rainfall, storms, winters, and coastal sea levels around the Atlantic.

• Why Viking museums still can’t escape the warrior myth

  Scandinavian museums are trying to move beyond the familiar image of Vikings as sword-wielding male warriors, highlighting women, farmers, traders, and a far more complicated society. But the enduring popularity of the Viking myth means exhibitions often balance historical accuracy with stories that reflect modern ideas about national identity and culture.

• Stonehenge’s 6-ton altar stone may have traveled from Scotland by glacier

  Stonehenge’s six-ton Altar Stone may have been carried from Scotland to Dogger Bank by glaciers before prehistoric people transported it hundreds of kilometers to Salisbury Plain. The possible multistage journey suggests remarkable organization and raises the possibility that the stone was valued long before it became part of Stonehenge.