Science Daily

• Scientists discover a giant 66-pound rodent that lived 34 million years ago

  Scientists have uncovered fossils of a giant rodent that lived in Thailand 34 million years ago, revealing that enormous rodents evolved much earlier than previously thought. Named Yakamys sirindhornae, the ancient animal may have weighed around 66 pounds, roughly twice as much as other known rodents of its time.

• 237-million-year-old fossils reveal a bizarre armored sea amphibian

  A bizarre, heavily armored amphibian roamed the oceans 237 million years ago, despite the fact that modern amphibians cannot survive entirely in saltwater. Discovered in China, the giant salamander-sized creature may be the first known amphibian to have adapted to a fully marine existence.

• Global fossil fuel emissions set to fall in 2026, but total CO2 keeps rising

  Global fossil fuel emissions are projected to fall in 2026 as renewable energy and electric vehicles gain ground, but rising emissions from deforestation threaten to push total CO2 emissions to a new record. Scientists warn that the world's remaining carbon budget for limiting warming to 1.5°C could be exhausted in less than four years, even as a lasting decline in emissions appears increasingly within reach.

• 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.

• Scientists discover why some mosquitoes love you and others don't

  A surprising new study reveals that mosquitoes have very different tastes in humans, with each species attracted to its own combination of skin odors, chemicals, and bacteria. The discovery challenges the idea of a universal mosquito magnet and could lead to more effective repellents against dangerous disease-spreading mosquitoes.