Science Daily

• 5,000-year-old skulls reveal a disturbing secret of ancient Egypt's first kings

  A 5,000-year-old mystery surrounding the tombs of Egypt’s first kings has taken a disturbing turn. Scientists reexamining 46 ancient skulls discovered evidence of potentially fatal head injuries in 18, suggesting that at least 39% of those studied may have been deliberately killed. The findings support a century-old theory that royal attendants were sacrificed when kings died, possibly to serve them in the afterlife.

• A new treasure map reveals where Earth's lost prehistoric life may be hiding

  A sweeping analysis of 540 million years of marine fossils has revealed surprising gaps in our understanding of Earth's ancient life. Scientists discovered that some of the greatest opportunities for finding previously unknown species lie in relatively recent geological periods, rather than the distant past. By mapping unexplored fossil-rich regions around the world, researchers have created a powerful tool to guide future excavations.

• Superheated magma could fuel towering lava fountains

  Why do some volcanoes erupt with spectacular lava fountains while others release lava more quietly? Scientists have discovered that a hidden effect of extreme heat inside magma may help explain the difference. Experiments revealed that superheated magma can delay crystal formation for more than eight hours, compared with just 20 minutes in magma that has not been superheated.

• The Sun unleashed a monster storm. Earth may have made it worse

  The massive solar storm that illuminated skies worldwide in May 2024 has uncovered an unexpected twist: Earth's own atmosphere may have helped make the storm so powerful. Satellite measurements revealed that roughly 85% of the charged particles fueling the disturbance originated from Earth's upper atmosphere rather than the solar wind. Scientists also detected an extraordinary 40% weakening of Earth's magnetic field high above the planet.

• Crows can make decisions twice as fast as humans, scientists discover

  Crows may be even smarter than we thought, and their brains are astonishingly fast. Researchers at the University of Tübingen discovered that crows can make visual decisions twice as quickly as humans and monkeys, taking just 235 milliseconds on average to identify the direction of moving dots while maintaining remarkable accuracy.