Thank you!

We have emailed you a PDF version of the article you requested.

Can't find the email?

Please check your spam or junk folder

IFLScience Home
IFLScience logo

Complete the form below to listen to the audio version of this article

You can unsubscribe at any time. View ourprivacy policy and terms below.

IFLScience needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time.

For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, check out ourPrivacy Policy

Ad

link to article

Today, Earth Reaches Aphelion, Our Most Distant Point From The Sun. So Why Is It So Stupidly Hot?Diagram showing aphelion and perihelion; Earth's closest and most distant points from the Sun.Today, Earth Reaches Aphelion, Our Most Distant Point From The Sun. So Why Is It So Stupidly Hot?Diagram showing aphelion and perihelion; Earth's closest and most distant points from the Sun.

Today, Earth Reaches Aphelion, Our Most Distant Point From The Sun. So Why Is It So Stupidly Hot?

Earth receives about 7 percent less light during aphelion than during its closest approach to our star, yet the average global temperature is actually...

clock-icon1 hour ago

link to article

"Dark Universe Hunter" Euclid Breaks Record For Most Ancient Quasar Ever Found – Twice!The focus of this artist impression is a fiery red-orange disc of spiralling material. The material swirls inwards towards a bright white-yellow centre, from which a thin beam-like jet of material emerges to the left, directed to the top-centre of the frame.
space-iconAstronomy

"Dark Universe Hunter" Euclid Breaks Record For Most Ancient Quasar Ever Found – Twice!

clock-icon1 hour ago

link to article

How These Caves Alerted The World To Australia’s Unusual Megafauna And Helped Inspire Darwin’s Theory Of EvolutionThe stalactites of Cathedral Cave draw they eye, but there is more scientific interest in fossils found in the cave floor below.
nature-iconPalaeontology

How These Caves Alerted The World To Australia’s Unusual Megafauna And Helped Inspire Darwin’s Theory Of Evolution

clock-icon4 hours ago

Four Newly Discovered Lineages of Peruvian Cacao Trees Could Save Chocolate’s Future

clock-icon20 minutes ago

Two Halves Of 300-Million-Year-Old Fossil Fish Reunited Revealing Unique Braincase And Snug Brain Tissues

clock-icon1 hour ago

Toe-tally Adorable Toby The Cat Is A World Record Holder With 28 Toes – That's 10 More Than Usual

clock-icon3 days ago
trending-icon

Trending

link to article

In The 1930s, Oskar Speck Sailed In A Canoe For 50,000 Kilometers From Germany To AustraliaOskar Speck and a boy onboard a folding kayak in a river.
humans-iconhistory

In The 1930s, Oskar Speck Sailed In A Canoe For 50,000 Kilometers From Germany To Australia

But very few people know of his achievement.

clock-iconJune 13, 2026
comments icon1

link to article

A New Species Of Jurassic Dinosaur Reveals How Their Long Tails Turned Into Birds' Feathered Flight ControlReconstructions of Jurassic proto-bird species Zhengheornis buyu (front) and Fujianvenator prodigiosus (back) showing the contrast in their tails
nature-iconPalaeontology

A New Species Of Jurassic Dinosaur Reveals How Their Long Tails Turned Into Birds' Feathered Flight Control

One of the most crucial points in evolution has been particularly badly recorded in the fossil record, but some questions are becoming clear

clock-icon4 days ago
book

Most Read

link to article

China's "Great Green Wall" Of 66 Billion New Trees Isn't Acting Like A Natural ForestThe Mingsha Desert peaks over an old-style house and fresh forests in Gansu Province, Northwestern China.
nature-iconplants

China's "Great Green Wall" Of 66 Billion New Trees Isn't Acting Like A Natural Forest

China is turning green, but not quite in the way models predicted.

clock-icon5 days ago
comments icon35

link to article

Look Up At The Moon Tonight, You Won't See One Like It For Nearly Two DecadesThe Moon, above some clouds.
space-iconAstronomy

Look Up At The Moon Tonight, You Won't See One Like It For Nearly Two Decades

Thanks to where we are in an 18.6-year lunar cycle, the Moon is especially pretty this evening. Give it a little glance, as a treat.

clock-iconJune 29, 2026
latest-icon

Latest

link to article

"Like The Top Of A Martian Honeycomb": NASA's Curiosity Rover Discovers Odd, Polygonal Structures On MarsPolygonal ridges of rock on the surface of Mars.
space-iconAstronomy

"Like The Top Of A Martian Honeycomb": NASA's Curiosity Rover Discovers Odd, Polygonal Structures On Mars

Investigating an area of interesting light rock seen from orbit, Curiosity found some particularly weird-looking structures.

clock-icon8 minutes ago

link to article

There's A New Theory Of Why Antarctica Froze 34 Million Years Ago, Way Before Ice Covered The ArcticThat's a lot of ice: The sun hovers just above the horizon at the South Pole Atmospheric Research Observatory in the depths of Antarctica.
nature-iconplanet earth

There's A New Theory Of Why Antarctica Froze 34 Million Years Ago, Way Before Ice Covered The Arctic

clock-icon28 minutes ago

link to article

In 1971, A Seal Was Donated To The New England Aquarium. Five Years Later, It Started Speaking In EnglishA harbor seal sitting on a rock.
nature-iconanimals

In 1971, A Seal Was Donated To The New England Aquarium. Five Years Later, It Started Speaking In English

clock-icon23 hours ago

link to article

NASA’s New Horizons Could Hit The Edge Of The Solar System As Early As 2029 Or As Late As 2040A artists impression of the new horizon spacecraft in space.
space-iconAstronomy

NASA’s New Horizons Could Hit The Edge Of The Solar System As Early As 2029 Or As Late As 2040

clock-iconYesterday
humans-icon

Humans

link to article

Extinct "Hobbits" Probably Lived Off What Komodo Dragons Left Behind, Suggesting They Weren’t As Smart As We ThoughtReconstructed skull of Homo floresiensis
humans-iconancient ancestors

Extinct "Hobbits" Probably Lived Off What Komodo Dragons Left Behind, Suggesting They Weren’t As Smart As We Thought

clock-icon2 days ago
comments icon3

link to article

“If This Were A Murder Trial, We’d Have To Acquit”: Did The Earliest American Cultures Hunt Mammoths To Extinction?Mammoth skeleton
humans-iconancient ancestors

“If This Were A Murder Trial, We’d Have To Acquit”: Did The Earliest American Cultures Hunt Mammoths To Extinction?

clock-icon4 days ago

link to article

"We Got Very Excited": Ancient Human DNA Recovered From Cave Art For The First TimeA person standing in a white hazmat suit in a cave staring up at ancient paintings on the ceiling.
humans-iconancient ancestors

"We Got Very Excited": Ancient Human DNA Recovered From Cave Art For The First Time

clock-icon5 days ago

link to article

An Entire Herculaneum Scroll Has Just Been Read For The First Time In 2,000 Years - Without Even Being OpenedRuins of Pompeii with Vesuvius in background
humans-iconarchaeology

An Entire Herculaneum Scroll Has Just Been Read For The First Time In 2,000 Years - Without Even Being Opened

clock-icon6 days ago
health-icon

Health and Medicine

link to article

At What Point Does A Developing Fetus Become Conscious? We May Be Close To An AnswerDeveloping human fetus
health-iconneuroscience

At What Point Does A Developing Fetus Become Conscious? We May Be Close To An Answer

clock-icon3 days ago

link to article

The FDA Just Cleared A New Species Of Flesh-Eating Maggot For Medical UseA surprisingly cute maggot emerges from a piece of fruit.
health-iconhealth

The FDA Just Cleared A New Species Of Flesh-Eating Maggot For Medical Use

clock-icon4 days ago
comments icon1

link to article

You May Feel “On The Same Wavelength” As Someone, But Can We Engineer Brains To Synchronize? It May Actually Be PossibleBob Weir and Mike Gordon
health-iconneuroscience

You May Feel “On The Same Wavelength” As Someone, But Can We Engineer Brains To Synchronize? It May Actually Be Possible

clock-icon4 days ago

link to article

Review Of mRNA COVID Vaccines Once Again Finds They Are Safe, Highly Effective, And Full Of PromiseA doctor preparing a vaccine
health-iconmedicine

Review Of mRNA COVID Vaccines Once Again Finds They Are Safe, Highly Effective, And Full Of Promise

clock-icon4 days ago
comments icon3
nature-icon

Nature

link to article

Python Bowl: Competition To Catch And Kill Invasive Snakes Returns To Florida’s EvergladesA Burmese python moving through some grass.
nature-iconanimals

Python Bowl: Competition To Catch And Kill Invasive Snakes Returns To Florida’s Everglades

clock-iconYesterday
comments icon1

link to article

We Could Be Watching The Birth Of A New Island As A Deep-Sea Volcano Erupts In The Bismarck SeaA satellite photo showing a plume of white steam rising from the water. Under it is a greenish patch of decolored water. To the left is a tiny line that has been labelled "pumice". Taken together, it is possible to see the contours of a shape under the water.
nature-iconplanet earth

We Could Be Watching The Birth Of A New Island As A Deep-Sea Volcano Erupts In The Bismarck Sea

clock-icon2 days ago

link to article

Greenland Ice Melt May Help Weaken Critical AMOC Ocean Current By 80 Percent, But It Could Be ReversibleA photo of a sea ice packed around a bay that is melting. The ice has created a green/turquoise hue to the water in the foreground. In the background is an elevated point covered in snow.
nature-iconclimate

Greenland Ice Melt May Help Weaken Critical AMOC Ocean Current By 80 Percent, But It Could Be Reversible

clock-icon3 days ago

link to article

Not So Creepy Now? Not One, But Two Rare Giant Bigfin Squid Caught In Crystal Clear Deep-Sea Footage bigfin squid (Magnapinna) in a different expedition to the Northern Gulf of Mexico in 2012.
nature-iconanimals

Not So Creepy Now? Not One, But Two Rare Giant Bigfin Squid Caught In Crystal Clear Deep-Sea Footage

clock-icon3 days ago
space-icon

Space and Physics

link to article

Scientists Found An Enormous Structure In Space That Shouldn't ExistThe big ring in the night sky.
space-iconSpace and Physics

Scientists Found An Enormous Structure In Space That Shouldn't Exist

clock-iconYesterday
comments icon1

link to article

The Temperature Of A Giant Planet Reveals How It Survived Its Star’s Death – Earth Might Do The Sameartist impression of a jupiter looking planet and a bright white dwarf in the distance
space-iconAstronomy

The Temperature Of A Giant Planet Reveals How It Survived Its Star’s Death – Earth Might Do The Same

clock-icon3 days ago
comments icon1

link to article

NASA's TESS Just Managed Something No One Thought It Could: Spotting A Planet Warping SpacetimeA jupiter-like planet orbiting an orange sun in space
space-iconAstronomy

NASA's TESS Just Managed Something No One Thought It Could: Spotting A Planet Warping Spacetime

clock-icon3 days ago

link to article

People Think CERN Is Altering Time. We Are Not Convinced They Know What CERN Isartist impression of particle collisions in the lhc
space-iconAstronomy

People Think CERN Is Altering Time. We Are Not Convinced They Know What CERN Is

clock-icon4 days ago
comments icon6
technology-icon

Technology

link to article

With "SpudCell", Scientists Have Made The Most Sophisticated Attempt At Creating An Artificial Lifeform Yetlife cycle of SpudCell in grid of 6 numbered images showing a green cell at various stages of division
technology-iconbiotechnology

With "SpudCell", Scientists Have Made The Most Sophisticated Attempt At Creating An Artificial Lifeform Yet

clock-icon3 days ago

link to article

Nuclear Fusion Startup Transforms Plasma Energy Directly Into Electricity In First For Private SectorA conceptual image showing a ball of yellow/orange energy in the center with lines of crackling energy shooting out of it.
technology-iconenergy

Nuclear Fusion Startup Transforms Plasma Energy Directly Into Electricity In First For Private Sector

clock-icon3 days ago

link to article

Smartphone Location Data Deserves Full Fourth Amendment Protection, US Supreme Court RulesAerial view of rice fields and forest with red location pin icons. Concept of GPS navigation, map positioning, digital tracking, land management, agriculture, and geographic location services
technology-iconTechnology

Smartphone Location Data Deserves Full Fourth Amendment Protection, US Supreme Court Rules

clock-icon4 days ago

link to article

You Should Believe We Are In A Simulation More If You Are Donald Trump Or Elon Musk, Philosopher ArguesElon Musk and Donald Trump shaking hands in the White House, overlayed with Matrix-style code.
technology-iconTechnology

You Should Believe We Are In A Simulation More If You Are Donald Trump Or Elon Musk, Philosopher Argues

clock-iconJune 25, 2026
comments icon1
technology

Culture and Society

link to article

Pop Music Lyrics Have Become Morally Darker Since The 1960s, Reflecting The Cultural LandscapeA blurred black and white photo showing three people standing on a stage. They appear as silhouettes. One has their hand in the air while the other appears to be holding a microphone to their mouth. On the far right is another person standing at a keyboard. The image shows six spotlights cutting up the dark of the image, allowing the three figures to stand out from the blackness.
technologyculture

Pop Music Lyrics Have Become Morally Darker Since The 1960s, Reflecting The Cultural Landscape

clock-iconJune 26, 2026
comments icon1

link to article

China "On Track To Surpass" The US In Human Development Goals, Which Measure Action On Poverty, Education, Wellbeing, And MoreBright lights and skyscrapers dominate the cityscape of Chengdu, China.
technologysociety

China "On Track To Surpass" The US In Human Development Goals, Which Measure Action On Poverty, Education, Wellbeing, And More

clock-iconJune 26, 2026

link to article

The Trump Administration Tried To Shut This Climate Website Down. Scientists Have Just Brought It Back OnlineA photo looking down on three people in orange cold weather clothing moving across a melting ice burg.
technologypolicy

The Trump Administration Tried To Shut This Climate Website Down. Scientists Have Just Brought It Back Online

clock-iconJune 26, 2026
comments icon1

link to article

We Know Psychedelics Change Mental Health Symptoms, But Can They Also Change Who You Are As A Person?Magic mushrooms
technologypsychology

We Know Psychedelics Change Mental Health Symptoms, But Can They Also Change Who You Are As A Person?

clock-iconJune 26, 2026
bubble-astronaut

Company and Product Insights

link to article

How To Get More IFLScience: Add Us As A “Preferred Source" On GoogleA logo of IFLScience with a hand pointing towards it
bubble-astronautcompany news

How To Get More IFLScience: Add Us As A “Preferred Source" On Google

clock-iconSeptember 3, 2025

link to article

Unlocking The Future Together: Why IFLScience Is Launching A Membership Modelcollage of images related to science with "iflscience is evolving" written in the centre
bubble-astronautCompany and Product Insights

Unlocking The Future Together: Why IFLScience Is Launching A Membership Model

clock-iconJanuary 20, 2025
comments icon14
share1

link to article

Opening The Vault: Uncovering A World Of Strange And Intriguing ScienceAn image of the vault doors opening with a screenshot of the IFLScience Vault article.
bubble-astronautCompany and Product Insights

Opening The Vault: Uncovering A World Of Strange And Intriguing Science

clock-iconJanuary 20, 2025
feature-icon

Features

link to article

Scientists May Be Close To Creating An Artificial Lifeform, First Ancient Human DNA Recovered From Cave Art, And Much More This WeekA selection of images from the top stories covered by IFLScience this week June 29 to July 3
humans-iconHumans

Scientists May Be Close To Creating An Artificial Lifeform, First Ancient Human DNA Recovered From Cave Art, And Much More This Week

All the biggest science news stories of the week.

clock-icon2 days ago

link to article

“First Comes Awe And Then Comes Curiosity": Reserve Astronaut Meganne Christian On The Importance Of Inspiring The Next GenerationReporter Alfredo Carpineti speaking with reserve astronaut Meganne Christian
space-iconAstronomy

“First Comes Awe And Then Comes Curiosity": Reserve Astronaut Meganne Christian On The Importance Of Inspiring The Next Generation

IFLScience met Christian and others at the launch of the Smithsonian Starstruck immersive experience.

clock-icon3 days ago
video-icon

Multimedia

link to article

How We Remember: The Neuroscience of Memory Explainedblue brain image on a black background to the right of yellow text that reads How Does Memory Work?
technology-iconartificial intelligence

How We Remember: The Neuroscience of Memory Explained

clock-iconMay 1, 2026

link to article

AI Consciousness Explained: Science vs Philosophya robot
technology-iconartificial intelligence

AI Consciousness Explained: Science vs Philosophy

clock-iconApril 24, 2026

link to article

Unethical Experiments That Shook The WorldThe Tuskegee syphilis study
humans-iconhistory

Unethical Experiments That Shook The World

clock-iconApril 17, 2026