Did microbes ever live on Mars? Did an "elevator" help build Egypt’s first pyramid? Some signs pointed to yes this year, but confirmation is still needed.

Prevention, screening and treatment advances combined stopped 5.94 million deaths from cancer in the United States from 1975 through 2020.

Teams are starting to analyze data from the total solar eclipse to learn more about the sun’s corona, gravity waves and changes in Earth’s ionosphere.

3,000-year-old clay tablets show that some associations between emotion and parts of the body have remained the same for millennia.

Millions of other animals may have perished too, suggesting the die-off event might be one of the worst in modern times.

Most present-day humans carry a small amount of Neandertal DNA that can be traced back to a single period of interbreeding, two genetic analyses find.

Earthquake data suggest that all or small patches of the inner core's surface may be swelling and contracting.

Twenty years after the deadliest wave in recorded history, most oceans have warning systems and communities have learned how best to escape the danger.

As of early December, there have been nearly 60,000 confirmed and suspected cases in 20 countries and 60 deaths in 2024. Children have been particularly hard hit.

Studies suggest that semaglutide reduces heart attack and stroke and may curb addiction and more. Scientists reflect on the future of GLP-1 drugs beyond weight loss.

Female moths may pick up on the ultrasonic wailing of distressed plants and opt to lay their eggs on different, healthier plants.

Generative AI and the hype around it has rung in excitement and alarm bells this year. Here’s how to consider climate, energy and AI's intersection.