What is rigor mortis, and why does it happen?
Bodies usually stiffen after death in a process known as rigor mortis. But why does this happen, and how long does it last?
Category: Science
Scientists may have seen a star collapse directly into a black hole without exploding first
A new study looked at how a massive star in the Andromeda Galaxy disappeared due to the formation of a black hole
‘The limits of human longevity have still not been reached,’ study suggests
A new study, analyzing 450 regions in western Europe, focused on where the oldest people end up residing across the continent.
‘Thermodynamic computer’ can mimic AI neural networks — using orders of magnitude less energy to generate images
Researchers generated images from noise, using orders of magnitude less energy than current generative AI models require.
This itch-triggering protein also sends signals to stop scratching
The TRPV4 protein’s dual nature, found in studies with mice, may complicate the hunt for human itch treatments
Finding the story
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses how our reporters find unique stories, from vaccine beer to a particle collider’s retirement to the rise of AI
NASA’s Artemis II Rocket and Spacecraft Make Their Way to Launch Pad
NASA’s massive Crawler-Transporter, upgraded for the Artemis program, carried the agency’s SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft on the Mobile Launcher from the Vehicle
US military airlifts small reactor as Trump pushes to quickly deploy nuclear power
The Pentagon and the Energy Department have airlifted a small nuclear reactor from California to Utah, demonstrating what they say is potential for the U.S.
Baby chicks link certain sounds with shapes, just like humans do
A surprising new study shows that baby chickens react the same way that humans do when tested for something called the “bouba-kiki effect,” which has
Scientists propose new plan to ‘catch’ comet 3I/ATLAS — but we have to act fast
A new study explores the challenges of catching interstellar comets like comet 3I/ATLAS
Emerging embryo-selection technologies are currently ‘little more than snake oil.’ But someday, they could widen social inequities.
In the book “What We Inherit,” experts unpack long-standing myths about genes and how those myths could shape public opinion around emerging embryo-selection technologies.
Science news this week: China’s AI kung fu robots, physicists’ re-creation of the Big Bang soup, and a teenager buried with her father’s bones on her chest
Feb. 21, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over
New tech allows parents to ‘score’ IVF embryos for desirable traits — and it’s in desperate need of regulation
Companies now offer polygenic embryo selection to prospective parents undergoing IVF. But the technology is dangerously underregulated.
Bungled Boeing Starliner mission was the highest order of mishap that put stranded astronauts at risk, report says
The 2024 Starliner mission, which left astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams stranded in space for nine months, has received NASA’s worst mishap classification in