Vikings may have been plagued by smallpox

Plus: COVID-19's seismic hush, crocodiles' transatlantic journey, a dying star cluster and more

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07/26/2020 To prevent the next pandemic, we might need to cut down fewer trees Investing in halting deforestation and limiting the wildlife trade could be a cost-effective way to reduce the risk of pandemics, a new analysis finds. Read More An ancient skull hints crocodiles swam from Africa to the Americas A group of crocs, or at least one pregnant female, may have made a transatlantic journey millions of years ago to colonize new land. Read More Ancient DNA suggests Vikings may have been plagued by smallpox Viral genetic material from human remains provides direct evidence that smallpox infected people dating back to the year 603. Read More This is the first picture of a sunlike star with multiple exoplanets A first family portrait reveals a weird cousin of the solar system: a star about the mass of the sun orbited distantly by two massive gas giants. Read More COVID-19 lockdowns dramatically reduced seismic noise from humans Human-caused seismic activity was reduced by as much as 50 percent around the globe during lockdowns as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Read More Science News is a nonprofit. We depend on our readers to support our journalism. You can help by subscribing for as little as $25. SUBSCRIBE NOW Scientists stumbled across the first known manganese-fueled bacteria A jar left soaking in an office sink helped scientists answer a century-old question of whether bacteria can use manganese for energy. Read More Stone artifacts hint that humans reached the Americas surprisingly early Finds uncovered in a Mexican cave suggest North America may have had human inhabitants more than 30,000 years ago. Read More Coronavirus-infected cells sprout filaments that may spread the virus Like a scene out of a sci-fi movie, cells invaded by the coronavirus can sprout probing appendages bedecked with viral bits.   Read More The star cluster closest to Earth is in its death throes Gaia spacecraft observations of stars’ motion within and fleeing the cluster suggest the 680-million-year-old Hyades has only 30 million years left. Read More How Yellowstone wolves got their own Ancestry.com page Jim Halfpenny wished Yellowstone visitors could follow the wolves' storylines. Then it hit him: "People have Ancestry." Read More Privacy policy  |  Update Profile  | Manage Subscriptions  |   Unsubscribe This email was sent by: Society for Science & the Public 1719 N Street NW Washington, DC, 20036, US