Vast asteroid impact zone found in Australia
Scientists have discovered a massive 200-kilometre (124-mile) impact zone in the Australian outback they believe was caused by an asteroid which smashed into Earth more than 300 million years ago.
Peru archeologists find ancient temple
Peruvian archeologists have discovered a temple believed to be about 5,000 years old at the ancient El Paraiso archeological site in a valley just north of Lima.
New mutations may show how cancers grow: study
Scientists have discovered two new genetic mutations that occur together in 71 percent of malignant melanoma tumors, an aggressive and deadly cancer of the skin.
Australian scientists discover deep sea corals
Australian scientists mapping the Great Barrier Reef have discovered corals at depths never before thought possible, with a deep-sea robot finding specimens in waters nearly as dark as night.
Mexico archeologists uncover 800-year-old skeletons
Archeologists in central Mexico uncovered the bones of 12 children and adults who may have been buried 800 years ago.
Higgs Boson tops journal Science's top 10 of 2012
The discovery of the Higgs Boson, an invisible particle that explains the mystery of mass, leads a list of the top 10 scientific advances of 2012 released Thursday by the US journal Science.
New species, old threats to Mekong wildlife: WWF
From a devilish-looking bat to a frog that sings like a bird, scientists have identified 126 new species in the Greater Mekong area, the WWF said Tuesday in a new report detailing discoveries in 2011.
North Korean 'unicorn' claim lost in translation
An apparent North Korean claim to have uncovered a "unicorn's lair" that created an Internet storm was partly the result of mistranslation by Pyongyang's much-mocked propaganda machine.
Life where you'd least expect it: bacteria survive ice, dark
Researchers have found bacteria thriving beneath ice, in the dark and without oxygen in a lake in Antarctica, pushing the boundaries of what was thought necessary to sustain life on Earth.
Ancient tombs discovered in Pakistan's Swat
Italian archaeologists say they have discovered a cemetery that reveals complex funeral rites dating back more than 3,000 years in Pakistan's Swat valley, recently controlled by the Taliban.
Life on Mars? Maybe not. NASA rows back on findings
NASA downplayed Wednesday talk of a major discovery by its Martian rover after remarks by the mission chief raised hopes it may have unearthed evidence life once existed on the Red Planet.
Uzbek museum unearths forgotten Picasso ceramics
Workers at a state art museum in ex-Soviet Uzbekistan have discovered a long-forgotten collection of Picasso ceramics in the archives and put them on display, more than four decades after the pieces were donated.
Father of flying fish found in China: palaeontologists
Palaeontologists in China said Wednesday they had found the world's oldest flying fish, a strange, snub-nosed creature that glided over water in a bid to evade predators some 240 million years ago.
Europe's oldest prehistoric town, salt site found in Bulgaria
Archaeologists in eastern Bulgaria say they have unearthed the oldest prehistoric town ever found in Europe, along with an ancient salt production site.
New species of lizard found in Australia
Scientists announced Monday the discovery of a new species of lizard fighting to survive among the sand dunes outside Perth in Western Australia.
Bali's 'largest' ancient Hindu temple discovered
Construction workers in Bali have discovered what is thought to be the biggest ancient Hindu temple ever found on the Indonesian island.
World's oldest turtle shells stand the test of time
Plucked from a pit of grey clay next to a rubbish dump in southern Poland, fossilised turtle shells resembling the battle-scarred shields of ancient warriors are the world's oldest and most complete.
Planet with four suns discovered
An international team of amateur and professional astronomers on Monday announced the discovery of a planet whose skies are lit up by four suns -- the first reported case of such a phenomenon.
Giant Chile telescope spots unique spiral structure
Astronomers using a powerful Chile-based telescope on Wednesday released a rare image of a spiral shell of cosmic dust and gas surrounding a red giant star.
Ancient star retains oddly youthful glow
Scientists using a high-powered telescope in Chile have discovered an ancient star that seems oddly impervious to aging.