https://www.iflscience.com/latestScience articles Latestvanzijljc@iflscience.com (Johannes Van Zijl)Science30crystal-unknown-to-science-formed-in-trinity-nuclear-test-is-far-beyond-the-limits-of-conventional-synthesis-83469https://www.iflscience.com/crystal-unknown-to-science-formed-in-trinity-nuclear-test-is-far-beyond-the-limits-of-conventional-synthesis-83469There are crystals that can’t be created in the lab but clearly can form under extreme conditions.2026-05-11T16:51:06Zwhat-is-behind-the-strange-decline-of-serial-killers-since-the-1980s-83460https://www.iflscience.com/what-is-behind-the-strange-decline-of-serial-killers-since-the-1980s-83460From a peak of activity in the 1980s, serial killers have been (thankfully) on the decline. But what is behind the drop?2026-05-11T16:19:01Zstunning-amber-fossil-of-a-99-million-year-old-firefly-is-the-oldest-of-its-kind-glowing-as-far-back-as-the-dinosaurs-83455https://www.iflscience.com/stunning-amber-fossil-of-a-99-million-year-old-firefly-is-the-oldest-of-its-kind-glowing-as-far-back-as-the-dinosaurs-83455Did dinosaurs not believe their eyes as Cretaceous fireflies lit up the world as they fell asleep?2026-05-11T15:54:19Zscientists-put-a-dead-salmon-inside-an-fmri-scanner-and-watched-its-brain-activity-then-something-very-strange-happened-83459https://www.iflscience.com/scientists-put-a-dead-salmon-inside-an-fmri-scanner-and-watched-its-brain-activity-then-something-very-strange-happened-83459Must have been a red herring. 2026-05-11T15:33:07Zanthropic-thinks-their-chatbot-chooses-evil-because-that-is-how-ais-are-portrayed-in-science-fiction-83452https://www.iflscience.com/anthropic-thinks-their-chatbot-chooses-evil-because-that-is-how-ais-are-portrayed-in-science-fiction-83452In tests, the AI model chose to blackmail fictional colleagues in order to avoid being shut down. Now, Anthropic thinks it knows why.2026-05-11T15:31:10Zpanic-politics-and-the-importance-of-transparency-what-should-we-do-if-we-ever-actually-discover-an-alien-civilization-83458https://www.iflscience.com/panic-politics-and-the-importance-of-transparency-what-should-we-do-if-we-ever-actually-discover-an-alien-civilization-83458A newly released UFO file suggests that “our policy will be determined in the traditional manner of grand panic.”2026-05-11T15:36:19Zgentoo-penguins-are-four-species-not-one-says-research-proposing-the-first-entirely-new-penguin-species-in-100-years-83457https://www.iflscience.com/gentoo-penguins-are-four-species-not-one-says-research-proposing-the-first-entirely-new-penguin-species-in-100-years-83457Unfortunately, it looks like three out of the four species will be seriously impacted by climate change. 2026-05-11T15:34:35Zgiant-squid-have-been-detected-living-in-unexpected-waters-for-first-time-in-25-years-83456https://www.iflscience.com/giant-squid-have-been-detected-living-in-unexpected-waters-for-first-time-in-25-years-83456The Kraken Wakes. 2026-05-11T15:35:36Zthe-largest-volcanic-eruption-this-century-cleaned-up-after-itself-and-we-could-learn-to-do-the-same-83454https://www.iflscience.com/the-largest-volcanic-eruption-this-century-cleaned-up-after-itself-and-we-could-learn-to-do-the-same-83454From a climate perspective, you might say this was a particularly well-behaved volcano.2026-05-11T11:54:27Zif-a-nurse-farts-in-an-operating-theatre-does-it-cause-contamination-a-doctor-decided-to-investigate-83453https://www.iflscience.com/if-a-nurse-farts-in-an-operating-theatre-does-it-cause-contamination-a-doctor-decided-to-investigate-83453“I didn't know. But I was determined to find out.”2026-05-11T14:32:00Zthe-only-known-bird-without-wings-not-even-vestigial-ones-was-also-the-tallest-to-ever-live-83448https://www.iflscience.com/the-only-known-bird-without-wings-not-even-vestigial-ones-was-also-the-tallest-to-ever-live-83448Think kiwis are wingless? Think again.2026-05-11T10:01:28Z120-million-year-old-dinosaur-trackway-lost-for-70-years-rediscovered-revealing-giant-species-roamed-as-far-as-mongolia-83451https://www.iflscience.com/120-million-year-old-dinosaur-trackway-lost-for-70-years-rediscovered-revealing-giant-species-roamed-as-far-as-mongolia-83451A gathering of large theropods in one place is a notable event anywhere, but particularly somewhere they were not known to have existed.2026-05-11T09:57:54Zdavid-attenborough-turns-100-dinosaurs-may-have-existed-10-million-years-earlier-than-thought-and-much-more-this-week-83438https://www.iflscience.com/david-attenborough-turns-100-dinosaurs-may-have-existed-10-million-years-earlier-than-thought-and-much-more-this-week-83438All the biggest science news stories of the week.2026-05-10T12:58:39Zdna-reveals-4-more-crew-members-lost-during-the-doomed-1845-terror-and-erebus-expedition-to-the-arctic-83447https://www.iflscience.com/dna-reveals-4-more-crew-members-lost-during-the-doomed-1845-terror-and-erebus-expedition-to-the-arctic-83447The identification of these four crewmen brings the total to six people who have been identified using archaeological DNA and that donated by the crew's descendants. 2026-05-08T16:37:06Zus-department-of-war-releases-161-never-before-seen-files-related-to-ufos-including-from-the-apollo-missions-83450https://www.iflscience.com/us-department-of-war-releases-161-never-before-seen-files-related-to-ufos-including-from-the-apollo-missions-83450*cue The X-Files music*2026-05-08T16:28:53Zthe-first-ever-date-in-history-was-sunday-6-february-or-was-it-a-wednesday-83449https://www.iflscience.com/the-first-ever-date-in-history-was-sunday-6-february-or-was-it-a-wednesday-83449We’ve all made mistakes.2026-05-08T16:23:07Zsimulated-martian-crew-passes-200th-day-while-experiencing-loss-of-signal-with-earth-83446https://www.iflscience.com/simulated-martian-crew-passes-200th-day-while-experiencing-loss-of-signal-with-earth-83446The second simulated mission to Mars provides a lot of useful insight for NASA. 2026-05-08T16:20:57Zit-was-definitely-an-unconventional-solution-mysterious-function-of-phallic-structures-deep-in-the-amazon-solved-with-the-help-of-40-condoms-83445https://www.iflscience.com/it-was-definitely-an-unconventional-solution-mysterious-function-of-phallic-structures-deep-in-the-amazon-solved-with-the-help-of-40-condoms-83445The scientists’ creativity was rewarded with the tallest “cicada tower” on record.2026-05-08T15:57:07Zmeet-loki-a-new-lost-galaxy-that-might-have-been-cannibalized-by-the-milky-way-83442https://www.iflscience.com/meet-loki-a-new-lost-galaxy-that-might-have-been-cannibalized-by-the-milky-way-83442Astronomers believe they have found a building block of our own galaxy. 2026-05-08T15:51:17Zamerican-bison-rose-from-near-extinction-to-being-the-usas-national-mammal-10-years-on-they-might-face-a-new-threat-83444https://www.iflscience.com/american-bison-rose-from-near-extinction-to-being-the-usas-national-mammal-10-years-on-they-might-face-a-new-threat-83444The recovery of bison was the USA's biggest conservation success, but is the Trump administration now causing more beef?2026-05-08T15:30:12Zhow-did-plant-species-survive-the-death-of-the-dinosaurs-by-doubling-down-genetically-speaking-83439https://www.iflscience.com/how-did-plant-species-survive-the-death-of-the-dinosaurs-by-doubling-down-genetically-speaking-83439We focus on the animals, but plants were hit hard by years without sunlight; fortunately some had a trick up their branch.2026-05-08T16:37:19Zbiopsy-causes-womans-fast-growing-tumor-to-disappear-in-rare-case-of-spontaneous-remission-83441https://www.iflscience.com/biopsy-causes-womans-fast-growing-tumor-to-disappear-in-rare-case-of-spontaneous-remission-83441It is likely the biopsy triggered an immune system response that quickly took care of the cancer. 2026-05-08T15:33:56Zthe-us-has-the-most-volcanoes-of-any-country-in-the-world-but-why-does-it-have-so-many-83443https://www.iflscience.com/the-us-has-the-most-volcanoes-of-any-country-in-the-world-but-why-does-it-have-so-many-83443The answer lies in its geography.2026-05-08T14:05:33Zhantavirus-stricken-ship-en-route-to-tenerife-as-confirmed-cases-rise-to-5-but-who-assures-this-is-not-another-covid-19-83440https://www.iflscience.com/hantavirus-stricken-ship-en-route-to-tenerife-as-confirmed-cases-rise-to-5-but-who-assures-this-is-not-another-covid-19-83440There are a total of 8 cases linked to the outbreak, which we now know has been caused by the Andes hantavirus strain.2026-05-08T14:02:17Zhow-to-work-out-the-day-of-the-week-for-any-date-past-or-future-83437https://www.iflscience.com/how-to-work-out-the-day-of-the-week-for-any-date-past-or-future-83437June 3, 2782? That's a Thursday.2026-05-08T12:07:05Zwhere-can-you-hide-from-venuss-sulfuric-acid-rain-pretty-much-anywhere-on-the-planets-737-kelvin-surface-83435https://www.iflscience.com/where-can-you-hide-from-venuss-sulfuric-acid-rain-pretty-much-anywhere-on-the-planets-737-kelvin-surface-83435Thanks to a phenomenon known as "virga", which we sometimes see on Earth, the surface of Venus remains rain-free.2026-05-08T11:07:05Zdavid-attenborough-turns-100-this-week-heres-why-hes-become-even-more-iconic-in-old-age-83433https://www.iflscience.com/david-attenborough-turns-100-this-week-heres-why-hes-become-even-more-iconic-in-old-age-83433For decades, his work has thrilled and inspired millions, but his willingness to meet the historical moment and use his voice to advocate for the planet may be his most lasting legacy.2026-05-08T11:06:34Zboquila-trifoliolata-is-the-only-plant-we-know-of-capable-of-mimetic-polymorphism-it-can-disguise-its-leaves-differently-depending-where-it-grows-83428https://www.iflscience.com/boquila-trifoliolata-is-the-only-plant-we-know-of-capable-of-mimetic-polymorphism-it-can-disguise-its-leaves-differently-depending-where-it-grows-83428The “chameleon vine” can mimic the leaves of several plant species at once, in one of the most mysterious mimicry systems known in nature.2026-05-07T15:27:17Zthe-longest-month-of-the-year-is-not-the-same-everywhere-on-the-planet-83436https://www.iflscience.com/the-longest-month-of-the-year-is-not-the-same-everywhere-on-the-planet-83436It can be by an hour or by one second, depending on where you are and on the year.2026-05-07T15:26:14Zis-there-any-truth-to-personality-tests-we-took-a-couple-to-find-out-83429https://www.iflscience.com/is-there-any-truth-to-personality-tests-we-took-a-couple-to-find-out-83429Can you really pigeonhole personality using a simple questionnaire?2026-05-07T15:19:30Zflamingos-are-pink-because-of-what-they-eat-could-we-make-them-blue-83434https://www.iflscience.com/flamingos-are-pink-because-of-what-they-eat-could-we-make-them-blue-83434Blue brine shrimp for dinner anyone?2026-05-07T15:20:47Zrfk-jr-says-you-have-a-spoonful-of-plastic-in-your-brain-but-do-you-really-we-asked-the-experts-83430https://www.iflscience.com/rfk-jr-says-you-have-a-spoonful-of-plastic-in-your-brain-but-do-you-really-we-asked-the-experts-83430"This is a research field in its infancy, while the general public is being fed with sensational scraps of information."2026-05-07T15:20:28Zquantum-metallurgy-might-be-a-new-frontier-for-superconducting-materials-and-artificial-neurons-83432https://www.iflscience.com/quantum-metallurgy-might-be-a-new-frontier-for-superconducting-materials-and-artificial-neurons-83432“Technological revolutions like the semiconductor happened because we did basic science on atomic structures.”2026-05-07T16:22:29Zearth-might-not-be-the-only-place-that-has-rainbows-so-where-else-could-we-asked-an-expert-83431https://www.iflscience.com/earth-might-not-be-the-only-place-that-has-rainbows-so-where-else-could-we-asked-an-expert-83431Rainbows on other worlds are possible, but not necessarily as we might typically think of them.2026-05-07T13:47:39Zhow-black-holes-and-quantum-entanglement-could-send-messages-back-in-time-interstellar-like-83427https://www.iflscience.com/how-black-holes-and-quantum-entanglement-could-send-messages-back-in-time-interstellar-like-83427We can all think of plenty of things we would like to tell our predecessors to avoid stupid mistakes, but would they listen?2026-05-07T15:21:21Zwhy-do-wine-bottles-have-those-fancypants-indentations-at-the-bottom-83415https://www.iflscience.com/why-do-wine-bottles-have-those-fancypants-indentations-at-the-bottom-83415Not all bottles have them, and some people think they are a mark of quality, when they aren't.2026-05-07T09:50:50Z