In the same release, Slimak pointed out that a separate Neanderthal population lived “about ten days’ walk” from Thorin’s group, yet the two populations showed no genetic evidence of mixing. That indicates Neanderthals were more insular than Homo sapiens, though at least some Neanderthal groups interbred with our species. Slimak expanded on these ideas in his 2023 book, The Naked Neanderthal.

Paleontologists have found the fossilized seeds of gymnosperm trees — relatives of today’s conifers and ginkgos — in stomachs of two specimens of Longipteryx chaoyangensis, one of the earliest known birds and one of the strangest. The discovery shows that these birds were eating fruits, despite a long-standing hypothesis that they feasted on fish, and more recent hypotheses it ate insects, with its incredibly strong teeth.

The Schmidt Ocean Institute’s latest expedition to the Nazca Ridge, an underwater Pacific mountain chain located approximately 1450km (900 miles) off the coast of Chile, has turned up at least 20 new species and an entirely new seamount. The Nazca Ridge and the adjoining Salas y Gómez Ridge are under consideration for designation as a High Seas marine protected area, part of the United Nations High Seas Treaty to ensure the conservation of vitally important habitats located in international waters.

The father of the 11-year-old boy killed last year when a minivan driver struck his school bus spoke at Tuesday’s Springfield City Commission meeting, again pleading with the community to stop using his son’s name as part of hateful statements toward Haitian immigrants. Nathan Clark, Aiden Clark’s father, stood next to his wife Danielle at a packed City Commission meeting, urging people to cease using his son to further their political views. “I wish that my son, Aiden Clark, was killed by a 60-year-old white man. I bet you never thought anyone would say something so blunt, but if that guy killed my 11-year-old son, the incessant group of hate-spewing people would leave us alone,” Clark told the city hall forum. “The last thing that we need is to have the worst day of our lives violently and constantly shoved in our faces, but even that’s not good enough for them. They take it one step further. They make it seem that our wonderful Aiden appreciates your hate, that we should follow their hate.” On Tuesday, Nathan Clark denounced multiple Republican politicians, including vice presidential candidate and U.S. Sen. JD Vance, former President Donald Trump and U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno for statements that Clark said “used his death for political gain.” “This needs to stop now. They can vomit all the hate they want about illegal immigrants, the border crisis and even untrue claims about fluffy pets being ravaged and eaten by community members,” Clark said. “However, they are not allowed nor have they ever been allowed, to mention Aiden Clark from Springfield, Ohio. I will listen to them one more time to hear their apologies.”

Canada’s Giller prize – formerly known as the Scotiabank Giller prize – will keep the bank as its main sponsor

A legal battle over who has the rights to Grand Moff Tarkin's visage is due to go to court

Kamala Harris showed up — and then some. The vice president’s performance against Donald Trump, in which she repeatedly baited him and knocked him off balance, was a far cry from President Joe Biden’s disastrous June debate. And it gave Democrats the role reversal they had hoped for after their switch at the top of the ticket.

The singing superstar — who called herself a “childless cat lady” in a reference to past remarks from GOP vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance (Ohio) — issued a surprise endorsement of Harris immediately following the first presidential debate between the vice president and former President Trump.

The government is taking aim at big SUVs and trucks.

A WIRED investigation reveals that one of two lawyers known to have worked for or with Lawfair, a firm working on a case that could affect minors’ access to gender-affirming care, has ties to accounts with long histories of posting white supremacist content.

The AI supercomputer, which Elon Musk calls "Colossus," is powered by a staggering 100,000 Nvidia AI chips.

A month before Nippon Steel discovered its $15 billion takeover of U.S. Steel was on the brink of being torpedoed by President Joe Biden, the Japanese company received a strong hint that things were taking a turn for the worse.

The official account of the Republican House Judiciary Committee today posted an AI-generated photo of presidential candidate Donald Trump submerged chest-deep in water, shutting his eyes while embracing a duck and kitten. "Protect our kittens and ducks in Ohio!" the elected officials wrote above the image.

Dallas Humber, 34, and Matthew Allison, 37, allegedly helped plot attacks based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation and gender identity, the Justice Department said.

James Earl Jones, an actor whose thundering Old Testament voice and commanding presence established him as one of his generation’s most indelible performers, whether in Shakespearean tragedies, the Star Wars franchise or a Disney animated classic, died Sept. 9 at his home in Pawling, N.Y. He was 93.

An alleged scammer has been arrested under suspicion that he used AI to create awild number of fake bands — and fake streams to with them.

TPRGs like D&D can serve as a social lubricant for autistic players, according to a year-long study published earlier this year co-authored by Atherton, because there is less uncertainty around how to behave in-game—unlike the plethora of unwritten social rules that make navigating social settings so anxiety-inducing. Such games immerse players in a fantastical world where they create their characters with unique backstories, strengths, and weaknesses and cooperate with others to complete campaigns. A game master guides the overall campaign, but the game itself evolves according to the various choices different players make throughout.

“He’s not answering the phone.” This was our second contact lost and I could feel my heart begin to sink. We’ve spent the last several hours driving port to port, fighting Mumbai’s legendary traffic during monsoon season looking for a truck painter. I didn’t want to come home with just photos of the beautiful creations that fill India’s streets and highways, but to talk with one of the artists. Being somewhat of an artist myself, wanted to learn what it was like to be a truck painter, a profession that contributes to India’s vibrant cultural and aesthetic landscape but unfortunately is in danger of disappearing. I fell in love with these ornate, brightly colored trucks on my last trip to India in 2019. During a six hour road trip between my in-law’s hometown to Mumbai I got to see hundreds of these hand painted trucks cruising down the highway.

A six-year-old girl has climbed the highest mountain in North Africa, raising money for the hospital that saved her life when she was a baby. Seren, from Carmarthenshire, is the youngest girl to climb Mount Toubkal in the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, her father Glyn said. The pair next plan to climb Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in western Europe, as part of efforts to raise money for Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Harnessing electrical signals made by a king oyster mushroom and its sensitivity to light, researchers engineered biohybrid robots that respond to the environment.