Science Daily

1. Satellites spot rapid “Doomsday Glacier” collapse

   Two decades of satellite and GPS data show the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf slowly losing its grip on a crucial stabilizing point as fractures multiply and ice speeds up. Scientists warn this pattern could spread to other vulnerable Antarctic shelves.

2. Ancient long snouted croc from Egypt rewrites evolution

   A newly identified crocodile relative from Egypt pushes back the origins of the marine-hunting dyrosaurids by millions of years. The fossil, Wadisuchus kassabi, shows a mix of primitive and advanced traits that mark a key evolutionary transition. Rare specimens of different ages reveal how these ancient predators developed. The find reinforces Africa as the center of early dyrosaurid evolution.

3. A lost Amazon world just reappeared in Bolivia

   Researchers exploring Bolivia’s Great Tectonic Lakes discovered a landscape transformed over centuries by sophisticated engineering and diverse agricultural traditions. Excavations show how Indigenous societies adapted to dynamic wetlands through raised fields, canals, and mixed livelihoods. Today’s local communities preserve this biocultural continuity, guiding research and conservation.

4. Wild chimps consume more alcohol than anyone expected

   Chimpanzees naturally ingest surprising amounts of alcohol from ripe, fermenting fruit. Careful measurements show that their typical fruit diet can equal one to two human drinks each day. This supports the idea that alcohol exposure is not a modern human invention but an ancient primate habit. The work strengthens the “drunken monkey” hypothesis and opens new questions about how animals use ethanol cues in their environment.

5. New 3D scan reveals a hidden network of moai carvers on Easter Island

   A high-resolution 3D model of Rano Raraku shows that the moai were created in many distinct carving zones. Instead of a top-down system, the statues appear to have been produced by separate family groups working independently while sharing techniques. Evidence of varied carving styles and multiple transport routes supports this decentralized picture. The results challenge old assumptions about how large-scale monument building worked on Rapa Nui.