Top news stories of May 21, 2026

Scientists improve knowledge on sea level rise—and confirm it has been accelerating since 1960

Sea level rise is a direct consequence of human-induced climate change: global warming. It is relentless and very hard to stop. It arises from human-induced warming and the consequential expansion of the ocean, plus the addition of more and more water from melting glaciers and ice sheets. It will continue long into the future.

New insights into how the human hand evolved from our ape-like ancestors

The human hand is an evolutionary marvel. While other primates rely on their hands for locomotion and basic grasping, ours can shape tools, manipulate objects, and perform detailed tasks requiring great dexterity and precision. The evolutionary basis of this unique ability has long been debated, but a new anatomical clue to its origin has just been revealed in a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.

What if the direction of a magnet could shape the building blocks of life?

In a new discovery, researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Weizmann Institute of Science have found that something in the direction of a magnetic field can influence how molecules of life behave at the most fundamental level and how early chemical processes linked to life may have unfolded.

Neptune's mysterious moon Nereid may be original survivor of Triton's chaotic arrival

Neptune's far-flung moon Nereid may be the last of the planet's original companions that managed to survive a cosmic crash, scientists reported Wednesday.

Portugal burial reveals first known bone dental bridge in national archaeological record

The first documented case of a fixed bone bridge unearthed in Portugal was presented in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology by researchers Ms. Steffi Vassallo and her colleagues. The item is estimated to date to the 19th century and is likely to have served a more aesthetic than functional purpose.