Historical mysteries solved by science in 2025

Researchers studied fossils, well-preserved remains and even a single fingerprint to solve some of history’s long-standing mysteries this year.

Story of ‘first Black Briton’ rewritten by advances in ancient DNA technology

An ancient woman thought to have hailed from sub-Saharan Africa and therefore to have been the first known Black Briton actually had fairer skin and was from southern England, researchers using new ...

A Pompeii site reveals the recipe for Roman concrete. It contradicts a famous architect’s writings

Excavations of an ancient construction site in Pompeii have revealed the process of how Romans mixed their self-healing concrete.
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NASA acting head asks staff to take ‘inspiration’ from DOGE efforts as lawmakers cite Musk’s conflict of interest

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. In a Friday ...

Discovery of ancient bee nests in fossils points to a never-before-seen behavior

In a Caribbean cave, researchers discovered hundreds of fossils with bee nests within them. It is the first time this behavior has been recorded, a new study finds.
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‘It became a lifestyle’: Man describes injecting himself with snake venom

Tim Friede, a self-taught snake expert from California, injected himself with snake venom more than 650 times over the course of nearly two decades. Now, experts hope his experiments and blood can ...
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‘No legitimate rationale’: Lawmakers raise concerns over what NASA won’t say about DOGE

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Some House ...
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Scientists solve centuries-old mystery of how a cucumber explosively squirts its seeds

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. An odd little gourd ...
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Ancient ‘terror birds’ were giant apex predators. Suspected new species is among the largest ever known

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Millions of years ...

New images show an interstellar comet that will soon make its closest approach to Earth

New images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope and a Jupiter-bound mission showcase interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS ahead of its close pass by Earth.

Some dolphins appear to have orca friends. Scientists think they have figured out what’s going on

Scientists say dolphins and orcas have teamed up to hunt salmon off British Columbia. It’s the first time such behavior has been documented between the two mammals.
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Voyager 2 shuts down science experiment as power stores dwindle

Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. The NASA team ...