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2025-12-08T15:51:12.794Z
Rare sacrificial complex found in Russia
Researchers have reported the discovery of a “sacrificial complex” in Russia. (Image credit: Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences)
Russian archaeologists recently discovered a collection of hundreds of horse bridle bits and bronze beads near the burial mounds of high-status nomads from the fourth century B.C.
While the artifacts themselves are not exactly surprising — after all, these nomadic peoples relied on horses for travel — their collection as a kind of “sacrifice” is unusual.
To learn more about this discovery, which oddly included a gold plaque depicting a tiger, check out my coverage here.
Kristina Killgrove
Staff writer
2025-12-08T15:38:58.300Z
Japan hit by major earthquake
A natural disaster evacuation point in Japan. (Image credit: HABesen via Getty Images)
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake has hit off the northeastern coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. The earthquake struck at 11:15 p.m. local time (9:15 a.m. EST).
The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued tsunami warnings in three regions: the central part of the Pacific Coast of Hokkaido region, the Pacific Coast of Aomori Prefecture and Iwate Prefecture. The expected maximum tsunami height is between 3.2 and 9.8 feet (1 and 3 meters).
The earthquake was most intense in Hachinohe City where there was a seismic intensity of 6+ — such intensity means it is “impossible to remain standing or to move without crawling,” according to the Japan Meteorological Agency’s explanation of seismic intensity.
Tsunami Info Stmt: M7.6 Hokkaido, Japan Region 0615PST Dec 8: Tsunami NOT expected; CA,OR,WA,BC,and AKDecember 8, 2025
The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center tweeted at 9:32 a.m. EST that a tsunami was not expected in California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia or Alaska.
Sophie Berdugo
Staff writer
2025-12-08T14:35:58.193Z
Live Science news roundup
2025-12-08T14:04:52.716Z
‘Hobbit’ extinction
A reconstruction of Homo floresiensis. (Image credit: Photo by Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post. via Getty Images)
A drought may have doomed the small ancient human species Homo floresiensis, nicknamed “the hobbit,” Live Science contributor Owen Jarus reports.
New research suggests that declining rainfall could have reduced the population of Stegodon (extinct elephant relatives) that H. floresiensis relied on for food, and, in turn, forced the Hobbit to compete with modern humans (us).
H. floresiensis lived in Indonesia from at least 100,000 years ago until about 50,000 years ago. Researchers still have a lot to learn about these enigmatic ancient humans, the remains of which have only ever been found in one cave, and it remains uncertain whether they interacted with us.
Species typically go extinct for multiple reasons. In the case of H. floresiensis, a volcanic eruption may have also been a significant factor in their demise.
Read the full story here.
2025-12-08T13:00:33.681Z
Camera lost in lava fountain
USGS cameras captured Kilauea volcano’s 38th summit eruption episode. (Image credit: USGS)
Good morning, science fans! Patrick here to launch another week of our science news blog coverage.
Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupted with spectacular, giant lava fountains over the weekend and consumed a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) camera.
The remotely operated camera filmed its own demise inside the Halema’uma’u crater on Saturday (Dec. 6) as a wall of volcanic debris approached and knocked it offline.
Kilauea volcano is one of the world’s most active volcanoes and has erupted almost continuously on Hawaii’s Big Island for more than 30 years.
The latest activity marked the 38th episode of the Kilauea summit’s eruption cycle, which began on Dec. 23, 2024. We’ve seen plenty of lava fountains before, but the USGS’s cameras are rarely this close to the action.
Patrick Pester
Trending News Writer