{"id":350499,"date":"2025-12-15T17:51:16","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T17:51:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/350499\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T17:51:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T17:51:16","slug":"todays-biggest-science-news-little-foot-potential-unknown-human-ancestor-geminids-peak-comet-3i-atlas-closest-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/350499\/","title":{"rendered":"Today’s biggest science news: ‘Little Foot’ potential unknown human ancestor | Geminids peak | Comet 3I\/ATLAS closest approach"},"content":{"rendered":"

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2025-12-15T17:17:14.082Z
\nNew pumpkin toadlet is so smol!<\/p>\n

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Introducing the new pumpkin toadlet, Brachycephalus lulai. (Image credit: Luiz Fernando Ribeiro, CC-BY 4.0 (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/))<\/p>\n

A newfound species of pumpkin toadlet has caught our eye. Researchers announced the discovery in the journal PLOS One<\/a> mid-last week, but we think it deserves a shout-out today.<\/p>\n

The frog lives in the mountains of southern Brazil and belongs to a group of miniaturized diurnal (awake during the day) frogs called Brachycephalus, some of which are pumpkin colored \u2014 hence the name, “pumpkin toadlet.”<\/p>\n

The Brachycephalus genus boasts the smallest known vertebrate<\/a> in the world: A species known as B. pulex, whose females average just 0.32 inch (8.15 millimeters) in length and whose males are even shorter, at 0.28 inch (7.1 mm), which is smaller than a human fingernail<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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The new pumpkin toadlet fits on the end of a pencil. (Image credit: Luiz Fernando Ribeiro, CC-BY 4.0 (https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/))<\/p>\n

This latest addition to the pumpkin froglet clan is a bit bigger, with a body length of up to 0.53 inch (13.4 mm). The frog is bright orange, as you’d expect, but distinguishes itself from other pumpkin froglets with small amounts of green and brown at irregular points on its body.<\/p>\n

The researchers who made the discovery want the frog’s territory in the Serra do Quiriri area of Brazil to be protected to safeguard its future, as well as other unique species that live there.<\/p>\n

You’ve got to imagine that the researchers wanted this pumpkin toadlet study out closer to Halloween. Ah, well, it’s a winter treat.<\/p>\n

2025-12-15T16:35:39.845Z
\nFancy a crossword?<\/p>\n

Senior staff writer Harry Baker<\/a> has just finished the latest Live Science crossword puzzle<\/a>. Give it a go below if you’re into that kind of thing.<\/p>\n

Note: Our crosswords are currently best experienced on desktop. <\/p>\n

2025-12-15T16:06:28.540Z
\n3I\/ATLAS Hulks out<\/p>\n

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These two images of 3I\/ATLAS from the Gemini North telescope (background) show that the comet’s coma has gotten greener since its close flyby of the sun in October. (Image credit: International Gemini Observatory\/NOIRLab\/NSF\/AURA\/P. Hor\u00e1lek (background))<\/p>\n

Speaking of 3I\/ATLAS, Brandon<\/a> reported on Friday (while the blog was down) that the interstellar comet is changing hues as it approaches Earth.<\/p>\n

Atop Hawaii’s dormant Mauna Kea volcano, the Gemini North telescope confirmed that comet 3I\/ATLAS has become greener and brighter since flying past the sun in late October.<\/p>\n

Our home star heated up the interstellar object and, in doing so, made it much more active.<\/p>\n

Find out what’s driving the comet’s greenish hue by reading the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2025-12-15T15:33:41.896Z
\nAll eyes on 3I\/ATLAS<\/p>\n

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Researchers have been tracking comet 3I\/ATLAS since its discovery in July. (Image credit: International Gemini Observatory\/NOIRLab\/NSF\/AURA\/Shadow the Scientist)<\/p>\n

The interstellar comet 3I\/ATLAS makes its closest approach to Earth this week, coming within around 167 million miles (270 million kilometers) of our planet on Friday (Dec. 19).<\/p>\n

Astronomers worldwide are studying the comet, which is only the third interstellar object ever recorded in our solar system<\/a> and potentially the oldest comet ever seen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But it’s not just space agencies getting in on the action. The United Nations’ International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN) is about halfway through its 3I\/ATLAS observing campaign, Live Science contributor Elizabeth Howell<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n

This is the first time that the IAWN network’s observing campaigns have tracked an interstellar object.<\/p>\n

To learn why, read the full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2025-12-15T15:05:06.178Z
\nGeminid meteor shower gallery<\/p>\n

Here are some pretty pictures from the Geminids’ weekend peak:<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Tayfun Coskun\/Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Geminids above Yosemite National Park in California.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: VCG\/VCG via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

A meteor zooms across the night sky above Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, in China.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Tayfun Coskun\/Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Back to Yosemite National Park for another striking meteor snap.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Jiang Feibo\/China News Service\/VCG via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Geminids above Yamdrok Lake in Tibet, China.<\/p>\n

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(Image credit: Tayfun Coskun\/Anadolu via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Here, a meteor appears as a horizontal dash across the night sky. This is the third photo taken by Tayfun Coskun at Yosemite National Park.<\/p>\n

2025-12-15T14:00:19.562Z
\nGeminids peak<\/p>\n

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A Geminids meteor streaking across the sky above the Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in China. (Image credit: Fu Yujianglin\/VCG via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Did you catch any meteors this weekend? The Geminid meteor shower peaked on Saturday night and Sunday morning in a near-moonless sky, making it perfect conditions for capturing the spectacle on camera<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Geminids represent the most prolific meteor shower of the year. While the shower has been ongoing since Dec. 4, the best time to see its meteors was supposed to be overnight on Saturday through Sunday.<\/p>\n

I didn’t see any because I was busy and unwilling to brave the cold. If like me you missed them too, we’ve still got a few more days to brave the elements \u2014 the Geminids will remain active until Dec. 20. I’ll also pull together a little gallery of some of the best images from the Geminids’ peak to mark the event.<\/p>\n

If you want to learn more about the Geminids, check out our 2025 Geminids meteor shower<\/a> guide by skywatching expert Jamie Carter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2025-12-15T12:55:50.754Z
\nLive Science weekend news roundup<\/p>\n

Here are some of the best Live Science stories from the weekend:<\/p>\n

2025-12-15T09:31:24.720Z
\n<\/p>\n

Good morning, science fans! Thank you for your patience last week while we worked through some technical issues. I’m pleased to report that the science news blog is back!<\/p>\n

We’re kicking off this week’s blog coverage with a story about human evolution. A team of researchers believes that the hominin fossil “Little Foot” is an unknown human ancestor, the Guardian reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Little Foot is a near-complete Australopithecus skeleton \u2014 the most complete ever discovered \u2014 from South Africa. Researchers first unveiled the small ancient human in 2017, but precisely where it sits on our family tree has been the subject of scientific debate.<\/p>\n

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A reproduction of Little Foot is on display at the Sterkfontein caves’ exhibit, located within the Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site in South Africa. (Image credit: EMMANUEL CROSET\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Some have proposed that Little Foot is a previously unknown species and should be given the name Australopithecus prometheus<\/a>. However, A. prometheus is a recycled name that was initially meant for another South African fossil discovered in 1948, but fell out of favour after researchers decided that the fossil was likely from the known species Australopithecus africanus. Another possibility was that Little Foot was also A. africanus.<\/p>\n

The new claims derive from a study published last month in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology<\/a>. Here, the research team argues that neither A. prometheus nor A. africanus is an appropriate classification for Little Foot.<\/p>\n

The classification of human fossils is often contested, so I’m keen to see how other anthropologists react to the new study and will follow up with more information as it emerges.<\/p>\n

\"Patrick<\/p>\n

Patrick Pester<\/p>\n

Trending News Writer<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Refresh 2025-12-15T17:17:14.082Z New pumpkin toadlet is so smol! Introducing the new pumpkin toadlet, Brachycephalus lulai. (Image credit: Luiz…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":350500,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[79,193],"class_list":["post-350499","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-space","tag-science","tag-space"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350499","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=350499"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/350499\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/350500"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=350499"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=350499"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=350499"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}