A recent study published in Scientific Reports found strange globs of tree resin (amber) mixed within claimed ancient (Cretaceous) deep-water sediments on Hokkaido Island in northern Japan.1 This is the first reported instance of amber in what’s interpreted as a deep ocean setting.
The research team, led by Aya Kubota from the Research Institute for Geo-Resources and Environment and on faculty at Chuo Univ... More...
A recent popular science article begins with the words, “A new study published in July 2025 tackles one of science’s most profound mysteries – how did life first emerge from non-living matter on early Earth?”1 As is so typical in such articles, the author simply assumes that life did naturally arise from nonliving chemicals. It is almost as if he is attempting to frame the debate by excluding from t... More...