[Jawlist] Weekly Science Report 2-13-26
Steven Detwiler
steveorange2011 at gmail.com
Sun Feb 15 16:53:48 PST 2026
*Weekly Science Report*
*February 13, 2026*
*"I leave you, hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms
until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and
equal."*
Abraham Lincoln
Introduction
Steve Detwiler created this publication with the support of Graham Hancock
and the late John Anthony West to share news and information on various
disciplines to include but not limited to paleontology, space sciences,
genetics, and archaeology. His goal behind sharing this publication has
always been very simple, by sharing knowledge we can make our world a
better place. This publication is Mr. Detwiler’s contribution to bring
people together and share ideas and discoveries with his fellow humans.
I hope you enjoy this publication and that the content challenges and
inspires you!
The Weekly Science Report is also on social media at:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weeklysciencerpt/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/wklysciencerpt
News Articles *Paleontology, Evolution and Prehistoric Studies*
Searching for dinosaur secrets in crocodile bones
https://www.npr.org/2026/02/05/nx-s1-5693856/crocodile-farm-bones-dinosaur-growth-mystery
Scientists Found an Ancient Human Relative Where None Was Expected
https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-found-an-ancient-human-relative-where-none-was-expected/
How a Black fossil digger became a superstar in the very white world of
paleontology
https://www.npr.org/2026/02/04/g-s1-107656/how-a-black-fossil-digger-became-a-superstar-in-the-very-white-world-of-paleontology
A Prehistoric Bear Attack Ended in the Gruesome Death of a Teenage Boy
Around 27,000 Years Ago
https://www.discovermagazine.com/a-prehistoric-bear-attack-ended-in-the-gruesome-death-of-a-teenage-boy-around-27-000-years-ago-48684
World's oldest known sewn clothing may be stitched pieces of ice age hide
unearthed in Oregon cave
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/worlds-oldest-known-sewn-clothing-may-be-stitched-pieces-of-ice-age-hide-unearthed-in-oregon-cave
A football-size creature may have been among the earliest plant-eating land
animals
https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/11/science/tyrannoroter-heberti-fossil-discovery
Northern Britain's oldest human remains are of a young female child, DNA
analysis reveals
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-northern-britain-oldest-human-young.html
More than 43,000 years ago, Neanderthals spent centuries collecting animal
skulls in a cave; but archaeologists aren't sure why
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/human-evolution/more-than-43-000-years-ago-neanderthals-spent-centuries-collecting-animal-skulls-in-a-cave-but-archaeologists-arent-sure-why
Two rare 5th millennium BC fetal burials in Iran reveal variable
prehistoric practices
https://phys.org/news/2026-01-rare-5th-millennium-bc-fetal.html
New study maps where wheat, barley and rye grew before the first farmers
found them
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-wheat-barley-rye-grew-farmers.html
Did modern humans wipe out the Neanderthals? New evidence may finally
provide answers.
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/did-modern-humans-wipe-out-the-neanderthals-new-evidence-may-finally-provide-answers
Archaeopteryx, one of the world's first proto birds, has a set of weird,
never-before-seen features, new study reveals
https://www.livescience.com/animals/dinosaurs/archaeopteryx-one-of-the-worlds-first-proto-birds-has-a-set-of-weird-never-before-seen-features-new-study-reveals
*History*
A Greek star catalog from the dawn of astronomy, revealed
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/greek-star-catalog-hipparchus-astronomy
The surprising origins of Britain's Bronze Age immigrants revealed
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2515260-the-surprising-origins-of-britains-bronze-age-immigrants-revealed/?fbclid=IwdGRzaAP5pCpjbGNrA_mkVmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHjbCxSi7pXQwCLN1hOZ-dYkZ08AyZO059qe4CKso2juyJHgV3lZs2_1n0frg_aem_FUYx_qdn84_5pF6OhVcFLA&sfnsn=mo
Paleo-Inuit people braved icy seas to reach remote Greenland islands 4,500
years ago, archaeologists discover
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/paleo-inuit-people-braved-icy-seas-to-reach-remote-greenland-islands-4-500-years-ago-archaeologists-discover
Ancient DNA suggests hunter-gatherers in Europe's lowlands endured until
2500 BCE
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-ancient-dna-hunter-europe-lowlands.html
A White Historian Claimed That Black People ‘Had No History.’ This
Trailblazing Scholar Dedicated His Life to Proving Otherwise
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/a-white-historian-claimed-that-black-people-had-no-history-this-trailblazing-scholar-dedicated-his-life-to-proving-otherwise-180988144/
Rumors Suggested That Anne Boleyn Was a Witch With Six Fingers. Did This
Elizabethan Artist Rework a Portrait of the Tudor Queen to Debunk the
Gossip?
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/rumors-suggested-that-anne-boleyn-was-witch-with-six-fingers-did-this-elizabethan-artist-rework-a-portrait-of-the-tudor-queen-to-debunk-the-gossip-180988169/
Afghanistan Was a Crossroad of the Ancient World, Where Hellenistic Culture
Blended With Buddhist Influences
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/afghanistan-was-a-crossroad-of-the-ancient-world-where-hellenistic-culture-blended-with-buddhist-influences-180988065/
One Was a Teenage Diplomat. Another Was a Nuclear Engineer. Here’s How
Eight Presidents Made Their Mark Outside of the White House
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/one-was-a-teenage-diplomat-another-was-a-nuclear-engineer-heres-how-eight-presidents-made-their-mark-outside-of-the-white-house-180988146/
How a Little-Known French Region Safeguarded the Louvre’s Treasures During
World War II
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/how-a-little-known-french-region-safeguarded-the-louvres-treasures-during-world-war-ii-180988117/
*Archaeology*
Ocean Ridge: Condo project could unearth more of town’s ancient history
https://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/ocean-ridge-condo-project-could-unearth-more-ancient-history?fbclid=IwdGRzaAP6zrVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR5IYT33JrojUufWrdLXBBpF7RSpGQL9PsW9Xrxq-kw4sPZvPj8wnOip0l4zwA_aem_UKcC-ETbwMh-Q50OCwjjmA
3D scanning and shape analysis help archaeologists connect objects across
space and time to recover their lost histories
https://theconversation.com/3d-scanning-and-shape-analysis-help-archaeologists-connect-objects-across-space-and-time-to-recover-their-lost-histories-273077
Medieval tunnel discovered in Germany were likely used for secret cult
rituals
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/medieval-germany-tunnel-strange-ritual-b2919721.html
Ancient cone-shaped vessels may have served as beeswax lamps during ritual
processions, study finds
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-ancient-cone-vessels-beeswax-lamps.html#goog_rewarded
Skull fragments expand the frontiers of Iberian severed head ritual
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-skull-fragments-frontiers-iberian-severed.html
Viking Age mass grave holds mysterious mix of dismembered human remains and
complete skeletons, including a 'giant' who'd had brain surgery
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/vikings/viking-age-mass-grave-holds-mysterious-mix-of-dismembered-human-remains-and-complete-skeletons-including-a-giant-whod-had-brain-surgery
AI helps archaeologists solve a Roman gaming mystery
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ai-roman-board-game-limestone
Western Europe's earliest known mule died 2,700 years ago — and it was
buried with a partially cremated woman
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/western-europes-earliest-known-mule-died-2-700-years-ago-and-it-was-buried-with-a-partially-cremated-woman
CT scans reveal the last moments of Inca children sacrificed as 'messengers
to the gods'
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/ct-scans-reveal-the-last-moments-of-inca-children-sacrificed-as-messengers-to-the-gods
Police stumble upon ancient Roman shipwreck while on routine patrol
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/italy-roman-shipwreck-amphora-b2917269.html
How did ancient Vietnamese people get such black smiles?
https://www.science.org/content/article/how-did-ancient-vietnamese-people-get-such-black-smiles
Archaeologists Say They’ve Identified Traces of a 2,000-Year-Old Love Note
Still Etched Into a Wall in Ancient Pompeii
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-say-theyve-identified-traces-of-a-2000-year-old-love-note-still-etched-into-a-wall-in-ancient-pompeii-180988163/
Rich medieval Christians bought graves 'closer to God' despite leprosy
stigma, archaeologists find
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-rich-medieval-christians-bought-graves.html
Neolithic Cultural Revolution
https://archaeology.org/issues/january-february-2026/letters-from/neolithic-cultural-revolution/
*Egyptology*
Ancient rock art depicting hunters and geometric shapes discovered in
Egypt's Sinai Desert — and it spans a period of 10,000 years
https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/ancient-rock-art-depicting-hunters-and-geometric-shapes-discovered-in-egypts-sinai-desert-and-it-spans-a-period-of-10-000-years
*General Science*
Nothing to Report
*Physics, Earth and Space Sciences*
NASA begins mission to map the boundaries of our heliosphere
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-mission-map-boundaries-heliosphere-imap/
Sun releases 4 strong solar flares: What to expect
https://abcnews.go.com/US/sun-releases-4-strong-solar-flares-expect/story?id=129814702
'Textbooks will need to be updated': Jupiter is smaller and flatter than we
thought, Juno spacecraft reveals
https://www.livescience.com/space/planets/textbooks-will-need-to-be-updated-jupiter-is-smaller-and-flatter-than-we-thought-juno-spacecraft-reveals
NASA delays the launch of Artemis II lunar mission by at least a month
https://www.npr.org/2026/02/03/nx-s1-5698214/nasa-artemis-ii-launch-delay-moon
The Truth Physics Can No Longer Ignore
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/2025/12/physics-life-reductionism-complexity/685257/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cr&utm_campaign=2024_Content_ContentTestingII_Prospecting_Sales_Advantage&utm_content=121725_TruthPhysicsNoLongerIgnore_NA_NA_NoCTA&utm_term=ContentTestingII_Advantage&referral=FB_PAID&fbclid=IwdGRzaAPti4lleHRuA2FlbQEwAGFkaWQAAAY8okyiPXNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHuD4y6rJW-NgOQwr5uPLJia8cWx4na-cS1yr6uglEaFxI_YvHGxmvBxGC5cK_aem_uO6nxAuTIqwmjh_ud0JoHw&campaign_id=6581568102677&ad_id=6850620995877&utm_id=6581568102677&sfnsn=mo
He witnessed the sun’s power ‘like nobody else before or since.’ Now his
first portrait has been found
https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/12/science/solar-storm-richard-carrington-photo
Astronomers detect a solar system they say should not be possible
https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/12/science/solar-system-inside-out-planets
On their way! 4 people on NASA Crew-12 mission launch to International
Space Station
https://www.npr.org/2026/02/13/nx-s1-5712808/nasa-spacex-crew-12-launch-iss
The largest-ever satellite of its kind just unfurled its wings in low-Earth
orbit
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-largest-ever-satellite-of-its-kind-just-unfurled-its-wings-in-low-earth/?utm_campaign=sprinklr&utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&fbclid=IwVERTSAP9-bZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR5jStrEqx3diuedxxVIdI5P8IHpPv0W0aBcvD5YzPliH9JnCLlW5I9A4jKXPw_aem_LdQdiBbSM8D9fGGt3XNWtg&sfnsn=mo
America’s Largest Particle Collider Just Shut Down. Here’s What Happens Next
https://gizmodo.com/americas-largest-particle-collider-just-shut-down-heres-what-happens-next-2000720696
Something supercharged Uranus with radiation during Voyager flyby 40 years
ago. Scientists now know what.
https://www.livescience.com/space/planets/something-supercharged-uranus-with-radiation-during-voyager-flyby-40-years-ago-scientists-now-know-what
Uranus' moon 'Miranda' seems to have an ocean and possibly life
https://www.earth.com/news/uranus-moon-miranda-may-have-hidden-ocean-possibly-extraterrestrial-life/
Radio signal discovered at the center of our galaxy could put Einstein's
relativity to the test
https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/radio-signal-discovered-at-the-center-of-our-galaxy-could-put-einsteins-relativity-to-the-test
New experiments suggest Earth's core contains up to 45 oceans' worth of
hydrogen
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-earth-core-oceans-worth-hydrogen.html
NASA Thinks Boeing’s Starliner Can Fly in April, Which Is Hilarious
https://gizmodo.com/nasa-thinks-boeings-starliner-can-fly-in-april-which-is-hilarious-2000720614
Can life begin on a moon without a sun?
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-life-moon-sun.html
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS survived its flyby of the sun — and gave up
some secrets in the process
https://www.space.com/astronomy/comets/interstellar-comet-3i-atlas-survived-its-flyby-of-the-sun-and-gave-up-some-secrets-in-the-process
Vulcan Centaur rocket launches 'neighborhood watch' satellites for the US
military
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/ula-vulcan-centaur-ussf-87-launch-space-surveillance-satellites
Caught in the act: Astronomers watch a vanishing star turn into a black hole
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115742
*Environment, Climate Change and Alternative Energy Sources*
China banned all fishing to save the Yangtze River. This 'nuclear' option
appears to be working.
https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/rivers-oceans/china-banned-fishing-in-its-biggest-river-and-species-are-starting-to-recover
EPA reverses long-standing climate change finding, stripping its own
ability to regulate emissions
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/climate-change/epa-reverses-endangerment-climate-change-finding-rcna258452?fbclid=IwVERTSAP7AepleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7Z011DK9XQua_yaEANTTfXgCyPyQ5qy25eSG-mEQ-sPEHUMA9OVDFxUDnTHA_aem_lexdiF8NtXiby7MrOcTuLA&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&sfnsn=mo
Hospitality executive gets Trump nod to lead national parks
https://www.eenews.net/articles/hospitality-executive-gets-trump-nod-to-lead-national-parks/
China's emissions policies are helping climate change but also creating a
new problem
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-china-emissions-policies-climate-problem.html
Astronomers Are Closing In on the Kuiper Belt’s Secrets
https://www.wired.com/story/astronomers-are-closing-in-on-the-kuiper-belts-secrets/
Life on Earth is lucky: A rare chemical fluke may have made our planet
habitable
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/search-for-life/life-on-earth-is-lucky-a-rare-chemical-fluke-may-have-made-our-planet-habitable
*Biological, Genetics and Medical Sciences*
New generation of cancer-preventing vaccines could wipe out tumors before
they form
https://www.science.org/content/article/new-generation-cancer-preventing-vaccines-wipe-tumors-form?utm_campaign=Science&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=ownedSocial&fbclid=IwY2xjawPw9EBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFRMzh3aVJWZ1hFSkFxVTBvc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHj93-4vYiQu9nGcKPX0Rqq5JepzKSoFvc0BDjOq4VhFBK2kNNo7L4QYHm_Ar_aem_Hynbroj2fJrzO5RLkKW59w
Unique structure of elephant whiskers give them built-in sensing
“intelligence”
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/02/unique-structure-of-elephant-whiskers-give-them-built-in-sensing-intelligence/
NIH redefines ‘clinical trials,’ dividing researchers
https://www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2026/02/12/nih-clinical-trial-definition-research-transparency/
Gene editing that spreads within the body could cure more diseases
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2514925-gene-editing-that-spreads-within-the-body-could-cure-more-diseases/?fbclid=IwdGRzaAP6zjdjbGNrA_rOYmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHpu0EUmA-ipKtweQTq3Q-dKmH6rYb2NAg8mAi3K6zSfNHl7X1jvG64KkUoH5_aem_iFEKrv1OWsrVygFYuyhJNA&sfnsn=mo
Study of Buddhist Monks Finds Meditation Alters Brain Activity
https://www.wired.com/story/study-of-buddhist-monks-finds-meditation-alters-brain-activity/?utm_source=nl&utm_brand=wired&utm_mailing=WIR_Daily_021526&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_medium=email&utm_content=WIR_Daily_021526&bxid=5bd6790424c17c1048020acb&cndid=41291302&hasha=3ed15b3d4270f52ce4da5de4e5031836&hashc=74eb9308055fd2296514323600108b997526be68a69044cf3fc1e2fbb0496447&esrc=twitter-newsletter-c&utm_term=WIR_Daily_Active
Amino acid 'stickers' help decode spider silk's strength and flexibility
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-amino-acid-stickers-decode-spider.html
Eleven genetic variants affect gut microbiome
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116295
Beyond the Fitbit: Why your next health tracker might be a button on your
shirt
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115842
AI-guided protein design for enhanced intracellular antibodies
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116518
Vaccine denial sets Americans up for more chronic illness
https://www.livescience.com/health/viruses-infections-disease/vaccine-denial-sets-americans-up-for-more-chronic-illness
Snakes keep evolving into cannibals — here's what scientists think is going
on
https://www.livescience.com/animals/snakes/snakes-keep-evolving-into-cannibals-heres-what-scientists-think-is-going-on
*Other*
Why Elon Musk has misunderstood the point of Star Trek
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26935810-100-why-elon-musk-has-misunderstood-the-point-of-star-trek/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=echobox&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwdGRzaAP4JX5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7oAsYh0JCfRGGtkMrC4Cq2A8DDts_EjFqJxLbjdx8nk8cvTfiaGOK2fmRy9Q_aem_gGmjX3HGtgMxU5SmbbwqAQ&sfnsn=mo
Additional Informational
NASA is funded. Now what: A look ahead at space policy in 2026
https://www.planetary.org/articles/nasa-is-funded-now-what?utm_campaign=downlink&utm_medium=email&utm_source=20260206&s_src=downlink&s_subsrc=20260206
Resurrecting Ancient Enzymes in NASA’s Search for Life Beyond Earth
https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/planetary-science/astrobiology/resurrecting-ancient-enzymes-in-nasas-search-for-life-beyond-earth/
NASA Selects Axiom Space for Fifth Private Mission to Space Station
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-selects-axiom-space-for-fifth-private-mission-to-space-station/
NASA’s Juno Measures Thickness of Europa’s Ice Shell
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/juno/nasas-juno-measures-thickness-of-europas-ice-shell/
NASA’s Perseverance Rover Completes First AI-Planned Drive on Mars
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-perseverance-rover-completes-first-ai-planned-drive-on-mars/
A Cambrian soft-bodied biota after the first Phanerozoic mass extinction
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-10030-0
Early Indians: The Story of Our Ancestors and Where We Came From
https://www.harappa.com/content/early-indians-story-our-ancestors-and-where-we-came?fbclid=IwY2xjawP3iX9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF1bzlRRFAweGI5NUJ1dUVxc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHmk8BoVHjyKJKveed0_lL9A8NQCSWj-Hla1z3rMt0SP3GwpT0UeIIvvyu58j_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw
40th Anniversary Special Issue of Holocaust and Genocide Studies
https://academic.oup.com/hgs/pages/40th-anniversary-special-issue-of-holocaust-and-genocide-studies?utm_source=email&utm_medium=mkto&utm_campaign=20260211MCHNEWE01A&utm_content=txtlink&mkt_tok=MTY1LUtZTy02MTYAAAGf7QwNnCrij-AWfy5u6aci8T-MRIBroD0UukxKerlfL_PEri6SNFfQKLu0vgBqxkdaHEqRelcaeDDEpgz_qqUXstc9FyJ1CPtjwg27sBVr2Lc
2025 SWF Space Sustainability Research Fellowship Results Webinar, Feb 18
https://streamyard.com/watch/qreA84dWxCZk?utm_source=Master+List+%28Merged%29&utm_campaign=fac37b3ca6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_10_15_02_47_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-0dcfca754b-272560066&mc_cid=fac37b3ca6&mc_eid=1278109aa1
A.3 NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar Mission Data, Applications,
Research, and Technology Team Proposal is due on March 13
https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary!init.do?solId=%7B0073A14E-AFC3-13BD-0128-56AFE0030B08%7D
Core Survey by NASA’s Roman Mission Will Unveil Universe’s Dark Side
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/core-survey-by-nasas-roman-mission-will-unveil-universes-dark-side/
AI Helps Pinpoint the Moon’s First Soft Landing
https://www.seti.org/news/ai-helps-pinpoint-the-moons-first-soft-landing/
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and
Ghettos, 1933-1945
https://muse.jhu.edu/encyclopedia/ushmm?utm_source=email&utm_medium=mkto&utm_campaign=20260211MCHNEWE01A&utm_content=txtlink&mkt_tok=MTY1LUtZTy02MTYAAAGf7QwNnCasDYv2UM6rXBPLzibTEblsY5lUoqYFrFTgTqNIhGAYSu_GgOfhQRnQgeKnhcXUA8N1FlhtyeGh_FqeA0cP4W7v8M4gxWHZ872ykWU
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