{
  "id": 100299,
  "title": "Research roundup: 6 cool science stories we almost missed",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/research-roundup-6-cool-science-stories-we-almost-missed",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-03T20:13:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ars Technica Science",
    "slug": "ars-technica-science",
    "url": "https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/08/research-roundup-6-cool-science-stories-we-almost-missed-5/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Every month, our team curates a selection of intriguing scientific stories that might have gone unnoticed. This July, we bring you six fascinating tales that have recently come to light.\n\nFirstly, researchers have equipped cyborg cockroaches with a miniature diving suit, enabling them to explore flooded terrains with unprecedented ease. This innovative technology could prove invaluable in search-and-rescue missions.\n\nSecondly, new evidence suggests that the Medici duke, a prominent figure in 16th-century Europe, passed away from malaria rather than poisoning. This revelation overturns previous assumptions about his demise.\n\nThirdly, scientists have gathered the most compelling evidence yet that Betelgeuse, a star visible to the naked eye in the constellation of Orion, is orbited by a companion star. This discovery may shed light on the star's life cycle and behavior.\n\nFourthly, recent analysis of an Incan sacrificial victim has concluded that a young boy died from blunt force trauma, not freezing to death as previously thought. This finding challenges long-held beliefs about Incan human sacrifice rituals.\n\nLastly, new research indicates that some ancient Egyptian princesses were accomplished archers. This intriguing find adds a new dimension to our understanding of gender roles and weaponry in ancient Egypt.",
  "summary": "Also: Cyborg diving suits for cockroaches, why sleepy sperm whales blow bubbles, Betelgeuse's companion star.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Ars Technica",
        "title": "Research roundup: 6 cool science stories we almost missed",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/03/research-roundup-6-cool-science-stories-we-almost-missed-100785",
        "published": "2026-08-03T20:13:37.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}