JWST Sees Hints of an Atmosphere on a Potentially Habitable Exoplanet
Hints of Atmosphere on Earth-Sized Exoplanet Raise Hopes for Life A monumental sign of an atmosphere on TRAPPIST-1e could be the precursor to finally finding a living world around another star By Jonathan O’Callaghan edited by Lee Billings This artist’s concept shows the volatile red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1 and its four most closely orbiting planets, […]
How to See Faster-Than-Light Motion
The UniverseFridays How to See Faster-Than-Light Motion Superluminal velocities are common but illusory By Phil Plait edited by Clara Moskowitz The light echo around the star V838 Monocerotis as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope in November 2005. Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Phil Plait When I […]
How Many Planets Orbit Our Nearest Neighboring Star?
New Instrument Checks on Proxima Centauri’s Planets Fresh results from near-infrared instruments foretell a bright future for finding life elsewhere in the Milky Way By Ivan Farkas edited by Lee Billings An artist’s impression of the Proxima Centauri system, with the planets Proxima b and Proxima d—the latter confirmed by the NIRPS planet-hunting instrument. Some […]
Starship’s 10th flight breaks streak of bad luck
Nell Greenfieldboyce SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket racked up some much-needed successes on its 10th test flight, hitting key test objectives and breaking a streak of failures that bedeviled the spaceship this year. The silver and black two-stage rocket, which stands about 400 feet tall, blasted off from the SpaceX facility in south Texas near Boca […]
SpaceX Successfully Launches Starship Spacecraft After String of Mishaps
SpaceX Successfully Launches Starship Spacecraft after String of Mishaps Overcoming three recent failed tries, Elon Musk’s rocket company successfully flew its reusable jumbo booster and upper-stage Starship spacecraft By Dan Vergano edited by Clara Moskowitz An earlier SpaceX Starship and Super Heavy booster are moved to the launch pad at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas. […]
Trump and Putin meet today in Anchorage. Here’s what to know
By Tamara Keith , Danielle Kurtzleben , Franco Ordoñez ANCHORAGE, Alaska — President Trump is meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska today, a momentous summit on American soil with a leader isolated by the West over the invasion of Ukraine. Trump, who pledged a quick end to the war in Ukraine during his…
Inside Jennifer Lawrence’s Mom Life With Son Cy, Husband Cooke Maroney
After an acting break, Jennifer Lawrence returned to the spotlight with a new lease on Hollywood but the same approach to privacy as she and husband Cooke Maroney welcomed their second baby. Art doesn’t necessarily reflect life for Jennifer Lawrence, but playing a new mother going through a raw postpartum experience wasn’t entirely off her…
New Brain Device Is First to Read Out Inner Speech
New Brain Device Is First to Read Out Inner Speech A new brain prosthesis can read out inner thoughts in real time, helping people with ALS and brain stem stroke communicate fast and comfortably By Emma R. Hasson edited by Allison Parshall After a brain stem stroke left him almost entirely paralyzed in the 1990s,…
Weather tracker: Typhoon Podul pounds southern Taiwan
One person dies after storm whips up waves, while temperatures approach 50C as heatwave grips Middle East Typhoon Podul crossed southern Taiwan on Wednesday with wind speeds of up to 110mph (177km/h), equivalent to a category 2 hurricane. Podul had developed a week earlier, near the Northern Mariana Islands, and tracked west across the Philippine…
Crunch time in Alaska: Trump set to meet Putin in push for Ukraine peace
US and Russian officials will converge on the state of Alaska ahead of a highly anticipated Friday meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. The pair will meet for the first time in six years, as Trump tries to enact a key campaign pledge to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The US president, who…
Sudan cholera outbreak kills 40 in a week as health centres overwhelmed
MSF charity calls situation ‘beyond urgent’ as thousands seeking refuge from war rely on contaminated water The “worst cholera outbreak in years” has killed at least 40 people in the last week in Sudan, according to the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières. Overwhelmed medical centres are resorting to treating patients on mattresses on the floor,…
Why Are Rabbits Sprouting Tentacles?
Here’s Why Rabbits Are Sprouting Tentacle Horns Rabbits spotted with hornlike growths on their face in northern Colorado are doing better than they look By Stephanie Pappas edited by Jeanna Bryner This eastern cottontail rabbit has growths protruding from its head because it is infected with a papilloma virus. Join Our Community of Science Lovers!…
Trump administration claims powers of D.C. police chief
By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Trump administration, stepping up its crackdown on policing in the nation’s capital, on Thursday named the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration to be Washington’s “emergency police commissioner” with all the powers of the police chief — a significant move that increases national control over the city as…
NFL’s Jared Goff Reacts to Taylor Swift’s Name-Drop on New Heights
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a heartwarming response to Taylor Swift giving him a shoutout during her appearance on boyfriend and fellow NFL player Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast. Jared Goff‘s inner circle can’t calm down about his latest shoutout. The Detroit Lions quarterback had the sweetest response to Taylor Swift name-dropping him during…
Ancient manuscripts return to Timbuktu 13 years after jihadist takeover
Malian city welcomes return of hundreds of crates of treasures after more than a decade stored in capital Bamako Political and religious figures in Malian city of Timbuktu have welcomed the return of ancient manuscripts that were removed to the capital, Bamako, more than a decade ago to prevent them from falling into the hands…
Trump Cuts Could End U.S. Exploration of the Outer Solar System
NASA Budget Cuts Could End U.S. Exploration of the Outer Solar System By Hannah Richter edited by Lee Billings A pellet of plutonium 238, illuminated by the glow of its own radioactivity. NASA and other space agencies use this material in radioisotope power sources for interplanetary missions to the solar system’s darkest, most distant destinations.…
Brandon Blackstock’s Seizures Were “Contributing” Factor in Death
One week after Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock’s death at 48, his death certificate shared he experienced seizures amid his cancer battle. New information about Brandon Blackstock’s tragic passing has come to light. More than one week after Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband died on Aug. 7 at age 48, his death certificate is sharing more insight…
Trump is tightening the screws on corporate America — and CEOs are staying mum
By Maria Aspan Corporate America doesn’t want to fight with President Trump in public. But as a result, it’s ceding him an unprecedented amount of control over the shape — and future — of U.S. business. In the past week, the president has turned up the heat on big companies and their CEOs to an…
Thursday briefing: How the colonial legacy has created a toxic beauty industry
These movements urged pride in what had been denigrated for centuries, and their message was not limited to people of African or Caribbean heritage. Calls to embrace natural beauty resonated across Asia and much of the global south, directly challenging the colonial belief that lighter skin conferred greater worth. Yet decades later, that belief seems…
In maps: The war-ravaged Ukrainian territories at the heart of the Trump-Putin summit
Speculation has swirled over whether the Trump-Putin summit will result in the map of Ukraine being forcibly – and fundamentally – altered. Russia has laid claim to vast parts of Ukraine since 2014, when President Vladimir Putin made his first move. At the time, in the space of a short few months, Moscow carried out…
What Is a Glacial Outburst Flood? Alaska’s Suicide Basin Explained
Why Glacial Lake Outbursts like the One in Alaska May Happen More Often Meltwater from a glacial lake outburst is flooding Juneau, Alaska. Such events are likely to happen more often as climate change destabilizes ice and glacial lakes fill with more meltwater By Stephanie Pappas edited by Andrea Thompson Mendenhall Glacier in the Tongass…
Stranger Things’ Dacre Montgomery Reveals Why He Quit Hollywood
Stranger Things alum Dacre Montgomery explained why he went “off the map” for years after starring as Billy Hargrove in the Netflix series. Dacre Montgomery is getting back to saner things. The Stranger Things star explained the reason he took an extended hiatus from Hollywood after playing Billy Hargrove on the Netflix series, reflecting on…
Why AI ‘Therapy’ Can Be So Dangerous
Why ChatGPT Shouldn’t Be Your Therapist Using AI chatbots for “therapy” is dangerous, mental health experts say. Here’s why By Allison Parshall edited by Dean Visser Artificial intelligence chatbots don’t judge. Tell them the most private, vulnerable details of your life, and most of them will validate you and may even provide advice. This has…
Taylor Swift Details Moving in With Her Dad After His Heart Surgery
Taylor Swift described caring for her dad Scott Swift after his quintuple bypass surgery earlier this year, describing him as “the loveliest patient ever” amid his recovery. Taylor Swift is sharing how she helped her father through a delicate procedure. The “Shake It Off” singer shared that she moved in with her dad Scott Swift earlier this…
France acknowledges role in repression of Cameroon independence movements
Emmanuel Macron writes to Cameroonian president with findings of joint commission on country’s colonial past France has acknowledged its role in decades of violent repression of independence movements in Cameroon, the latest stage in a slow process of reckoning with its brutal colonial past. In a letter to the Cameroonian president, Paul Biya, dated 30…
European leaders tentatively hopeful after call with Trump ahead of Putin summit
European leaders appeared cautiously optimistic after holding a virtual meeting with Donald Trump on Wednesday, two days before he meets his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Trump reportedly told the Europeans that his goal for the summit was to obtain a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv. He…
‘Who’s running the show?’ is a key question in ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ challenge
By Greg Allen MIAMI — A lawsuit brought by environmental groups and the Miccosukee tribe challenging construction and operations of an immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades wrapped up Wednesday with several key questions unanswered. At the top of the list is one U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams asked several times during the four-day…
Claire’s on brink of collapse putting 2,150 jobs at risk
Fashion accessories chain Claire’s is on the brink of collapse after the retailer said it will appoint administrators in the UK and Ireland, putting 2,150 jobs at risk. The company has 278 shops in the UK and 28 in Ireland but has been struggling with falling sales and fierce competition. Claire’s said all outlets will…
Diana Ross Cancels Appearance Due to “Unforeseen Circumstances”
Diana Ross has canceled a scheduled appearance as Godmother of the Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas due to “unforeseen circumstances.” Diana Ross will no longer be coming out on the Royal Caribbean’s Star of the Seas showcase cruise. While the beloved singer was scheduled to kick-off the three-day voyage on August 20—having been ordained as the…
These Spiders Puke Up Toxic Digestive Fluid to Marinate Their Prey Alive
These Spiders Puke Up Toxic Digestive Fluid to Marinate Their Prey Alive Without a venomous bite, some spiders use a disturbing second option to prepare their food By Gennaro Tomma edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Join Our Community of Science Lovers! You don’t always need a book or movie for a good horror story. Sometimes,…
In 1985, famine led to Live Aid and a U.S. alert plan. Trump froze it. Now it’s back
By Gabrielle Emanuel In the summer of 1985, images of emaciated children in Ethiopia shocked the world and prompted one of the biggest charity concerts ever: Live Aid. Megastars like Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie, Madonna and Queen took to the stage in London and Philadelphia. Tina Turner and Mick Jagger wowed an audience that…
Air Canada cancels flights during peak travel season ahead of flight attendant strike
Canada’s largest airline expects full shutdown as workers protests over claims of ‘poverty wages’ and unpaid labour Canada’s largest airline has started cancelling flights during the peak summer travel season ahead of a strike by more than 10,000 flight attendants over what they say are “poverty wages” and unpaid labour for work when planes aren’t…
Survival rates for most deadly cancers making little progress, experts warn
The number of people surviving cancer has improved hugely in the past 50 years, but experts warn progress has been uneven with some cancers with the worst survival rates falling further behind. For some, including melanoma skin cancer, 10-year survival is now above 90% in England and Wales, while for all cancers half of patients…
With replay review and ‘robot umps,’ who is still trying to become an MLB umpire?
Becky Sullivan MILWAUKEE — To baseball umpires, timing matters. By the time registration opened at 8 a.m., more than 100 aspiring professional umpires had already arrived at the Milwaukee Brewers ballpark for Major League Baseball’s one-day umpire camp. These camps are, for a lucky few, the first step toward a career as an MLB umpire.…
Trump’s China trade truce extension spurs market rally
Bourses in Australia and Japan hit record highs as hopes grow of trade deal within latest 90-day pause Business live – latest updates George Magus: Why Peak China may finally have arrived Donald Trump’s decision to extend a truce in the trade war with China for another 90 days triggered a stock market rally across…
What Is the Luhn Algorithm? The Math Behind Secure Credit Card Numbers
Find out how this simple algorithm from the 1960s keeps your wallet safe By Jack Murtagh edited by Jeanna Bryner If you’re enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.…
Reba McEntire Shares Message on Brandon Blackstock’s “Struggle”
Less than a week after Brandon Blackstock’s death at age 48, Reba McEntire reflected on her stepson’s “struggle” in the years leading up to his passing due to his battle with cancer. Reba McEntire is looking back on Brandon Blackstock‘s final days. The Reba alum reflected on her stepson’s challenging yearslong battle with cancer in…
How Zoë Kravitz & Lisa Bonet Almost Lost Snake in Taylor Swift’s House
Zoë Kravitz shared how she and mom Lisa Bonet almost lost their family snake Orpheus inside Taylor Swift’s Los Angeles home amid the wildfires spreading across the city in early 2025. Snakes and stones never broke Taylor Swift‘s bones. That’s why Zoë Kravitz was mortified when her mom Lisa Bonet‘s snake Orpheus got loose in the…
China’s crackdown on lavish civil servant perks will ‘harm’ the economy, experts warn
Updated regulations ban the country’s 40 million civil servants from lavish banquets, and restrict them from overseas travel for ‘personal leisure’ Adjacent to a municipal government building in Beijing, a normally bustling restaurant is now eerily quiet, at lunchtime most of its seats are empty. The recent crackdown on civil servants frequenting restaurants – part…
Axolotls are on the brink. Can we bring them back?
A project from Conservation International and a Mexican university offers a glimmer of hope for the critically endangered axolotl. An ancient wetland system of islands and canals that pre-dates the Aztecs endures quietly in Mexico City. These wetlands, cradled within North America’s most populous city, are the only place on Earth where you can find…
Police get new guidance on releasing suspects’ ethnicity
Police will be encouraged to disclose the ethnicity and nationality of suspects charged in high-profile and sensitive investigations under new guidance, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) says. It is hoped the change will reduce the risk to public safety where there are high levels of misinformation about an incident or in cases of significant…
Trump official tells census workers Congress has final say over the count, not Trump
Hansi Lo Wang Less than a week after President Trump said he has ordered a “new” census, the cabinet official who oversees the Census Bureau acknowledged Tuesday that Congress, not the president, has final say over the national head count that’s used to reshape election maps and guide federal funding, NPR has exclusively learned. Speaking…
Trump Order Would Give Political Appointees Power over Science Funding Decisions
Trump Order Gives Political Appointees Vast Powers over Research Grants Researchers are alarmed that an expansive executive order issued by President Donald Trump might upend a long-standing tradition of peer-review for grants By Dan Garisto & Nature magazine US President Donald Trump issued an expansive executive order (EO) yesterday that would centralize power and upend…
Why ‘Use Your Words’ Can Be Good for Kids’ Health
The Science of ParentingMondays Why ‘Use Your Words’ Can Be Good for Kids’ Health Studies show that writing or expressing what we are feeling can help adults mentally and physically. Kids are no different By J. David Creswell edited by Megha Satyanarayana Cut through the claims: Get email alerts for The Science of Parenting In…
Cheryl Hines Addresses Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Marriage Turmoil Rumors
Cheryl Hines spoke for the first time about recent speculation surrounding her relationship with husband Robert F. Kennedy Jr., shutting down rumors that they’re experiencing marriage trouble. Cheryl Hines is setting the record straight. The Curb Your Enthusiasm alum shut down rumors that her marriage to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been on the rocks since…
Guatemalan judge finds six people guilty over deaths of 41 girls in 2017 fire
Two officers and four ex-child protection officials found guilty after fire at state shelter that had a history of abuse A Guatemalan judge has found six people guilty over the deaths of 41 girls in a raging 2017 fire at a state shelter for vulnerable youths that had a history of abuse. The sentencing is…
Weather tracker: Europe braces for another heatwave with highs of 44C
Parts of Spain and Portugal likely to bear brunt of heat, while drought conditions sweep North America Europe live – latest updates After a period of cooler weather, swaths of central and eastern Europe face another heatwave as hot air over south-western Europe pushes north-west. Since late July, large parts of the Iberian peninsula have…
Joe Biden’s Daughter Ashley Biden Files for Divorce After 13 Years
Joe Biden’s daughter Ashley Biden filed for divorce from Howard Krein in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on August 11, over 13 years after the pair tied the knot in Greenville. Ashley Biden and Howard Krein are going their separate ways. Joe Biden’s daughter has filed for divorce from the plastic surgeon on August…
The hidden costs of cutting Medicaid
By Emily Crawford With the passage of the big Republican tax and spending bill, the federal government is poised to reduce support for Medicaid and the insurance marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that these cuts could cause 10 million Americans to lose health insurance by 2034. Lawmakers have…
Cosmic Tornado from Star’s Birth Whirls in Dazzling JWST Image
Cosmic Tornado from Star’s Birth Whirls in Dazzling JWST Image This telescope has revealed the whipped-up dust from the birth of a star—and a shining background galaxy—more clearly than ever before By Gayoung Lee edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Join Our Community of Science Lovers! When a star is born, the process leaves behind a…
US woman convicted over failed assassination in UK
A US woman who was hired as a killer and tried to shoot a man in the UK at point-blank range has been found guilty of conspiracy to murder. Would-be assassin Aimee Betro, from West Allis in Wisconsin, flew into the country as part of a plot to attack a British family in Birmingham in…
Eight people killed in barrage of gunfire on Ecuador nightclub
Police found 800 cartridge cases at the scene, where gunmen had arrived in two pickup trucks and opened fire Eight people have been killed and two others wounded when a group of gunmen unleashed a barrage of gunfire on a crowd outside a nightclub in a town in south-western Ecuador. Law enforcement arrived on the…
Ukraine’s borders must not be changed by force, EU leaders say
European leaders have warned against Ukrainian borders being redrawn by force – two days before a US-Russia summit on Ukraine is due to take place in Alaska. In a statement, European leaders said “the people of Ukraine must have the freedom to decide their future.” It added the principles of “territorial integrity” must be respected…
How This AI Breakthrough with Pure Mathematics and Reinforcement Learning Could Help Predict Future Crises
How an Unsolved Math Problem Could Train AI to Predict Crises Years in Advance An artificial intelligence breakthrough uses reinforcement learning to tackle the Andrews-Curtis conjecture, solving long-standing counterexamples and hinting at tools for forecasting stock crashes, diseases and climate disasters By Deni Ellis Béchard edited by Dean Visser & Clara Moskowitz Imagine knowing that…
Taylor Swift Announces New Album on Travis Kelce’s Podcast
Taylor Swift announced her new album The Life of a Showgirl during her first appearance on boyfriend Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast for the Aug. 13 episode. Taylor Swift‘s album announcements will never go out of style. While making her debut on boyfriend Travis Kelce and brother Jason Kelce‘s New Heights podcast…
Alaska was once a full-fledged Russian colony. Now it’s hosting a U.S.-Russia summit
Greg Myre Russia lost a war in Crimea in the 1850s, leaving the country deep in debt. To ease that burden, Russia cut a real estate deal with the U.S. government, selling its colony of Alaska to the Americans. Now, Presidents Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin will hold a summit Friday in Alaska to…
Should You Worry the New Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in China Could Reach the U.S?
How the New Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in China Could Reach the U.S. Experts say the painful infection, spread to people from mosquitoes, can get to many countries if it finds the right hosts By Josh Fischman edited by Dean Visser Aedes aegypti mosquitoes can carry chikungunya virus and infect people with a bite Thousands of…
Migrants swim from Morocco to Ceuta as officials say enclave ‘overwhelmed’
Seven children reach shore as dozens of people intercepted on risky route, which authorities say is now used more often About 100 people, including several children, risked their lives by trying to swim from Morocco into Spain’s north African enclave of Ceuta early on Saturday morning, as the territory’s authorities warned that its overwhelmed reception…
Zelensky could still attend Trump-Putin meeting, but rest of Europe is shut out
It’s the bilateral summit every European leader wants to be at. And for good reason. On Friday, Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss ending the war in Ukraine. Territorial concessions are likely to be discussed, and Europe (not least Ukraine) doesn’t want its borders to be redrawn through force.…
Sheila Jordan, a singular voice in jazz, has died
By Neda Ulaby , Petra Mayer Sheila Jordan. Sheila Jordan, one of the great underappreciated voices in jazz, has died at the age of 96. Her longtime bassist Harvie S told NPR that Jordan died Monday at her apartment in New York City. Despite a career that unfolded in fits and starts due to racial…
Anna Delvey Responds After Her Photoshoot Rabbits Were Dumped in Park
Anna Delvey responded to fans saying she dumped rabbits used in her recent photoshoot in New York’s Prospect Park, explaining that she’d had no knowledge of the plan to release them. Anna Delvey wants to make sure no one hops to any inaccurate conclusions. The fake heiress—who was convicted in 2019 of grand larceny and…
Inside Kylie Jenner’s Lavish Birthday Party With Hailey Bieber & More
Kylie Jenner offered a look into her luxurious 28th birthday party, which included a decadent backyard dinner hosted by her sister Kendall Jenner and pals Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber and Justine Skye Kylie Jenner was able to rise and shine during her special day. The Kardashians star recently offered a look at her lavish yet cozy 28th…
Ford says it will roll out a cheaper electric pickup truck
Camila Domonoske Ford is making a multibillion-dollar bet on electric vehicles. At the Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky on Monday morning, Ford executives announced that they plan to retool the factory so they can roll out a midsize pickup truck in the $30,000 range within 18 months. That would be not just cheap for an…
The Perseid Meteor Shower Is Peaking. Here’s How to Watch
How to Watch the Year’s Best Meteor Shower, the Perseids The Perseids are the best annual meteor shower, but this year’s show will be dimmed by a bright gibbous moon By Clara Moskowitz edited by Meghan Bartels Join Our Community of Science Lovers! One of the best annual meteor showers, the Perseid meteor shower, is…
Canada wildfire season already second worst on record as experts warn of ‘new reality’
More than 470 Canadian fires classified as ‘out of control’ as scientists say climate change exacerbating the burning With hundreds of wildfires burning out of control, Canada’s 2025 fire season is already the second-worst on record, as scientists report climate change is prolonging and exacerbating the burning, leading to more destruction, evacuations and smoke-filled skies.…