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 says he will try to get back territory for Ukraine in talks with Putin
US President Donald Trump has said he will try to get some territory back for Ukraine during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. “Russia’s occupied a big portion of Ukraine. They occupied prime territory. We’re going to try to get some of that territory back for Ukraine,” he told a news conference…
Amber health alerts as heatwave temperatures set to hit 34C
School summer holidays and another heatwave on the way means a busy day in central London and attempts to keep cool Temperatures have been rising and will continue to do so with the fourth heatwave of the summer on the way for some. The UK Health Security Agency, external has issued heat health alerts, for…
Deep-Sea Desalination Pulls Drinking Water from the Depths
Deep-Sea Desalination Pulls Drinking Water from the Depths Companies are experimenting with deep-sea tech to produce cheaper fresh water By Vanessa Bates Ramirez edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier From Cape Town to Tehran to Lima to Phoenix, dozens of cities across the globe have experienced water shortages recently. And in the next five years the…
Judge denies release of Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury transcripts
By Ryan Lucas , Carrie Johnson A federal judge in Manhattan on Monday rejected the Trump administration’s request to release grand jury transcripts from the Justice Department investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime confidant Ghislaine Maxwell. The department asked the court last month to unseal the grand jury transcripts, which are generally secret,…
Will Taylor Swift Be on Travis Kelce’s Podcast? Easter Eggs Revealed
Taylor Swift fans suspect that the pop superstar’s boyfriend Travis Kelce will help her make an announcement while featuring her on the next episode of his and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast. Taylor Swift’s new era is loading… Indeed, the pop superstar has fans convinced that her boyfriend Travis Kelce, who she began dating in…
Colombian senator Miguel Uribe dies after June campaign shooting
Rightwing presidential hopeful, who had been in hospital in Bogotá since shooting, has died aged 39 Miguel Uribe, the Colombian senator and presidential hopeful who was shot in the head at a campaign event in June, has died, his wife has confirmed. Uribe, an opposition candidate from the rightwing Centro Democrático party, was shot twice…
Chris Hemsworth’s Marvelous Moments with His Kids Prove He’s Superdad
We assembled all the cutest moments Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky have enjoyed with their kids India Rose, 13, and 11-year-old twins Sasha and Tristan. At the center of Chris Hemsworth‘s universe? His family. Who assembled for a special night out earlier this summer at the premiere of his National Geographic docuseries Limitless in London. By Chris’…
Growing pains: can rice production in Africa keep up with demand?
Africa Rice initiative aims to give farmers more control over their land in order to reduce flooding and increase yields Salmata Ouattara remembers 2023 as the turning point for her rice farm. June is usually the peak of the rainy season in Ivory Coast, but in the preceding years she and other farmers in M’Be…
Vibrio pectenicida Identified as Cause of Sea Star Wasting Disease Affecting Billions
Mysterious Illness Decimating Sea Stars Finally Identified A devastating bacterium has decimated populations of sunflower sea stars, predators that play a crucial role in their environment By Andrea Tamayo edited by Andrea Gawrylewski A giant sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides) walks across the reef underwater in Point Dume State Beach, California. Join Our Community of Science…
Bowen: Israeli settlers intensify campaign to drive out West Bank Palestinians
Meir Simcha agreed to talk, but he wanted to do it somewhere special, because for him, this is a special time. In a place where nation, religion and war are linked inextricably with politics and the possession of land, Simcha chose a patch of shade under a fig tree next to a spring of fresh…
Trump’s tariff revenue has skyrocketed. But how big is it, really?
Danielle Kurtzleben Trump has long sold his tariff plan as a new source of cash for the government. And with his recent moves, tariffs are adding tens of billions of new dollars to federal revenue. Last month, the Department of the Treasury brought in more than $29 billion in “customs and excise taxes” — a…
Bird Flu Could Be Spreading through the Air on Dairy Farms, Preliminary Study Shows
Bird Flu on Dairy Farms May Be Airborne After All Infectious bird flu virus was found in milk, on equipment, within wastewater and aerosolized in the air on California dairy farms By Stephanie Pappas edited by Jeanna Bryner H5N1 bird flu is spreading across dairy farms in the U.S. The H5N1 avian influenza virus can…
Over-70s face driving ban for failing eye tests
The two countries’ drink-driving limit is also set to be tightened to be in line with Scotland’s, with penalty points to be introduced for passengers not wearing a seatbelt. The changes are expected to be included in a new road safety strategy set to be published by the government in the autumn, with ministers believing…
Federal agents spread out across D.C. streets amid Trump vow to crackdown on crime
Brian Mann WASHINGTON — Scores of federal agents fanned out across Washington D.C. on Sunday night, after President Donald Trump promised a swift crackdown on crime and homelessness in the nation’s capital. “The homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social. “We will give you places to stay,…
Nagasaki’s twin bells ring in unison for first time in 80 years to mark atomic bombing
Mayor of Japanese city used the anniversary of US bombing to urge the world to stop armed conflicts, warning nuclear war was ‘looming’ over everyone Twin cathedral bells rang in unison in Nagasaki for the first time in 80 years on Saturday, commemorating the moment the city was destroyed by an American atomic bomb. The…
Sophie Turner Responds to Critics Claiming She Forgot About Her Kids
Sophie Turner clapped back at a social media user who accused the Game of Thrones actress of having “forgotten” about her and ex-husband Joe Jonas’ daughters Willa, 4, and Delphine, 2. Sophie Turner is not letting anyone tell her she’s a bad mom. After the Game of Thrones alum—who shares daughters Willa, 4, and Delphine,…
How to Detect Consciousness in People, Animals and Maybe Even AI
How to Detect Consciousness in People, Animals and Maybe Even AI Insights from human brains could inform how scientists search for awareness in all its possible forms By Mariana Lenharo & Nature magazine In late 2005, five months after a car accident, a 23-year-old woman lay unresponsive in a hospital bed. She had a severe…
Netanyahu defends Gaza plans as Israel heavily criticised at UN Security Council
UN ambassadors have condemned Israel’s plans to “take control” of Gaza City as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted it was the “best way” to end the war. During a press conference, which Netanyahu said was intended to “puncture the lies”, the Israeli leader said the planned offensive would move “fairly quickly” and would “free Gaza…
European leaders urge for Ukraine to be included in Trump-Putin Alaska peace talks
By Chandelis Duster As President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin prepare to meet in Alaska later this week, European leaders have stressed that Ukraine must be included in any talks with Russia over ending the war in Ukraine. Leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, U.K.…
Blac Chyna Details Why She Called Off Engagement to Derrick Milano
Black Chyna, real name Angela White, shared insight into why she and Derrick Milano broke off their engagement last month: “I’m going in a different direction than Derrick.” Blac Chyna is sharing insight into her and Derrick Milano’s recent split. Just over a month after the “Seen Her” rapper—who now goes by her real name…
South Korea’s military shrinks by 20% as low birthrate hits recruitment
World’s lowest fertility rate leaves Seoul 50,000 troops short of maintaining defence readiness, report warns South Korea’s military has shrunk by 20% in the past six years, largely due to a sharp decrease in the population of men of enlistment age for mandatory service in the country with the world’s lowest birthrate, according to a…
Did Disease Defeat Napoleon?
Did Disease Defeat Napoleon? Napoleon’s campaign against the Russian Empire was one of the most costly wars in history. Many soldiers died of diseases. Some of these illnesses are only now being identified By Daniel Lingenhöhl Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Beginning on June 24, 1812, around 600,000 soldiers led by French emperor Napoleon…
Prince Harry considers founding new charity after Sentebale dispute
Duke of Sussex ‘absolutely committed’ to supporting children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana The Duke of Sussex is considering starting a new humanitarian charity after a highly publicised dispute led to him leaving his Sentebale charity, a spokesperson has said. Prince Harry stepped down as patron of the charity in March in support…
Number of arrests at Palestine Action protest rises to more than 500
The number of arrests at Saturday’s demonstration in London in support of banned group Palestine Action has risen to 532. The Metropolitan Police said the majority of arrests – 521 – were for displaying placards in support of Palestine Action at Westminster’s Parliament Square, and one at a Palestine Coalition march. Six arrests were for…
Justin Bieber Shares New Glimpse of Son Jack Ahead of His 1st Birthday
Justin Bieber shared a glimpse into some quality time with his and Hailey Bieber’s 11-month-old son Jack Blues Bieber, just weeks before they celebrate his 1st birthday. Justin Bieber is enjoying some quality time with his son Jack Blues Bieber. The “Daisies” singer shared a glimpse into his sweet bond with his and Hailey Bieber’s…
A writer learns to embrace her imperfect recovery from an eating disorder
By Alicia Garceau When Mallary Tenore Tarpley was 11 years old, her mother died from breast cancer. Her father, who was reeling from his wife’s death and at a loss to guide his daughter through puberty, gave Tarpley a subscription to a teen magazine. Instead of finding helpful advice about her changing body, Tarpley saw…
North Korea removing propaganda loudspeakers in border areas amid efforts to ease tensions
Seoul dismantled its loudspeakers a week ago, and Pyongyang appears to be following suit as President Lee Jae Myung seeks to improve ties with North South Korea’s military has said North Korea has started dismantling some propaganda loudspeakers aimed at the South in parts of the border area, following similar moves by Seoul made in…
Kourtney Kardashian Shuts Down Pregnancy Rumors—Again
Kourtney Kardashian shut down ongoing social media speculation that she is expecting her fifth baby, just weeks after the Kardashians star denied the initial rumors. Kourtney Kardashian is getting déjà vu. Just over three weeks after she clapped back at speculations she may be pregnant after sharing a swimsuit photo while vacationing in Italy, the…
mRNA Vaccine Tech Could Transform Medicine and Cure Diseases. RFK, Jr. Just Pulled Its Funding
Why mRNA Vaccines Are So Revolutionary—And What’s at Stake if We Lose Them By Stephanie Pappas edited by Jeanna Bryner Lipid nanoparticles, like the one shown in this illustration, are used as vehicles to deliver mRNA-based vaccines. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced on Tuesday that it will cancel $500 million worth…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reposts video of pastors saying women shouldn’t vote
Julia Simon Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reposted and praised a video interview of a self-described Christian nationalist pastor whose church doesn’t believe women should be allowed to vote. Doug Wilson, senior pastor of Christ Church in Idaho, said during the interview with CNN that, “Women are the kind of people that people come out…
Foreign criminals to face deportation after sentencing under new plans
Foreign criminals will face immediate deportation after receiving a custodial sentence, under new plans announced by the justice secretary. Under the proposals, those who are given fixed-term sentences could be deported straight away and would be barred from re-entering the UK. The decision over whether they go on to serve their sentences abroad would be…
How China Made an Antarctic Station Run on Majority Clean Energy
How China Brought Clean Energy to Antarctica’s Frigid Darkness Solar panels, wind turbines, a hydrogen energy system and lithium-ion batteries are powering China’s newest polar research station By You Xiaoying edited by Andrea Thompson The majority of power at China’s Qinling research station in Antarctica now comes from clean energy. Five years ago electrical engineer…
Texas big game hunter killed while stalking African Cape buffalo
By Alana Wise A Texas real estate magnate and trophy hunter was killed by a Cape buffalo during a hunting expedition in South Africa, according to a safari company, which described the incident as “sudden and unprovoked.” Asher Watkins had been tracking the bull for a kill when the large horned animal staged an attack…
Police arrest 474 people at Palestine Action ban protest
Police have arrested 474 people at a demonstration in London in support of banned group Palestine Action. The Metropolitan Police said 466 protesters were arrested for supporting the group, five for assaults on police officers, two for public order offences, and one for a racially aggravated offence. Scores of people simultaneously unveiled handwritten signs with…
Grenada government and opposition join forces to drop oath of allegiance to King Charles
Move comes amid calls for reparations for slavery and king’s removal as head of state of Caribbean country The government and opposition in the Caribbean island of Grenada have joined forces to drop the oath of allegiance to the British crown amid growing calls to remove King Charles as the country’s head of state. A…
Sheinbaum rejects US ‘invasion’ after Trump orders military to target Mexico cartels
Mexico’s president says ‘there will be no invasion … it’s absolutely off the table’ after news reports of order Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has rejected the idea that the US might invade Mexico after news reports suggested Donald Trump had authorized the use of military force targeting drug cartels deemed terrorist organizations in Latin American…
Vance and Lammy host Ukraine talks ahead of US-Russia summit
US Vice-President JD Vance and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy are hosting a meeting of senior security officials near London to discuss on the war in Ukraine. Earlier on Saturday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and said they agreed it would be a “vital forum to discuss…
Princess Anne Debuts New Hair Look for First Time in 50 Years
Princess Anne debuted a new hairstyle for the first time in five decades in a portrait with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, which was released in honor of her upcoming 75th birthday. Princess Anne is switching up her iconic look. In a royal portrait released ahead of her 75th birthday, King Charles III’…
What Are Light Echoes, and Why Do They Matter?
The UniverseFridays Echoes of Light Illuminate the Cosmos Bizarre phenomena called light echoes create strange, shifting shapes seen in some telescopic images, and help astronomers chart the heavens above By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in February 2004, this image is part of a sequence showing the celestial…
4 people and 5 months in space, NASA’s Crew-10 mission safely returns to Earth
By Brendan Byrne A crew of four wrapped up a nearly five-month stay on the International Space Station, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California under a canopy of parachutes Saturday in the same SpaceX capsule that launched NASA’s Crew-10 mission to the station back in March. It took the capsule…
This Mushroom’s Incredibly Bitter Taste Is New to Science
This Mushroom’s Incredibly Bitter Taste Is New to Science The first analysis of mushroom bitterness reveals ultrapotent compounds By K. R. Callaway edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Ever bite into something so bitter that you had to spit it out? An ages-old genetic mutation helps you and other animals…
‘At least I’m safe’: A Kenyan immigrant opts to leave the U.S. on his own terms, leaving children and wife behind
Sergio Martínez-Beltrán LANSING, Mich. — On a recent Thursday afternoon, Samuel Kangethe pushes his 5-year-old daughter on the swings at a leafy park near his home. While she swings, the little girl eyes the nearby playground on top of a small hill. Nearby, Kangethe’s 13-year-old son is showing his dad a few things about fishing…
Where Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni’s Legal Battle Stands
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni’s movie It Ends With Us debuted in theaters in August 2024. Months later, the costars began their headline-making legal battle. Revisit the timeline of their lawsuits. Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni never thought a movie project would end like this. But by the time It Ends With Us—the film adaptation…
Bolsonaro supporters pray for Trump rescue as coup plot trial verdict nears
Far-right ex-president’s devotees pin hopes on pressure campaign but tariffs and sanctions appear likely to fail Each morning, Edite Costa steps out of her bungalow on Brasília’s sun-baked savannah, stands beneath a mango tree and lifts her hands to the sky in prayer. “I ask God to work so that not just Trump but all…
‘People are angry’: Behind the wave of asylum hotel protests
“We are not happy with these men in this hotel because we fear for our children,” Orla Minihane tells me. “If that makes me far-right then so be it.” Orla has lived near Epping since she was a child and describes herself as a “very boring woman who has worked in the City of London…
Physicists Divided on What Quantum Mechanics Says about Reality
Physicists Can’t Agree on What Quantum Mechanics Says about Reality A survey of more than 1,000 physicists finds deep disagreements in what quantum theories mean in the real world By Elizabeth Gibney & Nature magazine But researchers still disagree widely on how best to describe the physical reality that lies behind the mathematics, as a…
Who Bryan Kohberger Planned to Accuse of Committing Idaho Murders
Before Bryan Kohberger pled guilty to the four University of Idaho student murders, he submitted the names of four possible new suspects as part of his defense, according to court docs. Bryan Kohberger was planning to accuse other people of committing his horrific murders. pled guilty to the 2022 killings of University of Idaho students…
Brazil’s president signs environmental ‘devastation bill’ but vetoes key articles
Campaigners had urged Lula to veto the bill entirely, but many have welcomed his alterations Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has signed into law a controversial bill that scientists and environmentalists had dubbed the “devastation bill”, but vetoed key articles that would have in effect dismantled the country’s environmental licensing system. On Friday,…
Where could Trump and Putin meet about the war in Ukraine? The options are limited
Jaclyn Diaz President Trump said his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine is set to happen “very shortly” at a date and location that Trump said he would announce “a little bit later” on Friday. When — and, most critically, where — these talks could happen…
Trump and Putin to meet in Alaska for Ukraine talks next week
US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Alaska next Friday to discuss the future of the war in Ukraine. The spokesperson added that Trump had been invited to Russia for a potential second summit. There was no immediate reaction from Ukraine. The announcement of the meeting came just hours after…
Kris Jenner’s Lavish Birthday Gift to Kylie Jenner Is a Royal Flush
Kylie Jenner gave fans a peek at the poker table she was gifted from mom Kris Jenner for her 28th birthday Aug. 10, complete with custom cards and chips featuring photos of the Kardashians star. Kylie Jenner officially has a full house. As the Kardashians star prepped for her 28th birthday on Aug. 10, Kylie…
Israel rejects international criticism of Gaza City takeover plan
Israel has strongly rejected criticism from world leaders after its security cabinet approved a plan to take control of Gaza City. Defence minister Israel Katz said countries that condemn Israel and threaten sanctions “will not weaken our resolve”. “Our enemies will find us as one strong, united fist that will strike them with great force,”…
Top US diplomat in Brazil summoned to foreign ministry over Bolsonaro trial comments
US embassy accused supreme court judge of persecuting ex-president, currently on trial for alleged coup attempt Brazil’s foreign ministry has summoned the US chargé d’affaires after the embassy posted comments about the trial of former president Jair Bolsonaro, as relations between the two countries continue to deteriorate. On Thursday, the embassy published a social media…
AI-Designed Hydrogel Inspired by Nature Creates Ultra-Strong Underwater Adhesive
Nature-Inspired Gel Explains Why This Duck Is Stuck Today this material can seal pipes and brave the ocean. But someday it could be used in surgery or underwater repairs By Andrea Tamayo edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier A rubber duck glued to a rock by the sea using one of the researchers’ hydrogels. Join Our…
Trump says he will meet Putin ‘very shortly’ and will announce the date and place soon
By Franco Ordoñez , Danielle Kurtzleben President Trump said on Friday that he plans to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin “very shortly” to talk about a plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. Trump told reporters he would announce the date and location soon — possibly as early as Friday — but said he was…
EPA plans to end a program that makes solar power available to low-income Americans
By Julia Simon , Jeff Brady The Trump Administration says it will end a $7 billion program to help low-income households and communities get access to affordable solar energy. The move is part of President Trump’s effort to reverse former President Biden’s climate agenda and boost fossil fuels instead. The “Solar for All” program had…
Weather tracker: heavy rainfall across India, Japan and Hong Kong causes widespread disruption
Hong Kong hit by 350mm of rain in 24 hours, while mountainous state of Uttarakhand badly affected by landslides and flooding Large parts of Asia have been especially wet this week and the heavy rain is forecast to continue into next week. Hong Kong issued four black rainstorm warnings – the most times this warning…
Congressman Eric Sorensen on Defending Climate Science, Depoliticizing Weather and Bringing Scientific Rigor to Capitol Hill
By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Jeffery DelViscio & Alex Sugiura Representative Eric Sorensen of Illinois. Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Representative Eric Sorensen of Illinois spent 22 years forecasting the weather on television before winning his congressional seat in 2022. He now finds himself defending scientific agencies from unprecedented attacks…
Israel’s plan means more misery for Palestinians and big risk for Netanyahu
News of the Israeli government’s decision to take over Gaza City is being met not surprisingly with despair in Gaza. Gaza City, its capital, is on a countdown to oblivion. Assuming that Hamas does not capitulate in the coming weeks – and there are currently few signs of this happening – then the Israeli military…
Why Pete Davidson Says SNL50 Audience Was Simply “Terrible”
Pete Davidson reflected on the star-studded audience for Saturday Night Live‘s 50th anniversary, which had him sitting next to Meryl Streep. Pete Davidson found the SNL50 audience to be a big time letdown. The comedian was one of the many alums who returned to Saturday Night Live for its 50th anniversary special back in February, and he isn’t…