Supreme Court temporarily blocks full SNAP benefits even as they’d started to go out
Jennifer Ludden The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily granted the Trump administration’s request to block full SNAP food benefits during the government shutdown, even as residents in some states had already begun receiving them. The Trump administration is appealing a court order to fully restart the country’s largest anti-hunger program. The high court decision late Friday […]
Why Is the Milky Way Warped?
The UniverseFridays Our Milky Way’s Warped Disk Keeps Getting Weirder Observations show the disk of our galaxy is not flat but warped and waving. Astronomers are still working out the reasons why By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Observations from the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission have revealed a giant wave rippling through the […]
After California’s vote to counter Trump, here’s where redistricting stands
Larry Kaplow Loading… California voters this week made the biggest Democratic move yet against President Trump’s effort to reshape voting maps in favor of Republicans in the 2026 midterm elections. They overwhelmingly approved a map for congressional districts that could help Democrats win five more seats in the U.S. House. The ballot language itself referred […]
How Supermassive Black Holes Can Become Cosmic Nightmares
The UniverseFridays Do We Live in a Haunted Galaxy? Huge eruptions from the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole in the distant past may have sterilized much of the inner galaxy By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Stay connected to The Universe: Get email alerts for this weekly column by Phil Plait Galaxies are spooky […]
Why an interstellar comet has scientists excited
Jaclyn Diaz An ancient comet that entered our solar system this summer is offering a rare opportunity to learn more about distant planetary systems far beyond the reach of any spacecraft, researchers say. The comet is special both because it is interstellar — meaning it came from outside our solar system — and also because […]
Madagascar’s president dissolves government amid youth-led protests
Demonstrations over water and power cuts inspired by ‘gen-Z’ protests elsewhere have left at least 22 dead, says UN Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, has dissolved the government after youth-led protests over water and power cuts in which the UN says at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured. Inspired by the…
Investigators search for motive in deadly Michigan church attack
Investigators in Michigan have interviewed more than 100 people as they work to establish why a gunman drove his vehicle into a church, opened fire and then set the building ablaze. In a Monday news conference, the state’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer called for patience as the FBI works to determine a motive for the attack…
Inside Bad Bunny’s Meteoric Rise to Super Bowl Halftime Show Headliner
If Bad Bunny’s 2026 Super Bowl Haltime Show headlining gig feels inevitable, it’s because the Puerto Rican artist never doubted that staying true to himself would take him wherever he wanted to go. What else did Bad Bunny have left to accomplish this year? He already floored 600,000 fans with his sold-out, 31-show summer residency…
How Hurricane Humberto Is Pulling Tropical Storm Imelda Away from the U.S.
How Hurricane Humberto Is Pulling Tropical Storm Imelda Away from the U.S. In a version of the Fujiwhara effect, Hurricane Humberto is pulling Tropical Storm Imelda eastward and away from the U.S. By Andrea Thompson edited by Jeanna Bryner NOAA/NESDIS/STAR The U.S. Southeast will likely avoid the worst effects from Tropical Storm Imelda—all thanks to…
A year after Helene, a group of raft guides embarks on a river clean-up mission
Rolando Arrieta ERWIN, Tenn. — When Amelia Taylor learned that whitewater outfitters near the Nolichucky River would remain closed this season, she had to figure out how to make up for the lost income. So she went from being a professional whitewater river guide to being a “professional trash lady,” Taylor says. “I’m very proud…
The Comfiest Way To Look Cute This Fall? Matching Loungewear Sets
With Prime Big Deal Days coming up, these affordable matching sets are bound to go fast. So, consider this your sign to snag a few before they disappear. Confession: my fall closet is basically a shrine to matching loungewear sets. They’re the ultimate style cheat—pajama-level comfy, yet somehow polished enough for coffee runs, errands, or…
Weaver Ants Form Complex Chains to Pull More Than 100 Times Their Weight
Weaver Ants Form Complex Chains to Pull More Than 100 Times Their Weight When more humans are added to a team, each member accomplishes less work—but teams of weaver ants do better and better as more join By Rohini Subrahmanyam edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Weaver ants’ feet have…
3 things to know about Trump’s plan to send troops to Portland and Memphis
By Kat Lonsdorf President Trump says he has ordered the deployment of troops to Portland, Ore., and that he’s authorized them to use “full force” to curb protests outside U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. It’s the latest instance of Trump deploying the military to various cities that he says are plagued with crime, with…
Stephen Miller takes leading role in strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats
Exclusive: Miller’s homeland security council has played a key part in coordinating operations, sources say Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, has played a leading role in directing US strikes against suspected Venezuelan drug boats, according to three people familiar with the situation. At times, his role has superseded that of Marco…
Reeves warns of harder choices to come as she hints at tax rises
Rachel Reeves has said the government is facing difficult choices, as she promised she would not take risks with the public finances. In her speech at Labour’s annual party conference in Liverpool, the chancellor pledged to keep “taxes, inflation and interest rates as low as possible”. But hinting at further tax rises in November’s Budget,…
A Long Road to an RSV Antibody to Protect the Most Vulnerable
A Tragic Vaccine Failure Led to a Breakthrough: How Scientists Finally Tamed RSV Tragic RSV vaccine trials in the 1960s set the field back for decades. Here’s how scientists finally made breakthroughs in RSV immunization By Tara Haelle edited by Emily Bazar This article is part of “Innovations In: RSV,” an editorially independent special report…
‘You’ll never need to work again’: Criminals offer reporter money to hack BBC
Like many things in the shadowy world of cyber-crime, an insider threat is something very few people have experience of. Even fewer people want to talk about it. But I was given a unique and worrying experience of how hackers can leverage insiders when I myself was recently propositioned by a criminal gang. “If you…
Drive Your Cattle to the Railhead in ‘Great Western Trail: El Paso’
At the end of the 19th century, five railroad companies connected the Sun City of El Paso to their network and made it a major hub for the cattle trade. Ranchers from the surrounding parts of Texas and Mexico drove their cattle into the city to send them on their long journey to the north,…
Threatened kārearea falcon wins New Zealand’s 2025 bird of the year
The country’s fastest bird has taken out the top prize in a scandal-free year for the annual poll New Zealand’s fastest bird, capable of flying 200km/h in its pursuit of prey, has been crowned bird of the year – a long-running annual competition that has previously been a lightning rod for scandal and hijinks. The…
Why Kody Brown Is Worried About Sex Life With Robyn Brown
In the Sister Wives season 20 premiere, Kody Brown shared how he and wife Robyn Brown are navigating their unexpectedly monogamous relationship following his previous separations from his exes. Kody Brown is still getting used to having one wife. The Sister Wives star recently detailed the struggles of having Robyn Brown as his sole partner…
Moldova’s pro-EU party wins clear parliamentary majority, defeating pro-Russian groups
By The Associated Press CHISINAU, Moldova — Moldova’s pro-Western governing party won a clear parliamentary majority, defeating pro-Russian groups in an election that was widely viewed as a stark choice between East and West. With nearly all polling station reports counted on Monday, electoral data showed the pro-EU Party of Action and Solidarity, or PAS,…
Good Conversations Don’t Require Everybody to Agree, Neuroscience Shows
Good Conversations Don’t Require Everybody to Agree, Neuroscience Shows By Emily Falk edited by Daisy Yuhas With each turn of the news cycle, you may wonder how anyone in their right mind, seeing what they’re seeing, could still hold differing political views from your own. I wrestle with some of these feelings myself. When I…
Ryder Cup MC steps down over foul-mouthed chant aimed at golfer Rory McIlroy
By Chandelis Duster A Ryder Cup emcee has stepped down after heckling and cursing were aimed at golf players during the championship game over the weekend, the PGA of America said on Sunday. Actress and comedian Heather McMahan, who hosted the first tee at Bethpage Black Golf Course on Long Island, N.Y., was heard on…
Migrants to face tougher conditions for settled status, home secretary to announce
Migrants will have to prove they are contributing to society to earn the right to remain in the UK, the home secretary is set to announce. In her Labour conference speech, Shabana Mahmood will outline a series of new conditions migrants have to meet to qualify for indefinite leave to remain. Under the proposals, legal…
Sister Wives’ Madison Brush Cries About Estrangement From Dad Kody Bro
After Sister Wives star Madison Brush confirmed she is no longer speaking with dad Kody Brown, she broke down in tears over their predicament during the show’s season 20 premiere. Madison Brush‘s lack of relationship with dad Kody Brown isn’t for lack of trying. Nearly a year after the Sister Wives star—also daughter to mom…
‘It’s incredibly exciting’: ancient canoe unearthed after Hurricane Ian stormed through Florida
The latest find is likely from the 16th century and could have originated as far away as the Caribbean Florida already claims to be the world capital of golf, shark bites and lightning strikes. Now a remarkable discovery following a devastating hurricane has enhanced its position as a global leader in another distinctive field: ancient…
Zoey Deutch Is Engaged to Jimmy Tatro
Lea Thompson’s daughter Zoey Deutch shared that she’s been secretly engaged to Home Economics actor Jimmy Tatro for three months. Zoey Deutch doesn’t need a set-up—she’s already found the one. The Set It Up actress revealed that she’s been secretly engaged to boyfriend Jimmy Tatro since June 2025. “Three months engaged to the love of my…
Taking Tylenol While Pregnant Is Safer Than Untreated Fevers, Doctors Say
Why It’s Dangerous to Avoid Tylenol While Pregnant Untreated fevers during pregnancy can cause more harm than taking acetaminophen will By Rachel Fieldhouse & Nature magazine Untreated fevers during pregnancy are dangerous. Researchers are concerned about what will happen should pregnant women follow US President Donald Trump’s advice to avoid the painkiller Tylenol — also…
Leaders of Mexican megachurch led a sprawling sex-trafficking enterprise, US prosecutors allege
The family behind La Luz del Mundo Church allegedly facilitated sexual abuse of children and women for decades Since its inception nearly 100 years ago, La Luz del Mundo Church has been a family affair even as it spread from Mexico to the US and around the world. Eusebio “Aaron” Joaquín Gonzalez, who founded the…
Suspect held in waterfront bar shooting that left 3 dead in North Carolina
Chris Arnold Three people were killed and five wounded in Southport, N.C., on Saturday night when police say a gunman attacked a bar from the water, driving his boat up alongside an open-air dock-front bar and opening fire. Nigel Edge was arrested Saturday on charges including first-degree murder in what police are calling a premeditated…
People Are More Likely to Cheat When They Use AI
People Are More Likely to Cheat When They Use AI Participants in a new study were more likely to cheat when delegating to AI—especially if they could encourage machines to break rules without explicitly asking for it By Rachel Nuwer edited by Allison Parshall Despite what watching the news might suggest, most people are averse…
Keir Starmer calls Reform migrant policy ‘racist’ and ‘immoral’
Sir Keir Starmer has labelled Reform UK’s policy of scrapping indefinite leave to remain as “racist” and “immoral”. The policy, which could effectively lead to hundreds of thousands of people who are here legally being deported from the UK, was announced by party leader Nigel Farage last week. Sir Keir added he did not think…
Palestinian death toll tops 66,000 as Netanyahu prepares to meet Trump
By The Associated Press Israeli security forces meanwhile shot dead the alleged attacker in a car-ramming incident in which a man was seriously injured at a road junction near Nablus in the West Bank. The attack was praised by Hamas. Violence has surged in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which alongside Gaza and east Jerusalem was…
US on watch as impending Tropical Storm Imelda threatens south-east
Weather system expected to become tropical storm as Hurricane Humberto weakens but still remains category 4 A weather system that is forecast to become Tropical Storm Imelda later on Sunday before approaching the coast of South Carolina as a hurricane in the coming days was causing disruption in the Bahamas and nearby islands. Meanwhile, Hurricane…
Pumpkin Spice Obsessed? Must-Have Laneige, Disney, Elemis Finds + More
Get ready to pumpkin spice everything from your beauty routine to your home with all the cozy, spicy fall goodies you didn’t know you needed! If you’re reading this, congrats, you’ve officially been pumpkin spice-pilled. Once unfairly labeled “basic,” pumpkin spice is now recognized for what it truly is: a cozy, comforting fall classic with…
Zelensky condemns ‘vile’ Russian strikes lasting 12 hours
A massive Russian aerial bombardment that lasted more than 12 hours has killed at least four people and injured 70 others in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the deaths all occurred in the capital, Kyiv, where many of the projectiles were aimed, and the victims included a 12-year-old girl. Russia launched nearly 600 drones…
NoViolet Bulawayo wins the Best of Caine award
The Zimbabwean writer – who has been twice nominated for the Booker – won the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2011, with her story Hitting Budapest Zimbabwean writer NoViolet Bulawayo has won the Best of Caine award, an honorary prize celebrating a story from past winners of the Caine Prize for African Writing, to…
The Voice Secrets Revealed: Prize Money, Song Choice, Chairs & More
The Voice, now in its 28th season, finds ways to keep the competition fresh while sticking to its tried-and-true formula. But find out what has always made the show tick behind the scenes. The Voice coaches stocked up on secret weapons heading into the show’s 28th season. Michael Bublé came to play sporting a pair…
DACA has bipartisan support in Congress. Still, Republicans are following Trump’s lead
Ximena Bustillo Congressional Republicans are waiting on President Trump to signal he is ready to negotiate a permanent solution for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. Over the last decade, DACA has received varying degrees of support from Republican lawmakers. The program, created in 2012 to protect children who arrived…
Tom Holland Speaks Out After Sustaining Head Injury on Spider-Man Set
One week after suffering a concussion on the set of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Tom Holland gave an update on his health. Tom Holland is swinging back to health. One week after suffering a mild concussion on the Glasgow, Scotland, set of Spider-Man: Brand New Day—the fourth installment of his Spider-Man franchise—the 29-year-old shared…
Canada postal workers strike after government orders end to door-to-door delivery
Union says it’s ‘outraged and appalled’ by government’s order of sweeping changes to the national service Postal workers in Canada have gone on strike after the government warned of an “existential crisis” and ordered sweeping changes to the national service – including an end to door-to-door delivery within the decade. The union representing Canada Post…
Wyoming town erects new monument to violent, anti-immigrant history
By Jenna McMurtry ROCK SPRINGS, WYO — Towering plateaus dotted with sage brush and roaming wild horses surround the desert town of Rock Springs, Wyoming, with a population of about 23,000. A short drive from Main Street, two rectangular holes form a checkerboard pattern in a grassy lawn connecting a Catholic church with a nearby…
Neuroscience and Art Collide in a Posthumous ‘Composition’ by Alvin Lucier in Revivification
A Composer’s ‘Brain’ Makes Music Years after His Death A museum exhibit in Australia lets visitors hear music generated by brain cells derived from the blood of a dead composer. By Allison Parshall, Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Plenty of us would find…
Europeans silence jeering US crowd with famous Ryder Cup display
Childhood friends McIlroy and Lowry won both of their matches in Saturday’s pairings at Bethpage Finally, after a frenetic afternoon in a febrile New York, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry felt the love as they celebrated earning a point which edged Europe closer to a seismic Ryder Cup away win. And it was down to…
Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson “Banged Up” After Car Wreck
Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star Alana Thompson is at home and resting after getting “T-boned” by another car, according to her mom June “Mama June” Shannon. Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson is on the mend. The Here Comes Honey Boo Boo star is recovering after her car was “T-boned on the driver’s side” while…
Asteroid ‘Families’ Reveal Solar System’s Secret History
The UniverseFridays Asteroid ‘Families’ Reveal Hidden Histories and Impact Risks across the Solar System Many asteroids are related, but their family trees can be hard to trace By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings This illustration shows the creation of an asteroid family. Ejected fragments from catastrophic collisions of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter tend…
Southeast U.S. braces for heavy rains from a potential tropical storm
By Alana Wise Parts of the southeastern United States have begun bracing for the impacts of a potential tropical storm, just one year after Hurricane Helene tore through the region leaving casualties and calamity in its wake. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster put residents under a state of emergency in preparation for Tropical Depression 9,…
Government to guarantee £1.5bn loan to Jaguar Land Rover after cyber shutdown
The government will underwrite a £1.5bn loan guarantee to Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in a bid to support its suppliers as a cyber attack continues to halt production at the car maker. Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the loan, from a commercial bank, would protect jobs in the West Midlands, Merseyside and across the UK.…
Assata Shakur, an icon of Black liberation who was exiled to Cuba, dies aged 78
Shakur spent decades exiled after she was convicted of killing a state trooper in 1977 and escaped from prison On 25 September, Assata Shakur, a former member of the Black Liberation Army, died aged 78 in Havana, Cuba, according to Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Cuban officials cited the reason for her death as old…
Lab-Grown Organoids Could Transform Female Reproductive Medicine
Lab-Made Mini Organs Could Transform Female Reproductive Medicine Artificial tissues that mimic the placenta, endometrium, ovary and vagina could point to treatments for common conditions such as preeclampsia and endometriosis By Cassandra Willyard & Nature magazine Cell clusters that resemble the uterine lining grow with support cells in a synthetic hydrogel. “We must do a…
Trump says he’ll send troops to Portland, Ore., to handle ‘domestic terrorists’
By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Saturday he will send troops to Portland, Oregon, “authorizing Full Force, if necessary” to handle “domestic terrorists” as he expands his controversial deployments to more American cities. He made the announcement on social media, writing that he was directing the Department of Defense to “provide…
Jayson Tatum Teases Return to the NBA After Achilles Tear
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum detailed his emotional recovery from an Achilles tear to E! News in an interview and shared when he hopes to return to the NBA. Jayson Tatum is eyeing a comeback to the court. But the NBA star won’t take his place in the Boston Celtics’ starting five until he is good…
PM takes aim at ‘toxic’ Reform as he arrives for Labour conference
The prime minister has warned Reform UK “will tear this country apart” ahead of the Labour party conference. Arriving in Liverpool on Saturday, Sir Keir Starmer said Reform’s plans to abolish indefinite leave to remain (ILR) for legal migrants was one of “the most shocking things” Nigel Farage’s party had said. Sir Keir said the…
US revokes visa for Colombian president Gustavo Petro after ‘reckless’ actions in New York
At a pro-Palestine protest, Petro urged US soldiers to ‘disobey Trump’s order’ and ‘not point their rifles at humanity’ The US state department said on Friday it would revoke the visa of Colombian leftist president Gustavo Petro for his “incendiary actions” during a pro-Palestinian street protest in New York. “Earlier today, Colombian president @petrogustavo stood…
Jenna Ortega’s Wednesday-Inspired Style Will Give You Full Body Chills
Not only has Jenna Ortega been killing it as Wednesday‘s titular Wednesday Addams (the second season of Netflix’s series dropped this August), she’s been sporting some truly to-die-for fashions. It’s creepy and it’s kooky; mysterious and spooky. But we’d argue that Jenna Ortega‘s Wednesday-inspired fashions aren’t even close to all together ooky. Take the strapless…
NIH Funds New Autism Studies on Genes and Environment as Trump Focuses on Tylenol
NIH Funds New Autism Studies on Genes and Environment as Trump Focuses on Tylenol The National Institutes of Health is investing $50 million into research on genetic and environmental factors underlying autism—news that was eclipsed by President Donald Trump’s recent controversial claims about acetaminophen By Helen Pearson & Nature magazine Confocal light micrograph of a…
How the beloved state fair grew from livestock showcases to cornucopias of amusement
By Ayana Archie There’s something for everyone at a state fair — petting zoos, live music, fried foods. For many states in the U.S., summer to fall is the season for the annual state fair. The country’s first state fair dates to the 19th century, when locals would showcase livestock, crafts and agriculture. State fairs…
‘A donkey cart out of El Fasher costs more than a new car’: how 500 days under siege is tearing the city apart
The ongoing attacks on North Darfur’s capital has left its people facing starvation, blockade and bombardment, with scant hope of relief Special report: ‘We will never, ever escape’: inside the ever-tightening siege of the Sudanese city of El Fasher For 17 months, since May 2024, El Fasher, North Darfur’s capital, has been trapped in one…
Assata Shakur, a fugitive Black militant sought by the U.S. since 1979, dies in Cuba
By The Associated Press Assata Shakur, a Black liberation activist who was given political asylum in Cuba after her 1979 escape from a U.S. prison where she had been serving a life sentence for killing a police officer, has died, her daughter and the Cuban government said. Shakur, who was born Joanne Deborah Chesimard, died…
Elon Musk and Prince Andrew named in new Epstein files
Billionaire Elon Musk and Prince Andrew are named in new files released by Congressional Democrats that relate to the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. The files turned over to the House Oversight Committee by the Jeffrey Epstein Estate appear to show that Musk had been invited to Epstein’s island in December 2014.…
Hurricane Humberto and Potential Tropical Storm Imelda Complicate Forecasts
Tropical Tangle as Hurricane Humberto and Brewing Storm Stir Uncertainty Hurricane Humberto and a system that may become Tropical Storm Imelda in the coming days are swirling quite close to each other in the western Atlantic Ocean By Meghan Bartels edited by Andrea Thompson The uncertain hurricane forecast hinges on a storm system that is…
World must deny Israel ‘tools of genocide’, says growing alliance of activist states
New York meeting of Hague Group warns of shared responsibility to prevent genocide and proposes steps to isolate Israel The international community has a legal and moral duty to deny Israel “the tools of genocide”, the Malaysian foreign minister, Mohamad Hasan, said at a meeting in New York of the Hague Group, the growing alliance…
Travis Kelce Speaks Out After Heated Exchanges With Andy Reid
Travis Kelce addressed his relationship with Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid after the two appeared to have a heated exchange during the team’s Sept. 21 game against the New York Giants. Don’t call Travis Kelce an anti-hero. Despite having what appeared to be a heated exchange with Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy…
Why Eliza Dushku Missed Bring It On Reunion
Eliza Dushku shared she missed the 25-year Bring It On reunion with former costars Gabrielle Union and Kirsten Dunst due to her new job as a behavioral therapist. Eliza Dushku‘s former costars are cheering her on in her new career. After the Bring It On alum missed out on the movie’s 25-year reunion Sept. 21, where former…
Why is the government introducing digital IDs?
The government has announced plans to introduce a digital ID system across the UK, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer saying it will ensure the country’s “borders are more secure”. The IDs will not have to be carried day-to-day, but they will be compulsory for anyone wanting to work. The government says the scheme will…