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. […]
Hulk Hogan’s Ex Linda Hogan Breaks Silence on His “Shocking” Death
Five days after Hulk Hogan died July 24 at the age of 71, the WWE legend’s ex-wife Linda Hogan—who was married to him for 26 years before their split—made her first public statement about his passing. Linda Hogan is reflecting on her decades-long bond with Hulk Hogan. Four days after the retired wrestling star died…
Canada’s hockey case exposed a toxic culture – yet the accuser ended up on trial
Judge seemed to scrutinize female accuser more harshly than the five hockey players who were charged with sexual assault but ultimately walked free The stunning conclusion to a pivotal sexual assault trial has left some observers in Canada shocked but unsurprised – not only by a judge who seemed to scrutinize the female accuser more…
Chris Mason: Trump visit provides Starmer with invaluable access
Two times around, the US president and the prime minister went, looking down on Donald Trump’s new golf course north of Aberdeen. Finally, they came into land, days of diplomacy garnished with absurdity. Downing Street is reconciled to the Trumpian ways of doing international affairs. If doing a few airborne laps of the president’s new…
You Don’t Remember Being a Baby, but Your Brain Was Making Memories
You Don’t Remember Being a Baby, but Your Brain Was Making Memories Brain scans capture memory formation in babies, raising new questions about why people forget their earliest years By Nick Turk-Browne edited by Daisy Yuhas See the world through the lens of science. Sign up for our free, daily newsletter Today in Science. A…
How Gwyneth Paltrow Reacted to Brad Pitt Marrying Jennifer Aniston
Behind closed doors, Gwyneth Paltrow told friends how she really felt about ex-fiancé Brad Pitt wedding Jennifer Aniston in 2000, according to Amy Odell’s new biography about the Goop founder. Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Pitt eventually became friends again. But that didn’t mean she was perfectly fine when he married Jennifer Aniston in July 2000,…
Gorilla habitats and pristine forest at risk as DRC opens half of country to oil and gas drilling bids
Government launches licensing round for 52 fossil fuel blocks, potentially undermining a flagship conservation initiative and affecting an estimated 39 million people The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is opening crucial gorilla habitats and pristine forests to bids for oil and gas drilling, with plans to carve up more than half the country into…
As Gaza starves, the next generation may also endure the consequences
Juliana Kim The people of Gaza are experiencing a dire hunger crisis — and the consequences could reverberate across generations. Roughly a third of the 2.1 million people in Gaza have gone multiple days in a row without food, and a quarter of the population is experiencing “famine-like conditions,” Ross Smith, the director of emergency…
Why Genetically Optimizing Embryos Is Misleading, Unethical—And Not Even Possible
Opinion The Myth of the Designer Baby—Why ‘Genetic Optimization’ Is More Hype Than Science A genomics firm saying they can help parents with “genetic optimization” of their embryos is tone-deaf Silicon Valley marketing trampling over legitimate science. Parents should be wary By Arthur Caplan & James Tabery An understandable ethics outcry greeted the June announcement…
How Worst Cooks in America Paid Tribute to Anne Burrell After Death
One month after Anne Burrell died by suicide at age 55, the Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America honored its late host with a special tribute during the July 28 premiere of its 29th season. Content warning: This story discusses suicide. Worst Cooks in America is honoring its host. One month after Anne Burrell died by…
London to celebrate victorious Lionesses with open-top bus parade
The England women’s football team will take part in an open-top bus parade in central London on Tuesday after their Euro 2025 victory over Spain. A procession along The Mall will begin at 12:10 before a ceremony at the Queen Victoria Memorial in front of Buckingham Palace. Fans will be able to attend the event…
Immigrants in the US illegally fight the Trump administration’s new no-bail policy
By Tovia Smith A class action lawsuit has been filed challenging the Trump administration’s new policy requiring immigrants illegally in the U.S. who are arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to remain in detention while fighting their deportation. It’s an abrupt reversal of long-standing practice of allowing individuals who are deemed not a flight risk…
Colombia’s former president Álvaro Uribe found guilty of witness tampering
Ex-leader convicted over efforts to sway testimony in case tied to country’s armed conflict A Colombian court has found the country’s former president Álvaro Uribe guilty of witness tampering. The 73-year-old, who served as president from 2002 to 2010, was convicted on Monday of trying to persuade witnesses to lie for him in a separate…
Trying to keep your brain young? A big new study finds these lifestyle changes help
Jon Hamilton Scientists have unveiled the strongest evidence yet that a combination of diet, exercise and brain training can improve thinking and memory in older Americans. A study of more than 2,100 sedentary people in their 60s and 70s found that those who spent two years on the intensive regimen not only improved their mental…
Lionesses welcomed home by jubilant fans after Euro 2025 win
The England women’s football team were greeted by cheering crowds as they returned home on Monday after their Euro 2025 victory over Spain. Hundreds of fans holding flags and dressed in England kits waited outside Southend Airport to catch a glimpse of the triumphant squad. The Lionesses then travelled by coach to attend a reception…
Scientists Create First Antimatter Qubit
First-Ever Antimatter Qubit Could Help Crack Cosmic Mysteries The first antimatter qubit will help search for differences between matter and antimatter By Clara Moskowitz edited by Jeanna Bryner Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Physicists have created a quantum bit, or qubit, the fundamental storage unit of a quantum computer, out of antimatter for the…
U.S. Swim Team Battling Acute Gastroenteritis at World Championships
The U.S. swim team confirmed that several athletes contracted acute gastroenteritis ahead of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. The U.S. swim team is dealing with some uncomfortable delays. Indeed, several athletes did not compete at the start of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore after contracting acute gastroenteritis, a spokesperson for the team…
Christopher Nolan criticised for filming in occupied Western Sahara city
Organisers of local film festival warn production of The Odyssey in Dakhla could normalise repression by Morocco The organisers of the Western Sahara international film festival (FiSahara) have criticised Christopher Nolan for shooting part of his adaptation of the Odyssey in a Western Saharan city that has been under Moroccan occupation for 50 years, warning…
Rashawn Slater’s Ex-Wife Reacts to His New $114 Million NFL Contract
After Rashawn Slater, a lineman for the Los Angeles Chargers, signed a lucrative contract extension with the NFL team, one commentator called the timing of his divorce from Stassney Brown “legendary.” One former WAG is tackling some smack talk. Hours after Los Angeles Chargers offensive lineman Rashawn Slater signed a new contract with the NFL…
Tampa Breaks Heat Record as Heat Dome Bakes Eastern U.S.
Tampa Breaks 100 Degrees F for First Time on Record as Heat Wave Bakes Eastern U.S. Records are starting to fall to the continuing heat dome that is covering much of the eastern U.S. By Meghan Bartels edited by Andrea Thompson HeatRisk forecast for July 29, 2025. The NWS HeatRisk is an experimental color-numeric-based index…
Trump sees ‘real starvation’ in Gaza, despite Israeli claims, and vows to step up aid
By NPR’s International Desk President Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed doing more to feed the starving population in the Gaza Strip on Monday, as an international outcry mounted over the rising number of people dying of hunger in the besieged Palestinian enclave. Trump’s comments during a visit to Scotland were at odds…
England triumph is most-watched TV moment of 2025
England beat Spain on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Basel England’s dramatic Euro 2025 final victory against Spain was the most watched television moment of the year so far, with a peak live audience of 12.2 million across all BBC platforms. Sarina Wiegman’s side retained their title by defeating the world champions on penalties…
Trump lands trade deal with EU. And, Pete Buttigieg on what’s next for Democrats
By Brittney Melton here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. President Trump announced yesterday that he struck a trade deal with the European Union after talks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Scotland. Under the agreement,…
Tetris Presents Math Problems Even Computers Can’t Solve
The Impossible Problems Hidden in a Simple Game of Tetris How complex can a simple game be? Tetris pushes even supercomputers to their limits and amazes mathematicians By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas The gameplay screen of the game Tetris as seen on a 1989 Nintendo Game Boy. As a child of the 1990s,…
Thailand and Cambodia agree to ‘immediate and unconditional’ ceasefire
Malaysian PM says countries have reached ‘common understanding’ to halt the worst fighting in a decade Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire after talks in Malaysia that aimed to halt the worst fighting between the neighbouring countries in more than a decade. The Malaysian prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, who hosted…
See Pete Davidson, Pregnant Elsie Hewitt’s Romantic Date Night in LA
Pete Davidson and Elsie Hewitt—who’s currently pregnant with their first baby—turned the July 27 premiere of the actor’s upcoming film, The Pickup, into a PDA-filled date night. Live from California, it’s Pete Davidson and Elsie Hewitt’s sweet date night. Over a week after the model announced that she and the Saturday Night Live alum are expecting their first baby, the couple stepped out to celebrate…
The Kardashians Throw Grandma MJ a Lavish 91st Birthday Party
Kris Jenner’s mom Mary Jo Campbell, known affectionately by the Kardashians as MJ, celebrated her 91st birthday with a lavish garden-themed party. Grandma MJ is proving that age truly is just a number. After all, Kris Jenner’s mom (real name Mary Jo Campbell) celebrated her 91st birthday July 26 with a lavish floral affair. In…
Lionesses defy odds to create English football history
This video can not be played England beat Spain on penalties to win Euro 2025 “This year it was meant for England.” Lucy Bronze, England’s most decorated footballer, the one player who epitomises what it is to be a Lioness, just had a feeling all along. Even with a fractured tibia throughout the tournament, Bronze…
Male Birth Control Pill YCT-529 Passes Human Safety Test
First Hormone-Free Male Birth Control Pill Shown Safe in Early Human Trial A hormone-free pill, called YCT-529, that temporarily stops sperm production by blocking a vitamin A metabolite has just concluded its first safety trial in humans, getting a step closer to increasing male contraceptive options By Hannah Seo edited by Lauren J. Young Photo…
Medical groups are concerned that RFK Jr. may dismiss a panel of primary care experts
Pien Huang Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may soon dismiss the members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an advisory panel of primary care experts, raising “deep concern” from the American Medical Association and other top medical groups. The plan was first reported in The Wall Street Journal. “It’s very…
New Zealand attorney general warns her government’s electoral reform could breach human rights law
Judith Collins also said the controversial electoral law reform could disenfranchise Māori New Zealand’s prime minister Christopher Luxon has defended his government’s plans to overhaul its electoral laws, despite warnings from his own attorney general the changes could breach human rights law and disenfranchise more than 100,000 voters. The right-wing government last week announced its…
Princess Charlotte Joins Dad Prince William at Women’s Euro 2025 Final
Princess Charlotte proved she is becoming the biggest sports fan in the royal family as she joined Prince William to see England win the Euro 2025 final in Switzerland July 27. Princess Charlotte is proving to be quite the sports fan. After all, the 10-year-old joined her dad Prince William at the UEFA Women’s Euro…
Victorian Labor party members to push for ‘immediate’ federal recognition of a Palestinian state
Exclusive: Labor Friends of Palestine to move three ‘urgency resolutions’ at weekend conference, but PM maintains no immediate plans for the move Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Victorian Labor members will use this weekend’s state conference to demand the federal government “immediately” recognise a Palestinian state and impose sanctions…
‘We’ll remember this forever’: England fans jubilant as their heroes win again
“We’ll remember this forever.” So says Jo from Sevenoaks as she and her friends emerge from St Jakob-Park in Basel moments after England won the women’s Euros. Again. She is certainly dedicated. Jo was at a festival in the UK a mere 24 hours ago. I ask them how this moment ranks out of 10…
Steve Jobs’ Daughter Eve Jobs Marries Harry Charles in Lavish Wedding
Eve Jobs—the daughter of the late Steve Jobs and Lauren Powell Jobs—tied the knot with British Olympian Harry Charles in a gorgeous wedding ceremony at the Estelle Manor in the U.K. Eve Jobs is officially riding into a new chapter. The daughter of the late Steve Jobs and Lauren Powell Jobs tied the knot with…
Jeremy Bowen: Israel’s aid measures a gesture to allies horrified by Gaza starvation
Israel has responded to sustained and growing international condemnation that it is responsible for starvation in Gaza by announcing a series of measures the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said would ‘improve the humanitarian response.’ It is allowing airdrops of aid, carrying out the first one itself during the night and allowing the United Arab Emirates…
NASA Employees Warn Science and Safety Are at Risk from White House Budget Cuts
NASA Staff Rebuke White House Cuts in Rare Public Dissent A declaration of dissent from past and present NASA employees warns that science and safety are at risk and joins similar documents from staff at other federal science agencies By Alexandra Witze & Nature magazine More than 280 NASA employees past and present, including at…
His name is Mohammad Al-Motawaq. He is 18 months old. And he is starving in Gaza
By Anas Baba , Emily Feng GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — In a tent by the Mediterranean Sea, Hidaya Al-Motawaq cradles her crying baby boy and tries to offer what comfort she can. “Khalas,” she murmurs repeatedly. “Khalas, khalas.” Enough, that’s enough. Mohammad is a year and a half old and nearly all bone. His…
Images of children starving in Gaza have shaken some world leaders out of inertia – but what will Labor do?
Anthony Albanese’s government enters its first full week of federal parliament under pressure from outside and inside its ranks Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Images of emaciated, skeletal children in Gaza landed on news outlets’ front pages last week. It seemed to shake some world leaders and ordinary citizens…
‘We need a real solution’: Gazans welcome aid plan but fear it will not end crisis
Residents of Gaza have cautiously welcomed reports of a temporary humanitarian pause to allow aid into the besieged enclave, but many say the relief must be the beginning of a broader, lasting solution to the deepening crisis. Israel’s military said it will open humanitarian corridors to allow convoys of food and medicine to enter, after…
Nonfiction and Fiction Summer Reading Recommendations from Scientific American
Bring These Scientific American–Recommended Books to the Beach This Summer If you’re seeking a summer read, Scientific American has some fantastic fiction and notable nonfiction to recommend. By Rachel Feltman, Brianne Kane, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. You might not know this, but Scientific American…
Bachelor Nation Status Check: See Whose Love Is Still In Bloom
Hannah Brown has shed her bachelorette status, marrying Adam Woolard in a trés chic French affair. And she’s not the only with a rosy future. We’re checking in with all the Bachelor Nation pairs. Former Bachelorette Hannah Brown has walked down the aisle and you better believe Jesus still loves her. Six years removed from…
Here’s a puzzling question: Why are stocks at record highs despite looming tariffs?
By Rafael Nam From businesses to Americans across the country, everybody seems worried that the economy will be hit badly if the massive tariffs threatened by President Trump go into effect this week on Aug. 1. Yet anybody who has looked recently at their 401(k) statements or retirement accounts will have noticed something surprising: Stocks…
Hong Kong issues arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas
Authorities accuse activists linked to pro-democracy group Hong Kong Parliament of subversion Hong Kong’s national security police have issued arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas, accusing them of subversion under a stringent national security law, marking the largest such tally yet. They are accused of organising or participating in the Hong Kong Parliament, a…
Attempt to unseat 24 ‘pro-China’ opposition politicians in Taiwan fails
Voters reject all the recall motions in a DPP-backed bid to unseat opposition MPs and gain a legislative majority An unprecedented attempt in Taiwan to unseat 24 “pro-China” opposition politicians and give a parliamentary majority to the ruling party has failed, with voters in every seat rejecting the notion. Polls opened on Saturday morning for…
Heat Dome’s Extreme Heat and Humidity Triggers Alerts across Eastern U.S.
Millions Swelter under Relentless Heat Dome Smothering Eastern U.S. High humidity and low overnight temperatures will put tens of millions of people under heat alerts over the course of the coming week By Meghan Bartels edited by Clara Moskowitz HeatRisk forecast for July 27, 2025. The NWS HeatRisk is an experimental color-numeric-based index that provides…
Israel intercepts Gaza-bound activist boat carrying food aid
Pro-Palestinian group Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) says Israeli troops have boarded a boat that was trying to bring food aid to the Gaza Strip by sea. It said the Handala vessel was intercepted in international waters. Video footage purportedly showed activists on board with their hands up as several armed soldiers took control of the…
Swamp People Star Junior Edwards Dead
Swamp People star Junior Edwards’ family and costars shared tributes to the longtime History Channel reality TV personality and alligator hunter on July 26 after his death. Junior Edwards has died. The Swamp People star’s family and costars announced his passing in a series of social media posts on July 26. Swamp People‘s Ashley “Deadeye”…
Nearly 4,000 NASA employees opt to leave agency through deferred resignation program
By Chandelis Duster Nearly 4,000 NASA employees have opted to leave the space agency through the Trump administration’s deferred resignation program, NASA said on Saturday. The cuts amount to an estimated 20% of NASA’s workforce, and will reduce the agency from 18,000 to 14,000 employees, NASA spokesperson Cheryl Warner said in a statement shared with…
Gaza aid site offered a ‘women only’ day. It didn’t stop the killing
The food distribution was announced in advance, like many before it, in a post on social media carrying an illustration of smiling Palestinians receiving boxes of aid. This time, however, the invitation shared by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) was different, featuring illustrations of only women. “Tomorrow at our morning distribution at our location in…
U.S. Ends Support for CMB-S4 Project to Study Cosmic Inflation
By Nadia Drake edited by Lee Billings An aerial view of the U.S. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in Antarctica. Budgetary challenges and crumbling infrastructure at the station helped scuttle the U.S.-led Cosmic Microwave Background Stage 4 (CMB-S4) project. Amid simmering anxiety about the future of federally funded science, the U.S. government has quietly withdrawn support…
Johnny Depp Pays Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne During Concert Surprise
Johnny Depp surprised fans by joining Alice Cooper’s July 25 concert in London to perform Black Sabbath’s hit “Paranoid” as a tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, who died three days prior at the age of 76. Johnny Depp is paying tribute to one of his rock icons. The actor surprised fans by joining Alice Cooper mid-concert…
The bitter feud fuelling the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia
Animosity between former friends and political patriarchs Hun Sen and Thaksin Shinawatra is exacerbating clashes The dispute over Thailand and Cambodia’s contested border, which dates back more than a century to disagreements over colonial-era maps, has broken into conflict before. But the most recent clashes, which erupted on Thursday, have been fuelled by another factor:…
Israel’s military says aid airdrops will begin in Gaza as hunger grows
By The Associated Press DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel’s military announced that airdrops of aid would begin Saturday night in Gaza, and humanitarian corridors will be established for United Nations convoys, after increasing accounts of starvation-related deaths. The statement late Saturday followed months of experts’ warnings of famine amid Israeli restrictions on aid. International…
Vanessa Hudgens’ Baby Bump Bikini Photos Are on Fire
See photos and get all the details from pregnant Vanessa Hudgen’s Mexico vacation ahead of the birth of her and husband Cole Tucker’s second baby. We can’t take our eyes off of Vanessa Hudgens‘ Mexico babymoon photo album. The pregnant High School Musical alum treated fans to a sneak peek inside her recent tropical getaway…
Israel to open Gaza humanitarian corridors as aid drops begin
Israel has said it is prepared to open humanitarian corridors to allow UN convoys into Gaza, following weeks of international pressure and a growing hunger crisis. In a statement on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had allowed air drops of humanitarian aid to resume, the first of which consisted of seven pallets…
Heat Dome Temperatures May Break Records in Eastern U.S.
Scorching Heat Dome Grips Eastern U.S., with No Relief in Sight Tens of millions of people are already under heat alerts, and the worst is yet to come By Meghan Bartels edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier HeatRisk forecast for July 28, 2025. The NWS HeatRisk is an experimental color-numeric-based index that provides a forecast risk…
Steve Aoki and Wife Sasha Aoki Welcome First Baby Together
DJ Steve Aoki and his wife Sasha Aoki have welcomed their first baby together, a baby boy, the couple shared: “He came out on his own time.” Steve Aoki and Sasha Aoki are amped up about their new roles. Six months after the DJ and Columbia University alum—who tied the knot in July 2024—shared they…
Security tightens as Donald Trump plays golf during Scotland visit
A major security operation has ramped up as Donald Trump played golf on the first day of his private visit to Scotland. The US president teed off at his luxury resort Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire at about 10:00, having arrived at Prestwick Airport on Friday evening. The day passed without incident, while hundreds of…
Men freed from El Salvador mega-prison endured ‘state-sanctioned torture’, lawyers say
Venezuelans back home under Maduro-Trump deal tell of isolation, beatings and dirty water – ‘a living nightmare’ Venezuelans that the Trump administration expelled to El Salvador’s most notorious megaprison endured “state-sanctioned torture”, lawyers for some of the men have said, as more stories emerge about the horrors they faced during capacity. When José Manuel Ramos…
The Surprising Math and Physics behind the 2026 Trionda World Cup Soccer Ball
The Surprising Math and Physics behind the 2026 World Cup Soccer Ball Here’s how the new tetrahedron-based design for the “Trionda” soccer ball may affect next year’s big game By Emma R. Hasson edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Each World Cup brings an exciting new ball design. The 2026 Trionda ball is at center. Every…