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. […]
Operation World Cup: the murder plot at the heart of Brazil’s trial of the century
Intricate plan to murder top judge, president- and vice-president elect was central to Jair Bolsonaro coup hopes The conspirators used codenames to conceal their identities as they prepared for their mission: to plunge Brazil into chaos by assassinating a celebrity supreme court judge called Alexandre de Moraes. On an encrypted messaging group, one plotter used…
In 2022, the name ‘monkeypox’ was rejected as inapt. Now the U.S. is reviving it
By Gabrielle Emanuel In 2022, the medical establishment and public health world nixed the name “monkeypox” for two key reasons. Animal-to-human transmission comes from rodents. And the name “monkeypox” was seen as racist and stigmatizing language. To replace it, World Health Organization (WHO) officials decided to call the disease that causes painful lesions “mpox.” Now,…
Labour MP says PM not up to the job, as Mandelson backlash grows
Labour MP Clive Lewis has said Sir Keir Starmer “doesn’t seem up to the job” as anger grows over Peter Mandelson’s appointment as an ambassador and the handling of his sacking. Mandelson was fired over links to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The men’s friendship had been known about at the time of his appointment but…
Saturday Night Live’s Ego Nwodim Leaving After 7 Seasons
Beloved Saturday Night Live star Ego Nwodim announced she’s leaving the NBC late night sketch comedy show after seven seasons in an emotional letter to fans ahead of season 51. Saturday Night Live is losing another one of its beloved stars. Longtime castmember Ego Nwodim announced she is leaving NBC’s iconic late night sketch show…
Brazilians take to the streets to celebrate Bolsonaro conviction
Indigenous groups and other minorities praise verdict while US officials issue warnings of possible sanctions Operation World Cup: the murder plot at the heart of Brazil’s trial of the century Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years for plotting military coup in Brazil Thousands of Brazilians have taken to the streets to rejoice at Jair Bolsonaro’s conviction…
Forensic Expert Explains How 3D Laser Scanning Could Reconstruct the Charlie Kirk Shooting
How 3D Laser Scanning Could Reconstruct the Charlie Kirk Shooting Forensic scientist Michael Haag explains how laser scanners could be used to lock down the crime scenes where Charlie Kirk was fatally shot, letting investigators revisit angles, trajectories and vantage points long after the fact. By Deni Ellis Béchard edited by Dean Visser A crowd…
Prince Harry makes surprise visit to Ukraine in support of wounded troops
By The Associated Press LONDON — Britain’s Prince Harry has arrived in Ukraine for a surprise visit in support of wounded service members. Harry’s representatives confirmed they were in the capital, Kyiv, on Friday, though they declined to discuss the prince’s schedule for security reasons. This is the second time Harry has visited Ukraine since…
Frances Glessner Lee, the Mother of Modern Forensic Science, Made Crime Scene Dioramas
Meet the Mother of Modern Forensic Science Who Made Crime Scene Dioramas How a determined socialite, inspired by true crime, helped professionalize the field of murder investigations By Katie Hafner, Marcy Thompson & The Lost Women of Science Initiative Frances Glessner Lee at work on a dollhouse crime scene reconstruction. Frances Glessner Lee discovered her…
Dakota Johnson’s Latest See-Through Look Is Her Most Daring Yet
Dakota Johnson made jaws drop when she stepped out in a totally sheer dress at the Kering Foundation’s Caring for Women dinner in New York City Sept. 11. See the racy look. Dakota Johnson is rocking fifty shades of sheer. The Materialists star stepped out in a jaw-dropping take on the naked dress for the…
Charlie Kirk’s killing raises the stakes for campus security
Martin Kaste Charlie Kirk’s assassination at an outdoor event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday has increased concerns about security and free speech on college campuses, and university police chiefs are thinking through what the shooting may mean for security at their schools. The event drew about 3,000 people to an amphitheater-shaped space on campus,…
Magic Mushroom Edibles Found to Contain No Psilocybin
Magic Mushroom Edibles Found to Contain Undisclosed Ingredients—And No Psilocybin Researchers tested 12 “magic mushroom” edibles. None contained psilocybin, but most contained undisclosed ingredients, including synthetic drugs whose safety hasn’t been tested in humans By Allison Parshall edited by Dean Visser Magic mushrooms (Psilocybe cubensis). Researchers tested 12 “magic mushroom” edible products sold in Portland,…
Young fans and critics debate Charlie Kirk’s political legacy
The sudden and violent death of the American activist Charlie Kirk, who rallied a youth movement and held celebrity status among his fans, has sparked fierce debate over his political legacy. The 31-year-old’s young supporters appreciated his conservative Christian values and frank opinions. Speaking to the BBC, many were in tears as they remembered a…
Bolsonaro sentenced to 27 years for plotting military coup in Brazil
Former president sought to ‘annihilate’ country’s democracy after losing 2022 election Explainer: what did Bolsonaro’s trial reveal? Brazil’s former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro has been sentenced to more than 27 years in prison for plotting a military coup and seeking to “annihilate” the South American country’s democracy. Justices Cármen Lúcia Antunes Rocha and Cristiano Zanin…
Starmer facing fresh questions after Mandelson sacking
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing questions over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the US, after he was sacked over his links to the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Sir Keir fired Mandelson after reviewing emails that showed the Labour peer sent supportive messages to Epstein as he faced…
Polar Geoengineering Debate Rages as Climate Change Melts Ice
Scientists Clash over whether Polar Geoengineering Is a Dangerous Gamble Scientists are beginning to take clear sides on whether or not to use human-made interventions to preserve polar ice, such as pumping up seawater or launching aerosols into the atmosphere to cool the planet’s surface By Alec Luhn edited by Andrea Thompson Melt ponds on…
Charlie Kirk’s assassination sparks grief and rage online
By Geoff Brumfiel , Huo Jingnan , Jude Joffe-Block , Audrey Nguyen As news of the death of Charlie Kirk broke yesterday, conservative journalist Megyn Kelly was interviewing Glenn Beck, a prominent political commentator on the right. “There are news outlets reporting the worst now Glenn,” Kelly said, choking back tears. “They’re reporting that Charlie…
Saoirse Ronan Gives Birth, Welcomes First Baby With Jack Lowden
Saoirse Ronan gave birth, welcoming her first baby with husband Jack Lowden. Saoirse Ronan just picked up a new role: mom. The Lady Bird star gave birth to her first child with husband Jack Lowden, as the couple stepped out for a family walk in London with a stroller, per photos obtained by The Sun Sept. 11.…
Venezuela says none of 11 killed in US boat strike were Tren de Aragua members
Interior minister says ‘murder has been committed’ amid rising tensions over US military strike on boat in Caribbean None of the 11 people killed in a US military strike on a boat in the Caribbean last week were members of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, Venezuela’s interior minister has said, as the South American country…
Why Kylie Kelce Didn’t Discuss Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Engagement
Kylie Kelce revealed why didn’t publicly congratulate Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift after they announced their engagement and why her and Jason Kelce’s kids are excited for their marriage. Kylie Kelce needs everyone to calm down. After fans questioned her initial silence following the news of her brother-in-law Travis Kelce’s engagement to Taylor Swift, the mother-of-four kept…
Big Oil Companies Caused about 25 Percent of Heat Waves since 2000
Big Oil’s Emissions Caused about 25 Percent of Heat Waves since 2000 A new study finds that one quarter of heat waves between 2000 and 2023 would have been “virtually impossible” without global warming—and can be attributed to the emissions of individual energy producers By Jeff Tollefson & Nature magazine Heatwaves are getting more severe,…
The killing of Charlie Kirk adds to a time of political upheaval and violence
Domenico Montanaro The killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk Wednesday at a college in Utah is the latest in a series of politically motivated violent acts just in recent months. And they have spanned the political spectrum: –The killing of a Democratic state lawmaker and her spouse in Minnesota and the shooting of another and…
Why did Starmer take the risk of appointing Peter Mandelson?
Sir Keir Starmer and his allies always knew the dangers of appointing Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the US. In autumn last year, when Downing Street were mulling over who to send to Washington, the Labour peer’s friendship with the late paedophile Jeffrey Epstein – and the fact that it carried on after…
Cuba hit with fifth blackout in less than a year with 10m people in the dark
Grid failure follows string of nationwide blackouts that plunged antiquated power system into near-total disarray Emergency crews were working to restore power to 10 million people on Wednesday as Cuba suffered its fifth nationwide blackout in under a year, the energy ministry announced. “There has been a total disconnection of the electric system,” the energy…
Israel has hunted its top enemies around the Middle East. What has it achieved?
By Abu Bakr Bashir , Itay Stern Israel’s surprise attack in Qatar on Tuesday targeting Hamas’ top political leadership failed to kill any senior officials, according to Hamas. But it was the latest in a long campaign of targeted attacks aimed at hunting down Israel’s top enemies since the Hamas-led attack on Israel in 2023.…
‘Everyone hit the deck and scattered’ – witnesses describe moment of shooting
Attendees at the campus event where US conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot on Wednesday have described mass panic after a shot was heard. Kirk, 31, was killed after he was hit in the neck by a single bullet, which law enforcement believes came from a shooter on the roof of a nearby building.…
Best-Yet Measurement of Merging Black Holes Confirms Einstein, Hawking and the ‘No Hair’ Theorem
New Black Hole Measurements Show More Ways Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein Were Right Spacetime ripples from a black hole collision across the cosmos have confirmed weird aspects of black hole physics By Clara Moskowitz edited by Lee Billings An illustration imagines GW250114, a powerful collision between two black holes observed in gravitational waves by…
Politicians in at least 51 countries used anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric during elections, NGO finds
Rights group also finds rise in openly gay, bisexual and transgender people running for office in 36 countries However, there were also gains for LGBTQ+ representation in some countries. Openly gay, bisexual and transgender people ran for office in at least 36 countries, including for the first time in Botswana, Namibia and Romania – albeit…
Global press freedom suffers sharpest fall in 50 years, report finds
The International IDEA’s survey of democratic markers finds US is offering ‘encouragement’ to populist leaders Press freedom around the world has suffered its sharpest fall in 50 years as global democracy weakens dramatically, a landmark report has found. According to the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), democracy has declined in 94…
Is There Life on Mars? This Rock May Hold the Answer
This Rock May Hold Proof of Life on Mars The Perseverance rover’s new findings set the stage for bringing Martian samples back to Earth to test whether microbes once inhabited the Red Planet By Humberto Basilio edited by Lee Billings NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover took this selfie, made up of 62 individual images, on July…
Campus killing lays bare America’s bloody and broken politics
Moments before the crack of a gunshot changed everything, thousands of students had gathered under clear blue skies at an idyllic Utah college to hear from a man considered a rock star in conservative campus politics. As the 31-year-old Charlie Kirk sat under a tent, debating political opponents taking their turn at a microphone, many…
Trump blames rhetoric from the left for political violence after Charlie Kirk murder
Tamara Keith President Trump condemned the left and the media for “demonizing” those they disagree with in a video message from the Oval Office after his close ally Charlie Kirk was shot and killed at a Utah college campus event on Wednesday. “Radical left political violence has hurt too many innocent people and taken too…
Savannah Chrisley “Devastated” by Death of Friend Charlie Kirk
Chrisley Knows Best star Savannah Chrisley mourned the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk after he was shot and killed on a college campus in Utah Sept. 10. Savannah Chrisley is heartbroken over the death of Charlie Kirk. Hours after the Turning Point USA co-founder was shot and killed during a speaking engagement at a…
How to Send Your Name to the Moon with NASA’s Artemis II Mission
Your Name Could Orbit the Moon with NASA’s Artemis II The public can submit names to travel along with four astronauts on an orbital journey to the moon next year By Clara Moskowitz edited by Dean Visser The Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft sit at the launch pad for dress…
South Africa to reopen Steve Biko inquest 48 years after death in police custody
Death of anti-apartheid activist in 1977 after police beat him into a coma sparked outrage across the world South African prosecutors will reopen an inquest into the death of the prominent anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, nearly 50 years after he died in police custody. Biko, the founder of South Africa’s Black Consciousness Movement, died in…
WNBA’s Courtney Williams, Natisha Hiedeman Debut “Period Red” Hair
WNBA players Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, also known as the Stud Budz, debuted “period red” hair for a cause close to their hearts. The Stud Budz want to encourage women and girls to not be sidelined by their time of the month. WNBA stars Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman have dyed their hair “period red,”…
Prince Harry meets King Charles for first time in more than a year
Prince Harry has met his father King Charles at Clarence House in London, their first face to face meeting since February 2024. Buckingham Palace confirmed that the King had a private tea with his son, the Duke of Sussex, during a visit to the royal residence that lasted about 50 minutes. Afterwards he said of…
Trump says right-wing activist Charlie Kirk has died after shooting
Juliana Kim Right-wing activist Charlie Kirk died after a shooting at an outdoor speaking event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday, according to President Trump. NPR is working to independently verify Kirk’s death. “The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “No one understood or had the…
Six shot dead in two days as Cape Town reels from gang violence
Minister admits there is ‘no proper plan’ to tackle violent crime in divided city that pulls in 2.4 million visitors Six people have been shot dead in two days in a crime-plagued area of Cape Town, adding to the death toll in a city already reeling from the scourge of gang-related violence. At 11.30pm on…
Atlantic Hurricane Season Has Gone Quiet. Here’s Why
At the Peak of Hurricane Season, the Atlantic Is Quiet. Here’s Why Hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin is historically at its peak on September 10—but not this year By Meghan Bartels edited by Andrea Thompson In May, as Atlantic that above-average tropical activity, combined with cuts to the federal government’s weather agency, could result…
Fired FBI agents allege retribution, incompetence at top security agency
Carrie Johnson The Trump administration launched a “campaign of retribution” against senior Federal Bureau of Investigation officials who refused to demonstrate loyalty to President Trump, firing them last month for improper political reasons before they could collect early retirement benefits, according to a new lawsuit from three senior FBI agents. The lawsuit describes leaders inside…
Why Kirsten Dunst Changed Her Mind About a Bring It On Sequel
Kirsten Dunst revealed her honest thoughts returning for a Bring It On sequel, 25 years after first playing Torrance Shipman in the hit cheerleader comedy. Kirsten Dunst has no plans to pick up the spirit stick again. While the Bring It On star has previously indicated she’d be down to play Torrance Shipman again 25…
More embarrassing Epstein exchanges to come, says Mandelson, as Starmer pressed at PMQs
The UK’s ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, has said he believes further “embarrassing” correspondence between himself and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein will be published. On Tuesday, US lawmakers released a number of documents which included a letter from Lord Mandelson in which he called Epstein his “best pal”. Speaking to the YouTube channel Harry…
First two Brazilian judges vote to convict Jair Bolsonaro in coup plot trial
Three more supreme court justices to cast their votes in coming days, with verdict expected by Thursday ‘He’s always on the attack’: the Brazilian judge prosecuting Bolsonaro inspires both love and hate Jair Bolsonaro led a criminal organisation that sought to plunge Brazil back into dictatorship with a murderous power grab involving special forces assassins…
Who is Lachlan Murdoch, the anointed media tycoon?
By Bill Chappell Rupert Murdoch, 94, has anointed Lachlan Murdoch, his oldest son, as leader for decades to come, of a conservative media empire that includes Fox News, the The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post as well as prominent outlets in the U.K. and Australia. The elder Murdoch engineered billions in transactions…
Next Bachelorette Revealed—And She’s Not From Bachelor Nation
The season 22 lead of The Bachelorette was revealed during the Sept. 10 episode of Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast. Find out which reality TV star is joining Bachelor Nation for the first time. Taylor Frankie Paul is ready to hand out some roses. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives alum was officially revealed…
Trump’s Health Cuts Make States Struggle to Spot Disease Outbreaks
Trump’s Health Cuts Leave States with Gaping Holes in Disease Surveillance AI now scans for bird flu and measles news, but public health officials say outbreaks can go undetected as the U.S. guts national and global tracking By Charles Schmidt edited by Josh Fischman Dead birds infected with bird flu were discovered on a Long…
Federal judge blocks Trump from firing Fed Governor Lisa Cook, for now
Scott Horsley A federal judge in Washington D.C., temporarily blocked President Trump from firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook late Tuesday night. The ruling stymies Trump’s aggressive effort to exercise more control over the central bank, at least for now. Federal District Judge Jia Cobb granted Cook a preliminary injunction, finding that the president’s effort…
A ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Report Goes Easy on the Food Industry
A ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Report Goes Easy on the Food Industry A childhood health report led by RFK, Jr., links poor diet, chemicals, inactivity and “overmedicalization” to worsening U.S. pediatric health By Dan Vergano edited by Jeanna Bryner Criticisms of the food industry have gone mute in a second White House report on improving…
Rosie O’Donnell Had “Painful” Friendship Fallout With Ellen DeGeneres
Rosie O’Donnell explained the moment she felt betrayed by Ellen DeGeneres and the “painful” decades-long aftermath for the Rosie O’Donnell Show host. Rosie O’Donnell is reflecting on difficult moments from her friendship with Ellen DeGeneres. The A League of Their Own actress recalled a heartbreaking moment from the early aughts when she said the Finding…
Trump says he’s ‘not thrilled’ about Israel’s strike in Qatar targeting Hamas
US President Donald Trump has said he’s “not thrilled” about Israeli air strike in Qatar, adding to the international pressure after the unpredecented expansion of Israel’s war against Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strike was “fully justified” because it targeted senior Hamas leaders who organised the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel,…
Junk food leads to more children being obese than underweight for first time
Cheap ultra-processed food behind rise in overweight children, with one in 10 now obese globally, says Unicef More children around the world are obese than underweight for the first time, according to a UN report that warns ultra-processed junk food is overwhelming childhood diets. There are 188 million teenagers and school-age children with obesity –…
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,…
Ethiopia inaugurates Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam as Egypt rift deepens
Ethiopian PM says dam will electrify entire region but Egypt fears it could restrict water supply during droughts Ethiopia has inaugurated Africa’s largest hydroelectric dam, a project that could transform the country’s energy sector but may also aggravate tensions with neighbouring Egypt. State media showed the Ethiopian prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, touring the site of…
Supreme Court agrees to hear challenge to some of Trump’s sweeping tariffs
Nina Totenberg The Supreme Court said Tuesday it will review the legality of the sprawling tariffs President Trump imposed in an April executive order, a day the president declared “liberation day.” Since then the government estimates it has collected nearly a trillion dollars in tariffs from U.S. and foreign businesses that would have to be…
Blake Lively Requests Justin Baldoni Pay for “Frivolous” Claims
Blake Lively’s lawyers said in court docs that she is “entitled” to damages and attorney fees paid for by Justin Baldoni after his countersuit against her was dismissed. Blake Lively wants Justin Baldoni to foot her legal bills. Three months after Baldoni’s $400 million countersuit against the It Ends With Us actress and her husband…
Starmer to meet Israel’s president in Downing Street
Sir Keir Starmer is to hold talks with Israeli President Isaac Herzog in Downing Street on Wednesday. No 10 said Sir Keir will raise the “intolerable situation in Gaza” and the “action Israel must take to end the horrific suffering we’re witnessing” with the Israeli president. It comes after Israel carried out a strike on…
Modern Family’s Eric Stonestreet Marries Lindsay Schweitzer
After Eric Stonestreet and Lindsay Schweitzer married after eight years together, leading Eric’s Modern Family costar Jesse Tyler Ferguson to gush: “Of all second marriages, this one is my favorite!” Eric Stonestreet is celebrating another trip around the sun with a new title: husband. The Modern Family star revealed he and longtime love and Lindsay Schweitzer tied the…
BLS revision shows hiring was overstated by 911,000 jobs in past year
By Scott Horsley , Maria Aspan , Danielle Kurtzleben U.S. employers are adding far fewer jobs than initially tallied, in the latest sign that the labor market may be weaker than expected, according to a preliminary report from the Labor Department on Tuesday. The report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows hiring for the…
England’s NHS trust league tables revealed – find out where yours ranks
New league tables rating the performance of NHS trusts in England have been published for the first time, with specialist hospitals taking the top slots. Number one is Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, followed by the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust and cancer centre the Christie NHS Foundation Trust. At the bottom is…
U.S. ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Shield Is Short on Details—but Not on Cash
What’s the Plan for ‘Golden Dome’? Even Experts Aren’t Sure A sweeping U.S. missile defense program comes with many risks, costs and uncertainties, analysts say By Ramin Skibba edited by Lee Billings U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in front of a conceptual illustration for the “Golden Dome for America” missile defense system in the Oval…