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 […]
Newfound ‘Reality Signal’ Helps the Brain Tell Imagination from Real Life
How the Brain Tells Imagination from Reality Seeing and imagining use similar brain machinery. New research reveals the brain circuit that identifies what is real, which may help scientists understand conditions such as schizophrenia By Simon Makin edited by Allison Parshall Picture an apple, any apple. As long as you don’t have aphantasia—the inability to…
Olivia Jade & Glen Powell Enjoy Dinner in NYC After Jacob Elordi Split
Glen Powell and Olivia Jade Giannulli were seen enjoying dinner together at New York City’s Il Cantinori restaurant on Sept. 5, just weeks after the influencer called it quits with Jacob Elordi. Glen Powell and Olivia Jade are sparking romance rumors. Just weeks after she officially called it quits with Jacob Elordi following nearly four…
Xi, Putin, Kim and the optics of a new world order
Alliance of global autocrats has been accelerated by Donald Trump’s use of political and economic pressure against friends and foes alike Waving beatifically over the crowd of 50,000 spectators assembled in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square on Wednesday, Xi Jinping exuded an aura of confidence that many leaders in the west could only envy. To his left…
Scientists Sequence Bacterial DNA from Germs in Mammoth Teeth
A Mammoth Toothache: Bacterial Community Discovered in Mouth of Ancient Mammoth Genetic-sequencing techniques have identified microorganisms that lived in the mouths of ancient mammoths By Katie Kavanagh & Nature magazine Ancient mammoth teeth, pictured here, contained DNA from 310 different species of bacteria. Join Our Community of Science Lovers! An analysis of the bones and…
How an 18th-century portrait stolen by the Nazis was recovered 80 years later in Argentina
Painting was spotted online by Dutch journalists when the daughter of a former Nazi official put her house up for sale in Mar del Plata There was nothing very remarkable about the middle-aged couple who lived in the low, stone-clad villa on calle Padre Cardiel, a quiet residential street in the leafy Parque Luro district…
Arrests made at rally against Palestine Action ban in London
Police have started arresting protesters at a demonstration against the government’s ban of the campaign group Palestine Action. Hundreds of people have gathered in Parliament Square in central London, some waving Palestinian flags and chanting “free Palestine”. Others held placards saying: “I oppose genocide, I support Palestine Action.” Officers have been seen carrying people out…
How Matthew McConaughey’s Son Levi Is Following in His Footsteps
Matthew McConaughey shared insight into acting alongside his 17-year-old son Levi and his mom Kay, 93, during the world premiere of The Lost Bus at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. For Matthew McConaughey, acting has become a family affair. Indeed, the 55-year-old reflected on what it was like starring alongside his 17-year-old son Levi…
Ken Dryden, Hall of Fame goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, dies at age 78
By The Associated Press MONTREAL — Ken Dryden, the Hall of Fame goaltender who helped the Montreal Canadiens win six Stanley Cup titles in the 1970s, has died after a fight with cancer. He was 78. The Canadiens announced his death early Saturday, saying Dryden’s family asked for privacy. A team spokesperson said a close…
India’s honk-happy drivers are switching to even louder horns
By Omkar Khandekar MUMBAI, India — If there is anything as inescapable in this Indian megacity as the humidity, it’s the noisy traffic. Drivers honk at pedestrians and each other. They honk to beat the traffic signal, or when the signal beats them. In one not-so-scientific survey NPR conducted at an intersection near its bureau…
Theatre director and lecturer named as British nationals killed in Lisbon crash
Theatre director Kayleigh Smith and her partner Will Nelson, a drama lecturer, have been named as British victims of the Lisbon funicular crash. The Glória funicular, a popular tourist attraction, derailed and crashed into a building on Wednesday, killing 16. Nationals of Portugal, South Korea, Switzerland, Canada, Ukraine, France and the US are also among…
This Gloriously Weird Fish Has Teeth on Its Forehead for Sex
This Gloriously Weird Fish Has Teeth on Its Forehead for Sex Researchers have finally traced the origin of the spotted ratfish’s bizarre forehead teeth, which are used for mating By Kate Wong edited by Jeanna Bryner The researchers identified teeth on the tenaculum of ancient relatives to the modern adult male spotted ratfish. This fossil…
Japan’s second in line to emperor’s throne comes of age amid succession debate
Teenage Prince Hisahito’s elaborate ceremony overshadowed by questions over royal family’s male-only succession rules Japan has heralded the coming of age of Prince Hisahito with an elaborate ceremony at the Imperial Palace, where a succession crisis is brewing. The nephew of Emperor Naruhito, Hisahito received a black silk and lacquer crown at Saturday’s ceremony in…
Kaley Cuoco Looks So Different With Dramatic Dark Hair
Kaley Cuoco unveiled a jaw-dropping new dark hair look while stepping out for the 2025 US Upen in New York alongside fiancé Tom Pelphrey on Sept. 5. See the Big Bang Theory alum’s transformation. Kaley Cuoco‘s new look is making a big bang. The Big Bang Theory alum debuted a jaw-dropping dark hairstyle while stepping…
Anthropic settles with authors in first-of-its-kind AI copyright infringement lawsuit
Chloe Veltman If the court approves the settlement, Anthropic will compensate authors around $3,000 for each of the estimated 500,000 books covered by the settlement. The settlement, which U.S. Senior District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco will consider approving next week, is in a case that involved the first substantive decision on how fair…
Extreme Heat in U.S. Schools Disproportionately Affects Marginalized Students
Kids from Marginalized Communities Are Learning in the Hottest Classrooms The first national study of its kind shows that children from marginalized communities are more exposed to extreme heat events By Humberto Basilio edited by Andrea Thompson A fan moves air around in a third-grade classroom in Denver, Colo., on October 8, 2024. A heat…
Chris Mason: Faced with an almighty mess PM opts for big shake-up
This reshuffle amounts to the action of a prime minister confronted by an almighty mess – and hurriedly seeking to seize that moment for his own and his government’s ends. This is about as big a reshuffle as you could imagine, short of replacing the chancellor of the exchequer. Earlier, Downing Street made clear Rachel…
Weather tracker: British Columbia breaks Canada’s September heat record
Temperatures climb above 40C, while a powerful hailstorm in the US lashes Kansas and Oklahoma A spate of extremely hot weather in British Columbia has broken Canada’s national maximum temperature record for September. On Tuesday, it reached 40C (104F) in Lytton, matching the previous all-time high. That was only the third time that temperature has…
Charlie Sheen Addresses Estrangement From Daughter Sami Sheen
Charlie Sheen spoke out about his estrangement from his daughter Sami Sheen, whom he shares with ex Denise Richards, expressing hope that they can mend fences. Charlie Sheen is hoping to mend his fractured bond with Sami Sheen. The Two and a Half Men alum broke his silence on his estrangement from his 21-year-old daughter—whom…
Baby Pterosaur Fossils Show They Died in a Violent Storm
Storm-Tossed Baby Pterosaurs Died with Broken Wings, Fossil Evidence Suggests About 150 million years ago storm winds snapped bones in the wings of baby pterosaurs, sending them tumbling to their deaths in a muddy lagoon in what is now Germany By Mindy Weisberger edited by Andrea Thompson An artist’s impression of a tiny Pterodactylus hatchling…
Starmer carries out major reshuffle after Rayner resignation
David Lammy has become deputy prime minister and Shabana Mahmood the new home secretary in a major reshuffle triggered by Angela Rayner’s resignation. Rayner stepped down as deputy prime minister, Labour deputy leader and housing secretary on Friday, after the PM’s ethics adviser said she had breached the ministerial code when she failed to pay…
Under Trump, the Federal Trade Commission is abandoning its ban on noncompetes
Andrea Hsu The Federal Trade Commission is moving to vacate its rule banning noncompete agreements, reversing what was seen as a signature accomplishment of the commission under President Biden. Noncompetes are employment agreements that prevent workers from taking new jobs with a competing business or starting one of their own, usually within a certain geographic…
Judge blocks ending of legal protections for 1m Venezuelans and Haitians in US
Homeland security had tried to end temporary protected status granted by the Biden administration A federal judge on Friday ruled against the Trump administration from ending temporary legal protections that have granted more than 1 million people from Haiti and Venezuela the right to live and work in the United States. The ruling by US…
How the Math of Shuffling Cards Almost Brought Down an Online Poker Empire
How the Math of Shuffling Cards Almost Brought Down an Online Poker Empire Card dealers create a unique deck with each shuffle, something computers cannot replicate By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas If you’ve ever shuffled a deck of playing cards, you’ve most likely created a unique deck. That is, you’re probably the only…
Trump sends 10 stealth fighter planes to Puerto Rico amid war on Caribbean drug cartels
Move comes after accusing Venezuela of buzzing US warship and a deadly US missile strike in Caribbean Sea Donald Trump is sending 10 F-35 fighter jets to Puerto Rico to bolster US military operations against drug cartels in the Caribbean region, it was reported on Friday. If follows a deadly US missile strike on Tuesday…
Angela Rayner resigns after underpaying tax on Hove flat
Angela Rayner has resigned as deputy prime minister and housing secretary after failing to pay enough tax on her £800,000 flat in Hove. She has also stepped down as deputy Labour leader, a move which is expected to trigger a new deputy leadership election by party members. Her departure comes after the prime minister’s ethics…
Ice-T & Coco Austin’s Daughter Chanel Debuts Blue Hair Transformation
Ice-T and Coco Austin’s daughter, 9-year-old Chanel, embraced her first day of 4th grade with a new blue look. Coco Austin is seeing colors. After all, her and Ice-T’s daughter Chanel, 9, started her first day of 4th grade with blue-streaked hair, proving she’ll always head back to school in style. “First days of school…
Hundreds of South Koreans are among 475 detained in a Georgia immigration raid
By The Associated Press SAVANNAH, Ga. — Some 475 people were detained during an immigration raid at a sprawling Georgia site where South Korean auto company Hyundai manufactures electric vehicles, according to a Homeland Security official. Steven Schrank, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, said at a news briefing Friday that the majority of…
Baby Found Dead in Kentucky Athlete’s Closet: Cause of Death Update
One week after University of Kentucky athlete Laken Snelling was arrested in connection to a dead infant found in a closet, autopsy results providing further insight into the baby’s tragic death. New information surrounding the tragic death of a University of Kentucky cheerleader’s baby has been shared. One week after Laken Ashlee Snelling was arrested in connection…
Errors by machines leave 55,000 diabetes patients needing new tests
Errors by machines used to diagnose diabetes mean at least 55,000 people in England will need further blood tests, a BBC investigation has discovered. Some patients have been wrongly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and even prescribed medication they don’t need – and there could be more people affected, say NHS England. NHSE has confirmed…
Hacking AI Agents—How Malicious Images and Pixel Manipulation Threaten Cybersecurity
The New Frontier of AI Hacking—Could Online Images Hijack Your Computer? Artificial-intelligence agents—touted as AI’s next wave—could be vulnerable to malicious code hidden in innocent-looking images on your computer screen By Deni Ellis Béchard edited by Dean Visser Compromised images can take over AI agents on user computers (image for illustrative purposes only). But let’s…
Canada’s Mark Carney signals austerity measures as government shifts focus from Trump to economy
Prime minister cautions Canadians as Ottawa moves to curb spending to balance near-record military expenditures Mark Carney has told Canadians to prepare for austerity measures and his finance minister warned of “tough choices” in the coming months, as the government attempts to balance near-record defence spending, cuts to government programs and a trade war with…
The world’s oldest and largest iceberg will soon be no more
By Kat Lonsdorf It’s been a long and unusual journey for the world’s largest iceberg, known as A23a, but it’s ending in a relatively usual way: breaking apart and melting in the warmer waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, just like icebergs have done for millions of years before. The iceberg — which at one…
Bringing Up Bates’ Erin Bates Suffers “Severe Seizure” After 7th Baby
Bringing Up Bates‘ Erin Bates—who was admitted to the ICU shortly after giving birth to her and husband Chad Paine’s seventh baby—suffered a seizure amid her battle with septic shock. Erin Bates Paine‘s health battle continues. Amid her hospitalization for complications stemming from the birth of her newborn baby boy, the Bringing Up Bates star…
US flight attendants push to be paid when planes aren’t in the air: ‘Most of our passengers have no idea’
Cabin crews across North America aren’t paid for work done before takeoff, but new Air Canada deal has raised hope As you board the plane, the flight attendant welcomes you on board. They point you to your seat and help with your luggage, before giving the safety demonstration, and preparing the plane for takeoff. And…
Senate Hearing with RFK Jr. Sparks Backlash From Scientists and Health Experts
Public Health Experts Slam RFK, Jr. after Senate Hearing On Thursday Senators grilled Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., about vaccines and turmoil at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Health experts responded to Kennedy’s claims on social media in disbelief and anger By Megha Satyanarayana edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Robert F. Kennedy Jr., US…
Sir John Curtice: How Reform’s capture of the Brexit vote could be enough to win an election
At the Reform event, only a few hundred activists were present in the function room – and Nigel Farage, not yet party leader, was reportedly not among them. Reform was polling around 3% and had won just two councillors in that May’s local elections. What a difference four years makes. Reform’s annual conference takes place this weekend…
PBS cuts 15% of jobs in wake of federal funding cut
David Folkenflik PBS’s chief executive told public television officials Thursday that it was cutting about 15 percent of its jobs due to the move by Republicans in Congress to eliminate all federal funding for public broadcasting starting on Oct. 1. Thirty-four PBS staffers were notified Thursday that their positions were being cut. Taken with the…
Why Sydney Sweeney Says She’s Not Discussing American Eagle Campaign
When Sydney Sweeney attends TIFF 2025, she won’t discuss her controversial American Eagle jeans ad. Instead, she’ll focus on her new film Christy about famed boxer Christy Martin. Sydney Sweeney has great… planning skills? Ahead of the White Lotus alum’s arrival at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 5, she revealed her goal to…
PM refuses to say if he will sack Rayner if she broke rules
Sir Keir Starmer has repeatedly refused to say if he will sack Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner if his standards adviser concludes she broke the ministerial code. Rayner referred herself to Sir Laurie Magnus after she admitted underpaying stamp duty on an £800,000 flat in Hove. She has said the “mistake” was…
What’s the Smallest Particle in the Universe?
What’s the Smallest Particle in the Universe? The answer to this supposedly simple particle physics question isn’t so simple By Gayoung Lee edited by Lee Billings An artist’s concept of multiple types of subatomic particles. Forget about turtles; for all practical purposes, it’s really particles all the way down. Whether as the protons and neutrons…
The NFL is back. Here are 3 big questions as the season kicks off
Becky Sullivan The NFL season is here, and what a start: The league has made its season kickoff a weekend-long event, with a season opener hosted by the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles against the Dallas Cowboys Thursday night followed by three more primetime matchups on Friday, Sunday and Monday, each pitting together two Super Bowl…
New ‘golden triangle’ of fentanyl and guns spans US-Mexico border
Report links Arizona-Sonora smuggling to rising homicide and overdose deaths in both countries A new “golden triangle” of fentanyl and gun trafficking between Mexico and the US ties together the homicide and overdose crises of the two countries, according to a a new study. The triangle spans Baja California, Sinaloa and Sonora – the three…
What Is ARFID? Bryan Kohberger’s Eating Disorder Explained
Murderer Bryan Kohberger is one of many adults and children who have been diagnosed with the eating disorder ARFID in recent years. But just what is ARFID? Here’s what we know about the disorder. One eating disorder is becoming increasingly prevalent. Though it didn’t even have a name as early as 10 years ago, ARFID—which…
Bacteria in Spacecraft Clean Rooms Can Go Dormant, Evading Death
This Sneaky Spacecraft Bacteria Can Play Dead to Survive A type of bacteria found in clean rooms has an unexpected method of survival, with implications for planetary protection By Stephanie Pappas edited by Clara Moskowitz NASA’s Curiosity rover is prepared for launch in the clean room at the Spacecraft Assembly Facility at NASA’s Jet Propulsion…
Giorgio Armani, legendary Italian designer, dies aged 91
The Italian fashion designer and billionaire brand owner Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91. He was the archetype of Italian style and elegance, reimagining men’s and women’s suits for a modern audience. His company Armani expanded from fashion into an empire spanning beauty, fragrance, music, sport and even luxury hotels, bringing in…
Martha’s rule rolled out to all acute hospitals in England after hundreds of lives saved
Martha’s rule, a way for families to seek an urgent second opinion if they are concerned about the care their loved ones receive, will be rolled out across all English hospitals delivering acute or short-term treatment. The telephone helpline, the result of a campaign by the parents of 13-year-old Martha Mills who died after serious…
RFK Jr. to face questions about chaos at the CDC
Selena Simmons-Duffin Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is testifying before the Senate finance committee Thursday. The hearing comes a week after Kennedy pressured the brand-new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, Susan Monarez, to resign, and when she refused, the White House fired her. Three top CDC officials then resigned…
A Giant Map Shows How DNA Changes as We Age
A Giant Map Shows How DNA Changes as We Age A map of DNA methylation changes in human organs—from the stomach to the retinas—could help researchers discover more targets for antiaging therapies By Chris Simms & Nature magazine The visible effects of ageing on our body are in part linked to invisible changes in gene…
Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Secrets: Money, Diet, Hair & Makeup, More
The 2025 NFL season kicks off Sept. 4 but the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are already winning. Here’s how they really pull off all that routine perfection. Whatever happens with the football team on the field this year, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders have plenty of reasons to be proud. As the 2025 NFL season kicks off…
Jamaica election results: Andrew Holness leads Labour party to third term
Incumbent prime minister says country on right trajectory, as opposition leader concedes defeat Jamaicans have voted to give Andrew Holness and the Jamaica Labour party (JLP) a third consecutive term in government after a nail-biting race with the opposition People’s National party (PNP). Holness beat PNP’s Mark Golding after polls in the final days of…
It’s 4,000 miles from Ukraine – but even this Asian city is part of Russia’s war
At an ice rink in Vladivostok in Russia’s far east, 30-year-old Dmitry Afanasyev is in training with teammates from Soyuz, the local Para ice hockey team. The players have removed their prosthetic legs and are sitting in specially designed sleds. They’re using their hockey sticks to propel themselves around the rink. Dmitry hopes that one…
Guyana’s president claims victory in election held amid newfound oil riches
Irfaan Ali will be tasked with turning the profits of Guyana’s 2019 oil boom into prosperity for its citizens Guyana’s president, Irfaan Ali, has proclaimed victory in this week’s general and regional elections after his party won more than 240,000 votes and seven of the country’s ten electoral districts. “The results are all out there,…
TikToker Becca Bloom Marries David Pownall in Lake Como Wedding
Becca Bloom (real name Rebecca Ma) married software engineer David Pownall at Villa Balbiano on Italy’s Lake Como after more than five years of dating. Becca Bloom is a blushing bride. The TikToker (real name Rebecca Ma) married software engineer David Pownall during an Aug. 28 ceremony at Villa Balbiano on Lake Como, Italy. “We’re…
Spouses Tend to Share Psychiatric Disorders, Massive Study Finds
Spouses Tend to Share Psychiatric Disorders, Massive Study Finds Spouses often share psychiatric diagnoses, according to an analysis of almost 15 million people in three countries By Mohana Basu & Nature magazine Join Our Community of Science Lovers! People with a psychiatric disorder are more likely to marry someone who has the same condition than…
Trump administration illegally froze billions in Harvard funds, judge rules
By Sequoia Carrillo , Cory Turner , Emily Piper-Vallillo A federal judge in Boston handed Harvard University a legal victory on Wednesday. It’s the latest in a high-profile legal fight over whether the Trump administration acted illegally when it froze more than $2.2 billion in Harvard research funding in response to allegations of campus antisemitism.…
A spine-tingling discovery: This dinosaur had spiked body armor
By Alana Wise A dinosaur that roamed modern-day Morocco more than 165 million years ago had a neck covered in three-foot long spikes, a weapon on its tail and bony body armor, according to researchers who unearthed the curious beast’s remains. The discovery of the animal Spicomellus in the Moroccan town of Boulemane painted a…
Kelly Clarkson’s Talk Show Return Date for Season 7 Revealed
Kelly Clarkson’s eponymous daytime talk show is set to return for its seventh season Sept. 29, nearly two months after the death of her ex-husband Brandon Blackstock. Kelly Clarkson will be back in the daytime groove. The seventh season of her hit daytime talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show will return Sept. 29, according to a press…
At least 15 dead after Lisbon’s historic funicular derails
At least 15 people have been killed and 18 others injured after a carriage on Lisbon’s famous Gloria funicular derailed and crashed, emergency services said. Portugal’s emergency medical service authority said that five of those injured were in a serious condition. The remaining thirteen, including a child, sustained minor injuries. Several people were earlier said…
5 things you didn’t know sharks do for you
Sharks have long been cast as villains in popular culture — ruthless predators terrorizing beachgoers. In truth, the real danger isn’t to us, but to them. Sharks rarely attack people, yet humans kill an estimated 100 million of them every year. Over the last half century, shark and ray populations have dropped 71 percent, largely…
Top Obama-era Latin American expert warns of ‘disastrous’ US intervention in Venezuela
US military buildup and attack on alleged narco boat spark fears of protracted guerrilla war in South America Trump’s Venezuela gunboat diplomacy: sabre-rattling or prelude to invasion? The White House’s former top Latin America official has said he fears the US could stumble into a protracted guerrilla war in Venezuela after Donald Trump ordered a…