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. […]
DWTS’ Corey Feldman Reunites With Jenna Johnson After Going MIA
After Dancing With the Stars pro Jenna Johnson revealed she hadn’t seen her season 34 partner Corey Feldman in days, the dancer shared a photo of her reuniting with The Goonies alum in a studio. Corey Feldman realized it takes two to tango. The Goonies alum reunited with his Dancing With the Stars partner Jenna…
US lawmakers release Epstein ‘birthday book’ with alleged Trump note
US lawmakers have released a full copy of a “birthday book” given to the late convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, which includes a note allegedly signed by US President Donald Trump. The book was released with a trove of documents that include Epstein’s will and his personal address book – with contacts that…
Rupert Murdoch buys out 3 of his children to seal fate of his media empire
David Folkenflik Rupert Murdoch has pulled one final rabbit out of his hat. The 94-year-old media titan has ensured that his vast corporate empire — boasting Fox News, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post among other titles — will retain its quintessential conservative identity after his death. Through a series of complex…
Boris Johnson was paid £240,000 after Maduro meeting, invoice shows
Johnson’s office sent invoice to hedge fund manager, which was paid, weeks after meeting Venezuelan leader last year Revealed: how Boris Johnson traded PM contacts for global business deals From a private jet somewhere over the Caribbean Sea in February last year, Boris Johnson called his old political adversary David Cameron, then the foreign secretary,…
Prince Harry Jokes About Brother Dynamics Amid Prince William Rift
Prince Harry quipped about how having a sibling can be “challenging” while meeting with 2025 WellChild Awards winners amid his rumored rift with brother Prince William. Prince Harry is getting real about the ups and downs of being a sibling. The Duke of Sussex made a joke about family dynamics amid his rumored rift with…
How Big Can a Black Hole Get?
The UniverseFridays How Big Can a Black Hole Be? Some black holes get extremely massive. Is there an upper limit to their growth? By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Black holes like the one shown in this illustration can grow astonishingly massive by feeding on immense amounts of matter. But just how big can…
France in fresh political crisis after MPs oust prime minister
France has been plunged into a new political crisis with the defeat of Prime Minister François Bayrou at a confidence vote in the National Assembly. The defeat – by 364 votes to 194 – means that Bayrou will on Tuesday present his government’s resignation to President Emmanuel Macron, who must now decide how to replace…
Estate of Jeffrey Epstein gives Congress ‘birthday book’ allegedly signed by Trump
By Jason Breslow The estate of Jeffrey Epstein has provided the House Oversight Committee with a copy of the birthday book prepared as a gift for the disgraced financier on his 50th birthday — an album that includes a tawdry image that appears to have been signed by President Trump, even though Trump had previously…
After 6 years, Hollow Knight Silksong is here at last — and it was worth the wait
By Keller Gordon The Savage Beastfly takes prisoners. Their cages fall from the ceiling as it charges directly at your lithe, red-cloaked figure. Somehow, it manages to track your nimble movement and futile flips and smashes into you at full force. The fight is over, and you are not the victor. It’s a brutal early…
UK could suspend visas for countries with no migrant return deals, new home secretary says
The UK could suspend visas from countries that do not “play ball” and agree to returns deals for migrants, the new home secretary has said. Shabana Mahmood made the comments as she hosted Donald Trump’s head of homeland security and ministers from Australia, New Zealand and Canada at a meeting of the intelligence-sharing Five Eyes…
5 ways the ocean keeps our climate in check
The ocean is more than a backdrop for sunsets and surf — it’s the origin and engine of all life on Earth, responsible for regulating our climate, absorbing heat, circulating currents and producing oxygen. But human-driven climate change is pushing the ocean past its limits. As waters heat up and currents shift, a delicate balance…
NASA’s InSight Lander Reveals Mars’s Lumpy Mantle in New Seismic Study
Marsquakes, Vaccine Politics and Mammoth Microbiomes A common nasal spray shows promise in reducing COVID risk, but vaccine access remains tangled in policy in the U.S. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday, listeners! For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Let’s kick off the week with a quick…
Yas! The Viral LilyAna Naturals Eye Cream Is on Sale
Find out why people are obsessed with LilyAna Naturals and how you can score the brand’s bestselling skincare for less. We’ve all spent way too much on skincare brands that don’t work. If you’re done dropping bank on pricey products that don’t deliver, you need to try TikTok viral (and affordable) brand LilyAna Naturals. There’s…
Hopes rise for green economy boom at Africa Climate Summit
Renewables are thriving, with Africa breaking solar energy records – but action is needed to plug financing gap The first signs of a takeoff of Africa’s green economy are raising hopes that a transformation of the continent’s fortunes may be under way, driven by solar power and an increase in low-carbon investment. African leaders are…
Shooting attack at Jerusalem bus stop kills at least 5
By The Associated Press JERUSALEM — Paramedics said at least five people were killed in a shooting attack in Jerusalem after two attackers opened fire at a bus stop at a busy intersection in north Jerusalem. Paramedics said an additional 15 people were injured, including six in serious condition. Police said the attackers shot people…
VMAs: How Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, More Paid Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne was honored at the 2025 MTV VMAs, less than two months after his death, with a musical tribute from Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, as well as Yungblud. The Prince of Darkness was given a fitting VMAs sendoff. Aerosmith‘s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry led a musical tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne at…
Tom Phillips, fugitive father on run with children for nearly four years, shot dead by NZ police in exchange of fire
Phillips, who has been on the run with his children for four years, was shot by police after officers came under fire while investigating burglary in Piopio, authorities said A fugitive father who had been hiding in New Zealand’s rugged wilderness with his three children for nearly four years has been shot dead by police…
Huge drugs bust reveals battles on cocaine ‘superhighway’
It was sent to a fisherman from Ukraine and an unemployed man from Teesside who were sailing to the middle of the Irish Sea to collect cocaine from a passing cargo ship, the MV Matthew. As it turned out, they needed plenty of luck and very little was straightforward. The two men were part of…
How Small, Easy Acts of Joy Improve Happiness and Well-Being
Small, Easy Acts of Joy Mean Big Gains in Happiness A community science project finds that modest reminders to find joy in the day can have benefits that are on par with those of more ambitious well-being interventions By Darwin A. Guevarra, Xuhai “Orson” Xu & Emiliana Simon-Thomas edited by Daisy Yuhas There is no…
MTV VMAs 2025: Complete Winners List
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards kicked off Sept. 7 at New York City’s UBS Arena with appearances from Sabrina Carpenter, Mariah Carey and host LL Cool J. See which stars won big at the annual event. There’s nothing ordinary about the winners at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards. The ceremony brought together the…
Unions warn government not to water down workers’ rights bill
The leader of the UK’s biggest trade union has warned it would be a “huge mistake” for the government to water down its Employment Rights Bill, which is due to become law in the next few weeks. Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said she is concerned the government is no longer committed to implementing the…
New business secretary Peter Kyle going to China for trade talks this week
Former science secretary promoted in reshuffle to continue UK efforts to revitalise trade relationship with Beijing The UK’s new business secretary, Peter Kyle, will fly to Beijing this week as part of Keir Starmer’s continuing efforts to revitalise the UK’s trade relationship with China and provide growth to the British economy. Kyle was due to…
Carlos Alcaraz wins his 2nd U.S. Open at match delayed by Trump’s attendance
Sequoia Carrillo President Trump attended the U.S. Open men’s tennis finals on Sunday in Rolex’s luxury box, stepping out of the suite briefly for an on-camera appearance during the national anthem. He drew mixed cheers and boos from the half-empty stadium. Due to enhanced security for the president’s attendance, many ticketholders stood in long lines…
MTV VMAs 2025 Red Carpet Looks: See Every Celebrity Outfit
The MTV Video Music Awards 2025 at New York’s UBS Arena brought out the best and boldest in fashion. See all the celebrities on the red carpet. Prepare for style that’s out of this world. As the MTV Video Music Awards 2025 kicked off on Sept. 7, the best and brightest stars in music descended…
Arrests at rally against Palestine Action ban rise to 890
There were 890 people arrested at a demonstration against the ban on the group Palestine Action in London on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police say. The majority of the arrests were for supporting a proscribed group under the Terrorism Act, while police said 17 were also arrested for assaults on police officers “after the protest turned…
Postal traffic to US drops more than 80% after trade exemption rule ends, UN agency says
By Chandelis Duster Postal traffic to the U.S. has fallen significantly after the Trump administration suspended a trade exemption rule in late August, according to a global postal union. The U.N.’s Universal Postal Union (UPU) said the global postal network saw postal traffic enroute to the U.S. “come to a near halt” after Aug. 29,…
Ant Queens Birth Hybrid Offspring Using Another Species’ Sperm
These Ants Are Different Species but Share a Mother Ant queens of one species are sexual parasites that clone ants of another species to create hybrid workers that do their bidding By Max Kozlov & Nature magazine Queen Iberian harvester ants (Messor ibericus) can give birth to ants of their own species (left) and, using…
LGBTQ+ Americans consider move to Canada to escape Trump: ‘I’m afraid of living here’
LGBTQ+ people in the US contemplate heading north as they wrestle with the president’s assault on the community The number of LGBTQ+ Americans inquiring about moving to Canada has soared since Donald Trump’s re-election, campaigners have said, as people across the US wrestle with the fallout of rising anti-gay rhetoric, anti-trans executive orders, and the…
Survey Results Show People Prefer More Human Involvement in AI-driven Art
Opinion People Want AI To Help Artists, Not Be The Artist We surveyed people in the U.S. about artificial-intelligence-generated art. Their answers told us a lot about how we value human creativity By Deni Ellis Béchard & Gabriel Kreiman Think of your favorite piece of art—a painting, a song, a novel, a movie or even…
Patrick Schwarzenegger Marries Model Abby Champion in Lakeside Wedding
Patrick Schwarzenegger tied the knot with model Abby Champion during an intimate ceremony at Gozzer Ranch country club overlooking Lake Coeur d’Alene in northern Idaho. Patrick Schwarzenegger and Abby Champion have officially tied the knot. The White Lotus actor and the model exchanged their vows during a lakeside ceremony at Gozzer Ranch country club overlooking…
South Korea says it has reached a deal with the US for the release of workers in a Georgia plant
By The Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea — More than 300 South Korean workers detained following a massive immigration raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia will be released and brought home, the South Korean government announced Sunday. Presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik said that South Korea and the U.S. had finalized negotiations on…
Zelensky condemns ‘ruthless attack’ after Russia hits main government building in Kyiv
Ukraine’s main government building in Kyiv has been hit for the first time in the war during Russian attacks, the Ukrainian prime minister has said. Yulia Svyrydenko said the building’s roof and upper floors were damaged and a fire ignited “due to an enemy attack”. At least four people were killed in strikes across the…
Republican slams Vance for ‘despicable’ comments on Venezuelan boat strike
Rand Paul blasts ‘thoughtless’ comment after vice-president defends strike against alleged drug traffickers “Killing cartel members who poison our fellow citizens is the highest and best use of our military,” the vice-president said in an X post on Saturday, in defense of Tuesday’s US military strike against a Venezuelan boat in the Caribbean Sea, which…
Prince Harry to visit UK for first time since security court hearing
The Duke of Sussex will announce a substantial donation to Children in Need on Tuesday when he attends a charity event in Nottingham. The donation is intended to help support work tackling violence and its effect on young people. It is one of several engagements for Prince Harry during a visit to the UK, which…
Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake & More Couples Who Attended the VMAs
Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga and Mariah Carey will hit up the MTV VMAs Sept. 7. But there was a time duos like Nick Lachey, Jessica Simpson, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez attended the iconic night. A slew of incredibly memorable duos have taken to the stage during the MTV Video Music Awards’ four-decade history. There…
Brainless bodies and pig organs: does science back up Putin and Xi’s longevity claims?
Russian leader’s claim that people can ‘get younger’ through repeated organ transplants has raised eyebrows Perhaps it was the extravagant display of deadly weaponry that prompted Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin to mull on mortality at this week’s military parade in Beijing. It was more banter than serious discussion, but with both aged 72, the…
Acne Vaccines Could Offer Robust Defense
Acne Vaccines Could Offer Robust Defense Researchers are hoping to trick the immune system into fighting back against the bane of adolescents everywhere By Benjamin Plackett This article is part of Nature Outlook: Skin, an editorially independent supplement produced with financial support from LEO Pharma. About this content. Acne has long been dismissed as an…
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to resign
By The Associated Press TOKYO — Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has expressed his intention on Sunday to step down following growing calls from his party to take responsibility for a historic defeat in July’s parliamentary election, Japan’s NHK public television reported. Ishiba, who took office in October, had resisted growing calls from within his…
Perrie Edwards Is Pregnant, Expecting Baby with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
Perrie Edwards shared that she and fiancé Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain—who share 3-year-old son Axel—are expecting their second baby together, just weeks after opening up about her past pregnancy losses. Perrie Edwards is preparing for a little miracle. The Little Mix alum shared that she and her fiancé Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are expecting their second baby together,…
Starmer resets after Rayner row, but Labour turmoil is a gift for Reform
Welcome to the weird world of UK politics 2025. The TV presenter Jeremy Kyle announces to a huge crowd of Nigel Farage supporters at Reform UK’s party conference that David Lammy is the new number two in government and they boo, panto-style. These might both sound like parodies, but only the video of Angela Rayner…
Young Phillies fan is gifted swag after adult fan takes his home run ball
By Chandelis Duster A young Philadelphia Phillies fan has been given special baseball treats after a coveted home run ball was taken away from him during a dispute that has gone viral. Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader hit a home run during a matchup against the Miami Marlins on Friday at loanDepot Park in Miami, with…
Gene Therapy Marks a Turning Point for Rare Skin Diseases
Gene Therapy Marks a Turning Point for Rare Skin Diseases Fresh treatments for rare skin diseases shift the focus from symptom management to repair and help children with such conditions live active lives By Elie Dolgin This article is part of Nature Outlook: Skin, an editorially independent supplement produced with financial support from LEO Pharma.…
Samoa’s first female PM fails to win re-election after months of political infighting
Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, known as the ‘Iron Lady of the Pacific’, likely to be replaced by leader of opposition Fast party Samoa’s first female leader, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, has failed to win a majority in the Pacific nation’s elections this week, capping months of political infighting. Official results published by the electoral commission on Friday…
Jim Jarmusch’s ‘Father Mother Sister Brother’ wins top prize at Venice Film Festival
By The Associated Press VENICE, Italy — “Father Mother Sister Brother,” Jim Jarmusch’s quietly humorous relationship triptych, won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival Saturday. The film about the relationships between adult siblings, and with their parents, stars Adam Driver, Vicky Krieps and Cate Blanchett. It was an upset win over some of…
Home Office clearout as Starmer reshuffles top team
Ministers Dame Angela Eagle and Dame Diana Johnson have followed Yvette Cooper out of the door at the Home Office as Sir Keir Starmer continues his reshuffle. The prime minister shifted Cooper to the Foreign Office on Friday in a major shake-up of his top team prompted by the resignation of deputy prime minister Angela…
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…