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 […]
Did Astronomers Photograph UFOs Orbiting Earth in the 1950s?
UFOs Are Just One Explanation for Mysterious Patterns in Old Telescope Data New peer-reviewed research reporting strange lights in the pre-space-age sky is sparking curiosity and controversy By Jonathan O’Callaghan edited by Lee Billings For generations, UFO enthusiasts have longed for claims of aliens visiting Earth to be seriously investigated by scientists. Now they are […]
Dungeons & Dragons – Starter Set: Heroes of The Borderlands
For many, Dungeons & Dragons may seem like a insurmountable entry point to the world of RPGs, and, in many ways, especially without at least one seasoned veteran in your group, it isn’t necessarily an incorrect assumption. The all new Dungeons & Dragons – Starter Set: Heroes of The Borderlands aims to eliminate that hurdle […]
Kickstarter Tabletop Alert: Time Loop Shenanigans in ‘Chronofiends!!’
The research station is stuck in an ever-shrinking time loop—use your time-manipulating powers to accomplish your objectives before time runs out! Chronofiends!! (yes, the exclamation points are part of the title) is a cooperative time-loop game for 1 to 4 players, ages 13 and up, and takes about 90 minutes to play. It’s currently seeking […]
Philippines elections 2025: polls open in midterms as Marcos and Duterte family dynasties vie for power
Senate race will be key to future of Sara Duterte as she faces impeachment trial, while her could become mayor despite being detained in The Hague Millions of Filipinos began voting on Monday in a midterm election widely seen as a referendum on the explosive feud between President Ferdinand Marcos and impeached vice-president Sara Duterte.…
Why Sister Wives’ Kody Brown Says He’s “Not a Ladies’ Man”
Despite having four wives at one point, Sister Wives star Kody Brown—husband of Robyn Brown and former partner of Meri Brown, Janelle Brown and Christine Brown—does not believe he is a “ladies’ man.” Kody Brown may have had four wives at the same time, but according to him, he’s no “ladies’ man.” The Sister Wives star, a…
PM promises tougher visa rules to fix ‘broken’ migration system
Sir Keir Starmer has promised to overhaul a “broken” immigration system, with plans to tighten English tests for all visa applicants and their adult dependents among the reforms being considered. Migrants will also have to wait 10 years to apply to settle in the UK, instead of automatically gaining settled status after five years, under…
Qatar is said to be giving Trump a new plane
Franco Ordoñez The Trump administration is in talks with the Qatari government about accepting a luxury Boeing 747 airplane, a senior White House official said, that could temporarily serve as Air Force One. The offer, which was first reported by ABC News, comes on the eve of Trump’s visit to the Middle East. The president…
The U.S. has a plan for getting food into Gaza. Top aid groups object to the idea
Daniel Estrin TEL AVIV, Israel — On the eve of President Trump’s visit to Arab allies in the Gulf, the U.S. and Israel have announced a plan to allow food and essential supplies back into Gaza after a ten-week Israeli ban that aid workers say is driving rampant hunger in the territory. It is the…
Hamas to release US-Israeli hostage as part of efforts to reach Gaza ceasefire
Hamas says it will release Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, who is believed to be the last living captive with US nationality in Gaza, as a part of efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement. The decision comes ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East on Tuesday. Hamas said it was also intended to…
Trump Budget Calls for Stranding NASA’s Mars Samples on the Red Planet
NASA Spent Billions to Bring Rocks Back from Mars. Trump Wants to Leave Them There After billions of dollars in spending and decades of planning, NASA may be forced to abandon precious samples of air, rock and soil on the Martian surface. Experts are furious By Leonard David & Lee Billings edited by Lee Billings…
Simu Liu Engaged to Allison Hsu: See Her Massive Ring
Simu Liu, star of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, announced his engagement to Allison Hsu with photos of his proposal and her massive diamond ring. The star of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings just turned it up to 11 with a très magnifique proposal—and sparkler. Simu Liu,…
This American pope: Leo XIV’s bloodline reflects the US melting pot
A fraught history of race and immigration connect the new pope with his homeland Baquié’s birth records, meanwhile, indicate that she was born in Louisiana’s most prominent city, New Orleans, to parents who were reportedly married at a local Catholic church. Records from the 1900 census show that Joseph – apparently the son of a…
‘The whole country is proud’: Chinese snooker fans hail Zhao Xintong triumph
Crowning of country’s first world champion set to give fresh boost to sport that has boomed in popularity in China “He’s a great role model for young people in China,” Yuan, 55, says of the generation Z upstart who on Monday claimed snooker’s top prize. “He’s bringing the excitement back.” It’s a far cry from…
These Sabrina Carpenter Facts Will Hit Like Espresso
Sabrina Carpenter’s rise to fame—that’s that her espresso. And we’re marking her 26th birthday by raising our coffee cups and brewing up some invigorating facts about the Short n’ Sweet artist. Sabrina Carpenter said it herself: She’s a busy woman. And since last summer, the Grammy winner has taken the world by storm with her…
Measuring Gluons and Quarks at the Brookhaven Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, the Nation’s Only Particle Collider
The Only Particle Collider in the U.S. Will Be Replaced with an Upgrade Brookhaven National Laboratory is pushing the boundaries of particle physics. By Rachel Feltman, Naeem Amarsy, Fonda Mwangi, Kelso Harper & Jeffery DelViscio Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, this is Rachel Feltman. Today we’re taking you on another one of our…
Care worker recruitment from abroad to end, Cooper says
Care workers will no longer be recruited from overseas as part of a crackdown on visas for lower-skilled workers, the home secretary has told the BBC. Yvette Cooper said it is “time to end that care worker recruitment from abroad” and rules will change this year – instead requiring firms to hire British nationals or…
Pope Leo XIV calls for peace in Gaza and Ukraine, saying ‘Never again war’
By Sarah Ventre “I am deeply pained by what is happening,” said Leo, referring to the war in Gaza. “Let the fighting cease immediately, let humanitarian aid be provided to the exhausted civilian population, and may all hostages be released.” Leo also talked about the war in Ukraine, saying, “I carry in my heart the…
Trump claims ‘total reset’ in US-China trade relations after tariff talks in Geneva
US president praises ‘very good’ discussions as top US and Chinese officials meet over trade war triggered by Trump’s tariff blitz Donald Trump has hailed a “total reset” in US-China trade relations after the first day of talks between top American and Chinese officials in Geneva aimed at defusing a trade war sparked by his…
Russia’s Putin proposes direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15
By The Associated Press Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed restarting direct talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 15, “without preconditions,” an offer that came in response to Ukraine and its allies urging Moscow to commit to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face additional sanctions. Putin referenced the unsuccessful 2022 peace talks that took place…
What Is a Galaxy?
The UniverseFridays What Is a Galaxy? Galaxies come in many shapes and sizes, and trying to define them is difficult By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A view of the spiral galaxy NGC 3982, as seen by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Galaxies come in many different variations, but astronomers classify them into four main…
Kim Kardashian’s Paris Robbery in Her Own Words
As Kim Kardashian prepares to testify in Paris, where 10 people are on trial in connection with robbing her at gunpoint in 2016, here is what she’s had to say about the ordeal. At least Kim Kardashian has had a lot of time to process what happened. Because when she takes the stand May 13…
Bryan Kohberger Case: New Details of Victim’s Grisly Murder Revealed
More details about the murders of University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen and suspect Bryan Kohberger were revealed on Dateline. Content warning: This story contains graphic details. More shocking details about the quadruple homicide of four University of Idaho students and the man suspected of murdering them, Bryan…
The Strange and Surprising History of the Once-Rejected Zero
Zero Is Foundational to Modern Mathematics. But It Was Rejected for Centuries By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas I’m a zero at mental arithmetic. It’s true—I struggle with this skill—but I want to focus on the phrase itself. In our language, we often equate zero with something negative. But zero is the only real…
Tariff troubles: A rubber duck museum is migrating to Canada to stay afloat
By Martha Ann Overland If you had to pick just one place to take the temperature of relations between the U.S. and Canada right now, consider The Rubber Duck Museum in Point Roberts, Wash. The museum is located in a small U.S. town attached to Canada, not the U.S. mainland. The only way to drive…
Putin says Russia and Ukraine should meet to negotiate ‘lasting peace’
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for “direct talks” with Ukraine, saying they should “start without delay, as early as 15 May”. “We seek serious talks… to remove the root causes of the conflict and start moving towards a lasting, strong peace”, he said on Saturday, in a rare televised late-night address from the Kremlin.…
Trump floats cutting Chinese tariffs from 145% to 80% before weekend talks
Meeting aimed at de-escalating trade war after Chinese exports beat expectations despite slump in trade Donald Trump has floated cutting tariffs on China from 145% to 80% before a weekend meeting as he looks to de-escalate the trade war. Top US officials are expected to meet a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland in…
Linguists Find Proof of Sweeping Language Pattern Once Deemed a ‘Hoax’
Linguists Find Proof of Sweeping Language Pattern Once Deemed a ‘Hoax’ Inuit languages really do have many words for snow, linguists found—and other languages have conceptual specialties, too, potentially revealing what a culture values By Cody Cottier edited by Allison Parshall Boas’s observation had swelled to mythic proportions. In a 1991 essay, British linguist Geoff…
India and Pakistan accuse each other of ‘violations’ after ceasefire deal
India and Pakistan have accused each other of “violations” hours after the two nations said they had agreed to a ceasefire following days of cross-border military strikes. After sounds of explosions were heard in Indian-administered Kashmir, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said there had been “repeated violations of the understanding we arrived at”. A short…
India and Pakistan accuse each other of violating ceasefire hours after reaching deal
By The Associated Press ISLAMABAD — India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire Saturday after U.S.-led talks to end the most serious military confrontation between the nuclear-armed rivals in decades but accused each other of violating the deal just hours later. The ceasefire had been expected to bring a swift end to weeks of escalating…
Love Island U.K.’s Molly-Mae Says She and Tommy Fury Are Back Together
Love Island U.K.‘s Molly-Mae Hague revealed she and Tommy Fury, father of their daughter Bambi, have reconciled less than a year after announcing they had split. Love Island U.K.‘s Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury are giving their love another chance. Almost nine months after she announced on social media that the two had broken up…
Mexico sues Google over changing Gulf of Mexico’s name for US users
President Claudia Sheinbaum says lawsuit has been filed after US lawmakers voted on name change Mexico has sued Google for changing the Gulf of Mexico’s name to “Gulf of America” for Google Maps users in the United States, Claudia Sheinbaum, Mexico’s president, said on Friday. “The lawsuit has already been filed,” Sheinbaum said at her…
Clergy molestation survivors concerned and insulted by election of Pope Leo XIV
Pope faced questions about his handling of clerical sexual abuse cases earlier in his career after a survivors group filed a complaint Groups supporting clergy-molestation survivors say they are gravely concerned and insulted by the election of Pope Leo XIV after he overcame questions about his handling of clerical sexual abuse cases earlier in his…
Labour to unveil big immigration plans next week – but will they win back votes?
“A failed free market experiment” – that’s how the home secretary will describe the approach that’s seen vast numbers of people from around the world come to the UK to pour pints in pubs, to cut hair, to care for the most vulnerable, to pick fruit, or to fix our plumbing. Yvette Cooper’s getting ready…
Do We Really Know Less about the Deep Sea Than the Moon or Mars?
We’ve Only Seen 0.001 Percent of Earth’s Seafloor. Here’s What That Really Means A new review of ocean data suggests that more than 99.999 percent of the global deep seafloor has never been seen by humans. But what does that really mean? By Gayoung Lee edited by Lee Billings What do we really know about…
Ukraine’s allies push for 30-day ceasefire starting Monday
Joanna Kakissis KYIV – Four European leaders joined Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv today in pressing Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept a 30-day unconditional ceasefire – or face more sanctions on Russia. “The ceasefire must be comprehensive: in the air, at sea and on land,” Zelenskyy told reporters. “It is quite possible to…
Miley Cyrus’ Dating History: Patrick Schwarzenegger, Nick Jonas & More
Miley Cyrus crossing paths with ex Patrick Schwarzenegger at the 2025 Met Gala was a reminder that she’s packed a lot of love into her life—with boyfriends, girlfriends and her own independence. Miley Cyrus has packed a lot of life into her 32 years. She’s spent some of it single, her comfort being on her…
Stronger Solar Activity Cycles May Be in the Sun’s Forecast
The Sun May Be Entering an Era of Stronger 11-Year Cycles The sun has produced stunning auroras on Earth in recent years as solar activity has peaked—but expect more in coming years By Meghan Bartels edited by Dean Visser Massive solar flares, graceful eruptions of solar material, and an enormous sunspot make up some of…
Inside Sasha Obama’s Private Post-White House World
Sasha Obama and Malia Obama moved into the White House as kids—more than 16 years ago. Now they’re making their way as adults while their parents continue to settle into that post-presidential life. Sasha Obama was 7 years old when she moved into the White House. So no wonder the Internet is still prone to…
Police investigate alleged attack on prison officer by Southport killer
Police are investigating an attack on a prison officer by Southport killer Axel Rudakubana on Thursday, it is understood. The officer had boiling water thrown over them. They were taken to hospital and discharged on the same day, the Ministry of Justice said. The Prison Service said violence in prison “will not be tolerated and…
Are we heading for another world war – or has it already started?
The rules-based world order is in retreat and violence is on the rise, forcing countries to rethink their relationships In a week in which former allies in a redividing globe separately commemorated the 80th anniversary of the end of the second world war, the sense of a runaway descent towards a third world war draws…
Why some friendships end after kids come into the picture
By Emily Siner After writer Mariah Maddox gave birth four years ago, she was surprised by how lonely she felt. She was the first person among her close friends to have a kid, and her friends without children seemed to be leaving her behind. “I sometimes felt like I wasn’t included in plans,” she says.…
Immigrants set for Libya deportation sat on tarmac for hours, attorney says
Any Trump administration efforts to send non-Libyans to the north African country would violate a prior court order Immigrants in Texas who were told they would be deported to Libya sat on a military airfield tarmac for hours on Wednesday, unsure of what would happen next, an attorney for one of the men has said.…
Miley Cyrus Reunites With Dad Billy Ray Cyrus Amid Rumored Family Feud
Miley Cyrus shut down recent feud rumors by joining her brother Braison Cyrus and dad Billy Ray Cyrus on his farm in Tennessee for a birthday celebration. Miley Cyrus doesn’t seem to be jaded. The “Party in the U.S.A.” singer recently reunited with her dad Billy Ray Cyrus for her brother Braison Cyrus’ 31st birthday,…
VA says its job cuts will limit doctor, nurse resignations
By Katya Mendoza , Quil Lawrence Data that employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs have shared with NPR shows that 11,273 agency employees nationwide have applied for deferred resignation, which the Trump administration is offering as part of its DOGE initiative to cut the VA’s workforce by 15%. The top positions across all networks…
How will Pope Leo lead? His first days may yield clues
Not long after greeting crowds from the balcony overlooking St Peter’s Square on Thursday evening, Pope Leo XIV returned to the Sant’Uffizio Palace, where he had been living for the last two months. He was met by a jubilant group of staff and former colleagues, all eager to shake his hand and congratulate him. A…
Climate Change Will Cause a Lifetime of Extreme Heat for Today’s Children
Today’s Children Face a Lifetime of Extreme Heat because of Climate Change Young people today will be exposed to a number of heat waves that no one would have experienced before the burning of fossil fuels started raising global temperatures By Celeste Biever & Nature magazine Many of today’s children will experience an ‘unprecedented life’…
Cities aiming to thwart immigrant detention centers wield a secret weapon: local laws
By Zane Irwin Former corrections officer William Rogers still remembers the exact spot in 2018 where an inmate slashed his head open with a metal lunch tray. “When he hit me in the back of the head, I mean it hurt. But I didn’t know it was split open, right? Because at that point you’re…
The Best Early Memorial Day Sales 2025: Amazon, Michael Kors & More
Shop early Memorial Day deals from Pottery Barn, Old Navy, Target, and Walmart—major savings on home upgrades, summer outfits, and everyday essentials before the rush begins. Our writers and editors independently determine what we cover and recommend. When you buy through our links, E! may earn a commission. Learn more. Don’t wait for the long weekend—early…
Large Hadron Collider Physicists Turn Lead into Gold—For a Fraction of a Second
Physicists Turn Lead into Gold—For a Fraction of a Second Scientists at Europe’s famous particle collider briefly created gold ions from lead in a modern twist on the alchemical goal By Elizabeth Gibney & Nature magazine LHC experiments don’t create large gold nuggets — but some particles within a beam of lead ions can turn…
US confirms plan for private firms to deliver Gaza aid despite UN alarm
The US has confirmed that a new system for providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza through private companies is being prepared, as Israel’s blockade continues for a third month. US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said “distribution centres” protected by security contractors would provide food and other supplies to over a million people initially,…
Simon Mann, mercenary behind failed ‘wonga coup’, dies aged 72
Former SAS officer led a group of 70 who attempted to overthrow Equatorial Guinea’s president Simon Mann, an Eton and Sandhurst-educated ex-SAS officer, who led a botched coup involving Margaret Thatcher’s son to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea, has died aged 72. Mann led a group of 70 fellow mercenaries who were arrested in…
Pair guilty of cutting down Sycamore Gap tree
Two men have been found guilty of the “mindless destruction” of the world famous Sycamore Gap tree, the felling of which sparked international outrage. The tree had grown in a dip on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland for more than 100 years before it was cut down in a “moronic mission” in the early hours of…
Harry Styles Makes Divine Appearance at Pope Leo XIV’s Election
Harry Styles was among the many spectators that gathered in Vatican City to watch Pope Leo XIV, formerly Robert Francis Prevost, assume his new role as leader of the Catholic Church. Harry Styles has been praying ever since New York the Vatican. Among the thousands of spectators who gathered in Vatican City to watch…
Trump Aims to Cut Hospital Disaster Preparedness Program
Trump Aims to Cuts Program Used to Help Hospitals Evacuate During Disasters The Hospital Preparedness Program helps hospitals and emergency managers save lives in wildfires, tornadoes, pandemics and other mass-casualty events. The Trump administration has proposed cutting it By Ariel Wittenberg & E&E News The damaged interior of Monette Manor nursing home on Dec. 12,…
Canadian police scale back search for two children missing in woods for six days
Officials say the likelihood Lily and Jack Sullivan are still alive after disappearing in Nova Scotia on 2 May is ‘very low’ Nearly a week after two young children went missing in rural Nova Scotia, Canadian police say they are beginning to scale back search efforts given the “low” odds the children are still alive…
David Steiner of FedEx is tapped to be the U.S. Postal Service’s new leader
Hansi Lo Wang David Steiner will lead the U.S. Postal Service as the next postmaster general, as the federal mail agency faces an uncertain future under the Trump administration. Amber McReynolds, chair of the USPS Board of Governors, announced the board’s appointment at an open session of a board meeting Friday. She said Steiner is…
FEMA leader is out, amid questions over future of the agency
By Lauren Sommer , Rebecca Hersher The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cameron Hamilton, has been replaced, according to a statement from the agency. The move comes at a time of turmoil for FEMA, after President Trump has said repeatedly that the country’s primary disaster response agency should be eliminated. Just a…
A gaping hole and a double take: How park ranger alerted world to Sycamore Gap tree’s fate
The deliberate felling of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland angered people around the world. For the man who was first on the scene, it was a moment that changed his life forever. Park ranger Gary Pickles was in shock. Where once had stood arguably England’s favourite tree, there was now…
Congress Counters Trump Threat to Abolish FEMA with Massive Restructuring Plan
Congress Counters Trump with Massive FEMA Restructuring Plan A bipartisan group in Congress is drafting a sweeping bill to overhaul the Federal Emergency Management Agency—in some cases, expanding its work By Thomas Frank & E&E News A member of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue team searches the ruins of one of the thousands of…
Shia LaBeouf Details Feud With Alec Baldwin Due to His “Weak Ego”
Transformers alum Shia LaBeouf reflected on a 2013 feud with 30 Rock’s Alec Baldwin while the pair worked on a play together after Oscar winner Al Pacino dropped out. Shia LaBeouf is remembering a time when he was filled with fury. The Transformers alum recently reflected on a challenging experience he had with Alec Baldwin,…
Canada medical mystery takes twist as study finds no evidence of brain illness
Researchers link suspected cases in New Brunswick to known diseases, suggesting ‘misdiagnosis and misinformation’ A new peer-reviewed scientific study has found no evidence of a mystery brain disease in the Canadian province of New Brunswick, suggesting instead a troubling combination of “misdiagnosis and misinformation”. The research comes as the Maritime province prepares its own assessment…
Flirting Lessons Author Jasmine Guillory’s Favorite Rom-Com Tropes
Jasmine Guillory, author of Flirting Lessons and The Wedding Date, detailed her writing process and favorite character tropes in an exclusive E! News interview. From slow burns to love triangles and everything in between, author Jasmine Guillory is certainly no stranger to romance tropes. She’s even been known to create some of her own. Indeed,…
What to Know about Kosmos-482, the Soviet Spacecraft Crash-Landing on Earth
This Soviet Spacecraft Will Soon Crash-Land on Earth Kosmos-482, a failed mission to Venus from the former Soviet Union that stalled in Earth orbit in the 1970s, is about to fall back to our planet. Exactly where or when it will strike, however, remains unknown By Lee Billings edited by Dean Visser An artist’s concept…