Science News
Could SpaceX’s retirement of Falcon 9 spark a launch crisis?
What happens when the most successful rocket in history stops flying? The world is about to find out
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Latest science news, discoveries and scientific developments.
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The polar vortex is about to go haywire
“Everybody’s hair is on fire in the climate or meteorologist community”
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What a historic ‘blue wave’ midterm means for climate action
Democrats swept Congress and won in red states. Here are the races that matter most for decarbonization, disasters and data centers
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NASA’s Swift telescope plunges back to Earth
The observatory had spent decades studying powerful cosmic explosions and was the target of an unsuccessful rescue mission earlier this year
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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is wobbly—scientists have a fix that could reveal new alien worlds
By modeling the James Webb Space Telescope’s tiny movements, a new technique can reveal up to 15 times fainter alien worlds
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How does mental fatigue begin in the brain?
New findings could help explain why cognitive exhaustion feels so crummy
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A surprising discovery could help aging muscles repair themselves
Scientists have discovered a compound that transforms a natural muscle-repair protein into a more powerful version dubbed "Super HGF," more than doubling its ability to bind to a key receptor while protecting it from age-related chemical damage. The breakthrough, supported by early mouse experiments, could eventually help combat muscle loss and preserve strength as people age.
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Scientists may have finally explained why our brains and bodies are cross-wired
Scientists propose that the brain’s mysterious cross-wiring, which connects each hemisphere to the opposite side of the body, may have originated more than 500 million years ago in the visual systems of ancient fish. Rather than evolving for a specific advantage, this unusual arrangement may simply be a legacy of evolution building new brain circuits on an ancient foundation.
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Permanent daylight saving time has a dark side, scientists warn
A new study warns that permanent daylight saving time could force American children to make at least 2 billion additional school commutes in darkness, potentially increasing safety risks and disrupting their biological clocks. Researchers found that fatal crashes involving school-aged pedestrians were roughly twice as likely during dark mornings as after sunrise.
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A tiny squeeze dramatically changes the magnetism of exotic materials
Scientists have discovered that a simple mechanical squeeze can dramatically alter the magnetic properties and electrical behavior of exotic materials called altermagnets. The surprising breakthrough could open the door to faster, more energy-efficient electronics and new technologies for quantum computing.
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MIT scientists break a 20-year rule and unlock never-before-seen crystal structures
MIT scientists have challenged two decades of conventional thinking by discovering that flexible molecular connections, rather than rigid ones, can unlock entirely new ways to arrange nanoparticles. The breakthrough could lead to a new generation of designer materials with unusual properties and applications in electronics, medicine, and energy.
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Enjoyment increases consumers' willingness to pay for sustainable products
Consumers are more willing to pay for sustainable products if they also perceive them as enjoyable and appealing, according to a study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland. However, environmental friendliness alone does not always translate into willingness to pay.
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California wildfire explained: Trends and policy insights highlight pathways to avoiding disasters
California has had relatively few major wildfires since the January 2025 Los Angeles fires, but unmet priorities could spell disaster at any time.
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Call adjustments help bats keep their echolocation signals distinct, study finds
Bats can produce ultrasonic pulses with high frequencies between 20,000 and 120,000 hertz, which are inaudible to humans. The sound waves they produce travel forward, hitting nearby objects and bouncing back in the form of echoes.
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NASA is racing against time to save the Hubble Space Telescope
NASA is exploring a daring plan to save the legendary Hubble Space Telescope from its eventual fiery plunge into Earth's atmosphere. After more than 35 years of groundbreaking discoveries, Hubble is slowly losing altitude, and without intervention, it could fall back to Earth as early as 2033 or 2034. To keep the iconic observatory operating, NASA is asking private space companies to propose innovative ways to boost Hubble into a higher orbit, upgrade its capabilities, or safely dispose of it when its mission finally ends.
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How the tiny soybean took over the American diet
How soybeans became the hidden ingredient powering the U.S.
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SLAC scientists find conclusive proof of a mysterious third type of magnetism
For nearly 90 years, scientists believed magnetism fell into just two categories, but researchers have now confirmed a remarkable third type called altermagnetism. Using specialized X-rays, they uncovered a unique magnetic signature that proves these materials behave differently from conventional magnets. Altermagnets combine stability with the ability to efficiently carry information, potentially overcoming major limitations in today's electronics. The discovery could lead to faster computers, more efficient data centers, and breakthroughs in quantum technology.
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Toxic air pollution surges in Indian capital
Toxic air pollution in India's capital, New Delhi, surged on Wednesday to more than 30 times the World Health Organization's recommended daily limit, data from air monitors showed.
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Study calls for a rethink on how we manage the threats posed by hazardous species
While human well-being depends on the health of our ecosystems, there are also countless aspects of the natural world that pose serious threats to people. Every year, over 700,000 people die from diseases transmitted by animals, snakebites kill up to 500,000 people, and crop loss from pests carries an estimated cost of around $220 billion.
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Six measures could save 1.6 million lives a year: WHO
Implementing a few climate and health measures could save nearly 1.6 million lives a year and generate trillions of dollars for the economy, the World Health Organization said Wednesday.