NASA Will Attempt to Observe Rocket Part’s Lunar Impact
A used Falcon 9 upper stage is expected to impact the Moon on August 5 near the Einstein and Bell craters. NASA and SpaceX are tracking the rocket part using ground-based telescopes and space-based assets to collect lunar data from the impact.
Scientists discover that giant octopuses were top predators of ancient oceans
Ancient octopus relatives were gigantic predators during the late Cretaceous period, unlike modern finned octopuses which are small deep-sea creatures. Researchers in Japan made this discovery in April 2026 by studying fossil evidence of these extinct marine animals.
NASA’s PUNCH Sharpens Solar Storm Forecasting in First Test
NASA's PUNCH mission used continuous imagery to predict a solar eruption's arrival within 30 minutes in an initial test. The capability could improve forecasting accuracy for near-Earth solar storms through real-time continuous observation data.
Cancer-fighting chewing gum cuts HPV levels by up to 93%
A specially engineered chewing gum reduced HPV levels by up to 93% percent and nearly eliminated two bacteria linked to head and neck cancer. The treatment preserved beneficial mouth bacteria while targeting harmful pathogens.
Global hunger levels fall but Africa still lags behind, UN report finds
Global hunger declined for the third consecutive year according to a UN Food and Agriculture Organization report. Africa still has the highest hunger rate at 20% of its population facing insufficient food.
518-million-year-old creature reveals the origins of spider fangs
A 518-million-year-old sea creature fossil contains pincerlike limbs and preserved soft tissues that represent the earliest known evidence of structures that became spider fangs. The discovery explains how spider and scorpion ancestors evolved into effective hunters with these specialized appendages.
This hydrogen turbine turns controlled explosions into electricity
A hydrogen turbine generates electricity using detonation waves to create pressure instead of requiring a mechanical compressor. The system produces its own pressure through controlled explosions within the turbine combustion chamber.
Strange quantum experiment shows “negative time” is more than an illusion
Photons passing through a cloud of atoms emerged early enough to suggest negative dwell time inside the cloud. Researchers confirmed this counterintuitive result using weak measurements of the atoms themselves, demonstrating the effect is physically real rather than an artifact of measurement technique.
A shy bird found only in Nepal is waiting for the world to notice
A medium-sized bird with brownish upperparts and black feather streaks called the spiny babbler was recorded in Nepal for the first time in June after previous disappearance. The species, found only in Nepal's shrubby hillsides, sometimes displays a chalky white facial patch.
DNA on the Shroud of Turin reveals centuries of hidden history
DNA analysis of the Shroud of Turin found traces of human lineages, microbes, plants, animals, and coral accumulated through centuries of handling and travel. The findings document biological material preserved in the cloth but do not prove its age or authenticity.
Your brain may be wired to regain lost weight
The human brain treats a previously higher weight as normal and triggers stronger hunger and lower energy use after weight loss occurs. Medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro reduce appetite signals to counteract this biological response, though their effects may diminish when treatment stops.
These bizarre new beetles look so stretchy scientists named them Luffy
A newly discovered beetle genus with unusually long, slender mandibles and antennae was named Luffy after the stretchy One Piece character. The insects' extended body parts resembled the manga hero's rubber-like ability to elongate his body.
Scientists went looking for giant trees in Taiwan and found a lost world
Researchers discovered an 84.1-meter Taiwania fir in Taiwan's remote mountains, the tallest known tree in East Asia. Using LiDAR mapping and field expeditions, they identified dense clusters of giant trees in carbon-rich ancient forests previously unknown to science.
Mechanical shortcut' rapidly carries organic particles into the deep ocean
A mechanical process rapidly transports organic particles from the surface to the deep ocean, helping capture atmospheric carbon and store it on the seabed. Researchers can now measure this mechanism across depths from the surface to the ocean floor.
Four labs find experimental differences can undermine AI catalyst predictions
Four research labs discovered that experimental variations can significantly reduce the accuracy of AI models predicting which catalysts work best for converting carbon dioxide into fuel. The findings show that AI predictions depend heavily on consistent, high-quality input data, similar to how chatbot performance relies on training data quality.
Forest floors reveal overlooked seed dispersers: Slugs, beetles and crabs spread viable seeds
Tiny ground-dwelling invertebrates including slugs, beetles, and crabs function as seed dispersers and spread viable seeds, according to a review from the University of Hong Kong. This finding challenges traditional assumptions that focused primarily on birds and mammals as the main agents of seed dispersal in forests.
Bringing it all into focus—computational microscope captures 25.2 billion pixels per second across a wide field of view
Researchers developed a computational microscope that captures 25.2 billion pixels per second while maintaining a wide field of view and high resolution. The system overcomes the traditional trade-off between speed, field of view, and resolution that has limited microscope design.
Discarded rice husks capture toxic dyes, offering a reusable water filter
Rice husks, a byproduct of rice processing, can capture toxic dyes from water, offering a reusable filtration material. The world generates 300 billion pounds of rice husk waste annually, which could be repurposed for this water treatment application.
AI models atom movement to predict solid-state reaction pathways, including impurities, in minutes
An AI model predicts solid-state reaction pathways by tracking atom movement through materials in minutes, accounting for impurities for the first time. Developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the approach offers practical guidance for optimizing recipes when manufacturing advanced materials.
Smart bioink shields delicate neural cells during precision 3D printing
A smart bioink has been developed that protects neural cells from damage during 3D printing by reducing the mechanical stress from nozzle extrusion. The bioink allows delicate brain tissue cells to survive the printing process and maintain structural integrity through the printer nozzle.
Underground fungal networks come into 3D view without disturbing plant roots
Researchers developed a method to visualize mycorrhizal fungal networks in three dimensions without disturbing plant roots. The technique allows study of these underground symbiotic structures in their natural state for the first time.
Rubin Observatory opens a deep window on a famous cosmic field
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory released its first LSST Camera image showing hundreds of thousands of distant galaxies in the COSMOS field. The image and accompanying catalog are now available for scientific research and analysis.
Pollen movement tracked from ground to sky with new modeling method
Researchers developed a new methodology to track and forecast pollen dispersal from genetically engineered switchgrass at ground and atmospheric levels. The study, published in Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, established an accurate system for measuring how airborne pollen moves once it leaves crops.
Louisiana Students Loft Payloads from NASA Balloon Facility in Texas
Louisiana students launched scientific payloads from NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, to the edge of space. The students had spent months preparing their experiments with sensors and laptops before releasing them via balloon.
NASA Delivers Navigation System for Commercial Lunar Relay
NASA delivered the NavCube3-mini navigation payload to Intuitive Machines on July 13 for integration into the Altus-1 lunar relay satellite. The device, about half the size of a shoebox and weighing 3.5 pounds, will enable communications and navigation for astronauts and rovers at a future Moon Base.
A simple supplement could help the immune system fight cancer and viruses
Low arginine levels allow cancer cells and viruses to evade immune system detection by reducing production of a crucial cellular warning protein. In mice, arginine-rich diets resulted in fewer colon tumors and milder viral infections.
Moonquakes could reveal hidden water beneath the lunar surface
Moonquakes bend and reflect vibrations in ways that could reveal hidden ice beneath the lunar surface. This seismic technique may help locate water supplies and provide information about Earth's ocean origins.
Scientists reveal the hidden force driving the universe’s hottest fluid
Extreme acceleration building up along the edges of quark-gluon plasma helps drive its explosive expansion when atomic nuclei collide at nearly light speed. This acceleration may change the fluid's temperature-like behavior, influence particle spins, and reshape how matter transitions between fundamental states.
Scientists may have found aging’s hidden trigger for brain disease
A protein called EPS8 accumulates with age in worms and triggers the clumping of toxic proteins that damages neurons. Reducing EPS8 activity prevented these harmful aggregates and preserved nerve function in the research.