Hydrothermal microbes shape seafloor minerals at newly found vents near Greek island
Researchers discovered hydrothermal vents at 100 to 250 meters depth near a Greek island where fluid flow intensity shapes microbial communities and mineral formation. Different hydrothermal fluid intensities control how microbes colonize the seafloor and influence the minerals that form there.
Lake ice loss could accelerate after winter temperatures cross critical thresholds
Lake ice duration is decreasing faster than air temperatures alone would predict, indicating that warming winters are crossing critical thresholds that accelerate ice loss. Research shows that lakes lose ice cover increasingly rapidly once winter temperatures rise above specific transition points where physical processes change.
NASA Awards 2026 Innovative Technology Concepts
Eighteen innovative aerospace technology concepts received awards totaling $3.2 million from NASA's NIAC program. Each Phase I award provides up to $175,000 for nine-month investigations into solar system exploration and universe understanding.
How an overlooked geothermal plant got a second chance
Zanskar purchased a failing geothermal plant in New Mexico in June 2024 where underground reservoir water was cooling over time. The plant now operates at full capacity two years later using a new approach.
NASA Sets Coverage for August Northern Hemisphere Total Solar Eclipse
A total solar eclipse will be visible on August 12 across parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small corner of Portugal. NASA will stream the eclipse live with multiple camera views and expert interviews across various online platforms.
NASA’s Curiosity Views a Sand-Capped Butte
NASA's Curiosity rover photographed a sand-capped butte nicknamed "Miraflores" measuring approximately 20 feet tall using its Mastcam on June 11, 2026. The formation occurred as surrounding rock eroded away over time, leaving the butte standing in a deepening valley.
NASA’s Curiosity Discovers a Field of Martian Polygons
Curiosity rover discovered a large field of polygonal surface features on Mars on sols 4,930 and 4,931, representing the densest concentration of these formations the rover has encountered. The 360-degree panoramic view captured these polygons spanning across a single expanse of terrain.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Discovers Field of Honeycomb Textures
Curiosity rover discovered honeycomb-textured polygonal fractures measuring 1.5 to 3 inches across while climbing Valle Grande on Mars. Mission scientists have now encountered these geometric shapes multiple times during their exploration of the Martian valley.
Understanding How Martian Auroras Are Made
Charged particles from solar storms strip away charged particles from Mars's atmosphere, contributing to atmospheric loss on the planet. NASA's MAVEN mission identified that Martian auroras form through processes involving this particle interaction with the solar wind.
NASA Webb Explores Family Tree of Newly Discovered Distant Objects
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope discovered little red dots in 2022, which are extremely distant and compact red sources whose nature remains puzzling to astronomers. One theory proposes these little red dots are supermassive black holes, though their exact classification continues to be studied.
Scientists find a simple way to stop cavities without drilling
Silver diamine fluoride liquid brushed onto cavities stopped decay in more than half of treated baby teeth in a major U.S. trial. The treatment requires no drilling, shots, or sedation, though it permanently darkens the decayed area.
Your gut may help your brain decide what to remember
Signals from the gut to the brain via the vagus nerve enhance memory formation when consuming nutritious food, but not when consuming sweet liquids lacking nutritional value. Blocking this nerve pathway eliminated the memory advantage, and long-term high-fat, high-sugar diets weakened the system in rats.
The Download: a chip talent battle, and deflating AI hype
Samsung's chip engineers are leaving for rival SK Hynix as the semiconductor industry competes for talent. Workers like Lee, who previously worked late at Samsung, are now leaving the company for better opportunities at competitors.
New microwave frying method could make french fries much healthier
A microwave-assisted frying method combines microwave heating with conventional frying to create crispier french fries while reducing oil absorption. The technique uses microwave energy to limit oil uptake while still achieving the crispy texture that conventional frying alone produces.
Can’t sleep in the heat? These 8 tricks could save your night
Keeping homes cool during heat waves requires closing blinds during sunlight, ventilating when outside air is cooler, and avoiding heat-producing appliances during peak hours. Sleeping in cooler rooms with light bedding and using fans or ice packs can help manage hot nights.
Mosquitoes are rapidly activating enzymes against common insecticide, researchers warn
Mosquitoes are developing enzyme activity that provides resistance to commonly used insecticides through biochemical and genetic changes. Public health programs have historically depended on these chemicals for mosquito management, making control increasingly difficult as populations gain survival advantages.
The cost of memory: How organisms balance thinking and sensing
Organisms must balance memory usage against its energy costs when making decisions. A study examined how much biological resources animals and cells expend to store and retrieve information for survival tasks like foraging.
First Arctic Ocean 2050 expedition on its way to the North Pole
A research vessel with 30 scientists and 20 crew members departed from Longyearbyen on July 23 to study the Arctic Ocean over 50 days as part of the Polhavet 2050 program. The expedition aims to reach the North Pole while conducting research during this Arctic voyage.
AI technology sees through leaves to transform horticulture
AI and computer vision technology developed by University of Canterbury researchers can identify, measure, and track fruit hidden behind dense foliage. The system uses advanced imaging to see through leaves, enabling automated monitoring of fruit that would otherwise remain obscured from traditional detection methods.
Queen bee pheromones help daughters decide whether to stay or leave the nest
Queen pheromones influence female sweat bees to either remain in nests or leave to establish their own colonies. The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute discovered this chemical signal helps regulate reproductive cooperation within sweat bee societies.
A slowing Atlantic current could unleash stronger California storms
A weakening Atlantic current could intensify atmospheric rivers hitting California while reducing snow-producing storms in Greenland. These changes could increase flood risks and strain infrastructure across regions far from the Atlantic Ocean.
Misfolded insulin may be quietly driving diabetes
Insulin-producing cells require helper proteins to maintain proper insulin production, and missing key partners allows damaged proteins to accumulate. When one critical helper protein was absent, cells produced significantly less insulin, suggesting that reinforcing this protein system could protect pancreatic function during diabetes progression.
Hidden charcoal reveals the true age of ancient cave paintings
Charcoal discovered within black pigments at Font-de-Gaume cave enabled radiocarbon dating of paintings previously thought undatable. A bison painting dates to approximately 13,000 years ago, while a mask-like figure received additions across multiple widely separated time periods.
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft aces Mars flyby capturing stunning timelapse video
NASA's Psyche spacecraft completed a Mars flyby to gain speed for its 2029 asteroid encounter while testing its instruments. The spacecraft detected neutrons from Mars, captured images of its moons Phobos and Deimos, and measured the planet's magnetic environment.
Scientists create an “electron lighthouse” with laser light
Scientists used laser light to launch and steer electrons through a semiconductor without requiring an applied electrical field. This quantum effect creates what researchers call an "electron lighthouse" that could enhance optical sensors, communications, imaging, and information storage devices.
NASA Science Soars During August Total Solar Eclipse
During the total solar eclipse on August 12, the Moon will cover the Sun and briefly reveal the corona, Earth's outer atmosphere. NASA will use this opportunity to study the Sun and better understand its influence on Earth during the eclipse over Greenland and Iceland.
NASA’s Swift Sees ‘Wandering’ Mega Black Hole Shredding Star
A black hole far from its galaxy's center was observed destroying a nearby star, an event never previously documented at such a distance from a galaxy's core. NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory captured this rare occurrence as the black hole consumed the star on the galaxy's outskirts.
How lasers could help provide fuel for nuclear reactors
Lasers could extract uranium from waste storage cylinders at a closed nuclear enrichment facility near Paducah, Kentucky. Global Laser Enrichment is developing laser-based technology to reprocess this stored material for use in nuclear reactors.
Scientists reveal what sparkling water really does to your teeth
Unsweetened sparkling water caused only temporary acidity in the mouth before saliva restored normal conditions, whereas soda produced a stronger and longer pH drop. The sparkling water's acidity remained above the threshold associated with tooth enamel damage.
500,000-year-old elephant bone hammer shows ancient humans were master toolmakers
Early humans shaped elephant bone into a reusable hammer approximately 500,000 years ago in England. The hammer was used for sharpening stone tools and demonstrates sophisticated toolmaking capabilities among ancient peoples.