It's happening: Historic Moon mission set for launch
On Wednesday three men and one woman are set to embark on the first crewed journey to the moon since 1972, a landmark odyssey that aims to launch the US into a new era of space exploration.
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Saturn's magnetic bubble is lopsided compared to Earth's, suggests new study
Saturn's magnetic shield is asymmetrical compared to Earth's, suggests a new study involving University College London (UCL) researchers, and this is likely a result of its fast rotation coupled with the heavy material it pulls around it.
Florida tourists gather to 'witness history' ahead of Moon launch
Jason Heath had ventured with his family from northeastern Maine to the Sunshine State for a vacation—but soon found out they were set to "witness history" with the launch of NASA's Artemis 2 mission.
Scientists open 40-year-old salmon and find a surprising sign of ocean recovery
Old canned salmon turned out to be a time capsule of ocean health. Researchers found that rising levels of tiny parasitic worms in some salmon species suggest stronger, more complete marine food webs. Because these parasites depend on multiple hosts—including marine
Moon rocket and weather are on NASA's side for the first astronaut launch in decades
After weeks of fuel leaks and other issues, NASA faced a trouble-free countdown Tuesday on the eve of astronauts' first trip to the moon in more than half a century.
Scientists just found DNA “supergenes” that speed up evolution
Hidden within fish DNA are powerful genetic twists that may explain one of nature’s biggest mysteries: how new species form so quickly. In Lake Malawi, hundreds of cichlid fish species evolved at lightning speed, and scientists now think “flipped” sections of DNA—called
Women are being shut out of workplaces because of a hidden time gap, new research shows
Women are missing out at work not just because of pay gaps or bias, but because they simply do not have the same time as men to compete. That is the conclusion of a new study co-authored by Professor Toyin Adisa of the University of East London, published in the International
How squid survived Earth’s biggest extinction and took over the oceans
Scientists have finally cracked a long-standing mystery about squid and cuttlefish evolution by analyzing newly sequenced genomes alongside global datasets. The research reveals that these bizarre, intelligent creatures likely originated deep in the ocean over 100 million years
Why has it taken so long to return to the moon?
At 13:24:59 Central Standard Time on December 19, 1972, the Apollo 17 command module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, about 350 nautical miles southeast of Samoa, concluding the last mission to the moon.
NASA’s asteroid Bennu sample reveals a hidden chemical patchwork
Scientists studying Bennu samples have discovered that its chemistry is far from uniform. Organic compounds and minerals cluster into three distinct types of regions, each shaped differently by past water activity. This uneven pattern shows that water altered the asteroid in a
Scientists turn MXene into tiny nanoscrolls that supercharge batteries and sensors
Scientists have transformed a groundbreaking 2D nanomaterial called MXene into an even more powerful 1D form—tiny scroll-like tubes that are incredibly thin yet highly conductive. By rolling flat sheets into hollow nanoscrolls, they’ve created structures that act like fast
Inside the high-stakes decisions of the NFL draft
On NFL draft day, every team has the chance to win—or lose—big. With millions of dollars on the line and just minutes to make a final decision on each pick, a single choice can shape a franchise for years. Carnegie Mellon University experts said those intense moments offer a
Why a social media ban for teenagers misses the point
Taylor Little became so badly addicted to her smartphone that she felt she had lost many of her teenage years. "I was literally trapped by addiction at age 12 and lost my teenage years because of it," she said. Her addiction was to social media, which led to suicide attempts
'One Plant Health Concept' connects tradition and technology to address plant diseases in Africa
An article published in CABI Agriculture and Bioscience calls for a diverse, participatory approach that combines indigenous, local knowledge systems with modern technologies to tackle plant diseases and strengthen food security in Africa. This comprehensive review proposes a
Seven missions launched to test optimized data transfer from space
Eight CubeSats and one payload supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) have reached orbit, where they will demonstrate various applications aimed at improving how data is sent around and processed. Thanks to these demonstrations, practical and—sometimes—even life-saving
Uranus mission concept CASMIUS to probe ice giant secrets
The ice giant Uranus is one of the most fascinating objects in the solar system, with its sideways rotation, intricate ring system, and unique family of moons. However, it is also one of the least explored objects in the solar system, owing to its extreme distance from the sun.
The Students Who Believe Practice Makes Perfect Get Pretty Perfect Grades
There’s a reason it’s a popular aphorism The post The Students Who Believe Practice Makes Perfect Get Pretty Perfect Grades appeared first on Nautilus .
Great hammerheads maintain peak hunting across wide temperature swings, biologging data suggest
Most predators slow down when ocean temperatures shift. Great hammerhead sharks don't—not significantly anyway. These ocean predators are masters of the "thermal hustle," maintaining peak hunting performance across a surprisingly wide range of ocean temperatures between winter
How medieval chess created a space in which players, regardless of race, could engage as equals
In the medieval European imagination, racial difference was often highly polarized. Black people were perceived either as exotic status symbols—including saints and wealthy rulers such as the Queen of Sheba—or as subjugated figures, considered inferior to white Christians.
Targeting the tiniest divide: Research reveals potential vulnerability in bacterial reproduction
A Université de Montréal study has found a previously unknown mechanism in bacterial reproduction that could be attacked by future antibiotics. Bacteria reproduce by dividing into two: they form a wall, or septum, between the two future cells while remodeling the old cell walls
Racetrack-shaped lasers developed for bright, stable frequency combs
A new, miniature laser source developed by applied physicists in the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and the Technical University of Vienna (TU Wien) could soon pack the power of a laboratory-based spectrometer—an important workhorse
Introducing a new citizen science nature app that's geared towards the scientific community
Identifying weeds, checking out the pollen map, or discovering new plant life-forms are among the promising wealth of data available to users of PlantNet—a "Shazam!" for plants. Pierre Bonnet and computer scientist Alexis Joly introduced us to the digitally enhanced plant
NASA probe data suggests a more complex sun's magnetic engine
A Southwest Research Institute-led study found that protons and heavy ions react differently to solar magnetic reconnection events, revealing a more complex magnetic engine powering the solar wind. Magnetic reconnection converts magnetic energy into explosive kinetic energy,
Engineers introduce first synthetic charged domain wall in 2D material
In a first for the field, materials scientists from The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have interfaced two materials to artificially generate a highly conductive ferroelectric charged domain wall. Led by associate professor of
Why measuring pain could reveal more about well-being than GDP
Anna spends most of her workday typing on her laptop. After a few hours, she starts rubbing her wrists as her pain sets in. A glance at her desk reveals the painkillers that she uses to ease her discomfort. And for John, his neck pain sets in every time he listens to the news
Chiral metasurfaces guide twisted light into free space
Light can carry angular momentum in two distinct ways. One comes from polarization, which describes how the electric field rotates. The other comes from the shape of the wavefront itself, which can twist like a corkscrew as it travels. This second form, known as orbital angular
Crushing soda cans and the mathematics of corrugation formation
Many people have likely found themselves watching oddly satisfying videos of random objects being squashed by a powerful hydraulic press, but rarely do people consider why things squash the way they do. One object that caught the eye of researchers at The University of
The Big-Game Elephants Neanderthals Hunted for Food
A prehistoric butcher bonanza uncovered on an ancient German lakeshore The post The Big-Game Elephants Neanderthals Hunted for Food appeared first on Nautilus .
Income rank predicts well-being worldwide, but social capital can buffer its effects
An individual's position in the income hierarchy is a stronger predictor of well-being than either how much they earn or how large the income gap is between them and others, finds new research from the University of Leeds, the University of Oxford and the University of Warwick.
Artemis II's long countdown: A space historian explains why it has taken over 50 years to return to the moon
While I was leading a tour of the National Air and Space Museum in January 2026, a visitor posed this insightful question: "Why has it taken so long to return to the moon?"
Reservoirs are changing: What Landsat data reveal about water loss and gain
Communities worldwide rely on reservoirs for drinking water, hydroelectric power, irrigation, and more. These critical freshwater resources are affected by seasonal and long-term changes; water levels in reservoirs can dip during hot summer months or due to prolonged drought,
Targeting tumor supporting cells: Lipid nanoparticles advance CAR T success in pancreatic cancer
Often diagnosed when surgery is no longer an option, pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat and has one of the lowest rates of survival among major malignancies. Like many solid tumors, the most common type of pancreatic cancer, pancreatic ductal
Conductive hydrogel enables electrical and biochemical signal control
Many emerging medical technologies rely on seamless integration between biological systems and electronics. This requires materials that are soft, electrically conductive, and biologically active—properties that have been difficult to combine in a single system. Research teams
Physicist recreates neutron star reaction, reveals how explosive stars forge elements
A Mississippi State physicist has produced a direct laboratory measurement of a key nuclear reaction believed to occur during explosive bursts on neutron stars. These bursts forge heavier elements—the building blocks of planets and life on Earth. The findings appear in The
Anisotropic 2D crystal with hyperbolic localized plasmon resonances unlocks additional degree of freedom
Recent advancements in nanophotonics are moving beyond isotropic noble metals to achieve dynamic and directional control over plasmons. Conventional localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) are limited by their isotropic permittivity and geometry-dependent resonance tuning.
Forest soil on doormats rebalances urban homes' indoor microbiome, study suggests
Introducing forest soil on an entryway doormat shifted the indoor microbiome of Finnish homes closer to bacterial profiles found outdoors, with less contribution from human-associated bacteria, a new study shows. In the future, such interventions rebalancing the home microbiome
How California's war on smog and its ambitious car pollution rules made everyone's air cleaner
Cars on the road today are 99% cleaner than they were in 1970. Air quality in the United States is much, much better as a result. In Los Angeles, where I live, lead levels in the air were 50 times higher in the 1970s than today, and the amount of lead in kids' blood has
Huge quantities of German ammunition lie at the bottom of Norwegian lakes
The stockpile of German ammunition left in Norway in 1945 could have been cleared and dismantled by the Germans. Norway declined the offer and began dumping it in Lake Mjøsa and other lakes instead.
Say what? New study debunks belief that introverts are better listeners
New Minnesota Carlson research debunks the idea that introverts are better listeners than extroverts. In fact, extroverts may have a slight perceived advantage as listeners. The study authors suggest moving past personality-based assumptions to develop listening as a skill.
Only 20 years left to stop spiraling decline in British biodiversity, according to study
There is a closing 20-year window in which decisions on climate and land use will determine the fate of dozens of native birds, butterflies and plants across Great Britain, which is already one of the most nature-depleted countries globally. That is the warning in a new study
Treating fiscal and climate risks as separate threats leads to dangerous underestimation, researchers warn
Climate change is a threat to countries' macroeconomic and fiscal stability. Extreme weather events exacerbated by global warming alone are costing the world $143 billion every year. However, measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change can also pose a risk to fiscal
Climate change may produce 'fast-food' phytoplankton
We are what we eat. And in the ocean, most life-forms source their food from phytoplankton. These microscopic, plant-like algae are the primary food source for krill, sea snails, some small fish, and jellyfish, which in turn feed larger marine animals that are prey for the
Winning feels good. Does it change how we feel about democracy?
Politics are rife with emotions. But new research from the University of Georgia suggests emotions alone may not determine whether people are satisfied with democracy.
A Very Unscientific History of Scientific Hoaxes
The past, present, and future of academic deception The post A Very Unscientific History of Scientific Hoaxes appeared first on Nautilus .
Tracking the footsteps of West Africa's prehistoric metalworkers
The discovery of a 2,400-year-old metalworking workshop in Senegal provides new insights into the history of iron production in Africa. Despite decades of archaeological research, the origins of iron metallurgy in sub-Saharan Africa remain largely unclear. Yet this
College students struggle to identify problematic gray zones in academic practice, study finds
Students across education levels have a blind spot for identifying situations that might bring their academic integrity into questionable territory, a study finds. When navigating questions on citation, collaboration, and data collection, students in higher education struggle
Eat more plant-based protein instead of meat, top heart health body says, contradicting RFK, Jr.
These guidelines reinforce the importance of whole grains and fruit and vegetables but clash with the government’s latest nutrition advice on red meat
The Earth is rearranging history
Deep below the surface of Murujuga, soil expands and contracts from the passage of water. Each wetting cycle is like a sodden breath from lungs holding fragments of stone and shell. Stone artifacts from millennia of Aboriginal life are pushed up slowly, maybe only a few
Canada's ocean economy is at risk as climate change hits ecosystems
Communities dependent on Canada's blue economy will face growing challenges to their livelihoods as climate change fundamentally alters the country's marine environment, according to new Simon Fraser University research. The four-year study published in Regional Studies in
Impacts from meteors may have helped start life on Earth by creating hydrothermal vents
Meteor impacts may have helped spark life on Earth, creating hot, chemical-rich environments where the first living cells could take shape, according to research integrated by a recent Rutgers University graduate. Shea Cinquemani, who earned her bachelor's degree from the
