Science Daily

NASA selects four new Moon missions to build a permanent lunar base

NASA is ramping up its lunar ambitions by awarding nearly $600 million for four commercial Moon landings planned for late 2028. Each mission will carry the same trio of science instruments to improve lunar navigation, study dangerous dust kicked up during landings, and map the Moon's radiation environment. The agency also revealed plans for new rovers, communication satellites, and additional cargo missions as it lays the groundwork for a permanent Moon Base.

science  Jul 14, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists discover why peach fuzz can suddenly make you itch

A newly discovered network of fine hairs and specialized nerve cells appears to form a dedicated system for sensing mechanical itch, offering fresh insight into why chronic itching occurs. Because humans show signs of having the same pathway, the research could pave the way for more effective treatments for conditions such as eczema.

science  Jul 14, 2026

NASA News

Fans of the Arctic

Sediment eroded from ice-capped mountains splays out across a broad river valley on Russia’s Severny Island.

science  Jul 14, 2026

The Guardian Science

Sale of multimillion-dollar T rex skeleton is big headache for scientists

Palaeontologists warn before auction at Sotheby’s in New York that super-rich collectors are harming researchWith its dagger-like teeth, bone-crushing bite and behemothic size, the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex ruled western North America during the late Cretaceous period. Now its fossilised remains are about to dominate the auction house, with a price tag to terrify punters.On Tuesday, one of the largest and most complete T rex skeletons discovered to date is to be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New Yo

science  Jul 14, 2026

The Guardian Science

Fungi: the invisible force protecting our planet – podcast

Scientists often talk about the importance of flora and fauna to the health of our planet, but Dr Toby Kiers, an evolutionary biologist and founder of the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, wants us to consider another force: fungi. Her work charting the planet’s vital underground systems has earned her numerous awards, including a MacArthur fellowship and a Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement (sometimes called the ‘green’ Nobel). She tells Ian Sample about her work mappin

science  Jul 14, 2026

Science Daily

Alan Turing's biggest AI assumption may have been wrong

A new book claims AI has been built on a flawed assumption dating back to Alan Turing's famous 1950 paper. Peter J. Denning argues that the most important parts of human intelligence, including common sense, intuition, culture, and practical know-how, cannot be encoded into computers. He believes this makes true human-level AI impossible, regardless of how large language models become.

science  Jul 14, 2026

Science Daily

New dark matter theory could solve multiple cosmic mysteries at once

Dark matter may be far more complicated than scientists once believed. A new study suggests it could consist of at least two different kinds of particles that slowly separate over time, with heavier particles sinking toward the centers of galaxies and lighter ones drifting outward. This simple idea could explain several puzzling cosmic observations that have frustrated astronomers for years, from unusually diffuse dwarf galaxies to surprisingly dense dark matter clumps that bend light through gr

science  Jul 14, 2026

Science Daily

Yale scientists found a hidden network inside the eye

Researchers have discovered that the retina uses an unexpected communication network that lets separate visual pathways cooperate instead of working alone. A newly identified "commander" cell appears to coordinate this system, helping the eye detect faint details that might otherwise be missed.

science  Jul 14, 2026

NASA News

Curiosity Blog, Sols 4941-4947: (Pin)Stripes on the Fourth of July

Written by Deborah Padgett, MSL Operations Product Ground System Task Lead at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Earth planning date: Thursday, July 2, 2026 Curiosity spent the week leading up to the Fourth of July holiday approaching a geologic boundary between a very smooth but somewhat sandy region and a rougher bedrock unit.  Leaving the polygonal […]

science  Jul 14, 2026

Science Daily

Exercise doesn't just strengthen the heart. It rewires it

Exercise doesn't just make the heart stronger. It also rewires the nerves that regulate it, a discovery that could pave the way for more personalized treatments for common heart conditions such as arrhythmias and angina.

science  Jul 14, 2026

NASA News

NASA Study Points to Smoother Air Taxi Rides

No one wants to get into an uncomfortable aircraft. NASA research could help the emerging industry of air taxis —small, vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft meant for short trips — understand the relationship between comfort and willingness to fly. That’s where NASA comes in, with data that can help identify how to plan air taxi rides that can […]

science  Jul 13, 2026

NASA News

NASA Astronaut Anil Menon

NASA astronaut Anil Menon poses in a spacesuit for a portrait at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas on Jan. 8, 2026. Menon will launch aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft to the International Space Station on Tuesday, July 14, accompanied by cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina, where they will join the Expedition […]

science  Jul 13, 2026

The Guardian Science

Natural sugar discovered in cloud of dust and gas near centre of Milky Way

Detection of erythrulose, also found in raspberries, shows that compounds key to life can form in interstellar spaceA natural sugar found in raspberries and used in fake tan lotions has been detected in an enormous cloud of dust and gas that lurks near the heart of the Milky Way.The discovery does not suggest that the galaxy revolves around a distant civilisation of pale, safety-conscious frugivores, but shows that compounds important for life can form in the frigid expanse between the stars. Co

science  Jul 13, 2026

NASA News

NASA’s Hubble Discovers First of Star Cluster’s Missing Black Holes

Astronomers using archival data from Hubble and supportive observations from Webb have located their first stellar-mass black hole in the star cluster Omega Centauri.

science  Jul 13, 2026

Science Daily

Losing just 80 minutes of sleep a night could make you gain weight

Sleeping about an hour and 20 minutes less each night for six weeks caused participants to gain weight and spend more time inactive. Researchers found that even mild, realistic sleep loss, similar to what many adults experience, had measurable effects. They warn that if this pattern continues over months or years, the health consequences could become much more significant, including a higher risk of diabetes and heart disease.

science  Jul 13, 2026

Science Daily

A 200-year-old physics experiment could help build future computers

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have discovered a surprisingly simple way to create exotic light structures called optical skyrmions using a 200-year-old optical effect known as the Poisson spot. Instead of relying on expensive, highly engineered materials, they simply shine a laser at a tiny circular disc, producing stable swirling patterns in light that researchers believe could one day help power advanced data storage, communications, and computing technologies.

science  Jul 13, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists discovered the brain doesn't make decisions the way we thought

A new study suggests the brain begins making decisions much earlier than scientists previously thought. Researchers found that even primary sensory regions are influenced by higher brain areas through rapid feedback loops, rather than simply passing information forward. This more dynamic view of brain function could help engineers design future AI systems that think more like biological brains while using far less power.

science  Jul 13, 2026

Science Daily

Why are healthy young non-smokers developing lung cancer?

An unexpected study found that young non-smokers with healthier diets had higher rates of lung cancer, raising questions about whether pesticide exposure from conventionally grown produce could play a role. Researchers stress that the findings are preliminary and require further studies before any conclusions can be drawn.

science  Jul 13, 2026

Science Daily

Stephen Hawking's black hole laws just got a major upgrade

Scientists have developed a new framework that could finally apply the laws of thermodynamics to real, ever-changing black holes instead of only perfectly stable ones. The advance may improve our understanding of black hole mergers, evaporation, and the powerful gravitational wave events detected by observatories like LIGO.

science  Jul 13, 2026

Science Daily

Where you live could shape your dementia risk, massive study finds

Researchers analyzing data from more than 214,000 people found that dementia risk factors differ widely across countries, challenging the idea of a one-size-fits-all prevention strategy. At the same time, they uncovered surprisingly consistent patterns that could help shape smarter, more targeted public health efforts.

science  Jul 13, 2026