NASA News

NASA Astronaut Reid Wiseman at Freedom 250 Grand Prix

NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman is seen in the two-seat IndyCar as he prepares for driver Conor Daly to take him on a lap ahead of the start of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Image credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

science  Aug 24, 2026

NASA News

MAIA Air Sensor at Work in Addis Ababa

Description This roof-mounted air sensor in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is one of 10 used by NASA’s Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) to study the city’s air quality. MAIA’s air sensors provide a detailed look at particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter, also known as PM2.5, one of the world’s deadliest forms […]

science  Aug 24, 2026

NASA News

Mapping Air Pollution With MAIA Sensors in Addis Ababa

Description This map of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, shows the locations of 10 air sensors that NASA’s Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) mission is using to provide one of the most detailed looks ever at the city’s air pollution. Over the course of three years, these sensors measured particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers or less […]

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Common medications may change your gut for years

Common medications may reshape the gut microbiome long after the last dose is taken. In a study of more than 2,500 people, researchers found lasting microbial changes linked not only to antibiotics, but also to antidepressants, beta-blockers, acid-reducing drugs, and benzodiazepines. Some effects were still detectable years later, suggesting past medication use may strongly influence the gut bacteria people carry today.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Bird flu is spreading. Your backyard feeder could make it worse

Backyard bird feeders could become unexpected hotspots for H5N1 as Australia’s bird flu outbreak spreads, bringing species together in ways that rarely occur naturally. Experts say stopping feeding is safest, while smaller amounts of food, no hand-feeding, and careful cleaning can reduce the danger.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

A ghostly ribbon of stars reveals hidden dark matter

A faint ribbon of stars around a distant galaxy has become the first globular cluster stellar stream ever identified beyond the Milky Way. Because the stars trace the galaxy’s gravity, researchers used the stream to estimate how much invisible dark matter surrounds it and how that matter is distributed. The breakthrough offers astronomers a promising new way to investigate one of the universe’s greatest mysteries.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

A tiny “rainbow on a chip” could help supercharge 6G networks

Researchers have created a tiny chip that produces a stable “rainbow” of light capable of generating multiple high-frequency signals at once, potentially boosting the speed and capacity of future 6G networks. Its extreme precision could also make it valuable for quantum timing, navigation, radar, and even space-based technologies.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Too much or too little sleep may make your body age faster

Both too little and too much sleep may be linked to faster aging throughout the body. Researchers analyzing 23 biological aging clocks found the lowest aging levels among people sleeping about 6.4 to 7.8 hours per day. Short or long sleep was also associated with numerous conditions affecting the brain, heart, lungs, metabolism, and digestive system.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Screen time at ages 1 and 6 may matter more than parents realize

More screen time during infancy and around the start of school was linked to poorer academic performance and weaker working memory years later. The findings suggest that early childhood may contain particularly sensitive windows when screen habits can have longer-lasting effects.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists just imaged the hidden quantum shape of a molecule

Researchers have found a way to create a complete 3D image of a molecule’s wavefunction, one of quantum mechanics’ most fundamental yet elusive features. By combining advanced photoelectron measurements with newly designed algorithms, the University of Göttingen team reconstructed the molecular orbital of a nanometer-sized organic molecule in remarkable detail, even resolving features smaller than the spacing between its carbon atoms.

science  Aug 24, 2026

The Guardian Science

‘Cookies’ made from plastic may be on the menu for future astronauts

Nasa-funded project uses yeasts to recycle plastics and other waste into food shaped into biscuits by 3D printersCookies produced from upcycled plastic may sound like something straight out of a dystopian sci-fi plot. But researchers say that they have succeeded in creating such a product as part of a Nasa-funded project aimed at feeding astronauts on future space missions.The technology uses specially designed yeasts to transform plastics and agricultural waste into edible proteins, fats and fl

science  Aug 24, 2026

The Guardian Science

Starwatch: Lunar eclipse to reward early risers in UK and Europe

Shadow of Earth likely to make moon glow red before dawn on 28 AugustThe early hours of Friday 28 August will reward very early risers in the UK, Europe and Africa with a fine lunar eclipse. Though not quite a total eclipse, it will transform the moon into a dramatic sight as dawn approaches.The partial eclipse begins at 3.33am BST, when the moon’s familiar full disc begins to disappear behind the shadow of the Earth. By the time the eclipse reaches its greatest extent, shortly after 5.10am, onl

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

NASA is about to launch a powerful new eye on the universe

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope has been cleared for final launch preparations ahead of a targeted August 30 liftoff aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy. The powerful new observatory will probe cosmic expansion, the history of the universe, and distant exoplanets.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Trump to award Congressional Space Medal of Honor to Artemis II astronauts

The Artemis II crew will receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor after becoming the first humans in more than 50 years to travel beyond the Moon. Their 10-day Orion mission also carried them farther into space than anyone in history.

science  Aug 24, 2026

NASA News

APOD: 2026 August 24 – Comet 220P in Outburst

APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 24 – Comet… Today’s APOD Archive Submissions Index Search Calendar RSS Education About Discuss   APOD Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Comet 220P […]

science  Aug 24, 2026

NASA News

What Lake Bonneville Left Behind

The drying of the massive lake exposed playas that became the setting for feats of engineering and technological ingenuity, as well as epic tales of exploration and desperation.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists discover a real-life “dragon” and name it after Syrax

Scientists discovered a small, yellowish mountain horned dragon in Thailand and named it Acanthosaura syrax after a dragon from House of the Dragon. Found only in a narrow band of high-elevation forest, the distinctive new species could become a flagship for protecting its rare mountain habitat.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Gut bacteria may unlock a hidden benefit of vegetables

Gut bacteria can transform nitrate and plant-based iron from vegetables and other foods into protective molecules that may benefit the heart and metabolism. In experimental models, higher levels of these compounds were linked to lower blood pressure, better blood sugar control, healthier blood vessels, and less liver fat.

science  Aug 24, 2026

The Guardian Science

Eight-year-old dies after contracting rare brain-eating amoeba in Louisiana

Lillian Smart of Ruston infected with fatal Naegleria fowleri, likely after swimming in Lake Claiborne, health officials sayAn eight-year-old Louisiana girl has died after contracting a rare, typically fatal brain-eating amoeba after a swim in Lake Claiborne.Lillian Smart, of Ruston, died on Saturday, one day after celebrating her birthday, her family announced in a public Facebook post on the “Love for Lillian” page. Continue reading...

science  Aug 23, 2026

The Guardian Science

Is this why close encounters with intelligent aliens have so far eluded us? | Letters

Readers offer their explanations for the absence of hard evidence for extraterrestrial civilisations, in response to an article by Adam KirschWhen thinking about why we have not encountered intelligent aliens yet, as Adam Kirsch does (The long read, 11 August), it seems to me that one factor gets neglected: fossil fuels. Alien life could develop intelligence on myriad planets, but to develop advanced technology that would enable them to get off‑world, they need to go through an equivalent o

science  Aug 23, 2026