Science Daily

Women taking estrogen had fewer signs of Alzheimer’s in their brains

Women who used estrogen-only hormone therapy later in life were less likely to develop dementia and showed fewer signs of Alzheimer’s disease in their brains, according to a large study of more than 21,000 participants. Hormone therapy use was linked to 39% lower odds of a dementia diagnosis and 35% lower odds of Alzheimer’s-related brain changes at autopsy, including amyloid plaques and tau tangles. Biomarker tests also suggested less amyloid buildup among hormone therapy users.

science  Aug 14, 2026

Science Daily

Paleontology rocked by organic molecules found in 66-million-year-old dinosaur bones

Researchers have found strong evidence that original collagen can survive inside dinosaur fossils for tens of millions of years, overturning a long-standing assumption about fossilization. The discovery could unlock hidden molecular clues about dinosaur biology, evolution, and how ancient proteins managed to survive for so long.

science  Aug 14, 2026

Science Daily

The Atlantic Ocean can handle more warming than expected — with one big catch

Scientists have found that the AMOC may be far more vulnerable to rapid warming than to temperature alone. When warming happens slowly, the ocean can adapt, but at faster rates similar to today’s, the massive Atlantic circulation could reach a tipping point at much lower temperatures.

science  Aug 14, 2026

The Guardian Science

From toxic blooms to dead zones, how wildfires transform oceans and lakes

Wildfire smoke and ash can reshape aquatic ecosystems long after the flames have been extinguishedWildfires are an increasing problem in Europe and elsewhere. While their immediate effect on air quality is obvious, they can also trigger less visible but significant environmental effects, including algal blooms.An algal bloom is the rapid growth of algae and other plant-like microorganisms. These blooms can become so dense that they change the colour of the lake and seas. Although most are harmle

science  Aug 14, 2026

Science Daily

Neptune’s tiny moons may be the wreckage of shattered ancient worlds

JWST has uncovered surprising clues that Neptune’s strange inner moons may be the wreckage of an ancient cosmic catastrophe. Researchers detected clay-like minerals on Larissa, Galatea, and Neptune’s rings that form in the presence of liquid water—yet the moons themselves show no obvious water ice. The material likely came from deep inside much larger icy moons that were shattered when Triton was captured by Neptune, destroying much of the planet’s original satellite system.

science  Aug 14, 2026

Science Daily

A massive new cosmic map is revealing black holes, rare stars, and hidden gas

Astronomers have released more than three million new spectra in a sweeping expansion that, for the first time, brings SDSS-V optical observations to the Southern Hemisphere. The data reveal everything from rare stars and glowing nebulae to hundreds of thousands of X-ray sources and supermassive black holes changing over time.

science  Aug 14, 2026

NASA News

APOD: 2026 August 14 – Total Solar Eclipse from Greenland

APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 14 – Total… 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. Total Solar […]

science  Aug 14, 2026

NASA News

A Sunflower’s View of Totality

The Moon slid between the Sun and Earth to produce a stunning celestial show visible from Spain in August 2026.

science  Aug 14, 2026

The Guardian Science

Experience: I found my long-lost twin aged 49

The joy, disbelief and shock of discovering I had a brother the same age as me came with a million questions. How were we separated and why?In 1975, my parents saw an advert in their local Australian newspaper. With the Vietnam war coming to an end, thousands of orphaned children were being evacuated. As part of the American-led Operation Babylift, the Australian government was looking for families who would adopt them. My parents decided to do it.I arrived in Adelaide in April in a shoebox

science  Aug 14, 2026

Science Daily

This common vitamin deficiency becomes far more dangerous when paired with belly fat

A large study of more than 5,500 adults over 50 found a striking combination of risk factors: abdominal obesity paired with vitamin D deficiency was linked to a 123% higher risk of death over six years. Each condition was associated with increased risk on its own, but together they appeared to create a dangerous feedback loop, with belly fat reducing the amount of vitamin D available in the bloodstream while low vitamin D may worsen inflammation and other health problems.

science  Aug 14, 2026

NASA News

NASA’s 737 Reveals New Paint

NASA’s 737 aircraft was painted this week in Oklahoma as it progresses with modifications for use as a reduced gravity test aircraft for the agency. NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, took ownership of the aircraft from the United States Air Force in June.  The aircraft will perform lunar-gravity parabolic flights to validate […]

science  Aug 13, 2026

NASA News

For West Virginia Engineer, Home Is Where the Heart Is… and NASA, Too

Growing up in Grafton, West Virginia, engrossed in Star Wars and all things science fiction, Fletcher Newell had an early interest in space exploration. That interest only grew when, in 2013, his fourth-grade class took a field trip to a nearby NASA facility he had not yet heard of – NASA’s Katherine Johnson Independent Verification […]

science  Aug 13, 2026

The Guardian Science

The Guardian view on solar eclipses: moments of wonder that bring us together | Editorial

Wednesday’s eerie spectacle united crowds beneath the sky, continuing a human fascination that stretches from ancient myth to modern physics“I’d describe it as a magical eeriness.” Lisa Redfern’s description to the Guardian conveys the combination of beauty and wrongness that accompanied Wednesday’s partial solar eclipse in Britain. Crowds across the country assembled as the sun’s power seemed to wane, twilight changed tone abruptly, the temperature fell and the familiar landscape took on an unn

science  Aug 13, 2026

The Guardian Science

‘Colander sales jumped nearly 40%’: How Britons viewed the solar eclipse

Safety advice was followed by almost all the public but the historic event left behind huge quantities of litter and abandoned Lime bikesIt started with the glasses, as people desperate to see the most complete eclipse in decades formed long queues for the proper protective eyewear. Then, when they sold out almost everywhere, they came for the colanders.Sales of the kitchen staple, which could be used to safely view the partial solar eclipse that enraptured millions, increased markedly, retailer

science  Aug 13, 2026

The Guardian Science

The mindblowing invertebrates you have never heard of – video

Each year the Guardian runs a competition to find the invertebrate of the year. To find out more about the 2026 nominees science editor Ian Sample hears from climate reporter Petra Stock, environment reporter Oliver Milman and Science Weekly co-host Madeleine Finlay. They each nominate an incredible invertebrate that you might never have heard of, and argue why their choice should come top. Vote for your favourite now and the winner will be unveiled on 17 August Continue reading...

science  Aug 13, 2026

The Guardian Science

‘The colander worked best!’ Guardian readers share their experience of the solar eclipse

Readers recall the breathtaking sight and community spirit of the rare celestial treat – and the handmade contraptions they saw it throughOn Wednesday evening, millions of people in Europe watched a rare solar eclipse. We asked some of them to share their photographs and experiences of this celestial treat. Here are some of their responses. Continue reading...

science  Aug 13, 2026

NASA News

Perseids Meteor Shower

The constellation Orion is framed by two Perseid meteors in this photo from Aug. 12, 2018, in Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah. The Perseids – one of the year’s brightest and most popular meteor showers – has been ramping up since early July and will sparkle in the skies through the end of August. The […]

science  Aug 13, 2026

Science Daily

One faulty gene copy can make the heart’s DNA fold the wrong way

Researchers have discovered that a gene linked to congenital heart disease acts like an architect for the heart cell’s DNA. Losing just one copy of TBX5 can cause the genome’s carefully folded 3D structure to unravel, disrupting the genes needed to build a healthy heart. The effects can vary from cell to cell, which may help explain why people with the same mutation develop different heart defects. The same hidden mechanism could also play a role in other birth defects.

science  Aug 13, 2026

Science Daily

NASA’s Perseverance rover watches Earth vanish from the surface of Mars

NASA’s Perseverance rover caught a striking first from Mars: Earth disappearing behind the tiny moon Phobos. Seen from nearly 195 million miles away, our planet was reduced to a single point of light before briefly vanishing behind Phobos. The rare alignment created an unusual cosmic portrait of Earth as seen from another planet.

science  Aug 13, 2026

Science Daily

JWST spots a bizarre “black hole star” 100 billion times brighter than a star

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered a bizarre object from just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang that looks like an enormous star but shines far too brightly to actually be one. The mysterious red object, dubbed a “black hole star,” may contain a black hole about 100,000 times the mass of the Sun wrapped inside a dense, star-like cocoon of hydrogen roughly the size of our solar system.

science  Aug 13, 2026