Science Daily

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope launches to reveal the Universe’s darkest secrets

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope has launched on a million mile journey to L2, where it will scan huge portions of the cosmos for clues about dark matter, dark energy, and distant worlds. With survey speeds roughly 1,000 times faster than Hubble and a torrent of 1.4 terabytes of data per day, Roman could uncover cosmic surprises astronomers have never seen before.

science  Aug 31, 2026

The Guardian Science

Can you solve it? The fin-tastic fish puzzle

Can you think in 3D?Today’s puzzle concerns a fish swimming in a tank that is two metres high, one metre across and one metre deep.The image below shows one path the fish swam. Continue reading...

science  Aug 31, 2026

The Guardian Science

Starwatch: Sagitta’s arrow shape makes it easy to see against a dark sky

The third-smallest constellation can be found partway along one of the imaginary lines of the summer triangleWe are on the hunt for another small, northern summer constellation this week: Sagitta, the arrow. Although it consists of just a handful of faint stars, Sagitta’s distinctive shape (it really does look like an arrow) makes it easy to identify against a dark sky.The chart shows the view looking up towards the zenith while facing south from London at 22.30 BST on Monday. Continue reading..

science  Aug 31, 2026

Science Daily

Rocky planets may have formed just 100 million years after the Big Bang

Rocky planets may have been able to start forming just 100 million years after the Big Bang, thanks to enormous early supernovae that scattered planet-building elements across space. Simulations found enough solid material and water around a young star to suggest that Earth-like worlds could have appeared far earlier than previously believed.

science  Aug 31, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists discover diamonds can generate electricity

Diamond was thought to be incapable of producing electricity through mechanical deformation, but ultrathin flexible diamond membranes have now shown a strong and repeatable piezoelectric effect. The unexpected discovery could open the door to diamond-powered sensors, tiny energy systems, and self-powered medical implants.

science  Aug 31, 2026

NASA News

APOD: 2026 August 31 – Launch of the Roman Space Telescope

APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 31 –… 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. To view this […]

science  Aug 31, 2026

The Guardian Science

Forbidden planet: was Pluto’s 2006 demotion a big mistake?

Since it was stripped of planetary status, Pluto’s defenders have been fighting the decision – and they’re only getting more passionateTwenty years ago, Pluto got demoted. After a vote by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in August 2006, Pluto was relegated from major planet to dwarf planet status. Our solar system dropped from nine planets to eight. At the time, many scientists were unhappy with the decision. Two decades on, the debate is, if anything, even more polarised.“The definiti

science  Aug 31, 2026

Science Daily

1.4-million-year-old footprints reveal a surprisingly large human relative

Ancient footprints in Kenya reveal that eight Paranthropus boisei may have traveled together 1.4 million years ago, with some individuals reaching surprisingly large, human-like body sizes. The tracks offer a rare glimpse of their social behavior and suggest these extinct human relatives may have lived in more complex groups than previously thought.

science  Aug 30, 2026

Science Daily

This strange “spacetime crystal” can suddenly become a black hole

Physicists have mathematically captured a bizarre “spacetime crystal” that can either dissolve or collapse into a microscopic black hole after only a tiny change in energy. Their breakthrough came from an unusual trick involving infinitely many dimensions, potentially giving researchers a new tool for studying primordial and microscopic black holes.

science  Aug 30, 2026

NASA News

Ribbon-Cutting Event for NASA Deep Space Network’s Deep Space Station 23

Description Leadership from NASA Headquarters, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Deep Space Network (DSN) stand in front of the recently completed Deep Space Station 23 antenna at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, on Aug. 25, 2026.  From left: Germaine Aziz (project manager, DSN Aperture Enhancement Project, JPL); Bradford Arnold (manager, […]

science  Aug 30, 2026

NASA News

NASA Deep Space Network’s New Goldstone Antenna Goes Online

Description Long shadows are cast by the recently completed Deep Space Station 23 at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, in August 2026. A 34-meter (114-foot) multifrequency beam-waveguide antenna, DSS-23 will boost the DSN’s capacity and enhance NASA’s deep space communications capabilities for decades to come. NASA leadership and personnel as well […]

science  Aug 30, 2026

NASA News

Panorama Showcasing the 34-Meter Antennas of the DSN’s Goldstone Complex

Description Five antennas soak in the summer sun at the Deep Space Network’s Goldstone complex near Barstow, California, in August 2026. The recently completed Deep Space Station 23, a 34-meter (114-foot) beam-waveguide antenna, can be seen to the right of the frame in the foreground. The other three 34-meter antennas are, from left, DSS-26, DSS-25, and […]

science  Aug 30, 2026

Science Daily

Common supplements rival antibiotics for severe gum disease

Omega-3 and low-dose aspirin matched the effectiveness of antibiotics in a year-long study of patients with severe gum disease, with both approaches helping about 58% reach the treatment goal. The unexpected result could point to a new way to treat some patients while reducing reliance on antibiotics and the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.

science  Aug 30, 2026

Science Daily

IBM quantum computer solves classically intractable problem in 15 minutes

IBM and University of Chicago researchers have completed a quantum computation that leading classical methods could not practically reproduce. The system used 70 error-corrected logical qubits and finished the task in roughly 15 minutes while also providing statistical evidence that the result was reliable.

science  Aug 30, 2026

Science Daily

HEPA air purifiers may boost brain function after just one month

Adults aged 40 and older performed about 12% faster on a test of executive function after using a HEPA air purifier at home for one month. The findings suggest that cleaner indoor air could offer a simple way to help protect the brain from the effects of traffic-related pollution.

science  Aug 30, 2026

NASA News

NASA’s Dark Universe-Seeking Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Launches

Now on a three-month, million-mile journey to its final orbit, NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will soon reveal the universe’s darkest secrets. The mission launched at 7:26 a.m. EDT Sunday aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Roman pairs a large field of […]

science  Aug 30, 2026

Science Daily

Hundreds of hidden earthquakes found at Antarctica’s Doomsday Glacier

Hundreds of previously overlooked seismic events have been detected beneath Antarctica, including 245 near the marine edge of the Thwaites Glacier. Many appear to be glacial earthquakes caused when huge icebergs break off, capsize, and collide with the glacier. The surge in activity coincided with a period when Thwaites was flowing faster toward the ocean, hinting that changing ocean conditions may be destabilizing the ice.

science  Aug 30, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists discover a massive heat anomaly deep inside Mars

Mars has a hidden temperature divide, with its southern interior potentially hundreds of degrees hotter than the north and partially molten. The discovery could help explain several long-standing Martian mysteries, including unusual magnetism, seismic behavior, and clues to the planet’s ancient water history.

science  Aug 30, 2026

Science Daily

A new recipe unlocks “impossible” nanocrystals for LEDs, implants, and superconductors

Scientists have cracked a long-standing chemistry problem, creating nanocrystals from tough metal nitrides that were previously extremely difficult to produce at this scale. The breakthrough could turn familiar materials used in LEDs, implants, and superconductors into building blocks for flexible electronics, printable devices, and other technologies.

science  Aug 30, 2026

Science Daily

Seven new frog species were hiding beneath Madagascar’s forest floor

Scientists have discovered seven new species of Madagascar’s elusive diamond frogs, using DNA from modern and century-old museum specimens to solve a long-running biological puzzle. The findings reveal surprising hidden diversity and could help protect these little-known amphibians as their forest habitats disappear.

science  Aug 30, 2026