Recent reporting, background, and summaries from the science desk.
NASA is conducting a crucial second wet dress rehearsal for its Artemis 2 mission, a high-stakes fueling test designed to resolve persistent hydrogen leaks and other issues that plagued a previous attempt. This intensive 50-hour countdown, involving over 700,000 gallons of supercold propellants, is a vital step toward the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 and will determine the feasibility of a March launch for the four astronauts.
American biologist Toby Kiers has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, often dubbed the "Nobel of the Environment," for her groundbreaking research into the vital role of plant and fungal networks in soil. Her nearly three decades of work have illuminated their global impact on carbon regulation and biodiversity, inspiring her advocacy for integrating this "invisible biodiversity" into climate action plans, an effort recognized with a $250,000 prize.
Scientists have potentially discovered an ultra-fast pulsar near Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's center, completing a rotation every 8.19 milliseconds. This remarkable find offers a unique opportunity to study space-time under extreme gravitational forces, potentially yielding crucial insights into Einstein's General Theory of Relativity.
Antarctica's only native insect, *Belgica antarctica*, has been discovered ingesting microplastics in the wild, a stark revelation that even the planet's most isolated ecosystems are not immune to pervasive plastic pollution. Although lab tests showed short-term survival, higher microplastic exposure led to reduced fat reserves in the larvae, indicating potential hidden energy costs and underscoring the far-reaching impact of human waste.
Forget what you thought you knew about yawning; new research suggests this common reflex is actually a vital mechanism for cooling the brain and clearing waste products. This crucial process involves a rapid pulse of blood to the brain via neck arteries, effectively flushing out old fluid to make way for a fresh supply.
New data from dark-energy observatories and a Cornell physicist's calculations suggest the universe may not expand indefinitely, potentially heading towards a "big crunch." This groundbreaking research predicts the cosmos will reach its maximum size in 11 billion years before collapsing back in on itself around 20 billion years from now, overturning the long-held belief in eternal expansion.
Scientists have identified N4BP2, an enzyme responsible for chromothripsis—a chaotic chromosome-shattering event prevalent in approximately one in four cancers—which allows tumors to rapidly adapt and resist treatment. This groundbreaking discovery offers a promising new therapeutic target, as blocking N4BP2 significantly reduced this genomic destruction in laboratory cancer cells.
A groundbreaking NHS-backed initiative, GlobalMinds, is inviting 49,000 individuals across England and Wales to participate in the world's largest mental health study. This three-year project will analyze DNA and medical records to develop personalized treatments for severe mental illnesses like schizophrenia, aiming to revolutionize diagnosis and significantly improve patient outcomes.
Astronomers have directly observed a massive star collapse into a black hole without a supernova explosion, an unprecedented event that challenges existing theories of stellar evolution. This groundbreaking discovery of star M31-2014-DS1 in the Andromeda galaxy offers crucial insights into black hole formation, marking a significant scientific milestone.
An archaeological excavation in England has unearthed a Viking Age mass grave containing ten dismembered individuals and a remarkably tall man who survived ancient brain surgery for a pituitary tumor. This grim discovery near Cambridge, hinting at a violent end during 9th-century Anglo-Saxon and Viking conflicts, offers invaluable insights into both brutal historical events and surprisingly advanced medical practices of the era.
Dr. Aaron Williams of Vanderbilt University Medical Center has been recognized on the prestigious 2026 TIME100 Health list for his revolutionary REUP technique, which extends donor heart viability from four to an unprecedented twelve hours. This groundbreaking method promises to dramatically increase the availability of life-saving organs, offering new hope to thousands awaiting heart transplants globally.
Scientists at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology have made a groundbreaking discovery, identifying QT45, a tiny RNA molecule capable of self-replication. This exciting finding significantly strengthens the "RNA World" hypothesis, suggesting life could have spontaneously emerged from simpler chemical building blocks on Earth and potentially other planets.