BREAKING NEWS: Science (2)

Taylor Swift's Accent Is the Subject of Some Research

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0000

A new study confirms that Taylor Swift's accent has noticeably shifted over the course of her career, mirroring changes in her music and home base. Researchers analyzed more than 100 minutes of Swift's interviews from three key periods, per Scientific American : her early days near Nashville, in 2008; her pop...

Why Brittle Bones Aren’t Just a Woman’s Problem

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 14:55:21 +0000

More men are now living long enough to develop osteoporosis. But few are aware of the risk, and fewer still are screened and treated.

There's a Push Growing to Split the Autism Spectrum

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 12:30:00 +0000

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. maintains that the US is in the midst of an epidemic of autism, pointing to controversial theories such as vaccines as a factor. But while it's true that autism cases have risen sharply in the last few decades, critics see a different reason at...

Jeff Bezos makes bold prediction: The next data centres will be built in space

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 11:18:31 +0000

Jeff Bezos predicts space-based data centers within 10-20 years, leveraging uninterrupted solar power for unmatched efficiency. These orbital facilities would revolutionize AI training and cloud computing, overcoming terrestrial limitations. He believes technological advances will make them feasible despite high costs, comparing AI's boom to the internet's early surge.

How Private Equity Oversees the Ethics of Drug Research

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 09:00:13 +0000

Many drug trials are vetted by companies with ties to the drugmakers, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and patient safety.

NASA shuts down: Why the oldest space agency has stopped functioning amid crucial operations

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 06:24:08 +0000

NASA scales back most operations due to a US government funding deadlock. This action impacts many ongoing projects. Essential tasks like monitoring astronauts on the ISS continue. However, research and mission planning face delays. Programmes like Artemis could see postponed timelines. Past shutdowns show similar disruptions. This situation affects global scientific collaboration.

Scientists uncover evidence that Saturn’s moon Enceladus could have conditions suitable for life

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 05:30:00 +0000

Saturn's moon Enceladus, with its vast subsurface ocean, has revealed organic molecules in its icy plumes, crucial building blocks for life. Reanalyzed Cassini data confirms a chemically active environment, making Enceladus a prime candidate for extraterrestrial life. This discovery, alongside potential oceans on other moons like Mimas, suggests habitable worlds are more common than previously thought.

Why blue is rare in nature: Science, examples, and evolution

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 05:30:00 +0000

Blue is remarkably rare in nature because true blue pigments are almost non-existent in living organisms. Instead, most natural blue results from structural coloration, where microscopic arrangements scatter light. This complex process, along with chemical challenges and high energy costs, explains its scarcity across plants, animals, and minerals, making it a source of human fascination.

Phyllis Gardner, Early Skeptic of Theranos, Dies at 75

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 05:04:29 +0000

A pharmacologist, she was certain Elizabeth Holmes’s blood-testing idea would fail, and spoke up about it. At first, few listened.

Comet 3I/ATLAS: Rare interstellar visitor speeds through solar system at 130,000 mph, passing Mars and Jupiter

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 04:19:48 +0000

An interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, is speeding through our solar system in 2025, marking only the third such visitor. Traveling at 130,000 mph, it will make close approaches to Mars and Jupiter, offering scientists a rare chance. ESA and NASA missions will observe its unique composition to unlock secrets of interstellar chemistry and planetary formation beyond our Sun.

Kennedy’s Ties to Ally Leading Vaccine Lawsuits Raise Ethical Concerns

Sat, 04 Oct 2025 01:11:20 +0000

Aaron Siri is leading legal efforts on policies that dovetail with parts of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s government agenda.

Ant Yogurt Is a Traditional Recipe That Crawls on 6 Legs

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 23:04:44 +0000

Scientists recreated a formula involving ants and milk that is used in Bulgarian villages to yield yogurt with an herbaceous flavor.

Here's How Many Buildings Are Threatened by Rising Seas

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 22:15:00 +0000

That rising seas could threaten some coastal buildings is no surprise—but just how many may startle you. A sweeping new study that looks specifically at the Global South—so along the coasts of Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America—warns that tens of millions of buildings could...

SpaceX plans 11th test of Starship later this month from South Texas

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 22:14:57 +0000

SpaceX is planning the 11th flight test of the 403-foot-tall Starship, the most powerful rocket ever developed, as early as Oct. 13 from South Texas.

Energy Dept. Cancels $7.5 Billion for Hundreds of Projects, Mostly in Blue States

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 22:07:22 +0000

The cuts largely affect Democratic-led states as the two parties fight over the shutdown of the federal government.

This week in science: Fly migration, a surprise in the Amazon and fish noises

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 20:52:40 +0000

Hosts of NPR's science podcast discuss new findings about long-distance fly migration, an unexpected impact of emissions in the Amazon, and fish noises.

Jane Goodall: A Life in Pictures

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 19:34:08 +0000

The primatologist gained scientific acclaim for her work with chimpanzees and then later used her fame to champion conservation.

Fragile N.C. Residents Lose Medicaid Support for Food and Housing

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 19:01:51 +0000

One year after Hurricane Helene, people in the hard-hit western region of North Carolina can no longer rely on a successful program that helped keep them afloat.

U.S. Research Focus in the Arctic Shifts: Less Climate, More Security

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 18:52:43 +0000

The Trump administration is emphasizing defense concerns instead of climate research in the rapidly warming Arctic region.

How staying in education can help protect you from dementia

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 18:02:40 +0000

New research from the University of Helsinki has found that time spent in education is linked to dementia risk in later life

Pearl Harbor Sailor in 'Courts of the Missing' Is Identified

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:44:40 +0000

The remains of Edward D. Bowden , a Navy fireman who died in the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, have been identified more than eight decades after the tragedy, military officials announced on Tuesday. Bowden, 29, was serving aboard the USS California when Japanese forces struck, sinking the ship and killing...

Two Comets Are Moving Into Your Night Skies in October: How to Watch

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:23:52 +0000

The comets A6 (Lemmon) and R2 (SWAN) are visitors from the chilly fringes of our solar system, and could even be visible at the same time.

The Big Bad Wolf Is Afraid of You

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:15:04 +0000

Researchers found that the predatory canines were far more likely to flee recordings of human voices than they were to run away from other sounds.

Kennedy Fires N.I.H. Scientist Who Filed Whistle-Blower Complaint

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:14:30 +0000

Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, who was on administrative leave, alleged that the Trump administration had defied court orders and undermined vaccine research.

Jane Goodall remembered: Kiwi TV boss Phil Smith recalls days with famed primatologist

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:00:00 +0000

A Kiwi TV boss recounts his time with the renowned primate researcher in Tanzania.

Autism, A.D.H.D., Anxiety: Can a Diagnosis Make You Better?

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:13:41 +0000

As our diagnostic categories expand to include ever milder versions of disease, researchers propose that the act of naming a malady can itself bring relief.

FDA Approves Generic Version of Abortion Pill Mifepristone

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 12:31:42 +0000

The decision enraged opponents of abortion, who have been pressuring the Trump administration to restrict access to abortion medication.

Marine mammals are dying in record numbers along the California coast

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0000

It's been a doozy of a year for marine mammals, who have been dying in record numbers along the California coast. Volunteer rescue crews are traumatized and fatigued, but refuse to give up.

Vaccine breakthrough for deadly elephant virus

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 09:04:24 +0000

A vaccine against a deadly disease that affects young elephants is shown to be effective in a world-first trial.

NASA prepares for historic mission to carry humans to the Moon for the first time in 50 years

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 08:50:03 +0000

NASA's Artemis II mission, targeting April 2026, will send the first humans around the Moon in over 50 years. Engineers have integrated the Orion stage adapter with the SLS rocket, preparing for this critical 10-day lunar flyby. The mission will test vital systems and deploy CubeSats, paving the way for future lunar landings and Mars exploration.

Deep-sea discoveries: Pink lobsters, goofy squid, and 40 new species found in Mar del Plata Canyon

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 08:18:50 +0000

A groundbreaking expedition to Argentina's Mar del Plata Canyon uncovered over 40 potential new deep-sea species, including glass squids and pink lobsters. Using an ROV, scientists explored this biodiversity hotspot, revealing alien-like creatures in their natural habitat. Live streams captivated millions, highlighting the canyon's unique ecosystem and the urgent need for ocean conservation amidst observed human impacts.

NASA warns! 44-foot Massive asteroid 2025 TC speeding past Earth today at 58,100 km/h; how safe are we really

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 07:31:50 +0000

Asteroid 2025 TC will pass Earth on October 3, 2025. This house-sized space rock measures 44 feet across. It travels at over 36,000 miles per hour. The asteroid poses no threat to our planet. It will pass at 53,300 miles, a quarter of the Moon's distance. Scientists monitor such objects for research.

NGC 6000: Hubble Telescope captures stunning spiral galaxy in yellow and blue

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 06:52:50 +0000

The Hubble Space Telescope captured a detailed image of NGC 6000, a barred spiral galaxy. It displays a yellow core of old stars and blue arms with young stars. Two supernovae, SN 2007ch and SN 2010as, occurred in this galaxy. An asteroid from our Solar System also appeared in the image.

Jane Goodall, Revered Chimpanzee Expert and Conservationist, Dies at 91

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 03:03:10 +0000

Her discoveries as a primatologist in the 1960s about how chimpanzees behave in the wild were hailed as “one of the Western world’s great scientific achievements.”

Russia targets UK military satellites on weekly basis

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 02:31:57 +0000

Moscow is attempting to collect information from UK spacecraft, according to the MoD.

Scientists study genes of woman who was the world’s oldest person

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 00:00:00 +0000

New York Times: Maria Branyas Morera 'had cells that seemed younger than her age'.

Marine Biologist Recounts Having His Head in Shark's Jaws

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 23:25:00 +0000

Marine biologist Mauricio Hoyos is sticking up for the shark that bit him . The 48-year-old Mexican scientist was seriously injured while tagging sharks off Costa Rica's Pacific coast as part of a conservation project. After successfully attaching a tag to the dorsal fin of a female Galapagos shark, Hoyos suddenly...

Lancet medical report on healthy diets doubles down on minimal meat-eating call

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 22:50:41 +0000

Recommendations outline the type and amounts of food people should aim for.

‘She could have killed me’: Scientist survives shark bite to his head

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 20:18:40 +0000

New York Times: “My whole head was inside of her mouth.”

Swiss Glaciers Had an Enormously Bad Year

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 19:15:13 +0000

Switzerland's glaciers have faced "enormous" melting this year with a 3% drop in total volume—the fourth-largest annual drop on record—due to the effects of global warming, top Swiss glaciologists reported Wednesday. The shrinkage this year means that ice mass in Switzerland, which is home to the most glaciers...

What a Phosphine Signal in a Brown Dwarf’s Clouds Means for the Search for Life

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 18:30:02 +0000

The detection of the molecule phosphine in a brown dwarf’s atmosphere may help astronomers in their search for life elsewhere in the Milky Way.

Costly and Deadly Wildfires Really Are on the Rise, New Research Finds

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 18:09:33 +0000

The past decade in particular has seen an uptick in devastating blazes linked to climate change, according to the study.

AI designs for dangerous DNA can slip past biosecurity measures, study shows

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 18:00:30 +0000

Companies that make DNA for science labs screen out any requests for dangerous bits of genetic material. But a new study shows how AI could help malevolent actors get the stuff anyway.

(Image credit: Malte Mueller/fStoap)

The Energy Department canceled billions in funding. Democrats say it's retribution

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 16:37:09 +0000

Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought said the funding was for projects in 16 states, all of which voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris.

(Image credit: Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP)

Tories pledge to scrap landmark climate legislation

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 16:21:23 +0000

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch says her party would axe legally binding targets to cut emissions.

Astronomers: Hydrogen plant could impede work at Chilean observatory

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 16:03:54 +0000

The Paranal Observatory, one of the world's most important, faces a major risk of providing clear images because of a proposed green hydrogen and ammonia plant

BBC Inside Science

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 16:00:00 +0000

Scientists have made early-stage human embryos using skin cell DNA fertilised with sperm

Edward T. Blake, 80, Dies; Forensic Expert Sparked Innocence Movement

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:59:52 +0000

He was the first to use PCR testing on crime-scene DNA, inspiring a practice that has freed thousands of wrongfully convicted people.

How TrumpRx Website May Affect Your Drug Costs After Pfizer Deal

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:49:19 +0000

President Trump and top health officials announced a deal with Pfizer to try to lower Medicaid prices, and a website to help consumers buy drugs directly from manufacturers.

It Wasn't a Snake, but It Had Fangs Like One

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0000

Buried in the rocks of Scotland's Isle of Skye, scientists have uncovered a 167-million-year-old reptile with snakelike fangs, revealing a surprising new branch in the ancient family tree of lizards and snakes. The well-preserved fossil, among the most complete Jurassic lizard fossils discovered to date, has been identified as a...