Today's Brief

Ultrafast X-rays capture chemistry unfolding atom by atom

Ultrafast X-rays revealed how a molecule converts absorbed light into motion in just trillionths of a second. Individual atoms recorded different stages of the process, opening a powerful new window into light-driven chemistry.

AI reveals explosive bursts in bird evolution

Songbirds appear to have evolved through rare explosions of change separated by long periods of slower development. Many of those bursts lined up with major climate shifts, suggesting that environmental upheaval can reshape life in powerful ways.

Montana Teen Uses Rodeo Lasso to Rescue Drowning Man on Yellowstone River

From Big Sky Country comes a rescue story so cliche that even Hollywood scriptwriters would pass it over. A 14-year-old obsessed with roping cattle rescued a man who’d fallen into a river Indiana Jones-style, catching him around the neck and arm with his lasso. Jory Thomas was spending 4th of July weekend at his grandparents […]

Africa’s Wildfire Season Is Actually Getting Shorter, Scientists Think They Know Why

A changing climate seems to be shortening Africa’s dry season, resulting in less land scorched during the wildfire season according to new science. For all the column inches devoted to the record wildfire seasons in France, Spain, or the Amazon, it is still and has always been Africa that’s the center of world wildfires. 70% […]

Dad Turned Weekly Library Trips with His Daughter into Beloved Community Event: Meet ‘Library Dads’

Once upon a time, in a little town called Atlanta, there was a dad who decided on a lark to take his 4-month-old baby girl to the library. He didn’t know it at the time, but the Georgia native had planted the magic bean that would grow into a giant beanstalk of brotherhood and paternity, […]

3,000 Backlogged Eye Surgeries Paid Forward by US-Caribbean Churches, Restoring Sight for Thousands

A hospital in Trinidad and Tobago was the site of an incredible, 12-day surgical marathon. When the scrubs were finally hung up, 3,000 people had regained vision free of charge thanks to the Church of the 7th Day Adventists, who organized donated cataract and pterygium surgery work through its community hospital. Day after day, between […]

Good News in History, July 29

On this day in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created. The US Congress was spurred to create the federal agency by the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik, the first orbital satellite. Two of the goals were to expand human knowledge of the Earth’s atmosphere and space, and the improvement of space […]

A new measure of courage: how Maasai warriors became lion guardians

What We’re Reading: Helping Older Americans ‘Age in Community’

Welcome back to our weekly behind-the-scenes glimpse at what’s getting our team talking. Tell us what you’ve been reading at [email protected] and we just might feature it here. Homeward bound As the U.S. population ages, some Americans are looking beyond the basic idea of “aging in place.” Many homes are not designed to be aging-friendly, forcing people to make difficult choices as their needs change. But in a Shelterforce story shared this week by Executive Editor Will Doig, housi

NASA Awards 2026 Innovative Technology Concepts

A collage of artist concepts highlighting the novel approaches proposed by the 2026 NIAC awardees.Credit: NASA The NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program has created 18 new awards to support visionary ideas to improve aerospace technologies in areas ranging from the exploration of the solar system to understanding the universe. The 18 NIAC Phase I awards total $3.2 million. Each award provides up to $175,000 for a nine-month initial investigation. The NIAC projects are about early-stag

NASA Sets Coverage for August Northern Hemisphere Total Solar Eclipse

A total solar eclipse is seen in Dallas, Texas on Monday, April 8, 2024. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the North American continent from Mexico’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland, Canada. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of Central America and Europe. Credit: NASA/Keegan Barber On Wednesday, Aug. 12, a total solar eclipse will be visible in parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the

NASA’s Curiosity Views a Sand-Capped Butte

1 Min Read NASA’s Curiosity Views a Sand-Capped Butte PIA26730 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Photojournal Navigation Science Photojournal NASA’s Curiosity Views a… Photojournal Home Photojournal Search Latest Content Galleries Feedback RSS About Downloads NASA’s Curiosity Views a Sand-Capped Butte PNG (27.41 MB) Description NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured this sand-capped butte, nicknamed “Miraflores,” estimated to be about 20 feet (6 meters) tall, with its Mast Camera, or Mastcam, on June

NASA’s Curiosity Discovers a Field of Martian Polygons

2 Min Read NASA’s Curiosity Discovers a Field of Martian Polygons PIA26729 Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Photojournal Navigation Science Photojournal NASA’s Curiosity Discovers a… Photojournal Home Photojournal Search Latest Content Galleries Feedback RSS About Downloads NASA’s Curiosity Discovers a Field of Martian Polygons PNG (305.97 MB) PIA26729 Figure A PNG (3.37 MB) Description NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured this 360-degree view of an expanse of terrain covered in surface features c

NASA’s Curiosity Mars Rover Discovers Field of Honeycomb Textures

3 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) NASA’s Curiosity Discovers a Field of Martian PolygonsNASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS As NASA’s Curiosity rover recently began climbing up a Martian valley nicknamed “Valle Grande,” it sent back images that were a familiar sight to mission scientists: honeycomb-like textures called polygonal fractures, each one about 1.5 to 3 inches (4 to 8 centimeters) across. The mission has spotted small patches of these geometric shapes sev

APOD: 2026 July 29 - Psyche Receives Gravity Assist from Mars

APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 July 29 - Psyche… 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. Psyche Receives Gravity Assist from Mars Explanation: Solar System bodies make deep space exploration more fuel efficient! Today’s video shows the Psyche spacecraft

Understanding How Martian Auroras Are Made

NASA This July 23, 2026, illustration depicts charged particles from a solar storm stripping away charged particles of Mars’ atmosphere, one of the processes of Martian atmosphere loss studied by NASA’s MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution) mission. NASA MAVEN mission scientists have found that certain types of auroras on Mars form in a similar way to Earth-based auroras. Read more about this discovery. Image credit: NASA

NASA Webb Explores Family Tree of Newly Discovered Distant Objects

Explore Webb Science James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NASA Webb Explores Family Tree… Webb News Latest News Latest Images Webb’s Blog Awards X (offsite - login reqd) Instagram (offsite - login reqd) Facebook (offsite- login reqd) Youtube (offsite) Overview About Who is James Webb? Fact Sheet Impacts+Benefits FAQ Webb Timeline Science Overview and Goals Early Universe Galaxies Over Time Star Lifecycle Other Worlds Science/Engineering Explainers Observatory Overview Launch Deployment Orbit Mirror

Contractor to Civil Servant: NASA Welcomes Ray Williams

Ray Williams, supervisor of test support operations at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, poses for a photograph on July 16, 2026. Williams is among the first engineers and technicians sworn in as new NASA civil servants at Stennis as part of the administrator’s directive to strengthen technical core competencies within the civil service workforce. NASA/Danny Nowlin Ray Williams’ progression at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, has uniquely pr

Zendaya on working with Tom Holland in Spider-Man: ‘When you’re best friends it’s easy’

The couple walked the white carpet at the London premiere of their latest film, Spiderman: Brand New Day.

'Delulu', 'Clock it': 'Cockroach' protest brings Gen Z slang to India's parliament

From "delulu" to "FOMO", Gen Z slang has made an unlikely journey from Instagram to parliament.

Birth of pine marten kits 'a fantastic sign'

Pine marten babies have been born on Exmoor for the first time in a century, new footage shows.

Endangered tiger cubs born at Longleat Safari Park

The species is one of the most endangered in the world, with only about 450 Amur tigers left in the wild.

Buck Moon lights up Devon and Cornwall skies

The July full moon is expected to peak at 15:36 BST on Wednesday.

SpaceX gets $1.6 billion US Space Force order for 18 Falcon 9 launches - Reuters

SpaceX gets $1.6 billion US Space Force order for 18 Falcon 9 launches Reuters

World Cup lifts MLS ticket sales and ratings, Garber says - Reuters

World Cup lifts MLS ticket sales and ratings, Garber says Reuters

Renault swings to profit on EVs despite rise of Chinese rivals - Reuters

Renault swings to profit on EVs despite rise of Chinese rivals Reuters

New microwave frying method could make french fries much healthier

A new cooking method could make French fries crispier in less time while significantly limiting how much oil they absorb. Researchers propose combining microwave heating, which keeps oil out, with conventional frying, which provides the crunch consumers expect.

Can’t sleep in the heat? These 8 tricks could save your night

Sleeping well during a heatwave starts with stopping the home from overheating. Close blinds against strong sunlight, ventilate when the air outside becomes cooler, and avoid using heat-producing appliances during the hottest hours. Moving to a cooler room, choosing light bedding and using fans or ice packs safely can also make hot nights more manageable.

Your gut may help your brain decide what to remember

Signals traveling from the gut to the brain may help turn meals into lasting memories. Rats showed stronger memory activity after consuming nutritious foods, but not after drinking sweet liquids with little or no nutritional value. Blocking the vagus nerve erased this effect and made it harder for the animals to remember where food had been located. Over time, diets high in fat and sugar also weakened this memory system.

Earth’s hidden “gold kitchen” lies beneath the seafloor

Deep beneath submarine volcanoes, Earth may be running a natural “gold kitchen.” By analyzing volcanic glass from the Kermadec island arc north of New Zealand, researchers found that water-rich mantle repeatedly melts beneath subduction zones, gradually concentrating gold in rising magma. The process works because intense melting breaks down sulfur-rich minerals that normally trap gold, releasing the metal into the melt.

A tiny molecular basket unlocks a powerful new kind of chemistry

Rice University chemists have found a new way to make neodymium, a rare-earth metal, interact with oxygen. Using a specially designed molecular structure described as a “basket,” the team positioned the atoms so they could form a bond once thought unlikely. The breakthrough produced highly reactive compounds that could eventually give chemists alternatives to iron-based molecules used in biological reactions and chemical manufacturing.

Humanoid classroom robots show potential as teaching assistants, not teacher replacements

A New York school district made global headlines this week for plans to trial a humanoid robot named "Sally" in high school classrooms.

Strain turns non-chiral crystals left- or right-handed on demand

Mechanical strain is one of the most common tools used to tailor the properties of materials. In piezoelectric materials, stretching or compressing a crystal generates an electrical polarization. In piezomagnetic materials, it induces magnetization. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter (MPSD) and the University of Oxford have now discovered that mechanical strain also induces chirality in non-chiral crystals, opening a new direction to control this pro

Hydrothermal microbes shape seafloor minerals at newly found vents near Greek island

In August 2023, the German research vessel METEOR set sail on Expedition M192 to the Greek island of Milos with Dr. Solveig Bühring as chief scientist. The mission was to locate and investigate previously unknown hydrothermal systems. Now, three years later, a new study highlights the surprising discoveries resulting from this expedition. At a newly discovered hydrothermal system at intermediate water depths of 100 to 250 meters (328 to 820 feet), researchers demonstrated how different intensiti

Expressway restoration may speed regional economic recovery after disasters

A research team has, for the first time, demonstrated the crucial role that restoring transportation networks (such as roads and railways) plays in rebuilding regional economies and helping residents recover their livelihoods after a major disaster. The study was published in Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice.

One of industry's toughest lignin byproducts could become feedstock for valuable chemicals

The pulp and paper industry, which manufactures everything from tissue paper to cardboard, also generates a significant yet often overlooked byproduct - a complex polymer called lignin. Around 100 million tons of lignin are produced each year. Despite being the largest natural source of aromatic carbon on the planet, most of it is burned for energy. This is due to its complex structure, which is notoriously difficult to process. Researchers are exploring ways to leverage industrial lignin by dev

Most complete skeleton of 30 million-year-old dog discovered

For decades, a 30 million-year-old fossil sat entombed in rock in an Oregon museum collection. When it was first found, paleontologists thought it might be an early relative of sheep, camels and pigs, whose fossilized skeletons are, in the researchers' view, abundant.

Carrion emerges as a key force shaping ecosystems, disease and human evolution

What happens after death? An international study led by the University of Granada (UGR), involving Ana Mateos and Jesús Rodríguez, researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH), argues that this question, long overlooked by ecology, can help us understand a wide range of processes and offer new perspectives across different disciplines.

Ice Age artists carved thumbnail-size bird figurines from mammoth ivory 40,000 years ago

Excavations at Hohle Fels Cave in the UNESCO World Heritage area of the Swabian Jura in southwestern Germany have again yielded two spectacular 40,000-year-old depictions of birds carved from mammoth ivory. The two figurines are the smallest discovered so far and are the size of a thumbnail, while still including many details. These remarkable finds come from the rich Aurignacian layers at Hohle Fels, which have produced some of the oldest figurative art known and date to the initial arrival of

The oceans near Australia may be the best places to fertilize for removing carbon dioxide

Deploying ocean iron fertilization - a strategy for carbon dioxide capture - in higher latitudes rather than near the equator could reduce environmental impacts while still achieving removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, according to a modeling study published in Nature. The findings offer insight into best practices for maximizing carbon dioxide removal while reducing potential ecological trade-offs typically associated with iron fertilization.

Simple changes to fishing gear and handling can greatly improve survival of released coho salmon

Coho salmon released by recreational anglers are far more likely to survive when handled without a landing net, according to new research. In salmon fisheries where anglers may be required to release salmon that are undersized, wild or not the target species, post-release survival is critical to conservation efforts. The paper is published in the journal Fisheries Research.

A step closer to artificial organs: UV light shapes arteriole-scale hydrogel vessels

The creation of fully artificial organs is a sci-fi dream, and researchers in Japan may have brought it one step closer to reality by developing a new photofabrication technique (i.e., a light-controlled synthetic method) for constructing arteriole-scale tubular hydrogels. Their research is published in the journal Advanced Materials.

Stable DNA building blocks enable faster oligonucleotide synthesis without oxidation

The chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides (ONs) is central to modern molecular biology, diagnostics and nucleic acid therapeutics. While demand for high-quality ONs is increasing, the conventional synthetic method has long-standing efficiency challenges. Widely adopted P(III)-phosphoramidite-based ON synthesis requires an oxidation step after every nucleotide coupling cycle and uses moisture-sensitive building blocks, adding complexity to the workflow and slowing the process.

A faster, cheaper way to map the world's forests with AI

New research from the University of Cambridge offers an easy and readily available solution using AI and satellite data. In a paper published in the journal Science of Remote Sensing, researchers used embeddings by Tessera, a geospatial foundation model, to successfully map tree species across the Trentino region of the Italian Alps.

'Machines are collaborators' at this new museum of AI art

"What is beyond reality?" asks artist Refik Anadol. His latest projects include Dataland, an immersive AI art museum in Los Angeles, and an installation at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

How an overlooked geothermal plant got a second chance

In June 2024, a small company called Zanskar purchased a geothermal power plant in New Mexico that was failing fast. The water coming from the underground reservoir was getting colder by the day, making the plant uneconomical to run. Now, two years later, that plant is running at full capacity again, thanks to a new well. With the help of advanced modeling and modern drilling technology, the company was able to identify a better potential well site, drill down thousands of feet, and revive the e

5 Recent Dementia Research Advances - From Blood Tests and Lithium to Lifestyle Changes - Discover Magazine

5 Recent Dementia Research Advances - From Blood Tests and Lithium to Lifestyle Changes Discover Magazine

KAUST Breakthrough Enables Precise Super-Sized Gene Editing in Crops - ISAAA.org

KAUST Breakthrough Enables Precise Super-Sized Gene Editing in Crops ISAAA.org

Feinstein Summer Concert raises $3.5 million to advance groundbreaking medical research - Business Wire

Feinstein Summer Concert raises $3.5 million to advance groundbreaking medical research Business Wire

Breakthrough: Muscle Cell Growth Mystery Unveiled - Mirage News

Breakthrough: Muscle Cell Growth Mystery Unveiled Mirage News

DNA-guided protein crystals could accelerate drug discovery - digitaljournal.com

DNA-guided protein crystals could accelerate drug discovery digitaljournal.com

Breakthrough Listen’s Automated Commensal Technosignature Survey With MeerKAT - Astrobiology Web

Breakthrough Listen’s Automated Commensal Technosignature Survey With MeerKAT Astrobiology Web

HYDRINITY® Earns Prestigious 2026 Skin Anarchy Science of Skin Award, Joining the Industry's Most Scientifically Advanced Skincare Brands - Yahoo Finance Singapore

HYDRINITY® Earns Prestigious 2026 Skin Anarchy Science of Skin Award, Joining the Industry's Most Scientifically Advanced Skincare Brands Yahoo Finance Singapore

NMT1 Antiviral Pathway Breakthrough - sflorg.com

NMT1 Antiviral Pathway Breakthrough sflorg.com

China's New Solar Breakthrough Makes Desalinated Water Cheaper Than Bottled - bgr.com

China's New Solar Breakthrough Makes Desalinated Water Cheaper Than Bottled bgr.com

This mind-blowing robot performs surgery on its own - experts are stunned by the results - Futura, le média qui explore le monde

This mind-blowing robot performs surgery on its own - experts are stunned by the results Futura, le média qui explore le monde

Cancer Breakthrough Fund Invests in Sound Blade Medical to Advance Handheld, Non-Invasive Histotripsy Therapy for Cancer - accessnewswire.com

Cancer Breakthrough Fund Invests in Sound Blade Medical to Advance Handheld, Non-Invasive Histotripsy Therapy for Cancer accessnewswire.com

3D printing breakthrough: New material could help create living organs - RBC-Ukraine

3D printing breakthrough: New material could help create living organs RBC-Ukraine

Tiny Mutation, Huge Impact: Rare Heart Disease Breakthrough - Mirage News

Tiny Mutation, Huge Impact: Rare Heart Disease Breakthrough Mirage News

Researchers unveil breakthrough quantum chip - Bisinfotech

Researchers unveil breakthrough quantum chip Bisinfotech

Women in Science: Powering South Africa's Developmental Agenda - IOL

Women in Science: Powering South Africa's Developmental Agenda IOL

Chinese scientists develop self-reproducing hybrid rice - Azərtac

Chinese scientists develop self-reproducing hybrid rice Azərtac

Burnham ‘hardhat’ policy is ‘breakthrough moment’ - LBN Daily

Burnham ‘hardhat’ policy is ‘breakthrough moment’ LBN Daily

Space breakthrough: Puzzling object found on Mars sparks theories of extraterrestrial life - GB News

Space breakthrough: Puzzling object found on Mars sparks theories of extraterrestrial life GB News

How Adam Adler Turned a Risky Bet Into a Breakthrough Success - foxinterviewer.com

How Adam Adler Turned a Risky Bet Into a Breakthrough Success foxinterviewer.com

NASA Discovers Rare ‘Orphan’ Black Hole Devouring Star Outside Galaxy Core in 1st-of-Its-Kind - LatestLY

NASA Discovers Rare ‘Orphan’ Black Hole Devouring Star Outside Galaxy Core in 1st-of-Its-Kind LatestLY

Int’l scientists solve 50-year mystery with discovery of rare grass lizard in Pakistan - Pakistan Today

Int’l scientists solve 50-year mystery with discovery of rare grass lizard in Pakistan Pakistan Today

Korda Backs Hull for Breakthrough Victory at Women's Open - Readers.id

Korda Backs Hull for Breakthrough Victory at Women's Open Readers.id

Breakthrough Cancer Therapies Turn Many Deadly Tumors Into Treatable Diseases - PravdaReport

Breakthrough Cancer Therapies Turn Many Deadly Tumors Into Treatable Diseases PravdaReport

Brookhaven Lab's New Microscope Delivers 200x Resolution - TechJuice

Brookhaven Lab's New Microscope Delivers 200x Resolution TechJuice

Breakthrough in Lanthanide Chemistry: New Methods to Bond Dioxygen with Neodymium - SSBCrack

Breakthrough in Lanthanide Chemistry: New Methods to Bond Dioxygen with Neodymium SSBCrack

Lake Andes family looks to build on 21-year David Garcia Day tradition - Mitchell Republic

Lake Andes family looks to build on 21-year David Garcia Day tradition Mitchell Republic

Forget Guitar Hero and Rock Band - Stage Tour Is Here to Resurrect Music Rhythm Video Games and Usher In a New Golden Age - The Direct

Forget Guitar Hero and Rock Band - Stage Tour Is Here to Resurrect Music Rhythm Video Games and Usher In a New Golden Age The Direct

💛 Do you know someone who deserves a special surprise? - cambridgetoday.ca

💛 Do you know someone who deserves a special surprise? cambridgetoday.ca

"Hero Era Busan Volunteer Room," Commemorating Lim Young-woong's 10th Debut Anniversary, Donates 8.8 Million Won to Love's Fruit..Practicing Warm Sharing - starnewskorea.com

"Hero Era Busan Volunteer Room," Commemorating Lim Young-woong's 10th Debut Anniversary, Donates 8.8 Million Won to Love's Fruit..Practicing Warm Sharing starnewskorea.com

WATCH: Who are the heroes of Mandela Month? Celebrating local champions in Constantiaberg Bulletin - Constantiaberg Bulletin

WATCH: Who are the heroes of Mandela Month? Celebrating local champions in Constantiaberg Bulletin Constantiaberg Bulletin

Camborne Community Awards honour the town’s quiet heroes - CornishStuff

Camborne Community Awards honour the town’s quiet heroes CornishStuff

Hawaiʻi's Pidgin English Endures Against All Odds - KITV

Hawaiʻi's Pidgin English Endures Against All Odds KITV

Why do fans of Shedeur Sanders root so hard for him? He’s a rare kind of underdog - Cleveland.com

Why do fans of Shedeur Sanders root so hard for him? He’s a rare kind of underdog Cleveland.com

Aditya Dhar's brother Lokesh Dhar reflects on 'Article 370's journey from underdog to National Award winn - The Times of India

Aditya Dhar's brother Lokesh Dhar reflects on 'Article 370's journey from underdog to National Award winn The Times of India

‘No one saw that coming’ Betfair pay out thousands on stunning 300/1 darts underdog story - The Sun

‘No one saw that coming’ Betfair pay out thousands on stunning 300/1 darts underdog story The Sun

Against all odds, Ahmedabad’s Rural Police prevailed: Chest-deep rescues, human chains and relentless opera... - Bhaskar English

Against all odds, Ahmedabad’s Rural Police prevailed: Chest-deep rescues, human chains and relentless opera... Bhaskar English

This Hawaiian Waterbird Is Making A Comeback. Should It Still Be Endangered? - Honolulu Civil Beat

This Hawaiian Waterbird Is Making A Comeback. Should It Still Be Endangered? Honolulu Civil Beat

Former landfill in England becomes an unlikely haven for 3 endangered UK butterflies - thecooldown.com

Former landfill in England becomes an unlikely haven for 3 endangered UK butterflies thecooldown.com

A Rare Bird Species Returns to Indian Forest After 60 Years: What Its Comeback Means - AOL.com

A Rare Bird Species Returns to Indian Forest After 60 Years: What Its Comeback Means AOL.com

Ethiopia answered deforestation with a single, almost unbelievable day of collective effort: in 2019 it reported planting more than 350 million tree seedlings in just one day, a claimed world record for its Green Legacy campaign against deforestation - Space Daily

Ethiopia answered deforestation with a single, almost unbelievable day of collective effort: in 2019 it reported planting more than 350 million tree seedlings in just one day, a claimed world record for its Green Legacy campaign against deforestation Space Daily

Stonehenge’s Altar Stone May Have Traveled Partway on a Glacier from Scotland Before People Took Over

A glacier may have shortened the journey, but humans still moved the six-ton stone in place.

Huge 1.5-Million-Year-Old Footprints Suggest a Human Cousin Nicknamed Nutcracker Man Was Far Bigger Than We Thought

The tracks suggest Paranthropus boisei grew surprisingly large and traveled in male groups.

Archaeologists Used Lasers to Find a Vast Engineered World Beneath the Amazon

Aerial imaging has detected 432 earthworks in southwestern Amazonia.

After Centuries of Research, Betelgeuse Turns Out to Be Two Stars, Not One

The companion is hotter, brighter and more massive than astronomers expected.

Thousands of Satellites Could Become a Giant Warning System for Solar Storms

A UCL researcher is teaching orbital debris to reveal when Earth’s upper atmosphere swells.

World’s Largest Crocodiles Use the Ocean to Surf Between Islands

Saltwater crocodiles rewrote the map of reptile migration.

Festival Must-Haves, Field-Tested at Lost Lands and Electric Forest

Our field-tested gear includes power banks, electrolytes, outdoor blankets, earplugs, and more.

23 WIRED-Approved Gifts for Frequent Travelers (2026)

For the frequent flier who treats the Delta Sky Club like their second home.

How to Bring a Geothermal Well Back from the Dead

Startup Zanskar has created one of the most productive geothermal wells in the US at a power plant that had been in decline for years.

What happens when you put AI to work deciphering lost languages?

Every ancient language that has ever been deciphered needed an anchor. Usually that’s a bilingual text, like the Rosetta Stone, or a known relative to compare it to. Linear A, the writing system of the Bronze Age Minoan civilization on the Greek island of Crete, has neither. Linear A is described as a “language isolate” because it has no confirmed link to any known language, living or dead. As such, it has posed a significant challenge for linguists over the past century. Etruscan, a language of

Three signs your garden is overheating and what to do about each one

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM It’s usually around this time of the summer season when you find out which plants you’ve been taking for granted. You stroll through your garden, and there it is: your favorite leafy friend, drooping like it’s given up. The instinct is to reach for the hose. More water, surely, is what a struggling plant needs, right? Heat stress has its own logic, and reading what your plants are telling you before you add more water can mean the difference between helping t

Data centers explained: the hidden infrastructure behind your daily digital life

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every time you stream something, pay a bill, or ask an AI a question, a server somewhere is putting in the work. Those servers live in data centers: large, unglamorous buildings full of humming machines that run around the clock and consume staggering amounts of power and water. Most people have never given them a second thought. In towns across the United States, that’s starting to change. What a data center actually is A data center is a building, sometimes

Sizing Up the Sargassum Belt

Earth Observatory Science Earth Observatory Sizing Up the Sargassum Belt Earth Earth Observatory Image of the Day EO Explorer Topics All Topics Atmosphere Land Heat & Radiation Life on Earth Human Dimensions Natural Events Oceans Remote Sensing Technology Snow & Ice Water More Content Collections Global Maps World of Change Articles Earth Matters Blog Blue Marble: Next Generation EO Kids Mission: Biomes About About Us Subscribe 🛜 RSS Contact Us Search This map, based on data from the OCI (Ocean