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

Science Daily

Drinking orange juice every day may change thousands of genes

Orange juice may have a much bigger effect on the body than scientists once realized. Drinking it regularly appears to influence genes tied to inflammation, blood pressure, metabolism, and blood sugar control, while studies have also found improvements in cholesterol and blood vessel health. Researchers suspect natural citrus compounds such as hesperidin may be partly responsible. Even the gut microbiome may benefit.

science  Aug 13, 2026

The Guardian Science

Wing and a prayer: how probiotics might save bat species from a killer fungus

Bat experts were shocked at how fast white-nose syndrome had spread to Canada’s northernmost colonies from the US. Now, the race is on to find a cure before species disappearCrawling through a narrow passage in a cave beneath a boreal forest near Fort Smith in Canada’s Northwest Territories in May, two biologists spotted a lifeless bat on a limestone ledge, its body covered in a spindly white fungus.When they shone their headlamps to get a closer look, they saw another bat with the fungus on its

science  Aug 13, 2026

Science Daily

A 236-million-year-old fossil could rewrite the story of mammalian birth

Scientists may have uncovered evidence that a mammal ancestor was giving birth to live young 236 million years ago. A fossilized cynodont showed a neonatal growth line and an unusually large birth size that closely match patterns seen in modern mammals. The discovery could push the evolution of live birth back by up to 95 million years. It also raises the possibility that many supposedly “modern” mammalian traits evolved surprisingly early.

science  Aug 13, 2026

Science Daily

A surprising brain discovery could help explain why we overeat fatty foods

A protein inside appetite-controlling brain cells may play an important role in preventing overeating and obesity, particularly when high-fat foods are readily available. Unexpected differences between males and females could also help explain why obesity risk—and responses to weight-loss drugs—can vary.

science  Aug 13, 2026

Science Daily

A surprising triple treatment completely clears hiv in newborn primates

Researchers have found a striking new way to potentially eliminate HIV soon after infection using a one-time combination of three therapies. In newborn nonhuman primates treated within three days of exposure, the regimen—standard antiretroviral drugs, broadly neutralizing antibodies, and the experimental antibody leronlimab—completely cleared the virus, even though none of the treatments could do so alone.

science  Aug 13, 2026

Science Daily

Human brain cells are far more powerful than scientists thought

A single human brain cell may be far more powerful than scientists once realized. Researchers found that cortical neurons can perform remarkably complex computations, giving them capabilities more like tiny biological computers than simple on-off switches. This could help explain why the human brain supports abilities such as language, imagination, and mathematics.

science  Aug 13, 2026

NASA News

APOD: 2026 August 13 – Total Solar Eclipse Over Spain

APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 August 13 – 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 13, 2026

The Guardian Science

The immortal jellyfish and other mindblowing invertebrates – podcast

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 be crowned the winner. Vote for your favourite now and the winner will be crowned on 17 AugustInvertebrate of the ye

science  Aug 13, 2026

NASA News

Cascade Volcanoes Shrouded in Smoke

From the International Space Station, astronauts photographed Mount Hood and Mount Rainier as wildfire smoke spread across the Pacific Northwest in summer 2026.

science  Aug 13, 2026

Science Daily

Why your brain keeps making the same decisions – even when better options exist

Why do we keep making the same choices even when better options are available? Researchers found that simply repeating a decision can reshape what we prefer, causing familiar choices to feel better than alternatives. Instead of weighing every option from scratch, the brain often remembers what it chose before and repeats it. That shortcut may help explain many everyday habits and seemingly irrational decisions.

science  Aug 13, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists discover the brain has a fast lane and slow lane for clearing waste

AI has helped scientists measure the brain’s hidden cleaning system, revealing that fluid moves rapidly around its outer spaces but about 50 times more slowly through deep tissue. The discovery could eventually help researchers detect circulation problems linked to Alzheimer’s, aging, and concussions.

science  Aug 13, 2026