The Guardian Science

AI-generated stories rated better quality than human-written ones, study finds

Researcher says simpler writing by AI is easier to read and digest, but this does not mean human authors are obsoleteFrom Homer’s Odyssey to Agatha Christie’s crime fiction, humans have produced plenty of tales to grace the bookshelf. But research suggests artificial intelligence may now be providing some competition.In a study published in the journal Judgment and Decision Making, 1,682 adults were asked to read one of six short stories, three of which were written by humans and three by ChatGP

science  Aug 4, 2026

NASA News

NASA Will Attempt to Observe Rocket Part’s Lunar Impact

Using ground-based telescopes and space-based assets, NASA and SpaceX are tracking a used Falcon 9 upper stage from a commercial mission expected to impact the Moon on Wednesday, Aug. 5, near the Einstein and Bell craters. The impact poses no danger to Earth and NASA scientists are planning to collect lunar data from the event […]

science  Aug 4, 2026

NASA News

NASA’s PUNCH Sharpens Solar Storm Forecasting in First Test

Using continuous imagery from NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission, scientists predicted the near-Earth arrival of a solar eruption to within 30 minutes in an initial proof of concept test. The results, presented Tuesday at the Committee on Space Research Scientific Meeting and under review at the journal Space Weather, could […]

science  Aug 4, 2026

NASA News

Ames Science Stars of the Month – August 2026

The NASA Ames Science Directorate recognizes the outstanding contributions of (pictured left to right) Danielle Lopez, Jennifer Claudio, and Duncan Mifsud. Their commitment to the NASA mission represents the entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and collaborative disposition needed to explore this world and beyond. Space Biosciences Star of the Month: Danielle Lopez Danielle Lopez is the […]

science  Aug 4, 2026

NASA News

August 2026 Satellite Puzzler

Your challenge is to tell us the location of the satellite image and why it is interesting.

science  Aug 4, 2026

NASA News

NASA Provides Updates on Moon Base Cargo Landers, Tech Demonstrations

NASA is making progress in building the Moon Base, which will become a resilient outpost near the Moon’s South Pole for science, technology, and eventual human operations. To advance lunar surface infrastructure development, commercial partners such as Blue Origin, Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines, and Voyager Lunar Systems are working toward delivering landers by 2028. These […]

science  Aug 4, 2026

NASA News

Roman Space Telescope Plaque Install

Technicians installed a commemorative plaque, seen in this July 28, 2026, photo, on NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. The plaque honors the legacy of Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief astronomer and one of the architects of the agency’s modern science program. It also features a memory card containing a total of 1,350,144 […]

science  Aug 4, 2026

The Guardian Science

Rise in adulterated sexual enhancement supplements could mean users are getting stiffed

Often sold as ‘herbal’ solutions for sexual prowess, research has found many supplements are cut with prescription medications that could harm the people who take themRead more in the Antiviral seriesSexual enhancement supplements have always been a bit of a joke: you walk into a supplement store (or chuck a search into Google) and voilà – hilariously titled drugs that supposedly give you the sexual prowess of a god await you. All you have to do is pop a little pill and your flagging stamina or

science  Aug 4, 2026

Science Daily

Cancer-fighting chewing gum cuts HPV levels by up to 93%

A specially engineered chewing gum reduced HPV by up to 93% and nearly eliminated two bacteria linked to head and neck cancer. The treatment preserved beneficial mouth bacteria, raising hopes for a safer and more affordable therapy.

science  Aug 4, 2026

Science Daily

518-million-year-old creature reveals the origins of spider fangs

A tiny 518-million-year-old sea creature has revealed the earliest known evidence of the structures that eventually became spiders’ fangs. Hidden inside the fossil were pincerlike limbs and preserved soft tissues that help explain how the ancestors of spiders and scorpions evolved into formidable hunters.

science  Aug 4, 2026

Science Daily

This hydrogen turbine turns controlled explosions into electricity

Scientists have successfully generated electricity with a hydrogen turbine that produces its own pressure through detonation waves instead of relying on a mechanical compressor. The breakthrough could unlock dramatically more efficient power systems for clean energy and future aviation.

science  Aug 4, 2026

Science Daily

These underwater bones could solve a mystery about extinct giants

Animal bones preserved in South Australia’s underwater caves reveal distinctive clues shaped by darkness, algae, bacteria, and other environmental conditions. The findings give scientists a powerful new way to reconstruct how ancient megafauna remains entered and survived in submerged cave systems.

science  Aug 4, 2026

Science Daily

Strange quantum experiment shows “negative time” is more than an illusion

Photons traveling through a cloud of atoms can emerge so early that they appear to have spent a negative amount of time inside. Researchers tested whether this was merely a misleading feature of the light pulse by making extremely weak measurements of the atoms. Surprisingly, the atoms confirmed the same negative dwell time. The finding does not break standard physics, but it reveals that one of quantum mechanics’ strangest effects is physically measurable.

science  Aug 4, 2026

Science Daily

DNA on the Shroud of Turin reveals centuries of hidden history

DNA traces in the Shroud of Turin reveal a remarkable mixture of human lineages, microbes, plants, animals, and coral accumulated through centuries of handling and travel. The findings do not prove its age or authenticity, but they expose a hidden biological history preserved in the famous cloth.

science  Aug 4, 2026

The Guardian Science

The truth about blushing: why we do it, how we can resist it – and why it’s actually good for us

Humans are the only animals whose faces redden with embarrassment. Should we see that as an affliction, or as a blessing?‘Blushing is the most peculiar and most human of all expressions,” Charles Darwin once wrote, and he wasn’t wrong. Though certain species of bird pinken up as a means of communication, and uakari monkeys have red faces when in good health, we seem to be the only animal that flushes as a sign of embarrassment.“It’s a very truthful signal,” says Prof Sophie Scott, the director o

science  Aug 4, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists just 3D printed one of the hardest metals on Earth

A new 3D printing technique can produce exceptionally hard tungsten carbide cobalt while using less of its expensive raw materials. By softening rather than fully melting the material, researchers created defect-free samples with industrial-grade hardness and opened the door to more efficient manufacturing.

science  Aug 4, 2026

Science Daily

A common sugar may help cancer cells break free and spread

Chemotherapy-surviving ovarian cancer cells may release fructose to help neighboring tumor cells loosen, escape, and spread. The discovery suggests that sugary diets and cholesterol-lowering drugs could influence cancer progression, though the effects have not yet been confirmed in patients.

science  Aug 4, 2026

NASA News

APOD: August 4, 2026 – Curious Cometary Knots in the Helix Nebula

APOD Science APOD APOD: August 4, 2026 –… 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. Curious Cometary Knots […]

science  Aug 4, 2026

The Guardian Science

The Wildlife Trusts’ fight to save a historic English landscape – podcast

Madeleine Finlay travels to the Rothbury estate in Northumberland, in north-east England. It’s a piece of land that has been in the same family for 700 years, but now it has been put up for sale and the UK’s Wildlife Trusts are trying to raise £30m to secure it intact. To find out what makes the area so special, Madeleine speaks to Katy Barke, the head of nature recovery for Northumberland Wildlife Trust. She also hears from Sam Turner, a professor of archaeology at Newcastle University, who is

science  Aug 4, 2026

NASA News

Smoke Streams Across Eastern Washington

Wildland fires in early August 2026 pushed air quality to unhealthy levels, destroyed hundreds of structures, and triggered mandatory evacuations in Spokane.

science  Aug 4, 2026