Space Elevators Could Totally Work—If Earth Days Were Much Shorter
What would it take to run a cable from the ISS to Earth? Depends how fast you want the Earth to rotate.
The Next Acetaminophen Tablet You Take Could Be Made From PET
This research could represent the first documented case of paracetamol production from plastic waste using E. coli bacteria.
A European Startup’s Spacecraft Made It to Orbit. Now It’s Lost at Sea
The Exploration Company lost contact with its Mission Possible vehicle a few minutes before touchdown in the ocean.
Scientists Are Sending Cannabis Seeds to Space
The versatile cannabis plant could, some scientists think, one day be useful for lunar and Martian colonists. For now, researchers will subject its seeds to radiation in orbit and see what happens.
The Largest Camera Ever Built Releases Its First Images of the Cosmos
The Vera C. Rubin Observatory is poised to discover billions of new astronomical objects, revolutionizing understanding of everything from the history of the solar system to the workings of dark energy.
India Is Using AI and Satellites to Map Urban Heat Vulnerability Down to the Building Level
Remote-sensing data and artificial intelligence are mapping the most heat-vulnerable buildings in cities like Delhi, in an effort to target relief from extreme temperatures at a granular level.
How the Universe and Its Mirrored Version Are Different
From living matter to molecules to elementary particles, the world is made of “chiral” objects that differ from their reflected forms.
Eli Lilly’s Obesity Pill Appears to Work as Well as Injected GLP-1s
New data from a Phase 3 trial show that the daily anti-obesity pill may be as safe and effective as drugs like Mounjaro and Ozempic for weight loss and lowering blood sugar.
Methane Pollution Has Cheap, Effective Solutions That Aren’t Being Used
The International Energy Agency estimates that 70 percent of the fossil fuel sector’s methane emissions could be cut with existing technologies—many of which would save polluters money.
How to Beat Jet Lag
As ultra-long-haul routes take flight, plane-lighting hacks and meal planning could help passengers recover faster.