NASA's Swift space telescope plunges back to Earth in fiery demise
NASA's Swift orbital observatory fell back to Earth after running its mission for more than two decades. A rescue attempt to raise its sinking orbit had earlier failed.
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NASA Announces X-70 Experimental Aircraft to Advance Flight Research
On Wednesday, NASA unveiled its newest experimental aircraft, the X-70 Fractal, during the UP.Summit at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This high-performance, highly adaptable research platform is designed to accelerate the development and testing of advanced aviation technologies. The crewed X-70 features advanced, rapidly reconfigurable flight-control technology that will allow NASA to explore […]
NASA Shares Plans to Accelerate Artemis, Return to Moon
In an update on Oct. 23, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and other agency leaders shared the agency’s path to returning Americans to the lunar surface in 2028. Agency leadership provided updates on the previously announced acceleration plans for the Artemis program, advancing toward the agency’s Artemis III test flight in 2027 and Artemis IV Moon […]
NASA, NOAA Track 2026 Antarctic Ozone Hole
Weather provided ideal conditions for enhanced ozone depletion
NASA Announces Ka-Band Satellite Relay Awards for Space Communications
NASA selected three companies on Wednesday to perform work to develop Ka-band space relay capability concepts that are compatible with current missions in space, ensuring service continuity for existing spacecraft without requiring modifications to their onboard systems. Through this work, NASA will aim to acquire end-to-end solutions that include space, ground, launch, operations, and integration […]
NASA Navigation Experiment Shows Promise for Planetary Landings
NASA successfully demonstrated technology designed to help spacecraft autonomously navigate to safe landing sites on the Moon and on other planets. An Alta-X drone equipped with the agency’s Safe and Precise Landing – Integrated Capabilities Evolution (SPLICE) guidance, navigation, and control payload completed simulated lunar descent and landing maneuvers Aug. 27. The flight took place […]
Hubble Reveals Cosmic Mystery
This photo released on Nov. 2, 2026, showcases NGC 4449, a dwarf irregular. Researchers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope studied 37 nearby dwarf galaxies — small galaxies containing a few thousand to hundreds of millions of stars — including NGC 4449 and found that much of the oxygen they expected to see is missing. Read […]
NASA Space Grant Students Fuel Agency’s Inspiration Tour
NASA’s Inspiration Tour spread the excitement of space exploration and aeronautical innovation by connecting the public, industry, and academia with the people, technologies, and organizations that drive American leadership in space. At nearly every stop across the country, NASA Space Grant has brought students into the heart of the action. In Iowa, NASA Administrator Jared […]
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A tiny squeeze dramatically changes the magnetism of exotic materials
Scientists have discovered that a simple mechanical squeeze can dramatically alter the magnetic properties and electrical behavior of exotic materials called altermagnets. The surprising breakthrough could open the door to faster, more energy-efficient electronics and new technologies for quantum computing.
Scientists may have finally explained why our brains and bodies are cross-wired
Scientists propose that the brain’s mysterious cross-wiring, which connects each hemisphere to the opposite side of the body, may have originated more than 500 million years ago in the visual systems of ancient fish. Rather than evolving for a specific advantage, this unusual arrangement may simply be a legacy of evolution building new brain circuits on an ancient foundation.
Permanent daylight saving time has a dark side, scientists warn
A new study warns that permanent daylight saving time could force American children to make at least 2 billion additional school commutes in darkness, potentially increasing safety risks and disrupting their biological clocks. Researchers found that fatal crashes involving school-aged pedestrians were roughly twice as likely during dark mornings as after sunrise.
AI helps Stanford scientists discover a “natural Ozempic” with a surprising advantage
Stanford researchers have discovered an AI-identified natural molecule that dramatically suppresses appetite and promotes fat loss in animals, potentially offering an Ozempic-like weight-loss treatment without common digestive side effects or significant muscle loss. Called BRP, the molecule reduced food intake by up to 50% and targets a different brain pathway, raising hopes for a more precise obesity treatment if future human trials prove successful.
A surprising discovery could help aging muscles repair themselves
Scientists have discovered a compound that transforms a natural muscle-repair protein into a more powerful version dubbed "Super HGF," more than doubling its ability to bind to a key receptor while protecting it from age-related chemical damage. The breakthrough, supported by early mouse experiments, could eventually help combat muscle loss and preserve strength as people age.
MIT scientists break a 20-year rule and unlock never-before-seen crystal structures
MIT scientists have challenged two decades of conventional thinking by discovering that flexible molecular connections, rather than rigid ones, can unlock entirely new ways to arrange nanoparticles. The breakthrough could lead to a new generation of designer materials with unusual properties and applications in electronics, medicine, and energy.
NASA is racing against time to save the Hubble Space Telescope
NASA is exploring a daring plan to save the legendary Hubble Space Telescope from its eventual fiery plunge into Earth's atmosphere. After more than 35 years of groundbreaking discoveries, Hubble is slowly losing altitude, and without intervention, it could fall back to Earth as early as 2033 or 2034. To keep the iconic observatory operating, NASA is asking private space companies to propose innovative ways to boost Hubble into a higher orbit, upgrade its capabilities, or safely dispose of it when its mission finally ends.
SLAC scientists find conclusive proof of a mysterious third type of magnetism
For nearly 90 years, scientists believed magnetism fell into just two categories, but researchers have now confirmed a remarkable third type called altermagnetism. Using specialized X-rays, they uncovered a unique magnetic signature that proves these materials behave differently from conventional magnets. Altermagnets combine stability with the ability to efficiently carry information, potentially overcoming major limitations in today's electronics. The discovery could lead to faster computers, more efficient data centers, and breakthroughs in quantum technology.
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William meets firefighters who tackled summer blazes
The prince says 2026 was the first summer he felt "worried about the scale of the wildfires".
Before the Dawn in America’s Heartland
With hardly a cloud in sight, astronauts had a sweeping view of nighttime lights in the U.S. Midwest.
APOD: 2026 November 4 – The Not-So-Hidden Galaxy, IC 342
APOD Science APOD APOD: 2026 November 4 – The… 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. The Not-So-Hidden […]
Delhi air quality worsens ahead of Diwali as firework restrictions enter force
On Wednesday morning, Delhi's air quality index reading stood at 377, in the "very poor" category.