NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory returned to Earth this week after nearly 22 years, re-entering the atmosphere and closing a transformative chapter in gamma‑ray astronomy. But the space news doesn’t stop there. Blue Origin unveiled a third stage for its New Glenn rocket designed to deliver satellite constellations directly to geostationary orbit and support heavy-lift missions to the Moon and beyond. For those keeping their eyes on the sky, November also brings a packed calendar of meteor showers, fireballs, and a supermoon — a welcome distraction from the loss of a beloved observatory.
Back on Earth, two discoveries are reshaping what we know about life’s durability. Scientists found preserved traces of dinosaur blood inside 115‑million‑year‑old bones, proving that delicate biological molecules can survive far longer than previously believed. That breakthrough pairs neatly with a new study showing that rapamycin, an anti‑aging drug already used to prevent organ transplant rejection, may protect the brain before Alzheimer’s symptoms appear — a potential early‑intervention strategy for at‑risk individuals.
Meanwhile, physics gets a shake‑up: new simulations suggest that powerful magnetic fields inside dead stars could allow them to grow far more massive than the famous Chandrasekhar limit once thought absolute. And on a more practical note, five‑inch‑long beetle larvae are quietly decimating blueberry roots in North Carolina, a reminder that science also solves everyday agricultural threats.
Swift’s fiery end closes an era
After 22 years revolutionizing gamma‑ray astronomy, the Swift Observatory’s re‑entry marks a rare end‑of‑mission event for a major space telescope.
Dinosaur blood rewrites preservation rules
Finding intact biological molecules in 115‑million‑year‑old fossils suggests soft tissues may survive far longer than scientists assumed.
Some of the universe's dead stars may be capable of growing far more massive than a famous limit in physics was thought to allow. New computer simulations suggest that powerful magnetic fields hidden inside these...
North Carolina's blueberry growers are facing an emerging threat from a destructive beetle whose larvae feed underground, damaging plant roots and potentially killing blueberry bushes. Scientists have now identified the...
A drug commonly used to prevent organ transplant rejection may offer an unexpected new approach to protecting people at increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Researchers at the University of Missouri have discovered...
Scientists have discovered remarkably preserved traces of dinosaur blood inside 115-million-year-old bones, revealing that delicate biological molecules can survive far longer than previously believed. The breakthrough...
NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has returned to Earth after spending nearly 22 years in space, bringing an extraordinary era of astronomical discovery to a close. The spacecraft re-entered Earth's atmosphere on...
November 2026 is packed with celestial events worth watching, from brilliant meteors streaking across the sky to a striking encounter between Mars and Jupiter. NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft is also approaching an...
Blue Origin has unveiled a third stage called GS3 for its New Glenn rocket, designed to deliver satellite constellations directly to geostationary orbit and support heavy-lift missions to the Moon and deep space. The...
Scientists have solved a biological mystery that remained unanswered for more than three decades, uncovering an unexpected way the immune system protects the body from its own inflammatory response. The breakthrough...
You walk out of the grocery store, ready to head home and make dinner. But as you scan the crowded parking lot, a frustrating question comes to mind. Where did you leave your car? You try to picture the spot, but the...
Viruses are usually associated with causing infections, but some can actually help fight them. Scientists are now working to turn these bacteria-killing viruses into treatments for dangerous infections that no longer...
For most of the 20th century, the model of human origins was a tree: with the trunk dividing into branches, and then twigs. Each species of human relative (hominin) was a neat, single branch. As an undergraduate, I was...
Researchers have developed a surprisingly simple way to separate crude oil without heating it, potentially transforming one of the world's most energy-intensive industrial processes. The breakthrough uses an inexpensive...
NASA has unveiled the X-70 Fractal, a new crewed experimental aircraft "designed to accelerate the development and testing of advanced aviation technologies." From a press release: The crewed X-70 features advanced,...
Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered that applying a small amount of pressure can dramatically alter the magnetic properties of a promising new class of materials called...
Why does the left side of the brain control the right side of the body, while the right side controls the left? This unusual arrangement is one of the most intriguing features of the nervous system, and scientists have...
Keeping daylight saving time in effect all year could bring brighter evenings, but new research suggests the change would come with a troubling consequence for American children. A nationwide switch could result in at...
Scientists at Stanford Medicine have identified a naturally occurring molecule that could lead to a new generation of weight loss medications. Early animal experiments suggest that it can suppress appetite and promote...
Scientists have spent decades trying to control how tiny particles connect to form advanced materials. Now, researchers at MIT and their collaborators have discovered that doing the exact opposite of what was previously...
NASA is investigating whether private space companies could help extend the life of the Hubble Space Telescope, which has spent more than 35 years transforming our understanding of the universe. On October 29, the...
For nearly 90 years, physicists have divided magnetic materials into two main categories: ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. Now, scientists have confirmed that a third type exists, revealing a previously unrecognized...
joshuark shares a report from Wired: After 22 years in orbit and a failed rescue mission this summer, it is highly likely that the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory will crash into Earth sometime next week. It is not known...
Researchers have confirmed the presence of intact biomolecules and mineralized red blood cells inside the 115-million-year-old fossilized bones of a juvenile Aratasaurus museunacionali from Brazil. The discovery...
Children who consume more ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may have stronger brain responses to tempting foods, potentially helping explain why these products are associated with weight gain. A new study published in JAMA...
Researchers in Japan have developed an innovative way to turn a chemical produced by cancer cells into a weapon against them. Instead of delivering toxic drugs throughout the body, their experimental approach uses...
Imagine receiving a single treatment that could keep your cholesterol under control for decades, potentially eliminating the need for daily medication. Advances in gene editing are bringing that possibility closer to...
Something unusual is happening inside the enormous atmosphere of Betelgeuse, one of the most recognizable stars in the night sky. Astronomers have detected subtle changes in the star's shape that suggest something is...
An anonymous reader quotes a report from VentureBeat: Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) reported today that they used OpenAI's...
A new study reveals all five fundamental nucleobases – the molecular “letters” of life – have been detected in samples from the asteroid Ryugu. Asteroid particles offer a glimpse into the chemical ingredients that may...
The brain has a remarkable ability to recognize danger, but new research suggests that this survival mechanism may also explain why people sometimes feel threatened in situations that are actually safe. The discovery...
For nearly 50 years, scientists have struggled to explain why frogs began disappearing from Brazil's Atlantic Forest, one of the world's richest regions for amphibian diversity. Beginning in the 1970s, researchers...
For decades, explanations for why some children struggle with reading have often focused on two factors: intelligence and the ability to process visual information. Children who read easily have frequently been assumed...
The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft has reached an important milestone in its mission to investigate a historic asteroid collision. For the first time, its onboard camera has captured the two asteroids Didymos...
At the Seventh Manned Spaceflight Conference in Beijing, Chinese space officials publicly outlined the most detailed roadmap yet for landing astronauts on the Moon "before 2030." Ars Technica reports: China's lunar...
The liver may hold an unexpected key to fighting two of the most serious diseases associated with aging: Alzheimer's disease and heart disease. Scientists have discovered that restoring the function of aging liver cells...
The findings come one year after the first-ever oxygen collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). All four of the collider's major research collaborations, ALICE, ATLAS, CMS and LHCb, have now reported signs that...
Black holes are known for merging when two of them collide, but could the reverse ever happen? Could a single black hole somehow divide into two smaller ones? A new theoretical study suggests that this extraordinary...