A SpaceX rocket is on a collision course with the moon after launching a pair of lunar landers last year. Space tracking experts say the upper stage will unintentionally slam into the moon on Wednesday. The high-speed impact will carve out a crater and send up a plume of dust and rubble that scientists and skygazers are eager to observe. The eastern portions of the U.S. and Canada, and much of South America, should have the best views. SpaceX's abandoned rocket stage hoisted a pair of private lunar landers in January 2025 and has been drifting ever since.
Two new studies reveal climate change's fingerprints over extreme fire weather-triggering infernos in Spain and France. Researchers at World Weather Attribution found human-caused climate change made Spain's record fire 20 times more likely and doubled the chances of extreme fire conditions in France. Another study shows extreme fire-prone days in Southern Europe have more than doubled compared to decades ago. Experts emphasize that climate change is already impacting fire severity and stress the need to stop burning fossil fuels.
New research says ancient mummy DNA provides the firmest evidence yet that European colonization brought smallpox to the Americas. The deadly disease struck Asia and Europe and eventually spread to the Americas, where it killed millions and devastated Indigenous populations. Until now, evidence of these outbreaks came from historical documents. In a new study, researchers found evidence of smallpox infection from two mummified individuals in Chile, dating them to between 1492 and 1631. They were between 18 and 35 years old. The research shines a light on the human cost of the disease. The findings were published Thursday in Science.
Experts say the world is experiencing two opposing fire trends because of human impact. Wildfires in Europe, Canada and the U.S. are high, and flirting with record levels in Europe. In North America, land burned this summer is at least 25% higher than the 10-year average. Meanwhile, global fire emissions hit a record low in July, thanks to reduced fires in Africa and Asia. Fires are decreasing because of changing agricultural practices, fire management and where people live. Still, scientists say climate change is making fires more extreme. Experts warn that El Niño could worsen fires in the tropics in coming months.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 has shaken Japan’s southern main island of Kyushu, leaving dozens of people missing or injured. The quake caused part of a shopping center in the town of Kashima to collapse on Tuesday and also a chimney collapsed at a paper factory. A tsunami advisory was issued but quickly lifted. Japan’s prime minister said there's been damage to roads, bridges and buildings. Shinkansen bullet trains and local trains in Kyushu were suspended for safety checks. Authorities said there were no reports of damage to major public facilities or infrastructure, including three nearby nuclear power plants. The Japan Meteorological Agency urges residents to be cautious over the next few days.
As Trump boosts nuclear power, regulators seek to eliminate a longstanding radiation safety practice
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is proposing to eliminate a foundational safety principle that has for 50 years minimized the radiation people in the United States are exposed to, and that has been adopted around the world. This comes as President Donald Trump attempts to quadruple domestic production of nuclear energy. Facilities such as nuclear plants, hospitals or academic institutions that use radioactive materials must ensure that radiation exposure is kept as low as reasonably achievable. The NRC wants to use a so-called “graded approach” instead, with several actions facilities must take depending on the amount of radiation workers could be exposed to. Maximum radiation exposure limits aren’t changing.
Federal wildlife authorities are investigating after a video appeared to show a person kicking a protected sea lion at a beach in California. A spokesperson for the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed an ongoing investigation into the incident but declined to provide additional details Sunday. The video appears to show a person throwing kicks at the sea lion at La Jolla Cove in San Diego as at least one other person can be heard laughing in the background. The person follows the sea lion, throwing more kicks at the animal as it tries to scoot away before the video ends.
A U.S.-Russian space crew landed safely in the steppes of Kazakhstan on Sunday after an eight-month stint on the International Space Station. NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russian crewmates Sergei Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev touched down in their Soyuz MS-28 that landed smoothly by parachute in a designated area southeast of Dzhezkazgan. Their 241-day stint on the orbiting outpost was the first space mission for Williams and Mikaev and the second for Kud‑Sverchkov.
Federal health advisers are recommending broader access to controversial chemicals called peptides. The unapproved injections have become a popular wellness trend, promoted by influencers and celebrities. A panel of advisers narrowly voted Thursday to ease access to BPC-157 and several other peptides. The two-day meeting comes at the direction of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has described himself as a “big fan” of peptides. Some experts invited by the FDA have financial ties to the peptide industry, including several doctors who run clinics that offer the injections.