Apr 6th, 2026 - HOUSTON (AP) — With the moon looming ever larger, the Artemis II astronauts raced to set a new distance record Monday from Earth on a lunar fly-around promising magnificent views of the far side never seen before by eye. The six-hour flyby is the highlight of NASA's first return to the moon since the Apollo era with three Americans and one Canadian — a step toward landing boot prints near the moon's south pole in just two years. A prize — and bragging rights — awaits Artemis II. Less than an hour before kicking off the fly-around and intense lunar observations, the ... [Read More]

Apr 5th, 2026 - According to ScienceDirect, substances like cocaine and painkillers, also known as contaminants of emerging concern, are being recognized in marine environments, especially in tourism-driven areas. A new study is revealing that sharks in the Bahamas have tested positive for cocaine, caffeine and other substances. According to ScienceDirect , substances like cocaine and painkillers, also known as contaminants of emerging concern, are being recognized in marine environments, especially in tourism-driven areas. In their study, 82 sharks were analyzed, and 23 of them were detected to have four ... [Read More]

Apr 4th, 2026 - By Thomas Moore, science correspondent Moon missions have been dominated by the US and USSR. In a frantic decade between 1966 and 1976, the Soviet Union's Interkosmos made eight touchdowns with its Luna programme. NASA landed five Surveyor probes and six crewed Apollo craft. Then there's a long pause. Not until 2013 did another spacecraft make it, China's Chang'e 3. India and most recently Japan are the only other nations to successfully land in the dust, though Israel came close. Look at a map of all the touchdowns and it's striking that only two spacecraft have so far made it to the south ... [Read More]

Apr 4th, 2026 - By When researchers spotted blood in the water off the coast of Dominica on July 8, 2023, they feared the worst. What they witnessed instead was one of the most detailed wild sperm whale birth observations ever recorded — and the hours of cooperative care that followed. Using drones, underwater microphones and shipboard photography, the research team captured the delivery itself and the complex social response as adult females and juveniles worked together to help the newborn survive. "I initially thought that something bad was about to happen, until we saw the little head pop out and ... [Read More]

Apr 4th, 2026 - While Washington spins the latest economic data and billionaires hedge their bets, working Americans are feeling the very real squeeze of rising costs, and sudden instability. HuffPost reports on the real economy – the one that impacts you. Already a member? A new COVID-19 variant, BA.3.2, also known as "Cicada," has been detected in 25 states, according to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The new variant was first found in South Africa in November 2024 and has since spread to at least 23 countries; it accounts for 30% of current COVID-19 cases in ... [Read More]

Apr 4th, 2026 - Viking announced its two newest ships for the Nile River—the Viking Ptah and the Viking Sekhmet—have been "floated out," marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ships have touched water. Set to debut in September and November 2026, respectively, the Viking Ptah and the Viking Sekhmet will join the company's growing fleet of state-of-the-art ships in Egypt and will sail Viking's popular 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary. "Egypt is truly a phenomenal destination, distinguished by its remarkable history, enduring culture and the singular power of the Nile," ... [Read More]

Apr 3rd, 2026 - Bats are often thought of as smelly, ugly and noisy, but a study has revealed their poo could be worth hundreds-of-millions of dollars. Published in , author Alfredo Ortega González from The University of Sydney said the research aimed to quantify how flying foxes ecologically influence Australia's environment through pollination and seed dispersal. "The population of grey-headed flying foxes that is known in Australia of about half-a-million individuals could potentially contribute a median of around 90 million new trees per year," "This basically highlights their incredible role in ... [Read More]

Apr 3rd, 2026 - Reading time 2 minutes Few things can ruin a fun beach or park outing as quickly as a gull with a hankering for your lunch. But a recent study might have just uncovered a nifty trick that can keep these feathery thieves at bay. Researchers in the UK studied how European herring gulls ( Larus argentatus ) in the city reacted to various types of takeout boxes. The gulls were substantially less likely to approach or peck at boxes that had googly eyes attached to them, they found. Though not every bird was deterred, the simple design strategy could help ease human-gull conflict, the researchers ... [Read More]