Antarctic sea ice reached its third-lowest winter maximum on record in September 2026, continuing a dramatic reversal from decades of gradual expansion that ended in 2015.

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission solved a mystery about asteroid Bennu’s boulder-covered surface by discovering that rocks contain extensive internal cracks and pores, explaining their rapid heat loss.

Scientists at Max Planck Institute demonstrated that molecules on a surface can reach the ultimate quantum limit of optical coherence, overcoming a major obstacle in molecular quantum research.

NASA released 16 new images from multiple telescopes revealing diverse galaxies shaped by star formation, black holes, and collisions, offering insights into cosmic evolution and the Milky Way’s future.

Scientists have identified a remarkably thick belemnite from Wyoming’s Jurassic Period, approximately 160 million years ago, representing a previously unknown species unlike any other cephalopod relative yet discovered.

International researchers achieved unprecedented precision in measuring helium produced during the Universe’s first five minutes after the Big Bang, reducing measurement uncertainty to 0.5%.

Scientists analyzed DNA from Jonathan, a 194-year-old giant tortoise, discovering genetic variants and chemical patterns that may explain exceptional longevity and resistance to age-related diseases.

A giant crayfish nicknamed “Crawzilla” led researchers to discover that North American crayfish may have a consistent biological size limit of around 80 millimeters, with a Tennessee bottlebrush crayfish holding the current record.

Japanese scientists discovered that atomic-scale steps can guide quantum vortices in ultrathin superconductors, moving them over 1,000 times more easily along the steps than across them.

NASA satellites captured atmospheric gravity waves rippling high above Hurricane Simon as the Category 4 storm battered Mexico’s Pacific coast with powerful winds and flooding in October 2026.

Researchers discovered an enzyme dubbed the “Pac-Man enzyme” that breaks down certain biodegradable plastics, though it unexpectedly also degrades penicillin, suggesting possible links to antibiotic resistance.

Astronomers discovered that black holes of vastly different sizes activate their jets at the same critical feeding threshold, revealing a universal rule governing these powerful cosmic outflows.