Studies on pigeon-guided missiles, swimming abilities of dead fish among Ig Nobels winners
A study that explores the feasibility of using pigeons to guide missiles and one that looks at the swimming abilities of dead fish were among the winners of this year’s Ig Nobels, the prize for comical scientific achievement.
Solar storms may cause faint auroras overnight in parts of Northern Hemisphere
People in Canada and northern U.S. cities including Seattle and Minneapolis may see faint auroras due to moderate solar storms.
Billionaire steps out of SpaceX capsule for first private spacewalk hundreds of miles above Earth
A tech billionaire has performed the first private spacewalk hundreds of miles above Earth.
Pair of rare Amur tiger cubs debuting at Minnesota Zoo are raising hopes for the endangered species
A pair of rare Amur tiger cubs are making their public debut at the Minnesota Zoo, raising hopes for preserving an endangered species that’s native to far eastern Russia and northern China.
Spacewalking is the new domain of the rich as billionaire attempts first private spacewalk
Paying passengers have lined up to rocket to space to experience a few minutes of weightlessness.
No neigh-sayers: Live horses join first-day veterinary students for anatomy lecture in Hungary
First-year veterinary students in Hungary are being joined by two full-grown horses in their lecture hall for the first anatomy lesson of their academic careers.
Ex-employees of Titanic submersible's owner to testify before Coast Guard panel
Former employees of the company that owned an experimental submersible that imploded on its way to the wreck of the Titanic are scheduled to testify before a Coast Guard investigatory board.
Former director of Los Alamos National Laboratory dead after car crash in New Mexico
A former top official in U.S. nuclear weapons research at Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos national laboratories has died after an automobile crash in New Mexico.
Just how rare is a rare-colored lobster? Scientists say answer could be under the shell
A wave of odd-colored lobsters has showed up in fishers' traps, supermarket seafood tanks and scientists’ laboratories over the last year.
Rare but deadly mosquito disease has New England hotspots warning against going out at night
Health officials warn that a rare but deadly mosquito-spread disease is posing a serious threat in parts of New England, prompting the cancellation of some events and changes to sports schedules to avoid bites by infected bugs.
Boeing will fly its empty capsule back to Earth soon. Two NASA astronauts will stay behind
Boeing will attempt to return its problem-plagued capsule from the International Space Station later this week — with empty seats.
Christa McAuliffe, still pioneering, is first woman with a statue on New Hampshire capitol grounds
Christa McAuliffe is still a pioneer, decades after she was picked to become America’s first teacher in space.
A celebrity 'Russian spy' whale spotted with harness found dead in Norwegian waters
A white beluga whale named “Hvaldimir” that was first spotted in Norway not far from Russian waters with a harness that ignited rumors he may be a Moscow spy has been found dead.
Companies are crafting new ways to grow cocoa, and chocolate alternatives, to keep up with demand
From California to Israel, companies are aiming to grow cocoa beyond the tropics in a bid to buffer chocolate's key ingredient from climate change.
NASA cuts 2 from next SpaceX flight to make room for astronauts stuck at space station
NASA has cut two astronauts from the next crew to make room on the return trip for the two stuck at the International Space Station.
Killings of invasive owls to ramp up on US West Coast in a bid to save native birds
U.S. wildlife officials next year will scale up efforts to kill invasive barred owls that are crowding out imperiled native owls from West Coast forests.
The worldwide catastrophe of rising seas especially imperils Pacific paradises, Guterres says
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is putting out yet another climate SOS to the world.
UTSA welcomes freshmen with innovative STEM program
As the fall semester kicks off at the University of Texas at San Antonio on Monday, incoming freshmen are already gaining valuable experience on campus. This summer, a select group of new students participated in a hands-on STEM lab program designed to give them a head start before classes officially begin.
This bird species was extinct in Europe. Now it's back, and humans must help it migrate for winter
The northern bald ibis, or the Waldrapp, once soared over North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and much of Europe.
'We were expendable': Downwinders from world's 1st atomic test are on a mission to tell their story
Not many people know the world's first detonation of an atomic bomb was on U.S. soil.
NASA decision against using a Boeing capsule to bring astronauts back adds to company's problems
NASA says it won't use Boeing's Starliner capsule to bring two stranded astronauts back to Earth.
NASA decides to keep 2 astronauts in space until February, nixes return on troubled Boeing capsule
NASA has decided it’s too risky to bring two astronauts back to Earth in Boeing’s troubled new capsule.
A rare orchid survives on a few tracts of prairie. Researchers want to learn its secrets
The western prairie fringed orchid is a rare flowering plant that has declined due to loss of its native prairie habitat.
An Iceland volcano erupts again but spares the nearby town of Grindavik for now
Lava is continuing to spew from a volcano in southwestern Iceland, the sixth time since December the volcano has erupted on the Reykjanes Peninsula.
NASA will decide Saturday if Boeing's new capsule is safe enough to fly 2 astronauts back from space
NASA will decide this weekend whether Boeing's new capsule is safe enough to return two astronauts from the International Space Station, where they've been waiting since June.
What has worked to fight climate change? Policies where someone pays for polluting, study finds
To figure out what really works when nations try to fight climate change, researchers looked at 1,500 ways countries have tried to curb heat-trapping gases.
Volcano erupts after powerful earthquake in Russia's Far East and scientists warn of a stronger one
One of Russia’s most active volcanoes has erupted, spewing plumes of ash 3 miles into the sky over the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula and briefly triggering a “code red” warning for aircraft.
Now that mpox is a global health emergency, will it trigger another pandemic?
The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing outbreaks of mpox in Congo and elsewhere in Africa to be a global emergency, requiring urgent action to curb the virus’ transmission.
A rarely seen deep sea fish is found in California, and scientists want to know why
A rarely seen deep sea fish resembling a serpent was found floating dead on the ocean surface off the San Diego coast.
International astronomy group joins calls for a lunar clock to keep time on the moon
An international group of astronomers has joined calls to create a standard for keeping time on the moon, where seconds tick by faster.
Democrats trust Harris slightly more than Biden on climate change, an AP-NORC poll finds
As the Democratic National Convention approaches, a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that Democrats have slightly higher trust in Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to address the issue of climate change than President Joe Biden.
NASA still deciding whether to keep 2 astronauts at space station until next year
NASA says it's still deciding whether to keep two astronauts at the International Space Station until early next year and send their troubled Boeing capsule back empty.
New Mars study suggests an ocean's worth of water may be hiding beneath the red dusty surface
A new study suggests Mars may be drenched beneath its surface, with enough water hiding in the cracks of underground rocks to form a global ocean.
You had a lot of questions about next-generation nuclear reactors. We posed them to the experts
The United States is speeding up efforts to license and build a new generation of nuclear reactors to supply carbon-free electricity.
Could 2 NASA astronauts be stuck at the space station until next year? A decision is imminent
NASA is on the verge of deciding how and when to bring two astronauts back from the International Space Station, after running into trouble with their new Boeing capsule.
Forecasters still predict highly active Atlantic hurricane season in mid-season update
Federal forecasters are still predicting a highly active Atlantic hurricane season thanks to near-record sea surface temperatures and the possibility of La Nina.
July ends 13-month streak of global heat records as El Nino ebbs, but experts warn against relief
Earth’s string of 13 straight months with a new average heat record came to an end in July.
NASA says chances are growing that astronauts may switch from Boeing to a SpaceX ride back to Earth
NASA says chances are growing that two test pilots who flew a new Boeing capsule to the International Space Station in June may have to switch to SpaceX for a ride home.
Tropical weather brings record rainfall. Experts share how to stay safe in floods.
The extreme weather seen in places across the United States shows it doesn’t take a catastrophic hurricane to cause significant damage.
Great Barrier Reef waters were hottest in 400 years over the past decade, study finds
Ocean temperatures in the Great Barrier Reef reached the highest they’ve been in 400 years over the past decade, research published Wednesday in the journal Nature found.
NASA delays next crew launch to buy more time at the space station for Boeing's troubled capsule
NASA is delaying its next astronaut launch to buy more time at the International Space Station for Boeing's troubled new crew capsule.
Tropical Storm Debby is expected to send flooding to the Southeast. Here's how much rain could fall
The Debby storm system could cause historic rainfall and flooding in parts of the Southeast, including Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina.
One church, two astronauts. How a Texas congregation is supporting its members on the space station
A Texas church has not one — but two — members aboard the International Space Station.
Why does Vermont keep flooding? It's complicated, but experts warn it could become the norm
Vermont is flooding and experts say the state could see catastrophic events for the foreseeable future.
Olympics bet against climate change with Seine swimming. For days, it looked like they would lose
The Paris Olympics bet against climate change when they scheduled some outdoor swimming events in the Seine River, and for a while it looked like they would lose.
When the science crumbles, Texas law says a conviction could, too. That rarely happens.
Texas’ 2013 law that allows for new trials in cases with flawed scientific evidence was pioneering. But the state’s highest criminal court has rejected most of those challenges.
The Galapagos Islands and many of their unique creatures are at risk from warming waters
The wondrous Galapagos Islands and its many creatures have always been sensitive to changes in ocean temperatures.
Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s wastewater contamination project one step closer to federal funding
Congressman earmarks money for wastewater contamination project to improve proactive wastewater testing processes.
Blood tests for Alzheimer's may be coming to your doctor's office. Here's what to know
New research suggests certain blood tests could help doctors diagnose Alzheimer's disease faster and more accurately.
Group of high schoolers graduate from biomedical science academy at UT Health San Antonio
The research academy’s seven-week session came to a close with a science symposium and graduation program.
NASA says no return date yet for astronauts and troubled Boeing capsule at space station
Officials say two NASA astronauts will remain at the International Space Station until engineers finish working on problems plaguing their Boeing capsule.
Surprise Yellowstone geyser eruption highlights little known hazard at popular park
A surprise eruption of steam in a Yellowstone National Park geyser basin that sent people scrambling for safety as basketball-sized rocks flew overhead has highlighted a little-known hazard that scientists hope to be able to predict someday.
Vietnam allows big companies to buy clean energy directly to meet their climate targets
Vietnam has passed a decree radically loosening the Communist Party-ruled state’s control on how electricity is sold to private companies.
Surprise blast of rock, water and steam in Yellowstone sends dozens running for safety
A surprise eruption in Yellowstone National Park has shot steam, water and dark-colored rock and dirt an estimated 100 feet into the sky and sent people running for safety.
Meet some of the world's cleanest pigs, raised to grow kidneys and hearts for humans
Some of the world's cleanest pigs are being raised in the Virginia mountains to supply kidneys and hearts for animal-to-human organ transplants.
Pig transplant research yields a surprise: Bacon safe for some people allergic to red meat
Some people develop a weird allergy to red meat after being bitten by a lone star tick yet find they can still eat pork from a surprising source - certain pigs originally bred for human organ transplants.
Boeing is closer to understanding thruster failures on its first astronaut flight with latest test
Boeing is closer to understanding what went wrong with its astronaut capsule in orbit, now that testing is complete on a spare thruster here on Earth.
Webcam monitors hundreds of rattlesnakes at a Colorado 'mega den' for citizen science
A “mega den” of rattlesnakes at a remote location in northern Colorado is now available for live, round-the-clock viewing online.
Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon that could be used to shelter future explorers
Scientists have confirmed a cave on the moon, not far from where Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed 55 years ago.
Gnatalie is the only green-boned dinosaur found on the planet. She will be on display in LA
The latest dinosaur being mounted at the Natural History Museum in Los Angeles is a 75-foot-long sauropod named Gnatalie (pronounced Natalie).
The first Titanic voyage in 14 years is happening in the wake of submersible tragedy. Hopes are high
The company that owns the salvage rights to the Titanic is undertaking its first expedition to the ship's wreckage in 14 years.
World's first hydrogen-powered commercial ferry to run on San Francisco Bay, and it's free to ride
The first hydrogen-powered ferry to operate commercially anywhere in the world is set to begin transporting passengers on San Francisco Bay.
Just a Category 1 hurricane? Don't be fooled by a number — it could be more devastating than a Cat 5
Former Federal Emergency Management Director Craig Fugate has some advice for people following storms: Don't judge their severity on how big a number they've been assigned.