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NASA’s Artemis II moon mission heads to launch The U.S. space agency is targeting Wednesday evening to loft four astronauts on what may be a record-breaking trip around the moon—see the spacecraft live

I'm feeling genuinely stoked about NASA's attempt to send humans on a trip back to the moon today. Go #Artemis! Keep up to date on the mission with us at @sciam.bsky.social www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...

A top climate scientist just resigned from NASA. Here's why Climate scientist Kate Marvel talked to Scientific American about her decision to leave NASA amid federal government turmoil and funding challenges

As @drkatemarvel.bsky.social explains here, when the US admin ended the NASA climate modeling group's office lease, they were kicked out of their building -- and "have been kind of couch surfing at various NYC universities and libraries" since then. Unbelievable.

Read more here:

What’s the most massive star in the universe? Just how big can a star become? The answer depends on when in cosmic history you’re asking the question

Just how massive can a star get? Pretty danged massive... but it depends on when you look. A thing I wrote for Scientiifc American, just like I do every Friday!

www.scientificamerican.com/article/what...

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The kids are all right Surprising studies show young people are doing better than previous generations in many ways

In our latest SciAm issue, Melinda Wenner Moyer explores a topic that is newly resonant with me: whether today’s kids are “all right”—socially, emotionally and mentally. www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...

Good question, but they are too unstable to form the equivalent of atoms, which could then combine to create elements, new and old. So it's unlikely, sadly.

A ‘charmed’ new particle is discovered at world’s largest atom smasher The Large Hadron Collider just produced a never-before-seen particle made of charm and down quarks

A new particle, woohoo! 🧪

These strange galaxies without dark matter break all the rules Bizarre objects that seem to lack all dark matter present a cosmic mystery

I loved working on this fascinating story about galaxies that seem to defy our understanding of dark matter, part of the April issue out today www.scientificamerican.com/article/gala...

The Kids Are All Right | Scientific American

If you’re a worrier like me, it may surprise you to know that kids these days are doing better than previous generations in many ways. Join me to discuss the latest research during a live webinar this Thursday at 1pm ET, open to @sciam.bsky.social subscribers www.scientificamerican.com/page/events/

Notorious asteroid 2024 YR4 won't crash into the moon after all Earthlings aren't the only ones safe from a city-wrecking-size asteroid. Future lunar inhabitants won't have to worry about a strike in 2032 either

NEW: Sad news for those wanting the Moon to be hit by a sizeable asteroid: it ain’t happening, at least not in 2032.

But at least we now that JWST is a surprisingly good asset for tracking dangerous space rocks! :)

Me @sciam.bsky.social www.scientificamerican.com/article/noto...

Jeffrey Epstein and the scientists – podcast The release of the latest batch of documents relating to the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has shed further light on his close relationship with the world of science. To find out why he cult...

In a "Jeffrey Epstein and the scientists" podcast w/ @iansample.bsky.social of The Guardian, we delve into the ugly world of Epstein and the scholars hurt by the misogyny in science that the files reveal:

www.theguardian.com/science/audi...

The Schrödinger equation is getting a glow-up for its 100th birthday A century ago, Erwin Schrödinger came up with an equation that says how the quantum world behaves. Now scientists are asking what happens when the observer is part of that world

Now on @sciam.bsky.social: The Schrödinger equation just turned 100, but that doesn’t mean quantum physicists have solved all its mysteries. Chief among them: What, exactly, does it mean to incorporate observers into the gnarly math? By Joseph Howlett.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...

Sick Astronaut on ISS Forces Early Command Transfer from NASA Crew Member to Russian Cosmonaut NASA astronaut and ISS leader Mike Fincke transferred station command to a Russian cosmonaut ahead of an unprecedented medical evacuation

NASA astronaut and ISS leader Mike Fincke transferred station command to a Russian cosmonaut ahead of an unprecedented medical evacuation

In Unprecedented Move, NASA to Rush Astronauts Home after Medical Incident on ISS NASA on Thursday announced it would take the unprecedented step of bringing four crewmembers back to Earth from the space station before their official mission end

This is a first for NASA--hope the astronaut is ok!

Lazuli, a Billionaire-Funded Private Space Telescope, Signals a New Strategy for Astronomy Bigger than Hubble and launching as soon as 2029, the Lazuli Space Observatory would be the first-ever full-scale private space telescope

The first full-fledged private space telescope could launch as early as 2029--here's a thoughtful look at what that might say about and mean for astronomical science: www.scientificamerican.com/article/schm... 🧪 🔭

Humans Made Poisoned Arrowheads Thousands of Years Earlier Than Previously Thought The use of poison on arrows marked a revolution in human hunting technology—new evidence suggests it happened tens of thousands of years earlier than previously known

This is such a cool finding--the oldest direct evidence of poisoned arrows. Poisoned hunting weapons were a game-changing innovation for our ancestors. Absolutely incredible that researchers found traces of plant toxins on these tiny arrowheads from 60,000 ago 🤯🏹 🧪

These Cosmic Flashes Can Burn Brighter Than Galaxies—But Last Only Moments Celestial transients shine furiously and briefly. Astronomers are just beginning to understand them

May I recommend this lovely long read, from one of my favorite writers on the planet, @annfinkbeiner.bsky.social, about the strange and surprising explosions astronomers are discovering in the night sky 🧪

Dark Skies Should Make This Year’s Geminids Meteor Shower Spectacular. Here’s How to See Them As far as annual meteor showers are concerned, 2025 has saved the best for last. This year’s Geminids are not to be missed

Just a reminder that this year's Geminids meteor shower peaks tomorrow night! Do you have a plan to try to catch the spectacle?

This Season, Feed Your Own Curiosity Up to 50% off all subs

If you've been thinking of subscribing to Scientific American, or gifting a sub, now's the time -- it's 50% off! sciam.com/getsciam/

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Completed - NASA Two technicians look up at NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope after its inner and outer segments were connected at the agency’s Goddard Space Flight

Holy moly: The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope construction is completed! That's fantastic news — much needed right now — and I am very much looking forward to when this beast launches. It has 100X the field of view of Hubble.

One. Hundred. *At the same resolution*.

www.nasa.gov/image-articl...

Is ESA benefitting from increased international partnerships and funding due to countries/orgs looking to it rather than to a less stable/less well-funded NASA?
"I think the answer is yes, in short." - David Phillips of @esa.int at #Appleton2025. Canada's ESA contribution is up 400% e.g. 🧪🔭

Hands holding a copy of "Crush: Close Encounters with Gravity" by James Riordon on a plain background. The cover depicts a crushed red aluminum can with a green leaf hanging off the tab.

"A fascinating exploration, packed with surprising insights & eye-opening explanations of cutting-edge physics." — @clarakm.bsky.social, senior editor at Scientific American

James Riordon's book "Crush" takes readers on a memorable tour of gravity. Available now: mitpress.mit.edu/978026205098...

NASA Found Something on Mars. Now We Might Just Leave It There NASA spent years and billions of dollars collecting Martian samples to bring home. Now they might be stranded

Wouldn't it be a ginormous waste to send a rover all the way to Mars to collect rock samples for study back on Earth and then to just...abandon them? By @astrojonny.bsky.social 🧪

The woman who discovered the first black hole Betty Webster is a name to remember. Also: more rogue binary jovians

Have you ever heard of Betty Webster? I hadn't until recently, and she co-discovered the first black hole ever found! Here's her story, to honor her memory and fantastic accomplishment.

badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-woman-...

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Man With Tick-Borne Meat Allergy Dies after Eating Burger Lone star tick bites are the most common cause of alpha-gal syndrome, which causes severe allergic reactions to red meat

True nightmare fuel: Scientists just confirmed the first known death from a severe meat allergy caused by a tick bite.

The man, who died in 2024 after eating a burger, had alpha-gal syndrome, a bizarre disease triggered by tick bites.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/man-...

City Raccoons Are Evolving to Look More Like Pets City-dwelling raccoons seem to be evolving a shorter snout—a telltale feature of our pets and other domesticated animals

I, for one, welcome our new trash panda overlords.

But for real, fascinating science on how we might be seeing the very early stages of domestication in action in wild animals. 🧪

By @marinacoladas.bsky.social for @sciam.bsky.social

“Deciding the line between non-life and life is not interesting. What’s important is the process.” Great talk by Jack Szostak at #SciWri25

For what it's worth, the Planetary Society's @caseydreier.bsky.social will discuss Isaacman's renomination and other issues relating to space science policy at #ScienceWriters2025 in Chicago on Sunday, in conversation with @clarakm.bsky.social: sciencewriters2025.org/schedule/

Rejected NASA Chief Pick Jared Isaacman Renominated to Head Agency Ahead of Jared Isaacman’s renomination for the position of NASA’s administrator, a dispute between him and its acting chief Sean Duffy spilled into the open, with potentially profound consequences for...

Now on @sciam.bsky.social: After a leaked memo and a dust-up with NASA’s interim chief, Jared Isaacman’s renomination to lead the space agency portends potentially profound changes for U.S. space science and exploration. By @danvergano.bsky.social.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...

What Is Burevestnik, Russia’s New Nuclear-Powered Cruise Missile? Russian leader Vladimir Putin claimed his nation conducted a successful flight of a nuclear-powered cruise missile. Here’s how that missile might work

Russia's nuclear missile is a very bad idea, by @danvergano.bsky.social