Russia’s latest resupply mission to low-Earth orbit has delivered a unique scientific cargo: 75 mice, 1,000 fruit flies, microbes, cell cultures, and plant seeds aboard the Bion-M No.2 biosatellite. Over the next month, these organisms will orbit Earth, helping scientists study how microgravity and cosmic radiation affect life. Some mice are genetically engineered to test radiation sensitivity, while lunar soil simulants will shed light on dust behavior in space. The mission aims to advance research critical for long-duration human spaceflight to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

A Romanian researcher captured a rare sight on the Sun — a giant solar tornado alongside a massive plasma eruption. Both events, driven by magnetic field changes, highlight the Sun’s extreme activity during solar maximum. Luckily, the eruption’s CME is not headed toward Earth.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are conducting key health experiments as part of Expedition 73, focusing on how the brain and immune system adapt to microgravity. Crew members exercise to counter muscle and bone loss, complete cognitive tests, and practice emergency medical drills. Using virtual-reality equipment, they study balance in weightlessness, while blood and saliva samples help researchers assess immunity changes. NASA says these findings are vital for protecting astronauts on future Moon and Mars missions and may also advance medical knowledge on Earth.

On Aug. 19, residents of southern Japan witnessed a brilliant fireball streaking across the night sky, lighting up cities from Kagoshima to Osaka. The meteor appeared at 11:08 p.m. local time, glowing green-blue with flashes so bright they rivaled the moon before bursting into orange-red fragments above the Pacific Ocean. Security and dashcam cameras captured the dazzling display, while some residents reported feeling shockwaves as it passed. Experts say the fireball was likely caused by a small asteroid fragment burning up in Earth’s atmosphere. Though it coincided with the Perseid meteor shower, astronomers note it may have been a sporadic event.

Astronomers have long thought Ursa Major III, also called UNIONS 1, was a dark-matter-packed dwarf galaxy. But new simulations suggest it may instead be a compact star cluster bound by black holes and neutron stars. Located 30,000 light-years away, Ursa Major III contains just ~60 visible stars yet shows puzzlingly high stellar velocities. The new analysis explains this without invoking dark matter, challenging assumptions about tiny galaxies. If correct, it reduces the Milky Way’s dwarf count and may reveal an entirely new class of faint stellar systems.

The US military’s X-37B space plane will test a quantum inertial sensor for navigation, moving beyond GPS reliance. The technology, based on ultracold atoms, offers precise positioning in deep space, underwater, and GPS-denied zones. If successful, it may transform both defense and future space exploration, marking a critical step in operational autonomy.

A team from the Southwest Research Institute has discovered a tiny new moon orbiting Uranus using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. The moon, called S/2025 U1, is just 6 miles (10 kilometers) wide, too small for Voyager 2 to detect during its 1986 flyby. This discovery brings Uranus’s total known moons to 29, with S/2025 U1 orbiting 35,000 miles from the planet’s center. Scientists say its presence hints that Uranus’s crowded system of moons and rings may still hold more hidden surprises awaiting discovery with Webb’s powerful instruments.

Astronomers discovered that the water in Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, known as the “Devil Comet,” is nearly identical to Earth’s. Using ALMA and IRTF data, they mapped cometary water for the first time. The findings bolster the theory that comets delivered water to Earth, enabling life’s emergence.

Scientists at NIST have developed a quantum device that measures amperes, volts, and ohms within a single system for the first time. Reported in Nature Electronics, the breakthrough uses two integrated quantum standards to achieve unmatched accuracy. The innovation could transform electrical measurements across research, technology, and diagnostics by simplifying processes and reducing errors.

On Aug. 15, Chinese astronauts Chen Dong and Wang Jie completed a 6.5-hour spacewalk to strengthen the Tiangong space station’s defenses against orbital debris. Working outside the station, they installed new protective panels and inspected external systems. The mission marked Chen Dong’s sixth career EVA—the most by a Chinese astronaut—and the third for Shenzhou 20’s crew. China’s space agency stressed that debris mitigation is a global concern, aligning with its policies on de-orbiting old spacecraft and passivating rocket stages. Experts warn that rising orbital traffic makes international cooperation essential.

An international team of astronomers has discovered WD 0525+526, an unusual white dwarf about 128 light-years away, using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. Unlike typical white dwarfs, this star formed through a stellar merger and shows an unexpectedly high carbon content. With a mass of 1.2 Suns and a scorching surface temperature of 21,000 K, the discovery suggests that such merger remnants may be more common than previously thought. Researchers believe these hidden stellar histories could reshape our understanding of white dwarf binaries and pathways to supernova explosions.

A team in China has unveiled a lithium battery design with over 600 Wh/kg energy density—double that of Tesla’s best batteries. If scalable, the breakthrough could revolutionise electric vehicles, extend driving ranges, and improve safety. Researchers caution that it remains a proof-of-concept requiring more real-world testing before mass adoption.

Earendel, the farthest object ever seen, was first thought to be a single massive star from the early universe. New findings from JWST suggest it may instead be a star cluster, with many stars grouped together. Scientists used gravitational lensing to spot Earendel, which made its light appear thousands of times brighter.

flatband states in CsCr₃Sb₅, a kagome superconductor. This experimental validation connects lattice geometry with emergent superconductivity, opening new pathways for engineered quantum materials, superconductors, and advanced electronics.

A new mathematical approach has revived previously ignored particles, now called neglectons, and shown how they can work with Ising anyons. By filling in the missing functions of these quasiparticles, neglectons could overcome key limits in topological quantum computing and help build more stable, universal quantum computers in the future.

Scientists have recreated helium hydride ions, the universe’s first molecules, under lab conditions. The study reveals these ions were far more effective in driving early star formation than older theories suggested. Published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, the research reshapes understanding of early cosmic chemistry and challenges assumptions about how quickly the first stars emerged.

Mercury’s surface reveals it has been shrinking for billions of years due to cooling and faulting. A new study estimates the planet’s radius has contracted by 2.7–5.6 kilometers, offering the most precise figures yet. The findings sharpen understanding of Mercury’s thermal evolution and could help scientists apply the same techniques to tectonic studies on Mars and other rocky planets.

NASA and ISRO’s joint NISAR mission has successfully deployed its 12-meter radar reflector in orbit. This unique satellite, carrying dual L-band and S-band radars, will monitor Earth’s glaciers, volcanoes, earthquakes, and ecosystems with unmatched accuracy. The milestone reflects decades of research and showcases the strength of U.S.-India space collaboration, aiming to revolutionize Earth observation for science, policy, and sustainable development.

SpaceX’s upcoming 10th Starship test flight, scheduled for Aug. 24 from Starbase, Texas, is a milestone for the company’s ambitious rocket program. The launch will validate deployment systems, engine restart capability, and controlled reentry maneuvers, all vital for future crewed missions to the moon and Mars.

SpaceX successfully launched 24 new Starlink satellites on Aug. 14, lifting off at 1:05 a.m. EDT from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. The first-stage booster, B1093, completed its fifth flight and landed smoothly on the drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean. This mission marked SpaceX’s 98th Falcon 9 flight of 2025, raising the active Starlink constellation to over 8,100 satellites. Starlink currently delivers broadband service to about 130 countries and territories, targeting near-global coverage with a planned 12,000-satellite network. SpaceX’s next mission, Starlink 17-5, is set for Aug. 15, aiming to send another 24 satellites into orbit to further expand the network.

NASA’s PUNCH mission has reached full operational status, enabling continuous monitoring of the Sun and solar wind from multiple vantage points around Earth. This collaborative effort complements other major solar missions and promises valuable insights into the Sun–Earth connection. Early public release of PUNCH’s science data marks an exciting opportunity for researchers and space enthusiasts worldwide.

In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers observed SN 2023zkd, a supernova that may have been triggered by close interaction with a black hole. Featuring unusual brightness peaks and extended pre-explosion activity, the event offers new insights into star black hole dynamics. Real-time AI detection played a key role, and upcoming surveys promise to uncover more of these rare stellar phenomena.

A rare NASA satellite image shows 10 sharply defined “dark voids” above Heard Island, a volcanic peak in the southern Indian Ocean. Formed by von Kármán vortices bent nearly 90 degrees by fierce westerly winds, the striking gaps pierce thick cloud cover, offering a vivid glimpse of nature’s intricate atmospheric patterns from space.

NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) has made surprising observations in a black hole binary system, detecting a high degree of X-ray polarisation that challenges current models of corona structure and accretion discs. In X-ray binaries, black holes pull matter from nearby stars, forming hot accretion discs and coronas.

United Launch Alliance launched its powerful Vulcan Centaur rocket carrying NTS-3, a cutting-edge GPS PNT satellite for the U.S. military. This mission marks the first military experimental navigation satellite launch in 48 years. With advanced anti-jamming technology and the ability to reprogram in orbit, NTS-3 sets a new benchmark for satellite security and flexibility.

Europe’s heavy-lift Ariane 6 rocket completed its third successful launch on Aug. 12, 2025, lifting off from Kourou, French Guiana at 8:37 p.m. EDT. The mission carried Metop-SGA1, an 8,900-pound next-generation polar-orbiting weather satellite operated by EUMETSAT. Placed into an 800 km polar orbit 64 minutes after liftoff, Metop-SGA1 will deliver high-resolution global observations of temperature, precipitation, clouds, winds, sea ice, aerosols, and pollution. Built by ArianeGroup for the European Space Agency, Ariane 6 is Europe’s successor to the Ariane 5. This launch follows its commercial debut in March 2025, marking another milestone in strengthening Europe’s independent access to space.

NASA is partnering with U.S. firms to study boosting the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory’s orbit, aiming to extend its scientific life and advance orbital servicing technologies. Funded through Phase III SBIR awards, the project explores cost-effective solutions while preserving Swift’s astrophysics role. Collaboration with Starfish Space may also provide critical insights for future satellite servicing missions.

NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft has taken another major step toward launch. After being fueled, it was moved to the Launch Abort System Facility at Kennedy Space Centre, where engineers are integrating a 44-foot-tall escape system to protect astronauts during liftoff. The mission will see four astronauts, including one from Canada, fly around the Moon—marking humanity’s first journey beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo. Artemis aims to pave the way for lunar landings and future Mars missions.

The "Cosmic Grapes" galaxy discovery sheds new light on early galaxy formation, revealing unexpected dense, star-forming clumps just 930 million years post-Big Bang. Uncovered through JWST, ALMA, and gravitational lensing, this breakthrough opens new opportunities for understanding the early cosmos.

A new study suggests “black hole morsels” — tiny, asteroid-sized black holes from cosmic mergers — could emit detectable bursts of Hawking radiation. Observatories like HESS, HAWC, and Fermi may already hold clues. Detecting them could unlock insights into quantum gravity, unknown particles, and even hidden dimensions beyond the Standard Model.

China has launched the eighth batch of satellites for its Guowang internet constellation, lifting off on Aug. 13 aboard a Long March 5B rocket from Wenchang Space Launch Center. Operated by state-owned China SatNet, Guowang aims to deploy about 13,000 satellites in low Earth orbit to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink. Each launch so far has carried only eight to ten relatively large satellites. The mission marks the fourth Guowang launch in less than three weeks, underscoring China’s push to accelerate global broadband coverage and strengthen its position in the satellite-internet market.

In July 2025, the European Space Agency’s Mars Express orbiter captured a high-resolution image of Acheron Fossae, a region marked by deep chasms and ridges on Mars’s surface. These features, created by ancient crustal stretching, split the terrain into raised horsts and sunken grabens. Valley floors reveal smooth surfaces carved by slow-moving, ice-rich rock glaciers, forming rounded knobs and mesas. Scientists believe these structures date back 3.7 billion years, during Mars’s most geologically active era. The presence of rock glaciers hints at ancient ice ages, suggesting the Red Planet once had climatic cycles capable of supporting frozen water flow over vast periods, reshaping its landscape.

A Physical Review Letters study likens deep neural network feature learning to spring-block mechanics, linking data simplification to spring extension and nonlinearity to friction. The model reveals how noise can balance separation across layers and help predict performance, offering a powerful tool to optimise training, improve generalisation, and enhance efficiency in large AI systems.

On June 26, 2025, a dazzling daytime fireball streaked over Georgia, captured by satellites and witnessed across multiple states. A surviving fragment smashed through the roof of a McDonough home, denting the wooden floor 14 feet below. Scientists at the University of Georgia analyzed about 23 grams of this ancient rock, determining it to be a 4.56-billion-year-old L-type ordinary chondrite — older than Earth by nearly 20 million years. Likely originating from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, it may have been dislodged by a colossal collision 470 million years ago. Dubbed the McDonough Meteorite, it offers rare clues to the early solar system’s history and asteroid risks.

Jim Lovell, legendary NASA astronaut and commander of Apollo 13, has died at 97. Renowned for turning a life-threatening lunar mission into a historic survival story, Lovell flew four pioneering spaceflights, including Apollo 8. His steady leadership during crisis inspired generations and cemented his place as one of space exploration’s most respected figures.

Super-Earths are among the most common planets in the galaxy, yet none exist in our solar system. Larger than Earth but smaller than Neptune, they range from ocean-covered worlds to scorched, atmosphere-less rocks. Some orbit within habitable zones, making them prime candidates for life. NASA’s Kepler and TESS missions, along with upcoming telescopes like JWST, are unraveling their mysteries—exploring their atmospheres, compositions, and potential to host life. These discoveries could reshape our understanding of planet formation and the conditions that make a world truly habitable.

Astronomers have detected a dormant black hole with a mass equal to 36 billion Suns in the Cosmic Horseshoe system, 5 billion light-years away. Identified via gravitational lensing and stellar motion, it ranks among the largest known black holes. The discovery sheds light on the link between galaxy size and central black hole growth.

NASA’s latest wind tunnel tests on a tiltwing model are giving the advanced air mobility industry valuable data to improve air taxi and drone designs. By studying wing and propeller interactions in different conditions, NASA is helping create safer and more efficient next-generation aircraft.

University of Maryland researchers have designed self-adaptive electrolytes that dynamically expand their stability during charging, enabling safer and faster high-energy batteries. Inspired by the “salting-out” effect, the approach has shown improved performance in both lithium-metal and zinc-metal cells, paving the way for next-generation energy storage solutions.

Light pollution is brightening skies over observatories at an alarming rate, with artificial light growing by up to 10% each year. Astronomers caution that this glow, intensified by widespread LED use and urban expansion, is threatening the ability of telescopes to detect faint cosmic objects and diminishing humanity’s shared right to experience the night sky.

The Perseid meteor shower, one of the year’s most anticipated celestial events, will peak on the night of August 12–13, 2025. At its height, the shower can produce up to 100 meteors per hour, though the glare of an 86% waning gibbous moon will make spotting faint streaks difficult. Observers can still expect to see the brightest meteors and occasional fireballs, especially after midnight.

Raphael Domjan, a Swiss eco-explorer, achieved an 8,224-meter altitude in his SolarStratos aircraft, edging closer to breaking the solar-powered flight record. The attempt, departing from Sion Airport, showcased the potential of renewable energy in aviation.

SUTD’s maple seed-inspired monocopter achieves a record 26-minute flight with a single rotor. Lightweight, efficient, and simple, it offers promising uses in environmental monitoring and research. The project reflects a 10-year journey from large endurance drones to compact, power-efficient designs.

On July 24, 2025, NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover captured an image of a small, coral-shaped rock in Gale Crater using its ChemCam Remote Micro Imager. The light-colored, 1-inch (2.5 cm) formation likely formed billions of years ago when mineral-rich water seeped into tiny fractures in the rock, leaving behind hardened mineral veins after evaporation. Over time, relentless Martian winds sandblasted the surrounding material, revealing the rock’s intricate, branching structure. While its appearance closely resembles marine coral, scientists stress it is a geological artifact—known as a pseudofossil—rather than evidence of life. The discovery reinforces mounting evidence that ancient Mars had abundant liquid water and could have supported microbial life. Since landing in 2012, Curiosity has explored Gale Crater’s layered terrain, uncovering clues to the Red Planet’s wet history and its potential habitability in the distant past.

The habitable zone, or “Goldilocks zone”, is the region around a star where conditions allow liquid water to exist. Varying with star type, this zone is key in the search for life. Earth’s location in the Sun’s habitable zone has made life possible, and astronomers seek similar rocky exoplanets in other systems to explore the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

A 3D-printed robot crab named “Wavy Dave” was deployed among real fiddler crabs in Portugal to mimic mating displays. The study revealed surprising reactions—rival males waved longer, avoided conflict with larger claws, and even attacked the robot. These findings offer new insights into how crabs adjust their courtship behavior in response to perceived competition in dynamic environments.

SpaceX has signed a landmark agreement with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to deliver Italian science experiments to Mars aboard its Starship rocket. Announced on August 7, 2025, the mission will carry a plant-growth module, a meteorological station, and a radiation detector to collect crucial data during the six-month journey and on the Martian surface. These experiments will study plant growth in space, monitor Mars’ weather, and measure cosmic radiation—information vital for future human exploration. The launch is targeted for the November–December 2026 Mars window, pending Starship’s readiness. This partnership signals a new era of commercial interplanetary missions, enabling nations to buy payload flights without building their own spacecraft.

On July 30, 2025, the NASA–CNES SWOT satellite captured the leading edge of a tsunami wave in the Pacific, triggered by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. Recorded about 70 minutes after the quake, the wave measured 1.5 feet in open water but could grow to 30 feet at shore. SWOT’s advanced radar mapped the wave’s height, profile, and direction—providing data never before captured in such detail. NOAA’s Center for Tsunami Research found that integrating SWOT data could greatly improve forecast accuracy, a major step forward in disaster preparedness. Experts see this as a breakthrough in early tsunami detection.

Google DeepMind’s Aeneas model uses AI to reconstruct damaged ancient Roman inscriptions with high accuracy. Its ability to fill in missing text, estimate origins, and connect similar inscriptions makes it a game-changer for historical research. Open-source and free to use, it opens new possibilities in the study of ancient history.

A breakthrough in creative robotics, Robot Drummer combines AI and humanoid design to perform complex drumming patterns with precision and flair. The system could inspire future innovations in robotic musicianship and live entertainment.