Science

Science · 18 October 2026

Japan Sets Course for Phobos: First Mission to Bring Back Moon‑Bite Samples

Tom Wick, London desk

Japan is preparing a five‑year, world‑first mission to collect and return samples from Phobos, one of Mars’s two tiny, potato‑shaped moons.

Science · 1 October 2026

Swiss Glacier Party Poops Out 20% of Ice in Five Years—A Cryogenic Crack‑Up

Tom Wick, London desk

Scientists have announced that Switzerland’s glaciers have shrunk by almost a fifth in five years, a loss that could melt tourism, time‑keeping and the very notion of alpine grandeur.

Science · 26 September 2026

Commercial Space Robot Re-enacts Office Breakup: 'We Need to Talk About the Telescope'

Tom Wick, London desk

A private spacecraft designed to save an aging NASA telescope has returned to Earth, concluding a mission hampered by a series of technical misunderstandings and a lack of enthusiasm for orbital maintenance.

Science · 29 October 2026

Ancient Roman Colour‑Changing Glass Inspires Near‑Infrared Quest to Tackle Football CTE

Clyde Rook, Washington desk

Scientists have cracked the secret of the Lycurgus Cup’s colour‑changing magic and are now using the same optical principles to explore near‑infrared light as a possible treatment or prevention for chronic traumati…

Science · 28 October 2026

Bloody Mary Meets Art: How a Honolulu Museum Explores the Brain’s Ghostly Imagination

Candy Voss, Washington desk

On Halloween, the Honolulu Museum of Art highlights an exhibition on how art influences thinking, perspective and mood, linking the classic Bloody Mary mirror ritual to the brain’s tendency to fill in darkness.

Science · 16 October 2026

Barn Owl Bachelorette Party Takes Over Upper West Side Water Tower

Clyde Rook, Washington desk

A rare family of barn owls has taken up residence in a water tower on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, turning the neighborhood into a feathered frenzy.

Science · 8 October 2026

Bacteria Joined the Human Exodus—Now Our Modern Diet’s the Unwanted Tourist

Rita Knox, Washington desk

Genetic studies show our ancestors carried trillions of gut bacteria across continents, but industrial diets are reshaping that ancient microbial convoy, with possible health consequences for modern societies.

Science · 30 September 2026

NASA Grants Starliner a Fresh Launchpad After Two Astronauts’ Unwanted Space Vacation

Clyde Rook, Washington desk

After a test flight that left astronauts stranded for months, NASA pours $359 million into Boeing’s Starliner, promising new missions while the crew still waits for a return ticket.

Science · 29 September 2026

Starship Finally Hits Orbit, Sends First Next‑Gen Starlinks to the Stars

Clyde Rook, Washington desk

SpaceX’s Starship, after 99 % of the journey, finally reaches orbit on its 14th flight, dropping a batch of new‑generation Starlinks and confirming the company’s orbital ambitions.