Science NewsPhysicists dream up ‘spacetime quasicrystals’ that could underpin the universeQuasicrystals are orderly structures that never repeat. Scientists just showed they can exist in space and time.Feb 17, 2026
NautilusThe World Is Becoming Too Loud for BirdsBirds are great talkers and listeners, using vocalizations to communicate within their species. Whether for wooing mates, warning of predators, or chatting with offspring, birds excel at using their voices and ears to share meaningful...Feb 17, 2026
SciTech DailyDirty Air Linked to Higher Alzheimer’s Risk in Massive US StudyBreathing polluted air may do more than irritate your lungs — it could also raise your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Older adults who are exposed to higher levels of air pollution appear more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, according...Feb 17, 2026
Science BlogBrain Swelling During Alzheimer’s Treatment Could Be a Sign the Drug Is WorkingFeb 17, 2026
Science BlogThe Most Distant Jellyfish Galaxy Ever Seen Is Rewriting What We Know About Cosmic DeathFeb 17, 2026
New Scientist (Pay Wall)Giant viruses may be more alive than we thoughtA giant virus encodes part of the protein-making toolkit of cells that gives it greater control over its amoeba host, raising questions about how it evolved and how such beings relate to living organismsFeb 17, 2026
New Scientist (Pay Wall)The untold story of our remarkable hands and how they made us humanThe evolution of human hands is one of the most important – and overlooked – stories of our origin. Now, new fossil evidence is revealing their pivotal roleFeb 17, 2026
New Scientist (Pay Wall)Scientists want to put a super laser on the moonAn ultrastable laser could enable extremely precise timing and navigation on the moon, and the cold, dark craters near the lunar poles would be the ideal location for itFeb 17, 2026
Popular SciencePrehistoric Japan was home to cave lions—not tigersPresent-day Japan may see its fair share of bears, but the islands’ big cat populations are long gone. Between 129,000 and 11,700 years ago, temporary land bridges allowed the ancient predators to migrate between mainland Asia and the...Feb 17, 2026
PsyPostTrump support in 2024 linked to White Americans’ perception of falling to the bottom of the racial hierarchyA new study published in the journal Advances in Psychology sheds light on the psychological factors that influenced voting behavior in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The findings suggest that White Americans who perceive themselves...Feb 17, 2026
Universe TodayOccupy Mars? Or the Moon? Get a Reality Check on Elon Musk's PlansSpaceX founder Elon Musk now says he wants to build a city on the moon before building a city on Mars. Is either scenario realistic? In the latest episode of the Fiction Science podcast, biologist Scott Solomon, the author of a new book...Feb 17, 2026
NautilusChins: The Evolutionary Accident Unique to Homo SapiensIn 1979, renowned evolutionary biologists Stephen J. Gould and Richard Lewontin published “The Spandrels of San Marco and the Panglossian Paradigm,” a relatively short treatise pushing back on what they saw as a disconcerting trend in...Feb 17, 2026
SciTech DailyA Breakthrough Discovery Could Help Lungs Repair ThemselvesA newly identified lung cell “switch” could help doctors unlock the lungs’ natural ability to heal themselves. Scientists at Mayo Clinic have uncovered a molecular “switch” inside lung cells that determines whether those cells focus on...Feb 17, 2026
SciTech DailyScientists Discover How To “Switch Off” Cancer Genes for GoodA new study shows that targeting key epigenetic proteins may permanently switch off cancer genes. Scientists at Monash University, working with Harvard University, report they have found a way to permanently ‘switch off’ genes that help...Feb 17, 2026
Scientific AmericanNASA sets a date for redo of key Artemis II testNASA will attempt a second ‘wet dress rehearsal’ and simulated launch of its upcoming moon mission on ThursdayFeb 17, 2026
Scientific AmericanFirst solar eclipse of 2026 blazes a ‘ring of fire’ above AntarcticaA stunning “ring of fire” eclipse was totally visible to a lucky few in the Southern Hemisphere. Here’s how to see the next oneFeb 17, 2026
Science NewsSome snakes lack the ‘hunger hormone.’ Experts are hungry to know whyThe complex biology of ghrelin, the hunger hormone, has researchers wondering how its absence helps snakes last a long time with no food, if at all.Feb 17, 2026
NASA Breaking NewsStormy, Snowy Winter for HokkaidoNorthern Japan, especially the island of Hokkaido, is home to some of the snowiest cities in the world. Sapporo, the island’s largest city and host of an annual snow festival, typically sees more than 140 days of snowfall, with nearly 6...Feb 17, 2026
Popular ScienceWorld’s smallest possum may be hiding in South AustraliaWeighing less than one pound, the little pygmy possum (Cercartetus lepidus) is one of the smallest mammals in Australia. These miniscule mammals feed on nectar, pollen, and insects, and differ from opossums. Opossums live in the United...Feb 17, 2026
StudyFinds.orgExtreme Heat Emerges as Growing Threat to Wheat’s Most Vulnerable Two-Week WindowAfter decades of worrying about drought, scientists have discovered that extreme heat is rapidly becoming a serious threat, and it all comes down to 15 critical days. The post Extreme Heat Emerges as Growing Threat to Wheat’s Most...Feb 17, 2026
PsyPostAlcohol drinking habits predict long-term anxiety differently across age groupsA recent study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors provides evidence that the relationship between alcohol use and future anxiety depends significantly on a person’s age and how they consume alcohol. The findings indicate that...Feb 17, 2026
SciTech DailyThis Simple Exercise Habit May Keep Your Brain YoungerAdults who exercised regularly for a year had brains that appeared nearly a year younger on MRI scans. Protecting brain health is a lifelong effort, and new findings from the AdventHealth Research Institute suggest that regular exercise...Feb 17, 2026
NautilusDoes Belief in God, not Political Party, Drive Conservatism?It used to be that if you had no religious affiliation in the United States, you were probably atheist or agnostic. You didn’t identify with a particular faith because you didn’t believe in God or were uncertain about whether God exists....Feb 17, 2026
NASA Breaking NewsNASA Advances High-Altitude Traffic Management4 min readPreparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) A NASA simulation of higher airspace traffic management with industry partners Aerostar and Sceye in the Airspace Operations Laboratory at NASA’s Ames Research...Feb 17, 2026
Ars TechnicaWhich countries are actually serious about developing their own rockets?No one will supplant American and Chinese dominance in the space launch arena anytime soon, but several longtime US allies now see sovereign access to space as a national security imperative. Taking advantage of private launch initiatives...Feb 17, 2026
Popular ScienceAntarctica has a ‘gravity hole’A “gravity hole” beneath Antarctica sounds like the plot to a bad sci-fi movie, but it’s a very real situation deep beneath the Earth’s surface stretching back tens of millions of years. The phenomenon thankfully isn’t as apocalyptic as it...Feb 17, 2026
NautilusScientists Create Map of Deadly Scorpion Hotspots Scorpion stings can cause searing pain, grievous bodily harm, and potentially even death, with scorpion-linked fatalities numbering in the thousands each year. While antivenoms can treat these stings, they’re often tailored to specific...Feb 17, 2026
SciTech DailyAI Chatbots Just Outperformed Human Teams in Analyzing Medical DataGenerative AI tools stunned researchers by building accurate preterm birth prediction models far faster than human teams — sometimes even outperforming them. The breakthrough suggests AI could dramatically accelerate medical discoveries...Feb 17, 2026
Science NewsThe Story of Stories traces the arc of storytelling across human historyIn The Story of Stories, technologist Kevin Ashton explores how storytelling has evolved and why stories matter.Feb 17, 2026
Ars TechnicaScientists hunting mammoth fossils found whales 400 km inlandIn a recent study, University of Alaska Fairbanks paleontologist Matthew Wooller and his colleagues radiocarbon-dated what they thought were pieces of two mammoth vertebrae, only to get a whale of a surprise and a whole new mystery. At...Feb 17, 2026
PsyPostWhat brain waves tell us about the link between exercise and moodA study in Germany found that a 30-minute session of moderate-intensity physical exercise reduced rumination in depressed individuals compared to sitting. The reduction was visible in both electroencephalographic recordings and...Feb 17, 2026
Chemistry WorldExplainer: What is epibatidine?The science behind the dart frog toxin that was allegedly used to kill the Russian politician Alexei NavalnyFeb 17, 2026
Quanta MagazineA New Complexity Theory for the Quantum AgeComputer science, at its most fundamental, is all about inputs and outputs. Consider the simple case of multiplying two numbers on a pocket calculator. You punch in some inputs — the specific numbers you want to multiply — and the screen...Feb 17, 2026
Universe TodayNew Lunar Samples Challenge the "Late Heavy Bombardment"Results are coming out from the samples returned by China’s Chang’e-6 sample return mission to the far side of the Moon. They offer our first close-up look at the geology and history of the far side, and a recent paper published in Science...Feb 17, 2026
Science NewsReal-world medical questions stump AI chatbotsSubtle shifts in how users described symptoms to AI chatbots led to dramatically different, sometimes dangerous medical advice.Feb 17, 2026
New Scientist (Pay Wall)Dream hacking helps people solve complex problems in their sleepHearing a sound while working on a complex puzzle, and then hearing it again during sleep, helped lucid dreamers better tackle the problem the next dayFeb 17, 2026
MIT Technology ReviewThe Download: the rise of luxury car theft, and fighting antimicrobial resistanceThis is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. The curious case of the disappearing Lamborghinis Across the world, unsuspecting people are...Feb 17, 2026
Chemistry WorldEU adds hefty anti-dumping duties to 1,4-butanediolImports from China, US and Saudi Arabia will see tariffs of 52–143%Feb 17, 2026
SciTech DailyThis Quantum Breakthrough Connects Two Opposite RealitiesA new theory reveals how even “frozen” particles can spark the emergence of order inside quantum matter. Researchers at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Heidelberg University have introduced a new theory that links two major...Feb 17, 2026
SciTech DailyScientists Found the Sweet Spot That Makes Robot Arms Feel HumanAs AI-powered prosthetic arms become more advanced, a surprising detail could determine whether they truly feel like part of the body: how fast they move. As artificial intelligence-powered prosthetic arms become more common, one key...Feb 17, 2026
