Science & Earth

GRU Space has released plans for a lunar hotel covered in bricks made from processed lunar soil, and the company aims to place an initial inflatable module on the Moon (V1) by 2032.

Authorities say thousands of small debris balls likely linked to the Malabar outfall prompted New South Wales to announce a $3 billion, 10-year upgrade of Sydney's sewage network, with initial works planned at Glenfield and Liverpool.

Researchers at the University of Tours found that horses exposed to sweat from fearful humans showed higher heart rates and more hesitant, startled behaviour than when exposed to neutral or happy scents.

Researchers combined Ice Flow Perturbation Analysis with satellite data to produce the most detailed continental map yet of Antarctica's bed, revealing thousands of subglacial hills, valleys, mountain ranges and deep canyons.

Researchers excavated seven mummified cheetahs and the bones of 54 others in caves near Arar, Saudi Arabia; the remains date from about 130 to over 1,800 years old.

Over 400,000 hectares have burned across multiple regions of Victoria, and the state's heavily cleared landscape limits available habitat for displaced native species.

England, Scotland and Wales will host the opening stages (Grand Départs) of both the men's Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes in 2027, with the men's Grand Départ starting in Edinburgh on July 2 and the women's in Leeds on July 30.

Four astronauts splashed down near San Diego after an early departure from the ISS that NASA said was ordered because of a 'serious' medical condition, and all were taken to hospital for observation.

Researchers from Tokyo City University and the University of Tokyo, with engineers from RIKEN and Canon Medical Systems, have created a living skin implant that tracks proteins linked to inflammation, stress or disease and lights up when abnormalities are detected; the device was trialled on mice and remained functional for over 200 days.

NASA and the Department of Energy signed a memorandum to develop a small nuclear fission reactor for the lunar surface with a target deployment by 2030, and officials say the reactor would provide continuous power for Artemis and future Mars missions.

Clinicians have reported psychotic symptoms that are shaped or reinforced by interactions with generative AI, while researchers say there is no evidence AI causes psychosis outright. Experts note genAI’s conversational and personalized responses can feel validating and may intensify distorted beliefs in vulnerable people.

Archaeologists found the well-preserved remains of a 600-year-old cog, named Svælget 2, in the Sound off Denmark; it measures about 28m by 9m and is reported to be the largest cog yet found, with surviving rigging, a stern castle and a brick galley.

Trail cameras in West Bengal recorded a group of 10 Indian wolves, and researchers say the animals are persisting in human‑modified grasslands while facing habitat loss, conflict with people and competition from other carnivores.

Aydin Crouch spent over five years and more than 3,000 hours creating SafeCycleLDN, a colour‑coded map of London cycle routes that the London Cycling Campaign has endorsed.

Good Morning Britain paused when presenters reported that four astronauts returned to Earth after a medical evacuation from the International Space Station; the capsule splashed down off the coast of California.

NASA returned four astronauts early from the International Space Station so one crew member could receive medical evaluation on the ground; officials said the astronaut is stable and will be cared for.

The Fongoli community of about 35 savannah chimpanzees in southeast Senegal displays unusual behaviours — including spear use by females and soaking in pools — documented over 25 years by primatologist Jill Pruetz.

Local villagers employed by the Fongoli Savanna Chimpanzee Project say the research has offered an alternative to informal gold mining, and the team studies a group of savannah-dwelling chimpanzees noted for using tools in hunting.

Copernicus reports 2025 was the third warmest year on record, with global average air temperature 1.47°C above pre‑industrial levels, and the Met Office says the UK had a record-warm year with a mean of 10.09°C.

The RSPB, via expert Jamie Wyver, recommends leaving out clean, unfrozen water to help robins and other birds drink and bathe, and notes that ivy (Hedera helix or H. hibernica) and foods such as mealworms can provide late-season nectar, berries and energy for wildlife.

Crew 11 astronauts splashed down following a medical evacuation from the International Space Station, and officials reported the crew were stable and being cared for.

A rare Goodfellow's tree kangaroo joey has emerged from his mother's pouch at Chester Zoo; the species is endangered and is being cared for at just two UK zoos.

Hundreds of whooper swans from Iceland have arrived at Martin Mere in Lancashire, and the site now hosts more than 800 birds. The swans are spending the winter there because the wetland is milder.

Volunteers in the UK and Ireland are taking part in the six-yearly international swan census to count whooper and Bewick's swans; the UK's whooper winter population is now about 20,000 while Bewick's were reported at roughly 700 in early 2025.

NASA's SpaceX Dragon left the International Space Station on Jan. 14 to return Crew-11 early after a reported serious medical emergency; NASA said the affected astronaut was stable and not in immediate danger.

The EPA announced it will stop monetizing the health and monetary benefits of reducing PM2.5 and ozone and will instead focus on industry compliance costs and emissions quantification. Undetermined at this time.

A Nature study analysed 40 major river deltas using satellite and other datasets and reports about 42,000 km² of delta area now lies below sea level, with roughly 10.2 million people currently exposed; groundwater loss, reduced sediment supply and urban expansion are identified as key contributors.

The first ice core library opened on 14 January 2026 at Concordia station in Antarctica to store rescued glacier samples at about −50°C for long-term scientific study.

Arnside, on Morecambe Bay, draws fewer visitors than nearby Lake District spots and is praised as a fine coastal place while residents value its quieter atmosphere; the village is known for a tidal bore and hazardous mudflats.

A new BioScience paper applies the WHO 'one health' concept to seagrass meadows and highlights that these habitats stabilise sediments, filter nutrients and store carbon; many coastal ecosystems are declining due to pollution, overfishing, coastal development and warming seas.