Science & Earth

A federal judge on Feb. 25 ordered increased spill at eight lower Columbia and Snake River dams to help out-migrating salmon and steelhead, saying those populations have "dwindled to near extinction levels." The order largely returns operations similar to 2024–25 and includes provisions allowing changes if power system reliability is at risk.

Marine archaeologists have excavated the Danish warship Dannebroge about 15 meters beneath Copenhagen Harbor and recovered cannons and personal items; the finding was announced on the 225th anniversary of the 1801 Battle of Copenhagen.

The UK Health Security Agency reported about 1,504 heat-associated deaths in England for summer 2025, roughly half the predicted figure; the Met Office said 2025 was the warmest UK summer on record with a mean temperature of 16.1C.

A 44-year modeling study led by Michael Rawlins finds that thawing permafrost on Alaska’s North Slope is lengthening the active thaw season into September and October and increasing freshwater and dissolved organic carbon delivered to coastal estuaries.

A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck about 79 miles northwest of Ternate, Indonesia, and the U.S. Geological Survey reported hazardous tsunami waves were forecast and that tsunami waves had been observed.

A record 87 pairs of cranes raised 37 young last year in the UK, bringing the national population to about 250 birds, conservation groups said.

Alder Planetarium in Chicago held a public watch party for NASA's Artemis II launch, which the article says is the first crewed lunar fly-around in 53 years and involves a four‑person, roughly 10‑day mission.

A study published in American Antiquity reports that Indigenous people in the western United States made dice more than 12,000 years ago, based on hundreds of artifacts from dozens of archaeological sites. Researchers say the artifacts suggest dice were used as social tools for exchange and may represent an early use of probability.

Joan Higginbotham, a retired astronaut living in Charlotte, watched the Artemis launch and described an emotional reaction as the crew began an orbital mission that officials say will help build a long-term human presence on the moon.

NASA's Artemis II lifted off from Cape Canaveral at 6:36 p.m. local time with four crew aboard Orion; the roughly 10-day mission will test systems in Earth orbit and then fly around the far side of the Moon without landing.

Artemis II launched four astronauts on a crewed lunar flyby, the first such mission in over 50 years. The article attributes the long gap to shifting political priorities and budgets, loss of Apollo-era expertise, and a later decision to focus on low Earth orbit before restarting lunar ambitions under Artemis.

NASA's Artemis II crew have entered the Orion capsule at Kennedy Space Center as final countdown proceeds for the first crewed lunar mission since 1972, with a launch window opening at 18:24 EDT.

Desalination is being used more widely as drought and changing rainfall reduce freshwater supplies; the article reports more than 20,000 plants worldwide and industry growth of about 7% annually.

Researchers used broadly neutralizing antibodies gathered from a man with long-term venom exposure to create an antivenom cocktail that fully protected mice against 13 snake species and partially protected them against six more; the team plans to begin testing the treatment in Australia on dogs and to develop coverage for viper bites.

Artemis 2 will carry four astronauts on a planned 10-day lunar flyby aboard the Orion spacecraft, with each day scheduled for specific activities including launches and burns, system checks, science observations, suit tests, and a planned reentry and splashdown.

NASA Ames in Mountain View provided the capsule heat shield and wind-tunnel testing for Artemis II, and the mission is scheduled to launch Wednesday evening from Kennedy Space Center.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said he remains committed to delivering green incentives he pledged during the Liberal leadership race, and officials are working to transfer the Greener Homes Grant from Natural Resources Canada to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

The Department of Water Resources reports statewide snowpack at about 18% of normal, with the northern Sierra at roughly 6%, as the state enters its dry season. Warmer winter storms brought more rain than high-elevation snow and much of the late-winter snowpack melted through March.

A PLOS ONE study asked 647 people about 17 dog behavioural signs and found many subtle actions linked to pain are often overlooked; owning a dog did not reliably improve recognition.

An international consortium compiled more than 45,000 population trends for over 1,000 butterfly species and found average declines, while monitoring covers only about five percent of species and is concentrated in Europe and North America.

NASA's Artemis II launch window opens at 5:24 p.m. CDT, and April's full 'Pink Moon' reaches peak fullness at 9:11 p.m. CDT.

Four scientists with Arizona ties will help advise Artemis astronauts on surface activities, and NASA's Artemis program plans crewed Moon landings in 2028.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman presented a three‑phase Artemis plan that includes crewed lunar flights and at least 30 robotic lunar cargo missions, and he announced a proposed nuclear‑powered interplanetary spacecraft slated for a Mars mission in 2028.

NASA began fueling the Space Launch System rocket this morning and the four astronauts are suiting up ahead of a planned 6:34 p.m. ET liftoff; NASA will provide live coverage starting at 12:50 p.m. ET.

Scientists have identified more than 110 previously unknown species from deep areas of the Coral Sea, with the total expected to exceed 200 as researchers continue processing photos and specimens collected during a recent expedition.

Artemis II is scheduled to launch Wednesday evening with four astronauts aboard the Orion capsule to orbit the moon and return after about 10 days.

Two comets—C/2026 A1 (MAPS) and C/2025 R3 (PANSTARRS)—are reported in April 2026 sky charts, and the Lyrid meteor shower is expected to peak the night of April 22–23.

Artemis II is NASA's first crewed lunar test flight in more than 53 years, with liftoff scheduled for April 1 and an additional launch window opening April 30 for a roughly 10-day mission around the moon.

Artemis II will be the first mission in over 50 years to carry humans beyond low-Earth orbit, and its crew will include a woman, a person of color, and a Canadian.

Brazil will roll out a nationwide itinerant collection programme in March 2026 to gather empty pesticide containers and support its reverse logistics system, while new 2026 federal rules set a 32% recovery target for plastic packaging and increase traceability requirements.