Science & Earth
→ NewsUSGS Volcano Notice: Halemaʻumaʻu eruption paused after Episode 42.
The USGS reports Episode 42 of the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended at 11:38 p.m. HST on February 15, 2026, and the eruption is currently paused; light tephra fall of fine ash and Pele's hair was reported to the southwest.
Texas 8 Ball fire leads to new evacuations
Officials ordered evacuations near Howardwick as the 8 Ball fire burned roughly 9,000 acres with about 25% containment; authorities said an evening update on closures and conditions was expected.
Mars Global Localization pinpoints Perseverance's location on Mars.
NASA's Mars Global Localization allowed Perseverance to determine its position to within about 25 centimeters on Feb. 2, 2026, by matching a 360-degree navcam orthomosaic to Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter imagery.
Perseverance now autonomously pinpoints its location on Mars.
NASA's Perseverance rover uses a new Mars Global Localization algorithm to locate itself on Mars autonomously to about 10 inches (25 cm); the capability was first used in routine operations on Feb. 2 and again on Feb. 16.
Planetary alignment in February offers a six-planet parade to spot.
NASA reports that six planets — Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter — form a visible alignment most clearly shortly after sunset on Feb. 28, though Uranus and Neptune generally require optical aids and some planets will sit low near the horizon.
Microbes reveal steps toward complex cells in Asgard findings
Researchers reported hundreds of new Asgard microbes and filmed live Asgard cells crawling, offering genetic and behavioral clues to how complex eukaryotic cells evolved.
Groups sue EPA over repeal of rule supporting climate protections
A coalition of health and environmental groups sued the EPA after it rescinded the 2009 endangerment finding; the suit was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
Ranger Road wildfire burns about 145,000 acres across Kansas and Oklahoma
Strong winds drove the Ranger Road wildfire across the Oklahoma Panhandle into southwest Kansas, burning about 145,000 acres and injuring multiple firefighters; evacuations were ordered in several communities.
ISS to return to seven crew as Crew-12 may launch Feb. 12
NASA and SpaceX moved the Crew-12 launch to Feb. 12 pending weather, which would restore the ISS to seven crew after it has operated with three since mid-January.
Dog Aging Project explores how studying dogs can inform pet and human health
The Dog Aging Project has enrolled over 50,000 dogs to collect health, lifestyle and genomic data, and researchers are testing low-dose rapamycin to study effects on cellular aging.
San Francisco proposes changes to tree removal and replacement rules
City officials are advancing PermitSF changes that would let developers pay a $2,590 in‑lieu fee instead of planting replacement trees and would remove the appeals process for city‑initiated hazardous removals; supporters say it speeds permitting while critics worry it will reduce trees in neighborhoods.
UCLA professors named 2026 Sloan Research Fellows.
Three UCLA faculty—David Clewett, Pradip Gatkine and Juliana Londoño-Vélez—are among 126 researchers from 44 institutions awarded 2026 Sloan Research Fellowships, each receiving a two-year, $75,000 grant. The fellowships recognize early-career scholars across several scientific fields.
Seven UC Berkeley faculty named 2026 Sloan Research Fellows
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation named 126 researchers as 2026 Sloan Research Fellows, including seven faculty from UC Berkeley; each winner receives a two-year $75,000 fellowship to support their research.
Sleep may help solve creative problems.
A study in Neuroscience of Consciousness reported that volunteers who incorporated unsolved puzzles into REM dreams solved them at higher rates, after researchers cued half the puzzles with unique soundtracks during REM sleep.
Horses of Chernobyl use abandoned buildings as shelter
Camera traps show Przewalski's horses routinely using abandoned barns and buildings in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, with repeated visits recorded in both winter and summer; researchers say those structures can serve as focal points for demographic study.
Sierra Nevada red fox collared after a decade of searching
Biologists captured and fitted a Sierra Nevada red fox with a GPS collar near Mammoth Lakes in January 2026 after a decade of camera, scat and trapping work, following a 2010 camera-trap sighting that confirmed the species persisted.
Greenland's warming ice is reshaping Inuit life and global seas
Residents of Ilulissat report an unusually snowless January and absent sea ice that is disrupting dog sledding and hunting, while the nearby Sermeq Kujalleq glacier has retreated markedly and is contributing to rising sea levels.
California protects 1,400 mountain lions in Central and Southern regions
The California Fish and Game Commission unanimously voted on Feb. 12 to list mountain lions in the Central Coast and Southern California as threatened under the state's Endangered Species Act, extending protections to about 1,400 animals.
Sumatran tiger spotted near Zamrud National Park, officials say
Authorities in Riau, Indonesia, are investigating a reported Sumatran tiger sighting near a water injection plant access road; BBKSDA sent a response team from Zamrud National Park and said it is conducting direct confirmation.
Fungi are mystical, often overlooked, and helping scientists learn more
Amateur naturalists and professional researchers are documenting fungi and lichens to fill major knowledge gaps; only about 155,000 species have been recorded while an estimated 2.5 million may exist, and many species face threats such as climate change, habitat loss and pollution.
Shark freed after deputies and Mote Marine Laboratory remove tangled fishing gear.
Marine deputies at Manatee Public Beach noticed a shark entangled in a crab-trap buoy line and contacted Mote Marine Laboratory; Mote staff carefully removed hooks and tackle, and the shark swam free.
U.S. Clean-Car Rules Are Essentially Eliminated by EPA Rollback
The E.P.A. rescinded the 2009 "endangerment finding," removing the federal legal basis for greenhouse-gas tailpipe rules; California and environmental groups have said they will challenge the decision.
Garden Hacks Going Viral May Harm Soil Health
Experts warn some viral garden hacks—such as adding coffee grounds or using vinegar—can harm soil chemistry or beneficial microbes, while companion planting and organic mulches are reported as supportive of soil health.
California company Vast will fly astronauts to the ISS in 2027
NASA selected Long Beach-based Vast to operate a private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, with launch planned no earlier than summer 2027. The mission is part of a broader effort to transition low Earth orbit operations to commercial companies ahead of the ISS retirement.
10th tipping point identified: aquatic deoxygenation on Earth
Researchers propose adding aquatic deoxygenation as a 10th planetary boundary, reporting measurable oxygen losses in lakes, reservoirs and the oceans and noting a 40% midwater decrease off California; the study is published in Nature Ecology & Evolution.
Snow and ice warnings issued across UK as London rain relents
The Met Office has issued yellow snow and ice warnings for much of the UK on Monday and Tuesday, while London is forecast to be drier and gradually milder into the weekend.
Lunar New Year marks the Year of the Horse with equine science highlights.
The new moon on February 17, 2026, begins the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Horse; Scientific American summarizes recent research on horse evolution, social behavior, welfare and conservation.
Rescue puppies learn early survival skills that pedigrees often do not
An animal behaviorist says rescue puppies often learn survival responses during a sensitive 3 to 14 week development window, and ASPCA data show about 2.9 million dogs entered shelters and rescues in 2024.
Ancient rock art found in Egypt's Sinai Desert spans about 10,000 years
A rock shelter on the Umm Arak Plateau in southern Sinai contains rock art and inscriptions dated stylistically from roughly 10,000–5,500 B.C. through medieval times, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced.
Snow: Olympians and scientists explain why it matters.
Olympians and scientists say snow affects winter sports, water supplies and wildlife, and experts study snowpack, crystal types and melting behavior to improve forecasts.
