Science & Earth

Robert Goddard built the first liquid-fueled rocket and filed more than 200 patents; his ideas on staging, steering and propulsion influenced later rocket development, and Worcester institutions are marking the centenary.

On March 16, 1926, Robert H. Goddard launched the first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn, Massachusetts; the flight lasted about 2.5 seconds and reached roughly 41 feet. His wife, Esther Goddard, preserved records, photographed experiments, and later filed many patents that helped maintain his legacy.

NASA's DART spacecraft struck the small asteroid Dimorphos in 2022, shortening its orbit around the larger asteroid Didymos and producing a measurable, very small change in the pair's 770‑day orbit around the Sun.

UNFCCC chief Simon Stiell told a Brussels summit that conflict in the Middle East has pushed oil and gas prices higher, and said the volatility highlights the strategic role of renewable energy. He cited trends such as renewables overtaking coal in 2025 and large flows of clean-energy investment.

The article lists 12 pre-season tasks to complete in March for raised beds, noting that a brief assessment and soil renewal now can affect planting success later in the season.

The Senate Commerce Committee passed the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026, which endorses elements of NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman's Artemis timetable and gives the agency broader authority; the bill still needs full Senate approval and reconciliation with the House before it can become law.

This round-up highlights five recent stories across Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Berkshire and Oxfordshire, including an adoption appeal for triplets and a red fox that reached the Bronx Zoo after stowing away on a cargo ship.

Governor Jim Pillen declared a state of emergency for seven western Nebraska counties as fast-moving wildfires prompted evacuations and extensive burn areas.

Archaeologists uncovered the remains of a small Roman fortlet beside the Antonine Wall in Bearsden, about 5 miles northwest of Glasgow, and radiocarbon dating places its use in the mid-second to mid-third centuries A.D.

Russian state media reports Roscosmos plans to launch Venera-D — a lander, balloon and orbiter mission to Venus — in 2036. The project, in development since about 2003, follows Soviet-era Venera landings and would include atmospheric study of possible biomarkers.

Astronomers traced a 2023 gamma-ray burst (GRB 230906A) to merging neutron stars in a tiny, previously unseen mini-galaxy embedded in a roughly 600,000-light-year gas stream; researchers say the find could help explain unexpected GRB locations and how heavy elements spread beyond large galaxies.

Jared Isaacman, NASA's new administrator, has publicly acknowledged problems with the Artemis program and announced a rework of mission plans, including simplifying the Space Launch System and re-scoping Artemis 3 to test Orion docking in low Earth orbit.

A Japanese-led study used three cell types to build bioengineered hair follicle "seeds" that produced visible hair in culture and, after transplantation, integrated and cycled for 68 days in mice.

Researchers are using large language models and other AI methods for coding, data analysis and literature synthesis in climate work; teams report faster reviews and new tools such as Google's Groundsource for flash-flood prediction, while noting AI does not replace physics-based models and cannot see beyond its training data.

Researchers continuously tracked African turquoise killifish through adulthood and found that midlife behaviors—especially sleep patterns and daytime activity—predicted individual lifespan and that aging unfolded in distinct, rapid transitions separated by stable stages.

A reader links declining bird populations to climate effects and agricultural change, and cites Cornell Lab estimates that outdoor cats—both feral and owned—may kill an estimated 1.3–4 billion birds in the U.S. each year.

NASA will provide live coverage of two spacewalks beginning March 18 to prepare power channels for roll-out solar arrays; a media preview is scheduled for March 16 at Johnson Space Center.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says Lake Ontario has seen both near-record high and unusually low water levels in recent years, and officials are using gauges, satellites and models to monitor conditions and evaluate a range of future scenarios.

An adult Kemp's ridley sea turtle washed ashore in Galveston on March 7 and was taken to the Houston Zoo in critical condition; conservation partners say she is receiving veterinary care. Separately, 27 Kemp's ridley turtles were released into the Gulf of Mexico after months of rehabilitation in Mississippi.

Biotech advances, shifting policy, and growing clinical evidence have brought medical cannabis into broader biomedical research, with developments such as lab-made cannabinoids, targeted therapies, AI-driven discovery, and current use in pain management and epilepsy.

Scientists confirmed that two small marsupials — the pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider — are alive in New Guinea after being known only from fossils for more than 7,000 years, the Bishop Museum announced on March 5, 2026.

NASA administrator Isaacman told Fox Business he intends to return humans to the Moon and build a lunar base, and he referenced Artemis II and plans for nuclear propulsion to support future missions.

Oil has risen above $100 per barrel amid a major global supply interruption that the International Energy Agency described as the largest of its kind; the article outlines six practical approaches—from thermostat changes to comparing local oil rates and longer-term equipment or solar options—to help limit household heating expenses.

A tornado outbreak struck Lake Village, Indiana, with two residents reported killed. Local volunteers and the community center are coordinating donations, meals and limited internet access while officials assess the damage.

Endangered North Atlantic right whales were sighted east of Ocean City, Maryland, and officials have put a NOAA slow zone in effect through March 23 while reminding boaters about seasonal speed rules.

Death Valley and several Southern California desert parks have strong, concentrated wildflower displays this spring, described by rangers as the best in a decade but not a regional 'superbloom.' Low-elevation blooms are already fading in places and are expected to persist until mid to late March, with higher-elevation displays likely from April through June.

The article reports that Jared Isaacman, less than three months into his role as NASA administrator, pressed for transparency after the 2024 Boeing Starliner problems and has announced revisions to the Artemis program that remove the Lunar Gateway and aim for a 2028 lunar landing.

Death Valley is experiencing wildflower blooms after a wetter-than-normal fall and November; experts say high temperatures and strong winds could shorten the display.

A Johns Hopkins lab study found that four common psychoactive drugs and their byproducts concentrated mainly in the leaves of tomatoes, carrots and lettuce, with tomato leaves holding more than 200 times the concentration found in fruits.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland says some popular weather apps show a rain icon for whole days and that this can cut visitor numbers by around 30%, costing its zoos up to £40,000 in a single day; it has asked the Met Office, government and app developers to discuss clearer forecast displays.