WeatherJune 11, 2026
El Niño is here and could tip Earth to a new record hot year
Scientists have been expecting El Niño to set in for quite a while now—and it’s finally official
Stories by Meghan Bartels
Meghan Bartels is a science journalist based in New York City. She joined Scientific American in 2023 and is now a senior reporter there. Previously, she spent more than four years as a writer and editor at Space.com, as well as nearly a year as a science reporter at Newsweek, where she focused on space and Earth science. Her writing has also appeared in Audubon, Nautilus, Astronomy and Smithsonian, among other publications. She attended Georgetown University and earned a master’s degree in journalism at New York University’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program.
OceansJune 10, 2026
Largest whale ‘graveyard’ discovered, with skeletons spanning 5 million years
The fossilized remains of more than 450 whales have amassed along a 750-mile-long stretch of the Indian Ocean floor
EcologyJune 9, 2026
Spotted lanternflies’ love of cities may be the secret to their invasion success
These eye-catching insects offer a prime opportunity for scientists to dig deep into invasion ecology and evolutionary biology
GeologyJune 9, 2026
Dino-killing asteroid may have sparked millions of years of hydrothermal life
When asteroids slam into Earth, they can create hydrothermal vent systems
TechnologyJune 6, 2026
NASA’s X-59 plane goes supersonic for the first time
This experimental plane, which reached supersonic speeds yesterday, is designed to travel faster than the speed of sound without creating bothersome sonic booms
SpacecraftJune 3, 2026
NASA’s Mars mission MAVEN is lost forever
MAVEN was the first successful mission designed to study the atmosphere of Mars. It also became a vital node of NASA’s communications network at the Red Planet
WeatherJune 1, 2026
Why do hurricanes come in seasons?
Hurricane season is shaped by the ingredients needed to produce a tropical cyclone, and this year the Atlantic may be relatively quiet
Public HealthMay 27, 2026
How doctors will handle abortions if mifepristone telehealth access is banned
One in four abortions in the U.S. rely on telehealth access to mifepristone, but antiabortion activists want to ban it
ExtinctionMay 20, 2026
A contentious effort to ‘resurrect’ the extinct moa and dodo takes a step forward
The science of de-extinction does not exist, but Colossal Biosciences’ “artificial egg” is an interesting technical feat
OceansMay 15, 2026
Meet the tiny fish that looks like Mr. Snuffleupagus
A strange, tiny fish that resembles the famous Sesame Street character camouflages amid red algae thanks to its flamboyant reddish “hairs”
SpacecraftMay 14, 2026
NASA’s Psyche mission is snapping photos of Mars on its way to an asteroid
The Psyche spacecraft is bound for a metal-rich asteroid that it will examine up close starting in 2029. But first, it needs to swing past the Red Planet
EcologyMay 14, 2026
How the war in Iran could endanger one of Earth’s most unique ecosystems
Despite decades of damage, the Persian Gulf’s ecological marvels remain—for now
Space ExplorationMay 4, 2026
NASA just dropped more than 12,000 Artemis II photos—here’s how to see them
Want to go to the moon? Travel vicariously through the more than 12,000 photos NASA just posted from the Artemis II mission
The EnvironmentApril 22, 2026
Earth Day in the Artemis era: Can NASA’s moon missions spur a new environmental movement?
Fresh takes on Apollo’s famous “Earthrise” and “Blue Marble” images showed off our planet’s beauty just weeks before Earth Day
SpacecraftApril 20, 2026
NASA shuts down one of Voyager 1’s instruments to try keep the spacecraft alive
This iconic spacecraft launched nearly 49 years ago and is running perilously low on power
SpacecraftApril 9, 2026
White House budget seeks to scrap 54 major NASA science missions
Experts found that the White House budget request for the upcoming fiscal year could defund 54 NASA science missions, including a spacecraft currently studying Jupiter and two planned Venus missions
Space ExplorationApril 9, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II moon mission faces the final hurdle—coming home
After a hectic eight days in space, the Artemis II crew—and the many NASA personnel supporting their journey—are ready for the mission’s final milestone
Space ExplorationApril 7, 2026
See NASA’s Artemis II mission’s first incredible photos of the moon, Earth and a total solar eclipse
The first images from NASA’s Artemis II mission’s lunar flyby were worth the wait
Space ExplorationApril 7, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II crew experience total solar eclipse from space
From the perspective of the Orion capsule, the moon will fully block the sun’s disk for nearly an hour
Space ExplorationApril 6, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II moon mission reaches greatest distance from Earth
The space exploration milestone came during a 40-minute period during which the Artemis II astronauts were unable to communicate with Earth
Space ExplorationApril 6, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II astronauts are officially farther from Earth than any human has gone before
The four astronauts onboard NASA’s moon mission just broke the record for the farthest distance from Earth traveled by any human
Space ExplorationApril 4, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II moon mission prepares for a host of science observations
The Artemis II crew will spend about six hours observing the moon on Monday. Here’s what they’ll be looking for
Space ExplorationApril 4, 2026
Where is Artemis II now? NASA mission is now closer to moon than Earth
The third day of the Artemis II mission was relatively quiet, as four astronauts continued on their trek to fly around the moon
Space ExplorationApril 3, 2026
NASA’s Artemis II astronauts may catch a comet—if it can survive the sun
Amid a journey of celestial spectacles, the Artemis II astronauts may spot a comet—if it survives a dash past the sun