
An Olympian scientist explains why online fitness content can be dangerous
The Internet loves fitness-motivation content. Olympian and researcher Valerie Gruest explains why it can be so harmful

An Olympian scientist explains why online fitness content can be dangerous
The Internet loves fitness-motivation content. Olympian and researcher Valerie Gruest explains why it can be so harmful

How scientists made the discoveries behind a game-changing gene therapy for sickle cell disease
Stuart Orkin and Swee Lay Thein shared a Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences for their research on genetic causes of sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia that set the stage for approved gene therapies. The treatments are not accessible to everyone, though

Watch strange humpback whale ‘gaping’ behavior that baffles scientists
Scientists are trying to decode why humpback whales can be observed hanging around with their mouth open, with no apparent explanation

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

How Greenland sharks keep their hearts beating for centuries
Greenland sharks have hearts that can function normally for more than a century

Supreme Court extends temporary order allowing abortion drug mifepristone by mail
On May 11 the Supreme Court extended a pause on a ruling by a federal appeals court that prevented health care providers from prescribing mifepristone by telemedicine, setting the stage for further action from the nation’s highest court

School cell phone bans may boost student well-being—but not test scores, new study suggests
Banning cell phones in schools has been touted as a silver bullet for poor test scores and low student well-being and attendance, but new research suggests the results are more mixed

Airborne microplastics could be making climate change worse
Tiny plastic particles drifting in Earth’s atmosphere could have a significant warming effect, a new study finds

SpaceX’s AI pivot promises the stars. Could it cost NASA the moon?
Massive investments in AI may bring synergy and revenue to SpaceX, or could create problems for it and NASA, especially if the AI bubble pops

What you need to know about hantavirus, the infection at the center of a deadly cruise ship outbreak
Hantavirus spreads through contact with rodents and causes rare infectious diseases that can lead to kidney failure or a buildup of fluid in the lungs

What we know—and what we don’t—about marijuana’s health effects
Marijuana is far from a “silver bullet” for various illnesses, but it has some promising applications, scientists say

How a vision-restoring gene therapy proved that we can treat inherited diseases
Three 2026 Breakthrough Prize winners reflect on developing Luxturna, a gene therapy that treats blindness caused by rare inherited eye diseases