Science

Summary Scientists at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have officially confirmed that El Nino has formed and is developing in the Pacific Ocean. Experts warn this climate event could further intensify the global trend of extreme weather, push up global average temperatures, and pose serious threats to agriculture and ecosystems. Details According to the BBC and The Guardian, US scientists announced this week that an El Nino event has officially begun. Monitoring data shows abnormally high sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, meeting the criteria for El Nino classification. ...

[Summary] NASA chief defends selection of all-male crew for Artemis III mission CBS NewsNASA Marches Toward Artemis III Mission in 2027, Names Crew Members NASA (.gov)Heading back into orb Details NASA chief defends selection of all-male crew for Artemis III mission CBS NewsNASA Marches Toward Artemis III Mission in 2027, Names Crew Members NASA (.gov)Heading back into orbit: Miami Sunset High graduate is spacebound again Miami HeraldNASA announces astronauts for its Artemis III mission to test new moon landers NBC NewsChesapeake native Andre Douglas selected for NASA’s Artemis III crew 13newsnow.com ...

[Brief] US Restarts Screwworm Eradication Campaign; Canada Bans Texas Cattle Imports According to NBC News, the United States has restarted a large-scale eradication campaign targeting flesh-eating screwworms, a parasitic fly species that was thought to have been eliminated decades ago. The resurgence has infected livestock and prompted Canada to urgently ban cattle imports from Texas to prevent the outbreak from spreading northward. The situation poses a significant threat to the livestock industry, with agencies working to develop new control measures. ...

ISS Air Leak Prompts Brief Evacuation to Safe Haven, Crew Returns to Normal Operations The International Space Station experienced an air leak incident on June 5 that prompted all six crew members to briefly shelter in a docked SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The event was triggered during a Russian attempt to repair a tunnel area on the station, which sparked concerns about the integrity of the habitat modules. NASA confirmed that the crew followed standard safety procedures by moving to the Dragon spacecraft, which serves as an emergency safe haven in the event of depressurization. The astronauts remained in the safe haven while ground controllers and the crew assessed the situation and attempted to locate and contain the leak. ...

June 2026 night sky highlight: Jupiter and Venus will appear to join in the sky this week, making it the most notable astronomical event of the month. Sky watchers can follow observation guides for the best viewing experience.

A Blue Origin New Glenn heavy-lift rocket exploded during a static fire test at Launch Complex 36 in Cape Canaveral, Florida, marking another major setback for the company and casting doubt on NASA’s reliance on it for lunar missions.

King’s College Team Wins Access to Google’s Cutting-Edge Quantum Chip A research team at King’s College London has been granted access to Google’s most advanced quantum processor, marking a significant step for European quantum computing research. The team will be among the first academic institutions to remotely operate Google’s latest-generation quantum chip. Google’s quantum computing division has made notable progress in quantum processor development in recent years. The latest-generation chip uses superconducting qubit architecture with significantly improved qubit counts and coherence times, providing a more powerful hardware platform for complex quantum algorithm experimentation. ...

China launched a crewed spacecraft with three astronauts heading to a year-long space station mission, advancing its goal of a crewed Moon landing before 2030.

SMILE Satellite Launch Marks First China-ESA Mission-Level Cooperation The SMILE (Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer) satellite has successfully launched, marking the first mission-level space cooperation between China and the European Space Agency. Mission Highlights: This is the first mission-level space collaboration between China and ESA, a significant milestone SMILE will provide the first global imaging of Earth’s magnetopause and magnetotail, helping scientists understand how Earth defends against solar storms Launched aboard a European Vega C rocket Scientific Significance: ...

[Brief] Newly Discovered Asteroid to Pass Closer to Earth Than the Moon NASA has confirmed that a newly discovered asteroid will pass Earth at a closer distance than the Moon on Monday. Astronomers say the asteroid poses no threat to Earth, but the close approach provides a rare opportunity for scientific study.