scienceWednesday, September 9, 2026
Today's science news is a study in contrasts. A massive citizen science effort documents a devastating, widespread loss of butterflies across the U.S., while physicists at a German laser facility prepare to glimpse the quantum vacuum for the first time. It's a day of big-picture loss and fundamental discovery.
Two stories capture the extremes of scientific inquiry: documenting a quiet ecological collapse, and pushing the boundaries of what we can see.
A comprehensive analysis of 35 citizen science programs shows butterfly abundance has dropped in almost every region of the continental U.S., with two-thirds of species declining by more than 10%. This is the clearest picture yet of a slow-motion collapse.
Scientists at the European XFEL are about to fire powerful X-ray and optical lasers at each other to directly observe the quantum vacuum, the idea that empty space is actually seething with virtual particles. If it works, it could also shed light on dark matter.
Two new studies probe the edges of human lifespan, from a single immune signal that reversed aging in mice to the long-debated idea of low-dose lithium for Alzheimer's prevention.
A new mouse study found that blocking a single immune signal related to aging neutrophils made old mice act young again. It points to a specific biological mechanism for aging that might be targetable.
New Scientist revisits the old idea that low-dose lithium might prevent Alzheimer's, citing animal studies and an upcoming human trial. The evidence is thin but intriguing enough to warrant a closer look.
Ashish Kumarashish-kmr.github.io
Flushing the toilet can release a ‘plume’ of breathable pathogens – and closing the lid won’t stop their escapewww.theguardian.com
Fractal basins trap latent reasoningarxiv.org
NASA Roman’s Planet Imager Has Powered Onroman.ipac.caltech.edu
NASA leaders urge Iowa State University students to join lunar base programiowacapitaldispatch.comNASA Calls for Proposals to Accelerate Lunar Surface Technologies - NASAgo.nasa.gov
NASA has issued a call for proposals to develop critical technologies and infrastructure for establishing a permanent base in the lunar South Pole region. The solicitation, announced on September 8, aims to address capability gaps in power generation, oxygen extraction, and in-si
Very hot drinks may damage the food pipe and increase cancer riskwww.bbc.co.uk
A study published in the International Journal of Cancer by Oxford University researchers indicates that consuming beverages at 65°C or higher may damage the esophageal lining and increase cancer risk. The analysis of data from nearly one million middle-aged adults found that dri
NASA administrator makes pitch to Iowa State studentswww.radioiowa.com
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman visited Iowa State University and Ames National Laboratory, delivering a speech to students about the upcoming return to the moon. He emphasized that this era of exploration is historic, comparable to the Apollo missions, and encouraged students
Computer Science Achievement and Writing Skills Predict Vibe Coding Proficiencyacademy.dair.ai
A preregistered cross-sectional study by researchers at ETH Zurich involving 100 tertiary-level students investigates which skills best predict proficiency in "vibe coding," a workflow where programs are specified in natural language and iterated via observed behavior without dir
Proposed gas network revenue reforms leave consumers to pay for investors’ bad betsreneweconomy.com.au
In its draft determination on changes to the rules governing gas networks revenue recovery, the AEMC has misjudged who needs protecting. The post Proposed gas network revenue reforms leave consumers to pay for investors’ bad bets appeared first on Renew Economy.
Arena notches up 100 community battery installations, boosts funding for second round of grantsreneweconomy.com.au
Arena has marked the installation of 100 community batteries and announced a further $23.2 million in funding for new energy storage systems under a second round of its national grants scheme. The post Arena notches up 100 community battery installations, boosts funding for secon
The computing expert creating, innovating and seeking the greater goodwww.siliconrepublic.com
Alison J Derbenwick-Miller of the Association for Computing Machinery explores how, in a time of transformation, computing can be a significant force for good. Read more: The computing expert creating, innovating and seeking the greater good
After raising $1 billion, Stoke Space targets debut launch of its 1st fully reusable rocket in 2027starlust.org
The debut mission with Nova Pathfinder will lay the groundwork for the larger Block 2 rocket targeted for launch in 2029.
Kenya Strengthens Ebola Readiness at Its Busiest Land Borderwww.afro.who.int
Kenya Strengthens Ebola Readiness at Its Busiest Land Border [email protected] Wed, 09/09/2026 - 06:44 09 September 2026
A divergent betacoronavirus with a functional furin cleavage site in South American bats - Nature Communicationswww.nature.com
This is interesting, to say the least. The unusual furin cleaving site has been a hot topic in Sars-CoV-2 genetics, so finding one in the wild suggests that it may not be that unusual after all. There are a few open questions about what is actually going on here, though. 🧪
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