SCIENCE
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U.S. quietly declassifies Cold–War era ‘JUMPSEAT’ surveillance satellites
February 1, 2026 1 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm U.S. quietly declassifies Cold–War era ‘JUMPSEAT’ surveillance satellites The National Reconnaissance Office has now declassified a satellite program used to spy on America’s adversaries By Jackie Flynn Mogensen edited by Claire Cameron National Reconnaissance Office Some forty years ago, the U.S. launched a series of secret satellites, designed to…
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Svalbard’s polar bears are showing remarkable resilience to climate change
January 29, 2026 3 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm Svalbard’s polar bears are showing remarkable resilience to climate change These polar bears appear to be maintaining their physical health despite the loss of sea ice—their preferred hunting grounds By Jackie Flynn Mogensen edited by Claire Cameron A sedated polar bear lies on the ice with its cub huddled…
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NASA readies for Artemis II mission, AI-powered speech gives stroke patients hope, and researchers discover oldest cave art ever
Kendra Pierre-Louis: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Kendra Pierre-Louis, in for Rachel Feltman. You’re listening to our weekly science news roundup. First, we have an update on humans going back to the moon. In the coming weeks the first launch window will open for NASA’s Artemis II mission. The planned lunar flyby will be the first crewed mission to…
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Why mining Greenland’s minerals is so challenging
President Donald Trump’s desire to claim Greenland for the U.S. has thrust the island’s wealth of natural resources firmly into the spotlight. But while geopolitical chatter can make it sound as though the Danish territory’s precious metals and rare earths are easy pickings, the reality is far more complicated. Part of Greenland’s appeal, indeed, comes from both the vastness of…
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Why did Jeffrey Epstein cultivate famous scientists?
Last December, the U.S. Department of Justice released its first batch of files on disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Among the thousands of images was one video clip, the only one in the lot. It showed four seconds of the noted psychologist and writer Steven Pinker of Harvard University riding with Epstein on his now infamous private…
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NASA’s Artemis II mission to the moon is inching toward the launch pad
January 17, 2026 2 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm NASA’s Artemis II mission to the moon is inching toward launch NASA rolled out the fully stacked Artemis II rocket and Orion capsule on Saturday, embarking on a four-mile journey to the launch pad By Claire Cameron edited by Clara Moskowitz Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty…
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NASA Commits to Plan to Build a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon by 2030
January 14, 2026 1 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm NASA Commits to Plan to Build a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon by 2030 The U.S. space agency and the Department of Energy will work together to build a fission reactor on the lunar surface in the next four years By Jackie Flynn Mogensen edited by Claire Cameron A…
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NASA Announces Return Date for ISS Astronauts After Medical Evacuation Announcement
January 10, 2026 1 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm NASA Announces Return Date for Evacuating ISS Astronauts Four ISS crew members are set to touch down on Thursday after NASA announced the first medical evacuation in the space station’s history By Jackie Flynn Mogensen edited by Claire Cameron The International Space Station, as seen from the SpaceX Crew…
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Jellyfish and Sea Anemones Sleep Just Like Us
January 8, 2026 2 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm Jellyfish and Sea Anemones Sleep Just Like Us Sea anemones and jellyfish don’t have brains, but the way their neurons behave during sleep shows some surprising similarities to humans By Claire Cameron edited by Andrea Thompson Humberto Ramirez via Getty Images Jellyfish and sea anemones are curious creatures: these…
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Longest-Ever Look at Stormy Region on the Sun Offers New Clues to Space Weather
January 5, 2026 2 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm Longest-Ever Look at Stormy Region on the Sun Offers New Clues to Space Weather Scientists observed an active region on the sun for a record 94 days, marking a “milestone in solar physics” By Jackie Flynn Mogensen edited by Claire Cameron An image taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory…
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