SCIENCE
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Why Hurricane Melissa Was One of the Most Powerful Atlantic Storms in History
Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday, listeners! For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Today we’re mainly going to focus on one major story from last week: Hurricane Melissa. Here to tell us more about this historic storm is Scientific American senior editor Andrea Thompson. Andrea, welcome back to the show. Thanks so much for coming on to talk through this.…
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The Interplanetary Race to Study Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
When Comet 3I/ATLAS roared into the solar system this summer, it launched a scientific scramble to study what astronomers were quickly able to determine was only the third known interstellar object to zip through our celestial neighborhood. And that science quickly went interplanetary. In early October, just three months after astronomers first spotted Comet 3I/ATLAS, NASA and European Space Agency…
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China’s Chang’e 6 Mission Found Rare Meteorite Fragments on Moon
October 28, 2025 3 min read Surprise Meteorite Debris Uncovered on Moon’s Far Side These rare samples, uncovered on the moon by China’s Chang’e 6 mission, might help to reveal secrets of how the solar system evolved By Jenna Ahart & Nature magazine Sifting through the first-ever rock samples collected from the far side of the Moon, scientists in China…
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Ancient DNA Reveals New Diseases behind Napoleon’s 1812 Russian Retreat
October 24, 2025 3 min read Napoleon’s Defeat in Russia Was Aided by Two Surprising Deadly Diseases Disease-causing bacteria that have been recently discovered in the teeth of Napoleonic soldiers may have spurred the massive infantry’s demise during its retreat from Russia By Andrea Tamayo edited by Dan Vergano Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow. Adolph Northen; Public Domain In 1812 Napoleon…
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Google Measures ‘Quantum Echoes’ on Willow Quantum Computer Chip
October 22, 2025 4 min read Google Explores Quantum Chaos on Its Most Powerful Quantum Computer Chip “Quantum echoes” rippling through Google’s quantum computer chip Willow could lead to advances in molecular chemistry and the physics of black holes By Dan Garisto edited by Lee Billings Google’s Willow quantum computer chip. Quantum computers are still in their infancy. Presently limited…
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Flu Cases Surge Early in Japan, Sparking Global Health Concerns
October 17, 2025 2 min read Flu Cases Surge Early in Japan, Sparking Global Health Concerns School closures and hospitalizations from an unexpected early spike in flu cases in Japan has experts concerned about what lies ahead for other countries By Rachel Fieldhouse & Nature magazine Paulo Fridman/Contributor/Getty Images Japan’s health authorities have declared an influenza epidemic, with thousands of…
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How the Government Shutdown Is Impacting Science and Research
The shutdown of the US government, about to enter its third week, is starting to take a toll on US science. Since the shutdown began, the administration of US President Donald Trump has cancelled funding for clean-energy research projects and laid off public-health workers. The activities of some federally funded museums and laboratories have been suspended, along with the processing…
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Moving NASA Space Shuttle to Texas from DC Could Damage It, Experts Say
Even in retirement, the space shuttle Discovery exudes power, seen across a hangar crowded with planes and jets at its museum home in Chantilly, Va. Charred and worn from its record 39 missions to space, the stalwart of NASA’s shuttle fleet evokes awe in its one-million-plus visitors every year. But it won’t be there for much longer, perhaps. Discovery, the…
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The Science Behind Peak Fall Colors: What to Expect in 2025
October 10, 2025 4 min read When Will the Leaves Turn? This Is How Scientists Find Peak Fall Colors If you want to know where the best leaf peeping will be this year, climate science and weather can provide the answer By Humberto Basilio edited by Andrea Thompson DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images Evan Fisher first fell in love with the changing colors…
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Babies’ Brains Recognize Foreign Languages They Heard before Birth
October 7, 2025 3 min read Babies’ Brains Recognize Foreign Languages They Heard before Birth Babies process foreign languages they heard in utero much like their mother tongue, researchers find By Meghie Rodrigues edited by Allison Parshall Babies start processing language before they are born, a new study suggests. A research team in Montreal has found that newborns who had…
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