Science

California is testing and evaluating solar panels installed over irrigation canals, an approach that generates renewable energy while shading water to reduce evaporation. Reporting from KQED Science details what early projects in the state are revealing about costs, water savings, and power output, and whether covering canals with solar arrays could be scaled more widely across California's water infrastructure.

Scientists have captured a subduction zone off Vancouver Island in the process of tearing itself apart, suggesting these massive tectonic systems may die piece by piece rather than all at once. The finding offers new insight into how subduction zones end over geological time, with implications for understanding seismic hazards in the Pacific Northwest, where the Cascadia zone poses earthquake and tsunami risks.

AI researcher and Coursera co-founder Andrew Ng says fears that artificial intelligence could drive humanity extinct are 'science fiction'. He argues that speculation about existential AI risk distracts from concrete near-term issues such as bias, job displacement and concentration of power, and that regulators should focus on real harms of deployed systems rather than distant hypothetical scenarios.

Scientists are reported to be working on bringing back the woolly mammoth, with artificial intelligence playing a role in the de-extinction effort. The claim, reported by the New York Post, suggests AI tools are being used to advance research into resurrecting the extinct species. The project would mark a major step in genetic engineering and conservation science if successful.

Scientists may have misinterpreted a geological clue dating back roughly 2 billion years, according to a new report highlighted by ScienceDaily. The finding suggests that assumptions about Earth's ancient history could need revising, with potential implications for how researchers understand the planet's early environmental and climate conditions. Details of the specific evidence and the scientific debate remain limited.

Researchers have found that everyday plastic cleaning sponges shed trillions of microscopic fibers during normal use, adding a previously underestimated source of microplastics to household wastewater and the environment. The finding suggests routine cleaning chores may be contributing far more plastic pollution than assumed, prompting discussion about safer alternatives and possible regulatory scrutiny of common sponge materials.

The New York Times reports on a scientific discovery connected to an $80 motel room that researchers say could shed light on the origins of life. Details of the finding and the scientists involved remain limited, but the story highlights how an ordinary roadside room became tied to research into how life first emerged on Earth.

An astronomer is tracking the gradual orbital decay of Starlink satellites to measure density changes in the upper atmosphere, effectively turning the satellite constellation into a global 'planetary barometer'. As satellites sink, the drag they experience reveals how the thin air at their altitude expands and contracts with solar activity. Space scientists are discussing the approach as a clever reuse of existing mega-constellation telemetry for atmospheric research.

New research points to the Earth's crust actively stretching and tearing beneath the Pacific Northwest, the region sitting atop the Cascadia subduction zone. The finding has drawn attention from science readers concerned about earthquake risk in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, and what deep tectonic activity could mean for future seismic hazards.

The Royal Society of Chemistry has released its Science Teaching Survey 2026, which finds significant regional disparities in science education provision, described as a postcode lottery. The findings suggest that the quality of science teaching and resources available to pupils depends heavily on where they live, prompting calls for more equitable funding and support for schools.

The U.S. Geological Survey is examining how a super El Niño could affect the Midwest region of the United States. The pattern, marked by unusually warm Pacific Ocean waters, typically alters rainfall and temperature across North America, raising questions about flooding, drought and agricultural consequences for Midwestern states.

New research highlights a paradox in REM sleep: the brain's fuel supply appears to rise during dreaming, yet energy is still being drained. Scientists suggest that the intense neural activity behind vivid dreams may consume more energy than the increased supply can offset. The findings could reshape understanding of why sleep is restorative and how dreaming supports brain function.

A new study suggests a widely used dietary supplement may increase muscle strength even in people who do not exercise, according to coverage by ScienceAlert. If confirmed, the finding could have implications for older adults and people unable to train, though details of the study, the supplement involved and the size of the effect have not been widely reported yet.

Researchers say they burned fragments of their own ancient scrolls as part of an effort to solve a mystery roughly 2,000 years old, according to a report by ScienceDaily. The deliberate destruction of irreplaceable artefacts for research is drawing attention, with observers weighing the scientific payoff against the loss of historical material.

President Trump pledged to reveal the truth about unidentified flying objects, drawing attention from scientists who hoped for the release of government data on aerial phenomena. Researchers say that despite the promises, concrete disclosures and verifiable evidence have yet to materialise, leaving the scientific community frustrated and still waiting for answers about unexplained sightings.

A Stanford study argues that the human brain should be understood as two separate organs rather than a single unified structure, challenging long-held assumptions in neuroscience. The finding is drawing attention among science readers, with discussion centered on what it means for how brain function, development and disorders are studied going forward.

Researchers at the University of Cambridge report that sex differences in attention can be detected in newborns, based on a new study. The finding is drawing discussion about what it suggests regarding innate cognitive differences between males and females, and how early such differences emerge. Commenters are debating the methodology, the size of the observed effect, and the broader social implications of the research.

Slime molds, single-celled organisms with no brain, have become the focus of a heated scientific debate after showing abilities like solving mazes and optimizing networks. Researchers disagree over whether such behaviour counts as genuine intelligence or merely simple chemical processes, with the dispute touching on broader questions about how intelligence should be defined in biology.

Scientists in Alaska say avian keratin disorder is the cause of the fishhook-shaped beaks seen in the state's chickadee population, the Anchorage Daily News reports. The disorder causes abnormal keratin growth, leaving birds with overgrown, curved beaks that can make feeding difficult. Researchers studying the condition continue to investigate what triggers it and why it affects chickadees so heavily in the region.

A science report describes how young orangutans acquire the skill of spoon-feeding, presenting it as something they learn through repeated lessons and later review of the behaviour rather than purely by instinct. The claim highlights social learning in great apes, though no further details about the study, researchers, or findings are available beyond the headline itself.

Dr. Ilyas Sahin has drawn attention to a new scientific study on colorectal cancer liver metastasis, one of the most common and difficult sites of colorectal cancer spread. The findings are being shared among oncology watchers interested in how the disease progresses and what new treatment approaches might follow.