A peer‑reviewed, multidisciplinary open‑access journal published by the AAAS since 2015.
Scientists have tested a wearable radiation-shielding vest in lunar mission data, showing it could reduce an astronaut’s exposure by about 60% during severe solar events, with significant implications for long-duration missions to the Moon or Mars.
Biotech researchers are developing methods to alter gene expression without changing the DNA sequence, using epigenome editing to treat chronic diseases. The approach differs from traditional gene editing by targeting when and where genes are expressed in cells.
Researchers analyzing Sulawesi skeletons show that chewing psychoactive betel nuts dates back 25,000 years, suggesting early drug use among foragers. The study in Science Advances links distinctive dental wear to nut-sucking, offering the oldest evidence of psychoactive consumption and challenging ideas about when drug use began.
Scientists have identified a 222‑metre‑wide, up to 43‑metre‑deep crater on the Moon formed in spring 2024 and first spotted in LRO images in 2025. The impact churned material across more than 100 km, produced a roughly 7‑km cold spot and has provided rare data scientists say will inform risk assessments for planned lunar bases.
Scientists have used tooth enamel chemistry to estimate Tyrannosaurus rex’s body temperature at about 36°C, placing it among warm‑blooded animals. The research, based on clumped isotope thermometry, is published in Science Advances and relies on enamel from three teeth from Hell Creek Formation fossils.
The United States is accelerating its space and lunar defense posture as officials announce on-orbit space control weapons and a doubling of the Space Force. Leaders say operations will defend US interests from low Earth orbit to cislunar space, signaling a shift in the military balance in space ahead of potential actions around the Moon.
Aldabra Atoll hosts about 183,000 adult and sub-adult Aldabra giant tortoises, the highest count on record, according to a five-year study (2018–2022). The population appears stable despite climate pressures and invasive species. Conservationists say continued vigilance and invasive mammal eradication are essential to sustain gains.
The IUCN has classified 96% of the world’s shallow-water coral reef systems as critically endangered and warned of possible ecosystem collapse by 2075 if current warming continues. The assessment, presented at COP17, blames heat stress from climate change and adds that reefs still show pockets of resilience that stronger emissions cuts and local conservation can protect.
Archaeologists have found cannabis seeds in a 2,800-year-old Scythian tomb in Siberia and have tested hair samples that indicate psychoactive cannabis use. Published in Science, the study suggests cannabis consumption dates to at least 3,000 years ago, though experts remain cautious about interpreting hair data itself.