Nasa tells ISS astronauts to shelter during air leak repair attempt 24 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on Google Pallab Ghosh , science correspondent, and Dan Sales Reuters Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) were ordered to shelter in an attached spacecraft after the structu…

A researcher examines the hand of the naturally mummified remains of Ötzi, a man whose body was preserved in glacial ice for more than 5,300 years. Photograph: South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/Eurac Research/Marion Lafogler/Reuters View image in fullscreen A researcher examines the hand of the naturally mummified remains of Ötzi, a man whose body was preserved in glacial ice for more than 5,300 years. Photograph: South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology/Eurac Research/Marion Lafogler/Reuters Scientists make sourdough bread using yeast found in 5,000-year-old mummy Team now plans to see if they can use yeast strains harvested from Ötzi the Iceman to brew beer too Scientists have baked a sourdough loaf of bread using yeast strains harvested from a 5,000-year-old mummy and now plan to see if they can use them to brew beer too. The yeast came from Ötzi the Iceman, a famous corpse remarkably preserved by being frozen in Alpine ice near the Italy-Austria border until he was discovered in 1991. Ötzi has been the subject of intense study since he was found and has shed much light on pre-historic European people and their way of life. Scientists have been recently studying the microorganisms preserved in and on Ötzi’s remains. One unexpected result of that work was that researchers extracted yeast and then used it to make sourdough bread. “Eventually, we obtained a completely normal dough that rose within 24 hours − basically just like with ordinary yeast. We made some really good dough with it,” microbiologist Mohamed Sarhan said in statements posted to the website of Eurac Research where he works for the Institute for Mummy Studies. “I’ve never baked bread before – and it showed. So the result definitely had room for improvement. But as I said, these were our very first experiments,” Sarhan added. Now, homemade beer could also be on the menu. “We want to pursue this further and involve specialized research teams from the food sector in the process. Bread is currently one of the obvious applications we’re considering; another is beer – we’ve already discussed this with experts from [German brewer] Weihenstephan,” he said. The harvested yeasts only live in cold conditions so are believed to have entered Ötzi’s body at some point after he died. Genetic analysis suggested they entered his body relatively soon after death. Ötzi has long been the focus of fascination. His body preserves the oldest tattoos ever discovered with a total of 61 markings. There is also huge interest in how he died high up in the mountains in an icy wilderness about 5,300 years ago. He appears to have been shot in the back by an arrow in what is often described as one of the world’s oldest cold-case murders. Explore more on these topics Science Food Beer Europe Migration Evolution news Share Reuse this content

By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/nasa-orders-astronauts-to-take-shelter-after-new-leak-aboard-the-international-space-station Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter NASA orders …

FLMB-10-recovery, ocean research vessel Photograph: Dee Emrich/WHOI View image in fullscreen FLMB-10-recovery, ocean research vessel Photograph: Dee Emrich/WHOI Scientists warn Trump plan to axe US ocean monitoring system will leave world ‘flying blind’ Experts say dismantling the ocean observation …

By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/nasa-orders-astronauts-to-take-shelter-after-new-leak-aboard-the-international-space-station Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter NASA orders …

FLMB-10-recovery, ocean research vessel Photograph: Dee Emrich/WHOI View image in fullscreen FLMB-10-recovery, ocean research vessel Photograph: Dee Emrich/WHOI Scientists warn Trump plan to axe US ocean monitoring system will leave world ‘flying blind’ Experts say dismantling the ocean observation …

Film exploring the human stories behind mankind’s biggest experiment in particle physics.

By — Seth Borenstein, Associated Press Seth Borenstein, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/energy-water-use-and-pollution-of-ai-and-data-centers-rival-most-countries Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Energy, water use and pollution of AI and data centers rival most countries Science Jun 4, 2026 5:16 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The environmental footprint of data centers already rivals some of the world's largest countries, according to a United Nations University report, which also predicts their water and energy use and pollution will double in just four years as use of artificial intelligence grows. Last year, global data centers used 448 trillion watt-hours of electricity, more than all but 10 countries of the world, said the report issued Wednesday. That electricity use produced about 208 million tons (189 million metric tons) of carbon dioxide, about the same amount as Argentina, and producing that much energy consumed about 1.2 trillion gallons (4.5 trillion liters) of water, according to the report on the environmental consequences of AI's energy use. READ MORE: States are struggling to meet their clean energy goals. Blame data centers By 2030, data centers will account for nearly 3% of the world's projected electricity use, with 935 trillion watt-hours. If data centers were a country, the country would be projected to rank sixth-highest in power use in 2030. That would produce nearly 440 million tons (399 million metric tons) of carbon dioxide, the report said. The study focused on energy use and didn't examine the massive amount of water used to cool data centers. Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. "If you look at these numbers, we're seeing scales comparable to nations," said study co-author Kaveh Madani, a water scientist and director of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health in Canada. "The demand is enormous." Much of the growth of data centers is being driven by AI. About 20% of data centers' energy is currently due to AI, but that should grow to 40% by 2030, the report said. First global look at ecological impact The report is significant because of the credibility and authority of the U.N., not just because of any one set of eye-popping numbers, said Fengqi You, a Cornell University energy engineering professor who directs the college's AI sustainability issues. WATCH: Electric grid faces political roadblocks as it struggles with data center demand "Its value is that a U.N. institution is putting carbon, water, land, life-cycle impacts and environmental justice into one frame" for an issue that is often shrouded in secrecy and partial disclosures, said You, who was not part of the report. "The general public should be concerned, but not panicked," he added. Jean Su, director of the Energy Justice Program at the Center fo

By — Seth Borenstein, Associated Press Seth Borenstein, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/energy-water-use-and-pollution-of-ai-and-data-centers-rival-most-countries Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twit…

By — Maria Ramirez Uribe Maria Ramirez Uribe Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/what-is-el-nino-and-how-could-it-affect-weather-this-year Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter What is El Niño and how could it affect w…

By — Maria Ramirez Uribe Maria Ramirez Uribe Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/what-is-el-nino-and-how-could-it-affect-weather-this-year Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter What is El Niño and how could it affect w…

By — Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/nasa-declares-its-mars-maven-spacecraft-dead-after-6-months-of-silence Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter NASA declares its Mars Maven spacecraft dead after 6 months of silence Science Jun 4, 2026 5:12 PM EDT CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — After six months of radio silence, NASA's Maven spacecraft around Mars has been declared dead. The space agency confirmed Wednesday that the mission had ended after more than a decade of observations. READ MORE: NASA loses contact with Maven spacecraft orbiting Mars for the past decade "The team really did experience the loss of a loved one with the end of the mission here," said NASA project manager Mike Moreau. Launched in 2013 to study the red planet's atmosphere from orbit, Maven mysteriously fell silent in early December after passing behind Mars. Data indicated the spacecraft went into a fast spin, which disrupted its orbit and drained the onboard batteries. Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. A review board convened by NASA earlier this year concluded that the spacecraft is useless and unable to be recovered. It's expected to remain in orbit for another 50 to 100 years before crashing into the planet, posing no issue to other spacecraft until then. An investigation continues into what caused the problem. READ MORE: What colors paint Mars' northern lights? New results from NASA's MAVEN mission Besides studying Martian weather and observing a stray interstellar comet last year, Maven helped relay information from NASA's Curiosity and Perseverance rovers on the surface. NASA officials said four other spacecraft around Mars — two U.S. and two European satellites — will pick up the slack, with no rover science lost. Technicians work on NASA's next Mars-bound spacecraft, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on Sept. 27, 2013. File photo by Joe Skipper/ Reuters "The team is certainly broken up about this, but at the same time we are incredibly proud of the science we've accomplished over the last decade," said Maven's lead scientist, Shannon Curry of the University of Colorado Boulder. The spacecraft advanced scientists' understanding of the Martian atmosphere and evolution, Curry said. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now

By — Maria Ramirez Uribe Maria Ramirez Uribe Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/what-is-el-nino-and-how-could-it-affect-weather-this-year Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter What is El Niño and how could it affect weather this year? Science Jun 4, 2026 6:28 PM EDT Scientists around the world are warning a strong El Niño this year, colloquially dubbed a super El Niño, could lead to extreme weather events — from heavy rainfall to exacerbated droughts. READ MORE: The U.S. smashed heat records in March. Just wait for El Niño this summer The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted last month there's an 82% chance of El Niño emerging between May and July. The United Nation's World Meteorological Organization agrees, saying there's a 90% chance El Niño will continue until at least November. Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. "The world must treat it as the urgent climate warning it is," said U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres in a video statement . "El Niño conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world. Impacts will hit even harder, travel even further and cross borders with devastating speed." The last El Niño event happened in 2023 and 2024 and "was one of the five strongest on record," according to World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. Those years were marked by record high global temperatures, severe droughts and intense cyclones. Here's what to know about the weather phenomenon. What is El Niño? Trade winds usually push warm water in the Pacific Ocean from South America to Asia. During El Niño, the trade winds are weaker and the Pacific's warm water moves toward the Americas instead. El Niño is "the warm phase of a natural seesaw in the equatorial Pacific sea surface temperatures," said Robert Burgman, an atmospheric science professor at Florida International University. South American fishermen in the 1600s gave the weather pattern its name: El Niño, "the little boy" in Spanish, was a reference to baby Jesus. Every few years, the fishermen noticed warm waters around Christmas time. There's also an opposing weather pattern known as La Niña. Strong trade winds push more warm water to Asia while pushing even colder water to the Pacific coast of the Americas. What happens during El Niño? El Niño events tend to last for several months. They make "normally dry places wet and normally wet places dry," said Paul Roundy, professor of atmospheric and environmental sciences at the State University of New York at Albany. The weather pattern usually takes place every few years and tends to intensify in the fall, peaking in the winter, said Bob Henson, a meteorologist and journalist with Yale Climate Connections. In the U.S., El Niño's effects are often divided between the North and South. From fall to spring, the southern U.S. can see inc

By — Seth Borenstein, Associated Press Seth Borenstein, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/energy-water-use-and-pollution-of-ai-and-data-centers-rival-most-countries Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twit…

By — William Brangham William Brangham By — Azhar Merchant Azhar Merchant Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/new-proposal-would-give-trump-officials-more-control-over-scientific-research-grants Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share…

By — Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/nasa-declares-its-mars-maven-spacecraft-dead-after-6-months-of-silence Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter NASA dec…

By — Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/radio-scans-find-no-evidence-of-alien-tech-from-interstellar-comet-3i-atlas Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Rad…

By — Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Marcia Dunn, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/radio-scans-find-no-evidence-of-alien-tech-from-interstellar-comet-3i-atlas Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Radio scans find no evidence of alien tech from interstellar comet 3I/Atlas Science Jun 3, 2026 6:50 PM EDT CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The group leading the charge in the search for extraterrestrial life has given the all clear: An interstellar comet looks to be completely natural and free of any alien tech. The SETI Institute said Wednesday that extensive radio scans by its telescope in Northern California found no signs of otherworldly technology from our solar system's latest interstellar visitor. READ MORE: NASA says new interstellar comet it spotted will keep a safe distance from Earth The object labeled 3I/Atlas was discovered last summer sweeping through our neck of the cosmic woods. Scientists quickly identified it as a comet that migrated from another star, although a few insisted without evidence it might be associated with intelligent life. It's only the third known object from a faraway star — all deemed of natural origin — to venture into the sun's turf. Several NASA spacecraft observed the celestial iceball as it swung past Mars last October, venturing within 19 million miles (30 million kilometers) of the red planet. The closest it ever got to Earth was in December at a whopping 167 million miles (269 million kilometers) away. Grow your mind Subscribe to our Science Newsletter to explore the wide worlds of science, health and technology. SETI said it conducted more than seven hours of observations in July soon after the comet was discovered, searching through a wide range of radio signals. The team identified nearly 74 million narrow-band radio signals. After accounting for human interference or signals matching the object's movement, only slightly more than 200 signals remained, all of which "traced back to technology on the surface of the Earth or our own Earth-orbiting satellites," according to SETI. Results were published in the Astronomical Journal. These results "show how realistic it is to detect a signal with the technology we have today," co-author Valeria Garcia Lopez of Furman University said a statement. "That is why it is important to keep searching for technosignatures, even from objects we might not expect to have signals." SETI's Sofia Sheikh, the lead author, and her team pointed out that NASA's Voyager spacecraft will one day become extraterrestrial objects in neighboring star systems. Launched in the 1970s, the twin probes are the most distant spacecraft from Earth, drifting in the space between stars. "Voyager and similar probes will eventually become interstellar objects in other stellar systems. We thus know that no extrapolation is needed for the idea of interstellar technological objects, as we have a proof by exist

By — Maria Ramirez Uribe Maria Ramirez Uribe Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/what-is-el-nino-and-how-could-it-affect-weather-this-year Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter What is El Niño and how could it affect w…

By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/nasa-orders-astronauts-to-take-shelter-after-new-leak-aboard-the-international-space-station Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter NASA orders …