Science

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has reportedly withdrawn from the national squad, with reports linking the decision to his conscience over the situation in Gaza. The claim is circulating widely on social media, drawing debate about players taking a stand on political and humanitarian issues and what it means for Ireland's upcoming fixtures.

New research published in Science argues that a mega El Niño, with extreme and prolonged climate swings, triggered the end-Permian mass extinction around 252 million years ago, the deadliest extinction event in Earth's history. The study suggests these wild temperature and rainfall fluctuations stressed ecosystems beyond their ability to adapt, offering a new explanation for why the tropics and higher latitudes were hit so hard.

Small island nations facing existential threats from rising seas and climate change are pressing the international community for stronger action, declaring 'we're not giving up.' The widely syndicated AP story frames these states as the moral voice of global climate negotiations, highlighting their activism despite limited power. The coverage is being picked up by outlets across the United States.

Researchers have developed the most accurate atomic clock ever built, according to a new report. The advance pushes timekeeping precision beyond existing standards, a field where even tiny improvements matter for GPS navigation, telecommunications, and tests of fundamental physics such as whether fundamental constants change over time. Details of the clock's design and measured accuracy have drawn attention from the scientific community.

AI researcher Andrew Ng has dismissed warnings that artificial intelligence could drive humanity to extinction, describing such fears as 'science fiction'. The comments reignite a familiar divide in the tech world between prominent figures who argue existential risk is overblown and those who treat it as a serious concern. Ng has long argued that focus on distant doomsday scenarios distracts from practical issues like bias, job displacement and regulation of real-world AI systems.

An astronomer is tracking how Starlink satellites sink in their orbits, using the drift as a 'planetary barometer' to measure changes in Earth's upper atmosphere. Because the satellites' orbits respond to atmospheric drag, their gradual descent can act as a gauge of density variations. The idea is drawing attention among space and science readers interested in whether mega-constellations could double as atmospheric monitoring tools.

A new Norwegian science news report describes research showing that children and teenagers aged 9 to 18 increasingly turn to AI tools instead of Google for information and answers. Researchers say the shift is happening quickly, but its effects on how young people learn, judge sources and handle misinformation are not yet understood, prompting calls for closer study of the consequences.

This headline is from the Christian Science Monitor and addresses the ongoing debate over how to end the war in Ukraine. It frames a tension in current diplomacy: the United States is promoting peace negotiations, while Russia appears confident that continuing its military campaign serves its goals better. The article examines why Moscow may prefer battlefield gains to talks, and what that means for Western diplomatic efforts. Engagement figures are not visible, so reader reaction is unclear from the available evidence.

Some television meteorologists are increasingly working climate change into their weather forecasts, linking daily conditions to longer-term warming trends. The effort, reported by CBC, has met resistance from parts of the audience who would rather forecasters stick to short-term weather. The debate highlights tensions over how broadcasters should communicate climate science to the public.

An unmanned, hurricane-proof Saildrone vessel has begun a treacherous 22,000km journey around Antarctica, departing from Hobart in the name of climate science. The autonomous craft is designed to withstand extreme conditions while collecting ocean and climate data from one of the planet's harshest marine environments, drawing attention for the ambition of its circumnavigation.

Commentators are arguing that media coverage of artificial intelligence focuses too much on speculative, science-fiction-style scenarios while ignoring the concrete harm generative AI is already causing to people today. The piece says society should not waste time fantasizing about distant risks and should instead address the real, present-day damage. The argument is fueling debate about how AI dangers should be framed.

Dr M G Suresh Kumar discusses ISRO's move to open its doors to the private sector in a Malayalam-language interview, examining what greater private participation means for India's space programme. The discussion touches on policy changes that allow private companies a bigger role in space activities, a topic drawing significant attention among Malayali audiences interested in science and policy.

The Royal Society of Chemistry's Science Teaching Survey 2026 highlights stark regional disparities in science education provision, with the quality of teaching and resources varying significantly depending on where pupils live. The findings point to unequal access to qualified teachers, equipment and support across the country, prompting fresh debate about funding and the fair distribution of science education opportunities.

A new study suggests that a simple dietary adjustment could measurably slow a person's biological age in as little as four weeks. The finding, reported by BBC Science Focus, points to the possibility that short-term changes in eating habits can affect how quickly the body ages at a cellular level. It adds to growing interest in how nutrition influences longevity and healthy ageing.

The Guardian reports that scientists employed by Saudi Arabia, including staff tied to state oil company Aramco, ended up working on major IPCC climate reports, the world's most influential assessments of climate science. The revelation has drawn attention to how fossil fuel producing states shape global climate science and policy through their participation in these UN-backed processes.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has observed an exotic spiral galaxy that appears to rotate in two directions simultaneously, an unusual configuration that challenges standard models of how galaxies spin. The finding is drawing attention across science news outlets, with readers fascinated by the idea that a single galaxy could counter-rotate, likely the result of a past merger or gas accretion.

Anthropic reports that its internal biology laboratory has made a significant discovery, teasing the finding as "something big" without yet revealing details. The announcement is drawing attention across the tech and science communities, with observers speculating about what an AI company's bio lab could have uncovered and what it means for AI-driven research.

Anthropic reports that its Claude AI helped identify a previously unknown gene-editing enzyme. The company presented the discovery as a milestone for AI in biology, but the finding has not yet been independently confirmed by scientists, so it remains unverified. Observers are weighing the claim's significance for gene editing and for AI's role in scientific research while awaiting peer review or replication.

US Senators Ted Budd and Lisa Blunt Rochester have introduced legislation to establish a Biometrology Laboratory Program aimed at accelerating development in the biotech industry. The bill would create a federal program to advance measurement science in biotechnology. The bipartisan pairing has drawn attention as Congress weighs support for the US biotech sector.

New research suggests that during REM sleep, the brain's energy consumption increases even as its fuel supply rises, creating what scientists are calling a paradox. Dreaming appears to be an energetically expensive state, with the brain burning through energy reserves at a time when metabolic resources should theoretically be abundant. The findings could reshape understanding of why sleep and dreaming are biologically essential.

Reports say scientists plan to bring back the woolly mammoth with the help of artificial intelligence. The claim, picked up in headlines including the New York Post, suggests AI tools are being used to support de-extinction research aimed at recreating the Ice Age species. Details of the project, its timeline and its scientific credibility remain limited in the available reporting.

Ukraine's Ministry of Education and Science has issued recommendations on how schools and other educational institutions should operate during power outages. The guidance comes as scheduled blackouts continue to disrupt daily life across the country. It is expected to cover class organisation, safety and continuity of learning when electricity supply is cut.

The Crew-13 astronauts have arrived at Kennedy Space Center in Florida as final preparations begin for their upcoming launch to the International Space Station. The crew's arrival marks a key milestone in the countdown, with preflight training, briefings and vehicle checks underway. The mission is part of NASA's commercial crew program, which rotates astronauts to the orbiting laboratory for long-duration science expeditions.