The Scientist

New data indicates the current El Niño is the strongest ever recorded, driving a major shift in global weather patterns. The development is expected to bring hotter temperatures, droughts and flooding to many regions, and scientists are watching closely for knock-on effects on agriculture, storms and global climate over the coming months.

Scientists are developing new ways to control mosquitoes as warmer temperatures lengthen mosquito seasons and expand the range of dangerous diseases like malaria and dengue. The mosquito kills more people than any other animal on earth, and researchers warn that longer warm periods give the insects more time to spread illness, prompting renewed efforts in prevention and control.

The Trump administration is retreating from a proposed executive order that would have given the White House greater control over National Institutes of Health grant decisions. Reporting by Semafor says the plan, which would have tightened political oversight of NIH research funding, is now considered 'dead' after significant pushback from scientists, universities and lawmakers. The retreat comes amid ongoing concerns over federal science funding policy.

Scientists have developed the most accurate atomic clock ever built, according to a newly published report. The clock advances precision timekeeping, which underpins GPS navigation, telecommunications and tests of fundamental physics. Researchers say such devices lose tiny fractions of a second over billions of years, pushing the limits of measurement science and potentially prompting a redefinition of the second itself.

Physicists report creating a record-breaking Schrödinger's cat state, a quantum superposition in which atoms exist in two states at once, using some of the most unusual atoms in physics. The experiment pushes the known limits of how large an object can be while remaining in a quantum superposition, a milestone for quantum physics research.

Peter Barrett, a leading figure in Antarctic science in New Zealand and internationally, has died. Colleagues describe him as a legend in the field, noting that even in death he left behind a list of tasks and challenges, reflecting his lifelong commitment to Antarctic research and climate issues. Tributes have come from across Aotearoa and the wider scientific community.

NASA's Perseverance rover has uncovered evidence that Jezero Crater on Mars was more complex than previously thought, indicating it was not simply an ancient lake. The finding suggests the crater experienced a richer and more varied geological history, with implications for understanding Mars' past water activity and its potential to have once supported life.

A new study examines whether artificial intelligence systems could experience pain, weighing how current models respond to harmful or distressing stimuli against what scientists know about consciousness. Researchers say the question remains open, with no clear evidence that today's AI suffers, but growing attention to machine welfare as systems become more advanced.

A New York Times report examines whether Anthropic's artificial intelligence genuinely produced an autonomous scientific discovery, in a case involving biology and enzyme research credited to a scientist named Mestre. The question of what counts as a real AI-driven discovery — versus human-guided work marketed as machine achievement — is drawing scrutiny as labs race to claim scientific firsts for their models.

New research indicates Earth microbes can survive in conditions mimicking the ocean of Enceladus, Saturn's icy moon. The findings strengthen the case that Enceladus could potentially host life, since its subsurface ocean is a leading target in the search for life beyond Earth. Scientists say the experiment shows known microorganisms are more hardy than assumed under such extreme environments.

Scientists are working near the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana on what is described as a massive effort to predict the region's future. The research focuses on forecasting environmental changes along the river's delta, an area central to concerns about land loss and coastal resilience. Local coverage highlights the scale and ambition of the scientific undertaking.

An NPR report says AI assessors conclude that current science cannot yet support the safety measures the public wants from artificial intelligence. The finding highlights a gap between expectations for AI safeguards and what research can actually verify, renewing debate among scientists and policymakers over how to regulate systems whose risks remain poorly understood.

A new examination of evolutionary biology asks whether animals and plants can adapt quickly enough to keep pace with rapidly warming temperatures and shifting habitats. The piece highlights the mismatch between the slow pace of genetic adaptation and the speed of current climate change, raising concerns that many species may be unable to evolve in time to survive.

A new examination of chronic traumatic encephalopathy reviews what research has established about the brain disease linked to repeated head impacts, and where scientific certainty ends. The piece weighs confirmed findings against open questions about diagnosis, prevalence and long-term effects, reflecting ongoing debate among scientists, athletes and sports organisations over how much is truly known.

NASA scientists are mapping vast hidden valleys buried beneath Greenland's ice sheet, using radar and other remote-sensing techniques to reveal the dramatic landscape below. The work helps researchers understand how meltwater drains under the ice and how this may influence ice sheet behaviour and sea-level rise. The findings highlight how much of Greenland's geography remains unseen beneath kilometres of ice.

New research indicates that the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon can trigger earthquakes, and scientists may have identified the mechanism behind it. The findings suggest tidal stresses on faults could set off quakes that are already primed to rupture, a long-debated idea in seismology.

Scientists in Germany are preparing to copy and store vast troves of American climate data, fearing the Trump administration could alter, restrict, or remove federal climate records. The effort has been likened to building an ark, preserving scientific information outside the United States in case it becomes unavailable at home, and has drawn attention as researchers weigh risks to publicly funded datasets.

A new account of the Solar System's origins says the first planetary bodies formed in molten, fire-like conditions rather than from ice and cold material, as long assumed. The claim challenges the standard picture of early planet formation, in which icy building blocks beyond the frost line were thought to dominate. Details of the research and the reasoning behind it remain limited, and reactions from other scientists are not yet clear.

A new study questions the widely held idea that climate change is driving a boom in global squid populations. Researchers challenge assumptions that warming oceans and changing conditions have fueled squid expansion, suggesting the picture is more complicated than previously thought. The findings are prompting discussion among marine scientists about how climate shifts truly affect squid stocks and the fisheries that depend on them.

NPR examines whether humanity is prepared for the discovery of life beyond Earth. The piece explores how scientists searching for biosignatures on distant planets would confirm — and communicate — such a find, and what it would mean for society. It asks whether our scientific methods, institutions, and public discourse are equipped to handle evidence that could reshape humanity's understanding of its place in the universe.

Hail is costing the United States billions of dollars a year in damage to roofs, crops, cars and infrastructure, and scientists warn the problem could intensify as climate change alters storm patterns. Hailstorms are among the costliest weather events, and insurers and homeowners are increasingly exposed. Discussion centres on why hailstorms may be growing more destructive and how communities can prepare.

New research indicates Mercury is contracting more quickly than previously estimated. The smallest planet in the solar system has been cooling and shrinking for billions of years, causing its crust to buckle and form cliffs and ridges. The revised findings suggest this process is still active and accelerating relative to earlier models, prompting scientists to rethink how rocky planets cool over time.

Scientists have observed that the amount of dust in Earth's atmosphere has declined, reversing a previous trend. NBC News reports the shift is described as mysterious, with the cause of the reversal not yet explained. Dust in the atmosphere affects climate, air quality and weather patterns, so researchers are paying close attention to what is driving the change.

An article examining the environmental impact and greenwashing of artificial intelligence includes a fact check of Donald Trump's climate remarks. It explains that his references to people warning "we'll all be dead in twelve years" stem from media coverage of a 2018 United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, rather than scientists' actual statements. Readers are sharing it as a useful example of climate misinformation being corrected within broader tech-environment reporting.

Negotiations on the EU's pesticides reduction law have reached a deadlock after European scientists called for a pause. EU officials face pressure to suspend talks on the Food and Feed legislation, with pushback coming both from the scientific community and from countries outside the bloc. The standoff leaves the fate of the bill uncertain.