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- 1New data shows current El Niño strongest ever recorded▼New data shows El Niño is strongest ever with major shift in global weather patterns | BBC News
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.
- 2Scientists seek new methods to fight mosquitoes as climate warms●Scientists explore new ways to target mosquitoes as warming climate expands threat
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.
- 3Trump administration backing off NIH grant control order●Update. "Trump administration backing off NIH grant order amid pushback." https://www. semafor.com/article/09/23/2026 /t
The Trump administration is retreating from a proposed executive order that would have increased White House control over National Institutes of Health grant decisions. Reporting by Semafor says the plan to tighten oversight of NIH funding appears to be dead after significant pushback from scientists, universities and lawmakers, who warned it would politicise medical research funding decisions.
- 4
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.
- 5Super El Niño pushes global temperatures to record highs●Super El Niño bursts through temperature record months ahead of peak
A powerful El Niño event has driven global temperatures past previous records months before the phenomenon is expected to reach its peak, according to a Guardian report. Scientists warn the early surge suggests 2026 could see exceptional heat, adding pressure on governments ahead of climate negotiations.
- 6Scientists warn Earth's planetary boundaries have been breached●'Planetary boundaries' necessary for flourishing of life have been breached
Scientists warn that the 'planetary boundaries' needed for life to flourish on Earth have been crossed, according to a Guardian report. The assessment suggests humanity has pushed critical Earth-system limits past safe levels, intensifying concerns about the climate crisis and the long-term stability of the conditions that support human civilisation.
- 7Keck Observatory data reveals youngest known exoplanet●Data from Hawaiʻi’s W. M. Keck Observatory reveals youngest planet outside solar system
Data from the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaiʻi has been used to identify the youngest planet yet discovered outside our solar system. The finding, reported by Maui Now, highlights the observatory's continuing role in major exoplanet research and offers scientists a rare chance to study planet formation at its earliest stages. Astronomers say such young worlds help refine models of how planets develop.
- 8Astronomers warn planned 50,000 orbital mirrors would harm sky research●"'They're saying we want to launch 50,000 mirrors by 2035,' Benvenuti said. 'That would be catastrophic for astronomy, t
Reflect Orbital's plan to launch thousands of sun-reflecting satellites has drawn sharp criticism from astronomers. A figure of 50,000 mirrors by 2035 was cited as 'catastrophic for astronomy' by scientist Luca Benvenuti, as the company seeks US regulatory approval from the FCC. Researchers worry the mirrors' bright glare would interfere with telescopes and darken the night sky for ground-based observations worldwide.
- 9
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.
- 10Weather satellites that track oceans and El Niño●Weather Insider: The satellites studying our oceans and El Niño
KESQ's Weather Insider segment examines the satellites used to study the world's oceans and monitor El Niño conditions. The piece explains how space-based observation of sea surface temperatures and ocean patterns helps forecasters understand and predict El Niño's effects on global weather. It highlights the role of satellite technology in improving weather and climate forecasting.
- 11Saudi Aramco scientists helped write key UN climate reports●Saudi oil scientists ended up working on most important climate reports
The Guardian reports that scientists from Saudi Arabia's state oil company Aramco have worked as authors on IPCC climate assessment reports, the scientific assessments that underpin global climate policy. The story highlights the contradiction of oil industry researchers helping shape the world's most authoritative climate science, and it is drawing criticism of the IPCC's review and authorship processes.
- 12Ospreys are vanishing along the East Coast, and scientists say they know why●Ospreys are disappearing along the East Coast. Scientists think they know why.
Ospreys, the fish-eating hawks that nest along the US East Coast, are disappearing, according to a Washington Post report citing scientists who believe they have identified the cause. The finding has drawn attention among birders and conservationists worried about the iconic raptor's recovery since the DDT-era declines of the last century.
- 13Perseverance finds Mars crater held more than an ancient lake●Perseverance discovers Mars crater was more than just an ancient lake
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.
- 14
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.
- 15RFK Jr. aides criticize his vaccine views●Current and future RFK Jr. aides criticize his science-rejectionist vaccine views
Current and prospective aides to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are publicly criticizing his rejection of mainstream vaccine science, according to the Genetic Literacy Project. The criticism highlights internal tension around Kennedy's long-standing vaccine skepticism, which has drawn sustained opposition from scientists and public health experts who say his positions contradict established evidence on vaccine safety and effectiveness.
- 16Engineered mini CRISPR enzyme gets 60-fold power boost●Engineered mini CRISPR enzyme gets a 60-fold power boost for gene editing
Scientists report engineering a miniature CRISPR enzyme that is 60 times more powerful at gene editing than before. The boost in efficiency could make compact gene-editing tools more effective for therapies and research, especially where delivery space is limited. The advance highlights ongoing efforts to shrink and strengthen CRISPR systems for medical use.
- 17Huge bogong moth swarms delight NSW residents●'Thrilled': huge swarms of bogong moths surprise NSW residents and may point to species' recovery https://www.theguardia
Large swarms of bogong moths have appeared across New South Wales, surprising residents who have reported the insects arriving in big numbers. Conservationists and locals are 'thrilled', with scientists suggesting the swarms could be a sign the species is recovering after steep declines in recent years.
- 18Solar System's First Planets Were Made of Fire, Not Ice●The Solar System’s First Planets Were Made of Fire, Not Ice
A new report claims the solar system's first planets were worlds of fire rather than ice, challenging the long-held picture of the earliest planetary bodies forming in cold, icy conditions far from the sun. The suggestion points to a hotter, more violent beginning for planet formation than scientists have typically assumed, and it is drawing attention from space enthusiasts and researchers questioning how the planets we know today first came together.
- 19Huge bogong moth swarms delight NSW residents in possible species recovery●‘Thrilled’: huge swarms of bogong moths surprise NSW residents and may point to species’ recovery https://www. theguardi
Large swarms of bogong moths have surprised residents across New South Wales, and scientists are reportedly hopeful the influx may signal a recovery for the species, whose numbers had declined sharply in recent years. Reports describe people as 'thrilled' by the sight, with the mass appearance generating excitement and attention around the moth's famous seasonal migration to the state's alpine regions.
- 20Scientists Say Sun and Moon Tides May Trigger Earthquakes●The Sun And Moon Can Trigger Earthquakes, And Scientists May Finally Know How
New research suggests the gravitational pull of the Sun and Moon, which drives tides in the Earth's crust, may help trigger earthquakes. Scientists believe they have identified the mechanism by which these small tidal stresses can nudge faults already close to slipping, potentially explaining why some quakes occur at particular tidal phases.
- 21Hidden Valleys Beneath Greenland's Ice Sheet Revealed●Uncovering the Valleys Hidden Below Greenland’s Ice
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.
- 22New cryo-microscope reveals how Antarctic fish cells survive the cold●Researchers engineered a novel microscope capable of operating near 0 degrees Celsius, enabling the first-ever high-reso
Researchers have built a microscope that can operate near 0 degrees Celsius, allowing the first high-resolution observations of living cells in Antarctic fish. The work aims to uncover the mechanisms these fish use to survive in extreme cold, with potential relevance to cell biology and cryobiology. It offers scientists a rare direct look at life functioning at near-freezing temperatures.
- 23
Scientists have resolved a long-standing mystery concerning stick insects, according to a new report. The finding, covered by science news outlet SciTechDaily, brings closure to a biological puzzle that researchers have pursued for decades, though details of the discovery and its implications have not yet been widely reported.
- 24Scientists Decode Moth Sex Pheromones via Insect Smell Receptors●Scientists Reverse-Engineer Insect Smell Receptors to Identify Moth Sex Pheromones
Researchers have reverse-engineered insect smell receptors to identify the sex pheromones moths use to communicate. By working out how these olfactory receptors detect specific chemical signals, scientists can pinpoint the exact compounds involved. The finding could aid pest control, since synthetic pheromones are widely used to disrupt moth mating and protect crops without heavy insecticide use.
- 25
A newly reported artificial intelligence tool is designed to combine different types of biological data into a single analytical framework, helping researchers draw connections across genomics, proteomics and other datasets. The development is being discussed as part of broader excitement about AI's growing role in biology and biomedical research, where integrating scattered data sources has long been a major challenge for scientists.
- 26Two New Sea Spider Species Found Along Canadian Coast●Scientists discover two new species of sea spiders along Canadian coastline
Researchers have identified two previously unknown species of sea spiders along Canada's coastline, expanding knowledge of marine biodiversity in the region. Sea spiders are unusual marine arthropods found in oceans worldwide, and new discoveries like this help scientists better understand life in cold coastal waters.
- 27Gujarat governor urges young researchers to study science through logic●Examine physics, maths, astronomy through logical lens: Gujarat governor to young researchers
The Governor of Gujarat has called on young researchers to examine physics, mathematics and astronomy through a logical lens. The address, reported by ThePrint, encouraged early-career scientists to apply rigorous reasoning across disciplines. Little further detail about the event or the specific remarks has emerged, but the appeal has drawn attention in Indian science and education circles.