Get hand-picked daily summaries of the best, most informative science and engineering articles from around the web. Browse recent summaries, then jump to the original source when you want the full article.
On June 16, 1963, Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space, completing 48 solo Earth orbits in nearly three days — logging more flight time than all U.S. astronauts combined at that point. The U.S. wouldn't send a woman to space until Sally Ride's 1983 mission.
John McFall, a British surgeon and Paralympic sprinter who lost his leg at 19, could become the first physically disabled person in space after being cleared for a potential mission by the European Space Agency in February 2025,...
Astronomers have long struggled to tell giant planets apart from brown dwarfs — objects too small to become stars but too big to be typical planets. A Northwestern University-led team discovered that spin speed is a key...
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory created a hybrid 3D printing method combining origami-inspired folding with composite materials, cutting fabrication time by 95% and costs by 90%. Flat panels printed on flexible...
Scientists have discovered that diamond becomes superconducting through hidden microscopic "puddles" that connect to allow electricity to flow without resistance. These regions can be controlled by adjusting temperature, magnetic...
Deep in a remote Nevada valley, construction is about to begin on what may be the most ambitious radio telescope ever built. Caltech astronomers plan to install 1,650 radio dishes across a stretch of land roughly 20 kilometers...
This archive is built from SMRTR newsletter stories. Subscribe for hand-picked stories without the extra noise.
After years of ignoring cracking issues in the PrK module, Russia finally agreed to decommission it following a tense standoff on the International Space Station. NASA directed its astronauts into SpaceX's Crew Dragon as a safe...
Boston Dynamics' Atlas robot is getting closer to being ready for real factory work, showing signs of what experts call "general intelligence" — the ability to adapt to new environments without relying purely on pre-programmed...
A Chinese Zhuque-2E rocket's upper stage broke apart in low-Earth orbit on June 9, generating an estimated 100–150 debris fragments near the International Space Station and SpaceX's Starlink satellites. While the ISS faces...
Glaciers aren't just frozen wastelands — they're home to more than 150 animal species, nearly half of which have only ever been found in glacial environments. Researchers found that different creatures, like water bears and...
Earth's oldest discoveries reveal billions of years of planetary history. Jack Hills zircon crystals from Australia, dated at 4.375 billion years old, suggest early Earth may have had surface water sooner than thought. Other...
California startup Circularity Fuels has completed the world's first end-to-end conversion of raw cow manure biogas into jet fuel, running continuously for thousands of hours at a dairy farm. The process could produce sustainable...
Casey Harrell, a 45-year-old ALS patient paralyzed by the disease, has become the first long-term independent user of a brain-computer interface that lets him speak. Brain electrodes decode his neural activity into words with 99%...
Wolfram Mathematica 15, releasing June 2026, brings deep AI integration and major upgrades across data science, mathematics, and engineering. A built-in AI Assistant now lives in every notebook's sidebar, and external AI tools...
NASA's X-59 quiet supersonic jet reached Mach 1.4 during a June 12 test flight, flying at 55,000 feet — the same speed and altitude it will use when flying over U.S. communities to measure public reaction. Built by Lockheed...
LeoLabs launched Scout Hawaii, a portable space-tracking radar that fits in a 20-foot shipping container and can track objects as low as 143 miles above Earth. Unlike traditional systems, it continuously monitors maneuvering...
China's first AI marine welding robot, deployed in Tianjin, welds steel up to 70mm thick, handles 30-ton loads, and achieves 98% first-pass accuracy—moving workers from hazardous tasks to supervisory roles.
Despite their fame, the Northern Lights are widely misunderstood. They aren't always green — oxygen and nitrogen create red, blue, and purple hues too. Auroras aren't Earth-exclusive either; Jupiter and Saturn have them. Strong...
AI has detected hundreds of previously unknown earthquakes beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, including surprising mid-plate events far from any boundary, revealing Antarctica is far more seismically active than previously...
The Standard Model lists ~17 elementary particle types, but accounting for multiple versions of each particle pushes the true count far higher, making what seems like a simple question surprisingly complex.
Beneath the Arctic's deceptively solid surface lie hidden pools of icy water, capable of swallowing equipment and people without warning. It's one of the most hostile environments on Earth, and now, a four-legged robot is...
Photons, the fundamental particles of light, can't actually be split — but physicists modeled what would theoretically happen if you tried. Using quantum equations, researchers found that "breaking" a photon's wave could unleash...
NASA selected Lunar Outpost to build the Pegasus rover for the Artemis program, awarding $220 million to develop a crewed vehicle for the lunar south pole. Designed for two astronauts, Pegasus can travel up to 900 kilometers on a...
Electra has unveiled a turbo-electric aircraft concept featuring a wide "double-bubble" fuselage and electric tail fans that recapture wasted airflow, boosting range efficiency by 17%. The design fits existing airport...