Friday, March 13, 2026

NASA's James Webb and Hubble space telescopes have jointly released new images of Saturn, providing the most comprehensive view of the planet to date by combining infrared and visible light observations to reveal the gas giant's layered atmosphere, glowing icy rings, and multiple moons.^[1]

NASA is preparing to launch Artemis 2 on April 1, 2026, sending four astronauts on a 10-day journey around the Moon—the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972. The crew includes the first woman, person of color, and Canadian astronaut to travel to the Moon's vicinity.^[2]

Researchers have discovered 24 new deep-sea amphipod species in the Pacific's Clarion-Clipperton Zone, including an entirely new superfamily representing a previously unknown branch on the evolutionary tree. The discovery is part of an initiative aiming to describe 1,000 new species by the end of the decade.^[3]

Scientists have documented the first case of flexible tool use in cattle: an Austrian cow named Veronika uses different ends of a brush to scratch different body regions, selecting the bristled end for her back and the smooth handle for more sensitive areas. Researchers say the finding suggests cows may be far more cognitively capable than previously believed.^[4]

The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans "the gravest crime against humanity" and calling for reparations to address historical wrongs. The vote was 123-3, with the U.S., Israel, and Argentina voting against and EU nations abstaining.^[5]

Scientists at CERN's Large Hadron Collider have discovered a new subatomic particle called Ξcc⁺ (Xi-cc-plus), a heavy proton-like particle containing two charm quarks and one down quark. It is the first particle discovery made using the upgraded LHCb detector.^[6]