Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Japan launched its Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission on October 19, sending a spacecraft to orbit Mars and attempt the first-ever sample return from the Martian moon Phobos, with samples expected to return to Earth in 2031.^[1]

The European Space Agency's Euclid space telescope discovered its first previously unknown comet, named C/2026 S1 (Euclid), about 810 million miles from Earth — a surprising find for a mission designed to study distant galaxies rather than solar system objects.^[2]

Physicists at the University of Innsbruck discovered a new state of quantum matter called a "fractional Fermi sea," where ultracold atoms form a highly excited yet orderly configuration that challenges established quantum theories and hints at exotic quasiparticles dubbed "super-Fermions."^[3]

Researchers at the University of Kentucky discovered that overactive immune cells in the brain drive sleep loss in Alzheimer's disease, and by temporarily removing these cells, they restored more than two hours of sleep per day in mice — without clearing the brain plaques typically associated with the disease.^[4]

Astronomers have found compelling evidence of two supermassive black holes spiraling toward a collision at the center of galaxy Mrk 501, with observations suggesting the pair completes an orbit every 121 days and could merge within approximately 100 years.^[5]

Scientists using samples from China's Chang'e-6 mission may have solved the long-standing mystery of why the Moon's two sides are so different, suggesting that uneven heating from Earth's gravitational pull drove enormous flows of ancient magma that created the dramatically different lunar landscapes.^[6]

Scientists at the University of Michigan developed a promising drug candidate called DT-109 that reversed severe fatty liver disease in animal models by restoring gut health, offering a potential new treatment path for liver disease and cardiovascular complications.^[7]

Columbia University researchers discovered a rare genetic mutation that protects the brain's blood vessels from damage, potentially explaining why some people with high genetic risk for Alzheimer's remain mentally sharp into their 80s — findings that could open new paths for prevention treatments.^[8]

European Union leaders discussed covering a €70 billion funding gap for Ukraine in 2027, with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stating the gap "has to be covered" as the bloc weighs continued support for Kyiv.^[9]

Scientists at the University of Washington used a DNA recording system called "DNA Typewriter" to trace the development of a mouse embryo from its first two cells to the formation of organs, revealing hidden patterns of cell development that could shed light on birth defects and cancer.^[10]