Don’t miss Jupiter shining close to the waning gibbous moon on Dec. 7
On the night of December 7, skygazers should look to the constellation Gemini for a notable celestial event. Jupiter, the solar system's largest planet, will appear in a striking close conjunction with the waning gibbous moon, offering a prime viewing opportunity...
Watch Rocket Lab launch Japanese technology-demonstrating satellite to orbit tonight
Rocket Lab is set to launch a Japanese technology-demonstrating satellite this evening, December 6th. A live broadcast of the liftoff will be available for public viewing. Rocket Lab is preparing to launch its 59-foot (18-meter) Electron rocket tonight from its New...
Giant sunspot on par with the one that birthed the Carrington Event has appeared on the sun — and it’s pointed right at Earth
A colossal sunspot cluster, comparable in scale to the one responsible for the largest solar storm in recorded history, has emerged on the sun's Earth-facing side. This formidable complex of solar activity is now squarely aimed at our planet. While its impressive size...
CDC panel, stuffed with vaccine skeptics, votes to end recommendation for universal newborn hepatitis B vaccination
An influential advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has voted to revise its recommendation regarding universal hepatitis B (HBV) vaccination for newborns. Moving away from the current guidance, the committee now advises that...
Science history: Female chemist initially barred from research helps helps develop drug for remarkable-but-short-lived recovery in children with leukemia — Dec. 6, 1954
In 1954, a pivotal medical breakthrough was announced: researchers had developed a new drug capable of inducing remission in children battling acute leukemia. This revolutionary compound quickly established itself as one of the earliest and most significant...
Robotic dogs part of wildfire detection trial
A smarter way for large language models to think about hard problems
To enhance the accuracy of large language models (LLMs) when addressing challenging questions, researchers have found that allocating additional processing time for the models to deliberate on potential solutions can significantly improve performance. Current...
Don’t miss the last full moon of 2025 as the ‘Cold Supermoon’ takes to the autumn sky on Dec. 4
Tonight, December 4, 2025, marks the ascent of the final full moon of the year, a celestial event eagerly anticipated by stargazers. Dubbed the "Cold Supermoon," this spectacle is poised to command attention as it rises prominently above the eastern horizon at sunset,...
Geminid shooting stars: One of 2025’s most exciting meteor showers begins tonight
Astronomy enthusiasts, prepare for a celestial treat! The much-anticipated annual Geminid meteor shower is scheduled to commence on December 4th. This yearly spectacle unfolds as Earth traverses the remnants of debris shed by the intriguing blue asteroid known as 3200...
Why is the universe made of matter? These ‘ghost particle’ experiments could help us find out
Scientists have taken a significant step forward in tackling one of physics' most profound and enduring mysteries: the fundamental question of why matter exists in the universe. This crucial progress comes courtesy of a pioneering, combined analysis of data gathered...