Science & Earth

Researchers at UCLA reported in Small that they built a nickel-iron battery inspired by Thomas Edison using protein-derived materials and nanoclusters; the prototype recharges in seconds and lasted 12,000 cycles in tests, but it has lower energy capacity than lithium-ion cells.

Using JWST spectra and new analysis techniques, astronomers identified hydrogen sulfide in the atmospheres of four gas giants orbiting HR 8799, and concluded the sulfur was delivered as solid material during planet formation.

A paper in the journal One Earth reports that warming is accelerating and that the average global temperature over the last three years exceeded 1.5°C; the authors say key planetary tipping points such as Greenland ice-sheet melt and Amazon dieback are at heightened risk of triggering cascading changes.

Researchers dated sewn hide, cords and bone needles from Oregon caves to about 12,600–11,880 years ago and report the stitched hides may be fragments of clothing or footwear from the Younger Dryas.

NASA's Artemis II crew of four astronauts has been training at Johnson Space Center with flight simulators and dozens of scenarios as final preparations continue for an early February, roughly 10-day mission to loop around the moon and return.

A global analysis of more than 15,000 reefs found 51% experienced moderate-or-worse bleaching and 15% showed significant mortality; Australian aerial surveys also report widespread bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef.

Quanta magazine reported that researchers at CERN's Large Hadron Collider detected so-called 'magic' top quarks which display high quantum entanglement. The report notes this entanglement could be useful for quantum information studies, while practical quantum computers remain technically challenging.

African wild dogs are increasingly sought-after by safari travelers, and camps and NGOs are channeling that interest into funding, monitoring and relocation efforts to support the species.

African wild dogs, estimated at about 6,000–7,000 in the wild, are drawing growing interest from safari travelers, and that interest is increasingly linked to funding, monitoring and relocation efforts across southern and eastern Africa.

The UK Health Security Agency has issued a yellow cold weather health alert for Friday–Monday, and the Met Office forecasts sub-zero temperatures with lows around -4C in parts of Scotland while multiple warnings for rain, snow, ice and flooding remain in force.

A 2025 USGS study and field measurements around Molokai report that Hawaii's fringing coral reefs — part of more than 410,000 acres of reefs in the state — can reduce wave intensity by as much as 80%, and that reef health affects how much wave energy reaches the shore.

Updated guidance released in February 2026 outlines a shift toward clearer compliance obligations and stronger producer responsibility for packaging across Australia.

Biologists with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife captured and released a Sierra Nevada red fox near Mammoth Lakes in January after fitting it with a GPS collar, the department said. Fewer than 50 individuals are believed to remain in the Sierra Nevada population.

Weather experts say New York City's remaining snow and ice should finish melting by late next week as temperatures rise above freezing, with highs forecast mainly in the high 30s to mid 40s.

The White House said the EPA will take action on Feb. 12 to rescind the 2009 “endangerment finding” that identified several greenhouse gases as a threat to public health; the agency has said removing the finding would eliminate the legal basis to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

Dozens of cold-stunned sea turtles rescued from Florida waters are receiving care in Tampa Bay-area aquariums; Clearwater Marine Aquarium admitted 36 and released 15 as water temperatures rebounded.

Caltech researchers report that a rove beetle, Sceptobius lativentris, copies velvety tree ant pheromones to live inside their colonies, and losing its own protective cuticular hydrocarbons appears to lock the beetle into that dependency.

Medicare began a six-year pilot in six states that uses artificial intelligence to review prior authorization requests for 14 services; researchers say it could reduce spending but also risks delaying or denying necessary care.

A 20-year randomized trial of 2,021 adults 65 and older found that only speed-focused, adaptive brain-training was associated with a lower rate of dementia, with a stronger effect among participants who received booster sessions; memory and reasoning drills showed no clear benefit.

NASA's SPHEREx spacecraft detected organic molecules such as methanol, cyanide and methane on the interstellar object 3I/ATLAS, and some researchers say these findings prompt questions about the origin of those materials.

Researchers used two AI agents to simulate play on a worn oval stone found at Coriovallum and found gameplay patterns consistent with blocking games, supporting the interpretation that the artifact was a game board.

Expedition 74 crew aboard the ISS set up protein-crystal and exercise research hardware and practiced Soyuz quick-return procedures, while NASA and SpaceX moved the Crew-12 launch to no earlier than 5:38 a.m. EST on Feb. 12 due to forecasted weather along the Dragon flight path.

Cortina experienced unseasonably warm February weather with daytime temperatures near 40°F (4.5°C), and officials say climate change has made such warmth more likely while organizers monitor conditions for the 2026 Winter Games.

Research aboard the International Space Station helped develop life‑support and safety systems for NASA's Artemis II Orion spacecraft and established methods—like organ‑chip studies and observation frameworks—that will be used during the Artemis II flight.

Using JWST spectra, researchers report the three inner gas giants in HR 8799 show heavy-element enrichment consistent with core-accretion formation, and hydrogen sulfide was detected on at least one planet.

An IPBES assessment approved by 150 governments warns that businesses depend on nature's services and face serious risks if biodiversity declines; the report also notes that fewer than 1% of publicly reporting companies mention biodiversity impacts.

SpaceX's Elon Musk tweeted that the company is focusing on building a self-growing lunar city that he said could be completed in under 10 years while Mars would take longer; NASA's Artemis II crewed lunar flight was postponed after a wet dress rehearsal and now has a possible launch window in early March–April 2026.

Soot from ships is darkening Arctic ice and accelerating regional warming, and a coalition of countries has proposed an IMO rule to require cleaner "polar fuels" for ships north of the 60th parallel; that proposal is scheduled for review at an IMO Pollution Prevention and Response Committee meeting this week and possibly another committee in April.

NASA and scientists use telescopes such as the James Webb Space Telescope to analyze exoplanet atmospheres for gases linked to life, while studies of Earth’s extremophiles and the habitable zone help narrow the search.

Zero Waste France published a policy report ahead of the 2026 municipal elections urging local governments to reduce single-use plastics; it notes average plastic consumption in France is about 70 kg per person per year and says recycling alone is insufficient to meet reduction goals.