This star ate its own planet. Earth may share the same fate For the first time, astronomers have caught a star in the act of swallowing a planet, providing a glimpse into how the sun may eventually eat up Earth. Nell Greenfieldboyce
NASA is keeping Voyager 2 going until at least 2026 by tapping into backup power Engineers have bought the spacecraft's interstellar mission more time by using backup power from a safety mechanism. It means NASA no longer has to shut down one of its five scientific instruments. Emma Bowman
Welcome to the mammalverse: Scientists sequence DNA from 240 species around the world Researchers have examined the genomes of 240 mammal species. The project reveals when mammals evolved, how some developed the ability to hibernate, and clues that may help explain humans' brains. Nell Greenfieldboyce
The Abstract: Why is some of our snow turning pink? How do bacteria communicate? And what's the deal with pink snow? Soundside spoke with two researchers exploring the worlds of bacteria and algae to gather some insight. Libby Denkmann
Think you're tired? This animal goes for months with only two hours of sleep a day Scientists have learned that northern elephant seals — massive creatures found along the Pacific Coast of North America — cobble together a couple hours of sleep using underwater power naps. Ari Daniel
SpaceX rocket explodes shortly after test-flight takeoff in Texas SpaceX's new stainless-steel rocket named Starship exploded Thursday just four minutes after liftoff. In a statement, the company said, "with a test like this, success comes from what we learn." A Martinez
New data show that an old model of the brain's motor cortex is incomplete Scientists found evidence of two interleaved systems, which may help explain the connection between what's going on in our bodies and what's going on in brain areas involved in thoughts and emotions. Jon Hamilton
A Spanish athlete spent 500 days alone in a cave — for science Beatriz Flamini was 48 when she entered the Granada cave in November 2021, and 50 when she emerged on Friday. Her experiment aims to shed light on the physical and mental effects of isolation. Rachel Treisman
SpaceX prepares to launch its mammoth rocket 'Starship' Starship is the largest rocket ever built. The company hopes it will one day take people to the moon and Mars. But first it has to fly. Geoff Brumfiel
Goodbye fuzzy donut: The famous first black hole photo gets sharpened up Scientists have created a new version of a historic black hole image that was first unveiled back in 2019. The central black nothingness now looks larger and darker. Nell Greenfieldboyce