Earth

October’s full moon will light up the night sky this weekend, and observant stargazers may also be able to spot Saturn nearby. Coming about a month after the autumn equinox, the full moon will rise unusually early, appearing around sunset before reaching its fullest point at 12:12 a.m. ET on Monday, October 26. On Sunday evening, Saturn will shine with a golden tint a few degrees south of the moon. The moon’s low position near the horizon can make it seem warmer in color, with shades of orange

Watching birds may help support a healthier ageing brain, and it is increasingly being introduced as a calming activity for people living with dementia. Each week, a small group of older bird enthusiasts gathers inside a wooden shelter in the English countryside. They sit quietly with binoculars, then eagerly compare sightings: an oystercatcher using its vivid beak to search among the stones, or a pair of great crested grebes floating across the lake with their feathered crests raised. Many in

The Stanford Prison Experiment ran for fewer than seven days in 1971, yet its supposed lessons about human behavior shaped public discussion for generations. A new Netflix series is now returning one of psychology’s most disputed studies — along with the serious questions surrounding it — to public attention. Led by American psychologist Philip Zimbardo, the project turned the basement of a Stanford University building into a simulated prison. From more than 70 men who replied to a newspaper

A recent mission to a remote island in the South Pacific in search of debris from Amelia Earhart’s missing aircraft has ended without a definitive discovery. On Monday, researchers said they found “no conclusive evidence” that the celebrated pilot brought her Lockheed 10E Electra down on or near the tiny atoll located south of the planned stop on her doomed journey nearly 90 years ago. The expedition to Nikumaroro Island was organized by the Archaeological Legacy Institute, based in Eugene,

A 14-year-old boy has died after intense rainfall swept across Istanbul, flooding hundreds of properties, damaging roads and nearly paralysing traffic in Turkiye’s biggest city. Security camera footage showed the teenager being electrocuted in the Balat neighbourhood of Istanbul’s Fatih district after he stepped into a large puddle during the downpour. Recommended Stories • list 1 of 3Pakistan and Turkiye support Saudi efforts to deter the Houthis • list 2 of 3Could new proposals from India and

Hurricane Isaias was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone a day after making landfall on Florida’s northern Gulf Coast, where it brought torrential rain and damaging winds. Isaias, the first named hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, continued moving through south-eastern parts of the United States. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across Florida, Alabama and Georgia lost electricity, while all three states declared emergencies. Storm warnings were lifted after expiring on

Once regarded as an awkward agricultural leftover, rice husk is increasingly being turned into a tough, long-lasting material for buildings. In 2023, contractor David Fine faced a difficult assignment. He had been brought in to renovate an upscale ski condominium complex in Park City, Utah. The site’s design requirements were unusually demanding. The older condos had started to deteriorate beneath the town’s deep, powdery snow, which can remain on the ground for much of the lengthy winter. The

From an exercise-loving bear to an orangutan with a cheeky gesture, these are 10 of the funniest wildlife photographs of the year. A grumpy-looking owl, playful bears and a relaxed praying mantis are among the shortlisted images in the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. In the photograph above, a female brown bear was spotted seeming to perform a morning workout near Lake Clark in Alaska, US. Her routine included a few bicycle-kick moves as though she were preparing herself for the summer

Over the past decade, great white sharks have been appearing far more often in Atlantic Canadian waters. What is encouraging these formidable predators to travel so far north? This summer, one seasonal visitor seemed especially fond of the waters off Nova Scotia, Canada. Only months earlier, the traveller had been swimming around Florida. When spring gave way to summer, however, he made his way north. His preference for Nova Scotia's cold coastline over the Sunshine State attracted

Swiss glaciers are shrinking at an alarming pace as winters bring less snow and Europe experiences exceptionally high summer temperatures, scientists have warned. The country, long associated with Alpine scenery and ski resorts, has lost almost one-fifth of its glacier ice in only five years. A report released on Thursday by the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network (GLAMOS) and the Swiss Academy of Sciences’ Commission for Cryosphere Observation found that Swiss glaciers lost 5.5 percent of their

Prepare for a striking double feature in the night sky. The first full moon of autumn will shine at its peak this weekend, while observers may also be able to catch a glimpse of Saturn nearby. The moon reaches maximum brightness at 12:49 p.m. ET on Saturday, though the most appealing view will come shortly after sunset that evening. Saturn, recognizable by its warm golden appearance, will sit near the full moon from Friday through Monday. Saturn will arrive at opposition on October 4, meaning

Dhading; Rasuwa; Nuwakot, Nepal – Nine-year-old Ram Thakur was walking uphill with his mother and dozens of other people escaping rising floodwater on August 26 when he turned around and saw muddy water rushing towards them. Everyone began to run. His mother, who had been gripping his hand, urged him to climb more quickly. As the roar of the water mixed with cries from the crowd, she shouted: “Chhito maathi hinda, pachhaadi na-hera,” meaning, “Climb faster, don’t look back.” Thakur followed her

The sound of birds singing can make people feel calmer and more comfortable. Yet certain bird calls appear to be especially enjoyable to human listeners, and scientists are starting to identify the reasons behind that response. Throughout much of human evolution, the everyday sounds of birds may have served as a comforting sign that the area nearby was safe and relatively free from threats. New research suggests that particular acoustic traits may explain why some bird songs appeal to people

In 1970, the release of the most successful nature record ever made brought whale song to a huge audience and permanently changed the way people thought about whales. It was 1952, at the peak of the Cold War. US sonar engineer Frank Watlington was working off Bermuda, listening beneath the waves for Soviet submarines and signs of seismic activity. Watlington used an early hydrophone system: long cables fitted with microphones that could be lowered deep into the sea. Whatever military signals he

New Delhi, India – On August 26, the high Himalayan terrain above Nepal’s Rasuwa district was transformed within a matter of minutes. A huge volume of ice and rock gave way in the mountains, unleashing a powerful mix of water, mud and debris into the Lhende Khola River. The flow raced through steep valleys, destroying homes and infrastructure before reaching the Nepal-China frontier. It was more than an ordinary flood. It was a cascading disaster. By the middle of September, more than 1,400

Scarlet macaws are among the most recognisable birds of the rainforest, yet their numbers are falling in many parts of their range. Researchers are now trying to change the future of the species by confronting a harsh pattern of parenting that leaves many chicks unable to survive. Parker had not even opened his eyes when he was lifted out of his nest. It was a Monday morning in November 2018 in Peru's Tambopata National Reserve, far inside the Amazon rainforest. The naked young chick was

Ancient remains from two hunter-gatherers on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island suggest that people may have used a mind-altering plant substance thousands of years earlier than previously recognized. The betel nut, the seed of the areca palm, is regarded as the world’s fourth most commonly used psychoactive substance, after caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Today, roughly one in 10 people, mainly in parts of Asia and the Pacific, continue the custom of chewing a quid made from processed betel nut and

Koyra Upazila, Bangladesh – At low tide, the Shakbaria River retreats and reveals a broad, slick stretch of mud between Suranjan Raptan’s village and the Sundarbans, the largest tidal mangrove forest on Earth. For nearly all of his life, Suranjan has regarded the forest as a living dispensary. Before sunrise, he boards a small boat, crosses into the mangroves and walks barefoot for hours through thick clay, carrying a knife to gather leaves, roots and bark for herbal remedies. On this morning,

The United States has recorded its hottest summer ever, as intense heat and drought affected broad areas of the country. Between June and August, the average temperature across the contiguous United States reached 23.6 degrees Celsius (74.4 degrees Fahrenheit), according to figures released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday. The seasonal average was 1.7C (3F) above the 20th-century norm and 0.2C (0.4F) warmer than the former record, which had been shared by

Malaysia has announced a state of emergency in a district of Sarawak after haze from wildfires in nearby Indonesia pushed air pollution to levels considered hazardous. King Sultan Ibrahim “has given his consent for an emergency to be declared across Serian Division, Sarawak, following haze conditions that have reached levels dangerous to public health and safety,” the office of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Thursday. Recommended Stories • list 1 of 3Malaysia’s former leader Ismail Sabri