8 h. ago Moon missions, Musk v scientists, sperm and longevity – podcast

Madeleine Finlay and Ian Sample discuss three intriguing science stories from the week. From two private moon landings to the controversy over Elon Musk’s continued membership of the Royal Society, and a new study making a link between men’s health and their sperm qualityStriking images show Blue Ghost Mission 1’s successful moon landingElon Musk survives as fellow of Royal Society despite anger among scientists Continue reading...

Events

50 h. ago Royal Society makes major Elon Musk decision after scientists call to expel him

Elon Musk was made a fellow of the Royal Society in 2018 but has caused anger among its members for 'malicious' behaviour that allegedly contravened the society's code of conduct

Politics

3 d. ago Private spacecraft Blue Ghost makes successful upright moon landing

US firm Firefly Aerospace celebrates achievement of second-ever commercial lunar landingA US company has successfully landed its spacecraft on the moon, marking only the second private mission to achieve the milestone – and the first to do so upright.Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 touched down at 8.34am GMT near Mons Latreille, a volcanic formation in Mare Crisium on the moon’s north-eastern near side. Continue reading...

Technology

3 d. ago Striking images show Blue Ghost Mission 1’s successful moon landing

US firm Firefly Aerospace celebrates second-ever commercial lunar landingA US company has successfully landed its spacecraft on the moon, marking only the second private mission to achieve the milestone – and the first to do so upright.Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 touched down at 8.34am GMT near Mons Latreille, a volcanic formation in Mare Crisium on the moon’s north-eastern near side. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Dazzling moment NASA’s ‘Lunar Trailblazer’ blasts off in search of water on the moon

This is the moment NASA launched the ‘Lunar Trailblazer’ orbiter on a mission to detect water on the moon.

Technology

8 d. ago ‘We’re being treated as grifters or terrorists’: US federal workers on the fear and chaos of their firings

An educator, archaeologist and scientist were among the thousands of government workers culled by Musk’s agencyThe Trump administration has fired at least 20,000 government employees in its first month, as Elon Musk’s so-called “department of government efficiency” (Doge) dramatically overhauls work at federal agencies. Some economists have speculated that these terminations, which could affect nearly 300,000 workers, will be the biggest job cuts in US history.Most of the workers cut were in probationary periods and lacked job protections that come with longer terms of employment. In social media spaces, especially the r/fednews subreddit, these workers described scenes of confusion and feelings of anger directed at Musk, an unelected billionaire dubbed a “special government employee” by the White House. Last week, unions for federal workers sued the Trump administration for unlawfully using probationary periods to cut staff. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago Scientists reviewing Musk’s Neuralink are fired – then rehired – from FDA following flurry of DOGE cuts

Around 300 FDA staffers have been asked to return to work after Musk’s DOGE axed thousands of jobs from the Department of Health and Human Services

Events

2 w. ago Scientists try to expel space pioneer Elon Musk from the Royal Society after accusing him of 'disreputable' behaviour

The world's richest man could become the first person in 150 years to be expelled from the prestigious institution after more than 2,700 scientists claimed he had brought it into disrepute

Technology