Science & Earth

Japan observed the 15th anniversary of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear accident while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged greater use of nuclear power; affected communities continue to recover slowly and the Fukushima Daiichi plant still faces challenges removing melted fuel debris.

The Bank of England says Winston Churchill will be replaced on the £5 note by native UK wildlife after a public consultation; a second public vote this summer will choose specific animals from an expert shortlist.

Stanford researchers are studying how people communicate during visual-creation tasks and are building open-source tools — including ControlNet, FramePack and a neuro-symbolic scene-coding system — to help generative AI collaborate with human creators.

A study published March 5 models Pune, India’s mid-century water under drought and urban growth and finds that without new policies reservoirs and groundwater could decline sharply and low-income households could face much higher costs; the researchers report that coordinated policy interventions implemented together can largely prevent those outcomes.

A March government posting shows NASA pursuing United Launch Alliance's Centaur V as the upper stage for the Space Launch System on Artemis IV and V under a sole-source contract; the revised Artemis plan also repurposes missions and accelerates the launch cadence. Plans for missions beyond Artemis 5 are not specified.

NASA has identified ULA's Centaur V as the next upper stage for the SLS for Artemis IV and V in a sole‑source SAM.gov posting, and the agency has revised Artemis mission roles and timelines including an accelerated schedule for flights after Artemis 2.

A study found the Apalachicola subpopulation of Florida black bears grew about 11.9% annually from 2016–2019, and researchers link the rebound to legal protections and expanded protected habitat.

A peer-reviewed study reports that days when extreme heat stops people from doing routine outdoor tasks have roughly doubled over the past 75 years, and more than a third of the global population now lives in areas where heat heavily affects daily life.

Researchers with the Center for Coastal Studies observed two North Atlantic right whale mothers and their calves in Cape Cod Bay, and federal reporting shows 22 calves this calving season, the most in 15 years.

Researchers report a reelin-related gene variant called COLBOS delayed Alzheimer's symptoms by roughly 20 years in a person with a high-risk PSEN1 mutation, and a December 2025 study mapped how COLBOS strengthens reelin binding to heparan sulfate at neuron surfaces.

New research finds that days too hot for routine activities have doubled over the past 75 years, and more than a third of the global population now lives where heat severely affects daily life.

Death Valley has been transformed by thousands of wildflowers in what experts described as the strongest bloom since 2016, following record autumn rainfall that soaked seeds and supported growth.

Scuba divers at Darwin's Arch reported seeing more than 20 whale sharks across seven dives, and one large whale shark swam slowly through a group allowing close photos and video.

A randomized trial of 958 adults (average age 70) found that taking a daily multivitamin for two years was associated with a statistically significant slowing of epigenetic measures of biological aging by about four months overall, with larger effects among participants who were biologically older than their chronological age; cocoa extract showed no effect.

The Maui County Council unanimously passed a resolution urging the U.S. Air Force to reject a draft environmental impact statement for a proposed plan to build up to seven telescopes on Haleakalā; the Air Force has extended the public comment period to April 15.

Fort Leonard Wood officials are urging readiness ahead of Missouri's tornado season and note the installation has more than 700 safety shelters; the National Weather Service reported 16 tornado-related deaths in Missouri in 2025.

A multi-day outbreak of severe storms, including strong winds, tornadoes and isolated flash flooding, is forecast across the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest over the next three days, and recent tornadoes in Michigan and Oklahoma have killed six people.

A large randomized trial (COSMOS) of about 21,442 older adults found that daily multivitamin use was associated with modest slowdowns in two DNA-based aging clocks over roughly two years.

A woman in Guernsey was fined after 23 AA batteries were found in her household waste, and regulators warn that batteries can leak harmful substances and pose fire risks; councils and retailers offer recycling collection options.

A study in Geophysical Research Letters reports that Earth's warming rate has increased over the past decade and that recent years have averaged about 1.5°C above preindustrial levels, linked to higher greenhouse gases, weakened carbon sinks, and reduced aerosol cooling.

A list highlights 10 rare shark and ray species that are described as among the least-seen and most-threatened, with population declines linked to overfishing, commercial fishing, international trade, habitat degradation and demand for shark fin soup.

A study in Geophysical Research Letters reports global temperatures rose about 0.35°C in the decade to 2025 and that the rate of warming since 2015 has accelerated, with 2024 exceeding 1.5°C for one year.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced a revised Artemis schedule that adds an Earth-orbit mission in 2027 (designated Artemis III) and reassigns the first crewed lunar landing to Artemis IV in early 2028; the plan seeks a faster Space Launch System launch cadence by standardizing elements of the rocket. Responses range from skepticism to endorsement, and the Senate Commerce Committee has passed an authorization that supports the proposal.

Sunlight rises rapidly in March as the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun; daylight saving time on March 8 shifts the clock but does not change how much sunlight there is.

NASA announced a major restructuring of its Artemis lunar program: Artemis 3 will shift to a 2027 mission focused on rendezvous and docking tests, while the crewed lunar landing is now slated for Artemis 4 in 2028; Artemis 2 remains a planned crewed lunar flyby with repairs underway.

The article reports President Trump pledged federal help for the Great Salt Lake, and experts say restoring the lake will likely require billions of dollars as it sits near historic low levels.

At least eight people were killed in tornadoes and severe storms in Oklahoma and southern Michigan on March 5–6, and the National Weather Service warned of additional severe weather for March 7.

A new analysis reports that global warming accelerated around 2015 and that the authors say the warming rate nearly doubled after 2014; other scientists have questioned aspects of the methods and remain cautious.

Researchers used synchrotron X-rays and supercomputer imaging to digitally restore the crushed skull of Little Foot, a roughly 3.67-million-year-old Australopithecus specimen, revealing the upper face and eye sockets for the first time.

At least six people were reported killed after storms produced a confirmed tornado in southern Michigan and tornado-related events in Oklahoma; state and federal agencies are coordinating response and damage assessments.