Science & Earth

Researchers report a new Spinosaurus species, S. mirabilis, uncovered in Niger after remains first appeared in 2019 and were expanded in 2022; the animal’s scimitar-shaped crest and inland find challenge prior ideas about spinosaurid habitats.

National Justice for Animals Week (Feb 22–28, 2026) highlights efforts by lawyers, advocates, and legislators to expand legal protections for animals through litigation, statutory changes, and constitutional reforms.

An avalanche near Castle Peak in the Sierra Nevada killed eight skiers and left one person missing; families have identified six of the victims as mothers who often skied together.

A study in Frontiers in Environmental Science finds that a very high‑emissions future could cause irreversible damage to the Antarctic Peninsula, while a low‑emissions path would largely avoid the worst harms; the researchers say rapid emissions reductions this decade would be decisive.

World Pangolin Day on Feb. 21, 2026 draws attention to pangolins, which are heavily trafficked for meat and keratin scales, and all eight species now receive the highest trade protections under CITES.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 carried an international crew of four to the ISS, docking Saturday after a launch from Cape Canaveral; the flight replaces astronauts who returned early following a reported medical episode.

Archaeologists documented 2,000-year-old human and animal footprints exposed at Lunan Bay, Scotland, then the imprints were lost to the tide within days.

A published report describes a data-driven framework that combines data quality standards, interdisciplinary training, and predictive emission modeling to inform climate policy, and Bin Li is named as a contributor with academic and professional experience in environmental planning.

A SETI Institute study suggests Titan formed about 400 million years ago when two large moons collided, a scenario that could also explain the creation of Hyperion, several unusual satellite orbits, and a relatively young ring system.

A drought that began in 2020 has entered its sixth year in parts of the Southern Plains, including Texas and Oklahoma, and has contributed to wildfires and widespread water and agricultural losses.

A study of meteorite samples aboard the ISS found microbes leached metals at similar rates in microgravity and on Earth, and a fungus showed increased metabolism that helped extract 18 of 44 tested elements.

Michael Zelniker's eight-part series The Struggle for Mother Water was selected for the Berlinale Series Market and documents how billions lack reliable access to safe drinking water.

Satellite images from the Suomi NPP VIIRS instrument captured auroral ribbons over Iceland and parts of eastern Canada on Feb. 16 during a G1 geomagnetic storm that later reached G2, and NASA sounding rockets earlier in February collected data intended for 3D reconstructions of auroral electrical currents.

The National Park Service said most major parks, including Arches, Glacier and Yosemite, will not require advance vehicle-entry reservations this summer; some parks will retain ticketing for shuttles, timed parking, campsites or specific hikes.

The four-person Expedition 74 team carried out vein scans, pharmaceutical sample work, and routine maintenance aboard the International Space Station while continuing familiarization with station systems.

The James Webb Space Telescope captured an image of a jellyfish galaxy, ESO 137-001, as it appeared 8.5 billion years ago, showing gas tendrils with young star groupings. Researchers report the image suggests cluster environments could strip gas and alter galaxies earlier in cosmic history than previously expected.

A bipartisan poll of 3,419 registered voters in eight Western states found 84% view rollbacks of land, water and wildlife protections as a serious concern and 86% say spending cuts to national parks and public lands are problematic.

The USGS reports Episode 42 of the Halemaʻumaʻu eruption ended at 11:38 p.m. HST on February 15, 2026, and the eruption is currently paused; light tephra fall of fine ash and Pele's hair was reported to the southwest.

Officials ordered evacuations near Howardwick as the 8 Ball fire burned roughly 9,000 acres with about 25% containment; authorities said an evening update on closures and conditions was expected.

NASA's Mars Global Localization allowed Perseverance to determine its position to within about 25 centimeters on Feb. 2, 2026, by matching a 360-degree navcam orthomosaic to Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter imagery.

NASA's Perseverance rover uses a new Mars Global Localization algorithm to locate itself on Mars autonomously to about 10 inches (25 cm); the capability was first used in routine operations on Feb. 2 and again on Feb. 16.

NASA reports that six planets — Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter — form a visible alignment most clearly shortly after sunset on Feb. 28, though Uranus and Neptune generally require optical aids and some planets will sit low near the horizon.

Researchers reported hundreds of new Asgard microbes and filmed live Asgard cells crawling, offering genetic and behavioral clues to how complex eukaryotic cells evolved.

A coalition of health and environmental groups sued the EPA after it rescinded the 2009 endangerment finding; the suit was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

Strong winds drove the Ranger Road wildfire across the Oklahoma Panhandle into southwest Kansas, burning about 145,000 acres and injuring multiple firefighters; evacuations were ordered in several communities.

NASA and SpaceX moved the Crew-12 launch to Feb. 12 pending weather, which would restore the ISS to seven crew after it has operated with three since mid-January.

The Dog Aging Project has enrolled over 50,000 dogs to collect health, lifestyle and genomic data, and researchers are testing low-dose rapamycin to study effects on cellular aging.

City officials are advancing PermitSF changes that would let developers pay a $2,590 in‑lieu fee instead of planting replacement trees and would remove the appeals process for city‑initiated hazardous removals; supporters say it speeds permitting while critics worry it will reduce trees in neighborhoods.

Three UCLA faculty—David Clewett, Pradip Gatkine and Juliana Londoño-Vélez—are among 126 researchers from 44 institutions awarded 2026 Sloan Research Fellowships, each receiving a two-year, $75,000 grant. The fellowships recognize early-career scholars across several scientific fields.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation named 126 researchers as 2026 Sloan Research Fellows, including seven faculty from UC Berkeley; each winner receives a two-year $75,000 fellowship to support their research.