Today's Science News: Water Crisis, Space Academy Debate, Mercury Mission Arrival, Cancer Research Breakthrough, and Star Formation Mystery
Drought Crisis at New Mexico's Largest Reservoir
Elephant Butte Reservoir, New Mexico's largest reservoir, has fallen to just 1.4% capacity as extreme drought and early snowmelt intensify pressure on Rio Grande water supplies serving farms in both New Mexico and Texas. Read more: New Mexico's largest reservoir plunges to just 1.4% full
Trump Proposes US Space Academy
Former President Trump has proposed establishing a US Space Academy, a new training institution that could fundamentally reshape how the United States organizes its space workforce and potentially complicate the longstanding divide between NASA's civilian space program and military space operations. Read more: Trump is proposing a US Space Academy – if created, it could blur the lines between NASA and the military - The Conversation
BepiColombo Spacecraft Approaching Mercury
The joint ESA-JAXA BepiColombo spacecraft is approaching Mercury after a seven-year interplanetary cruise, with arrival expected on September 3. The mission will study Mercury's geology, magnetic field, and surface composition to understand the formation of the solar system's innermost planet. Read more: 2 spacecraft headed to Mercury are about to begin their long-awaited arrival for Europe and Japan — watch it live on Sept. 3 - Space
Novel Spatial Technology for Cancer Research
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a novel spatial technology that promises to improve how scientists study cancer at the cellular level, potentially revealing new insights into tumor behavior and treatment responses. Read more: Novel Spatial Technology May Improve the Understanding of Cancer Biology - Northwestern University
Star Formation Mystery Deepens
A new survey of 2.5 million galaxies reveals that while star formation has declined 2.5-fold over the past 4.5 billion years, the available neutral hydrogen fuel has dropped by only 1.4-fold, suggesting that something beyond fuel supply is now limiting star formation. Read more: The universe has plenty of hydrogen. So why is star formation collapsing?