NASA’s Artemis moon exploration programme is getting a major makeover

• Scientists from Oregon State University and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research have identified 16 'tipping elements' across Earth's systems, including the Greenland Ice Sheet, Amazon rainforest, and Atlantic Ocean's overturning current, that could trigger a 'hothouse Earth trajectory' if pushed past critical temperature thresholds. • Atmospheric CO2 has reached 422.5 parts per million, about 50% higher than pre-industrial levels, with researchers warning that triggering one tipping element could push others closer to their own thresholds in a cascading effect. • The study, published in One Earth, distinguishes between a 'hothouse trajectory'—a direction of travel that could theoretically be interrupted—and a 'hothouse state,' where the planet would be locked into extreme, sustained heat and seas many meters higher.

• New research reveals the Crab Pulsar's puzzling radio emission patterns result from a 'tug-of-war' between its magnetic field and gravity acting as lenses on plasma in the magnetosphere. • Gravity focuses emissions while magnetospheric plasma defocuses them, explaining the pulsar's unique behavior observed in this well-studied supernova remnant. • This physics discovery advances understanding of neutron star dynamics, with implications for interpreting signals from thousands of known pulsars across the galaxy.

• University of Utah geophysicists used electromagnetic data from airborne surveys to identify a newly discovered freshwater reservoir under the Great Salt Lake's Farmington Bay, marking a first-of-its-kind breakthrough. • The reservoir, located in a key area of the lake, could potentially alleviate Utah's ongoing water scarcity issues amid prolonged drought conditions. • This finding matters as it reveals untapped groundwater resources critical for the western U.S., where the Great Salt Lake has shrunk by nearly 50% since 1980 due to overuse and climate change.

• Common PFAS 'forever chemicals' exposure linked to reduced bone density in children, potentially causing lifelong skeletal weakness. • Peer-reviewed study from The Endocrine Society shows early-life contamination disrupts bone development before adulthood. • Prevalent in U.S. water supplies and consumer products, PFAS affect 99% of Americans, raising public health alarms per CDC data.

• Scientists resolved a 12,800-year-old climate puzzle from Greenland's GISP2 ice core, identifying the source of an unusual platinum spike initially linked to a possible meteorite or comet impact. • The spike showed high platinum but low iridium levels, not matching typical space rocks or volcanic materials, sparking debate since its 2013 discovery. • New analysis rules out extraterrestrial or volcanic origins, offering fresh understanding of ancient atmospheric events and Younger Dryas climate shifts.

• Researchers made a major breakthrough in solving the mystery of static electricity, explaining how it causes hair to stand on end and related phenomena. • The findings elucidate the physics behind volcanic lightning and other electrostatic events, providing new insights into charge separation mechanisms. • This peer-reviewed discovery advances fundamental physics knowledge with potential applications in materials science and atmospheric studies.

• Human-driven climate change is lengthening Earth's day by 1.33 milliseconds per century, the fastest rate in 3.6 billion years, due to melting ice redistributing mass toward the equator. • ETH Zurich researchers Mostafa Kiani Shahvandi and Benedikt Soja used foraminifera fossils to confirm this anomalous effect outpaces historical changes, including El Niño winds. • Projections show a 2.62 milliseconds-per-century increase by 2080 under high-emissions scenarios, impacting precise timekeeping in spacecraft, computing, and geodesy instruments.

• NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for the Artemis 2 mission began rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B on March 20, 2026, targeting first motion at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT). • The four Artemis 2 astronauts entered quarantine at Johnson Space Center in Houston on March 18 at 6 p.m. EDT, limiting exposure before heading to Kennedy Space Center five days prior to launch. • Rollout addresses a helium flow issue in the rocket's upper stage, with teams planning to install access platforms, replace batteries in the flight termination system, and retest components upon return to the VAB if needed.

• NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for Artemis 2 began rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39B on March 19, targeting first motion at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT March 20) for a 12-hour, 4-mile journey. • The rollout follows repairs for a helium flow issue in the upper stage, battery replacements in the flight termination system, and two prior wet dress rehearsals marred by leaks since the initial January 17 rollout. • The four Artemis 2 astronauts entered quarantine on March 18 at Johnson Space Center, limiting exposure for a week before heading to Kennedy Space Center five days before the planned April 1 launch.

• CERN scientists announced the discovery of the Ξcc⁺ particle, a long-predicted heavy cousin of the proton, resolving a 20-year mystery in particle physics. • The breakthrough marks the first particle discovery with the upgraded LHCb detector, involving over 1,000 researchers from 20 countries, with the UK contributing the most led by University of Manchester's Professor Chris Parkes. • Professor Parkes stated, 'Rutherford's gold-foil experiment in a Manchester basement transformed our understanding of matter, and today's discovery builds on that legacy.'

• Hundreds gathered on Boston Common on a recent cold Saturday afternoon, waving signs, banners, and chanting calls to action in a rally supporting science amid federal funding uncertainties. • The event highlights growing concerns over U.S. science budget cuts, echoing national surveys showing researcher layoffs and lab disruptions. • Participants demanded sustained investment in research breakthroughs, peer-reviewed studies, and institutions like NIH, drawing from Manchester's LHCb success as a model for curiosity-driven science.

• NSF Center for Oldest Ice Exploration at Oregon State University analyzed Allan Hills ice cores, extending histories of greenhouse gases and ocean temperatures to 3 million years ago. • Led by Julia Marks-Peterson and Sarah Shackleton, studies published in Nature reveal past climate dynamics using East Antarctic ice. • New 6-million-year-old ice discoveries and ongoing drilling will refine CO2 reconstructions and preservation methods.