On this day in space! Aug. 6, 2012: NASA lands huge Curiosity rover on Mars with a rocket-powered sky crane

• Readers are responding to an editorial warning that cuts to science funding will damage Britain's global standing and research capabilities. • A primary concern highlighted is the potential closure of the Jodrell Bank Observatory, a key site for astronomical research.

• The article highlights some of the most expensive scientific endeavors in history, focusing on the high costs of space, ocean, and human exploration. • A primary example is Skylab, a space station that cost over $2.3 billion to construct for studying long-term space exposure and solar radiation.

• An international research team led by the University of Birmingham discovered a previously unknown natural process that significantly increases cloud-forming particles in the Arctic atmosphere. • Published in Nature Geoscience, the study provides the first real-world evidence that the intersection of sea ice and the open ocean serves as a major source of these particles.

• Scientists report that global warming is accelerating, suggesting the Earth may reach the critical 1.5°C temperature limit sooner than previously projected. • While temperature rises historically followed a stable upward trend influenced by sporadic events like El Niño or volcanic eruptions, recent data indicates a shift in the broader trajectory.

• New high-resolution images published in the journal *Nature* reveal that the Sun's visible surface is teeming with a vast number of whirling vortices. • These findings highlight the extreme turmoil and complex fluid dynamics occurring on the solar surface, providing a more detailed look at solar activity than previously captured.

• New research warns that up to half of the world's dams could become "functionally inoperable" by 2060 due to excessive sediment accumulation. • Currently, approximately one-fifth of global reservoirs are classified as being at high risk of filling with sediment, with the American West identified as a major hotspot.

• A segment of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is believed to have crashed into the moon after drifting in space since last year. • The incident follows concerns raised by experts, including UCL atmospheric chemist Eloise Marais, regarding the environmental impacts of space debris on the ozone hole and climate.

• A total solar eclipse is scheduled to occur on August 12, 2026, with the path of totality crossing through Greenland and Spain. • Live reporting and expert updates are currently being provided as the countdown to the event reaches its final six days.

• A SpaceX rocket has crashed into the moon, confirming previous scientific predictions regarding its trajectory. • Although the impact was not observed in real-time, astronomers using a telescope in Chile detected a debris plume resulting from the high-speed collision.

• NASA utilized advanced mini-laboratories on the International Space Station to automate research, specifically through the 2021 ADSEP-UMAMI study on bobtail squid. • The research discovered that symbiotic interactions with beneficial microbes can reduce a host animal's stress responses to spaceflight and accelerate the growth of neurons and tissues.

• Astronomers from Ukraine’s Main Observatory claim to have discovered evidence of a technologically advanced nonhuman civilization on the lunar surface. • Using high-speed cameras and telescopes, the team recorded more than 20 giant objects exhibiting non-random, intelligent behavior.