Spreading crushed rock on farms could absorb 1 billion tonnes of CO2

• Author Liz Else has curated a list of the most anticipated popular science book releases for July 2026, focusing on conceptual questions about life and technology. • Key titles include a new work by Alice Roberts, who served as editor-in-chief, and a study on biology and physics by natural philosopher Melanie Challenger.

• The rapid increase of satellites in Earth's orbit, with some companies planning to launch millions, threatens to obstruct ground-based astronomical observations. • Experts warn that if the satellite population exceeds 100,000, the resulting light pollution and interference could make traditional telescopes obsolete.

• Astronomers have discovered GJ 3378b, a potentially habitable planet located approximately 25 light-years from Earth. • The planet orbits a faint red dwarf star within the constellation Camelopardalis, positioned inside the star's habitable zone.

• Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to observe a unique gas giant exoplanet orbiting a dead star. • The discovery provides a rare glimpse into the final stages of a planetary system's life cycle after its host star has ceased nuclear fusion.

• Marine biologists discovered four mysterious black cocoons attached to a rock approximately 20,000 feet beneath the surface of the Pacific Ocean. • Upon analysis, the spheres were found to contain a previously unrecorded species of flatworm, marking a significant discovery for deep-sea exploration.

• A team of six scientists and six crew members will soon launch an eight-month expedition from Kirkenes, Norway, to explore the remote Arctic Ocean. • The mission utilizes a floating laboratory that will drift in the ice to discover and document new species in one of Earth's least-studied regions.

• A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket successfully launched 29 Amazon Leo broadband satellites from Florida on Thursday, July 2. • The launch took place at 12:30 a.m. ET, marking a significant step in the deployment of Amazon's satellite internet constellation.

• The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has officially launched its 10-year mission, known as the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). • The project aims to create the "greatest cosmic movie ever" by systematically mapping and filming the night sky over a decade.

• The Ars Technica science editor, John, is calling for readers to comment on a rule that puts politicians in charge of science. • The goal is to gather resources and opinions on the matter, which can potentially impact science-related decisions.

• NASA has awarded nearly $600 million to three companies to execute four robotic lunar lander missions aimed at supporting the agency's long-term lunar base ambitions. • As part of the Moon Base update, NASA is studying the deployment of the PROMISE rover, an engineering model based on the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rovers.

• NASA is planning a rescue mission for the Swift Observatory, a space telescope dedicated to studying the universe's most powerful explosions. • Without intervention, the observatory is projected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up within a few months.

• Europe is experiencing a severe heatwave with temperatures surging well above seasonal norms, particularly in France and Spain. • Thermometers in these regions have climbed above 40°C, characterized by prolonged heat and a lack of nighttime cooling.