The first apes to walk upright may have evolved in Europe

• On August 10, 1972, a 'Great Daylight Fireball' was seen over North America, visible in parts of the United States and Canada. • The fireball was an Earth-grazing meteor that burst through the sky, creating a spectacular sight for observers.

• The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine deleted a chapter on climate change from a manual used by judges. • The decision follows significant pressure from Republican leaders, including President Trump, who criticized the content of the chapter.

• Space agencies are exploring the use of a specialized eye-exam device, originally designed for elderly patients, to monitor astronauts' ocular health during future missions. • The initiative aims to prevent and track vision loss, a known risk for astronauts spending extended periods in space.

• ScienceDaily has highlighted several major scientific breakthroughs, including the discovery of four hidden white dwarf stars near Earth and a new giant salamander species identified in 3.5-million-year-old fossils. • Key research updates include a quantum breakthrough linking light and magnetism in atomically thin materials and a laboratory recreation of black hole energy extraction by physicists.

• NASA's Science Mission Directorate has launched a new initiative inviting students and the general public to participate in citizen science projects for the new school year. • Volunteers can work remotely and on their own schedules to analyze authentic mission data, focusing on tasks such as identifying comets, asteroids, and binary star systems.

• On August 9, 1976, the Soviet space program launched Luna 24, a robotic probe designed to return lunar soil samples to Earth. • This mission marked the third Soviet attempt at a sample return and served as the final moon mission conducted by the Soviet Union.

• On August 8, 1977, the Soviet Union's Salyut 5 space station re-entered and burned up in Earth's atmosphere. • Salyut 5 was a key component of the Almaz program, a highly secretive military initiative focused on space-based reconnaissance.

• A total solar eclipse will occur on August 12, providing a rare opportunity for observers to view the sun's outer atmosphere with the naked eye. • During the period of totality, the moon will completely block the sun's disk, revealing the hidden solar corona that is normally invisible.

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

• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineers have successfully freed up power on the Voyager 2 spacecraft to extend its operational lifespan. • The team achieved this by disabling non-essential systems, allowing the probe to prioritize its remaining energy for critical science instruments.

• Scientists have captured the most detailed images of the sun's surface to date using the National Science Foundation's Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Maui, Hawaii. • The high-resolution imagery revealed unusual, feathery patterns rippling across the solar surface, which solar physicist Ruizhu Chen compared to the swirling skies in Van Gogh's "Starry Night."

• NASA engineers successfully extended the operational life of the 49-year-old Voyager 2 spacecraft by an additional year. • The team utilized a specialized "Big Bang" maneuver to optimize power flow and maintain critical systems on the aging probe.