Science News: Recent scientific discoveries and expert analysis

Astronomers have confirmed the earliest barred spiral galaxy in the universe, a Milky-Way-like structure that existed just 2 billion years after the Big Bang.

Near-weightless conditions can mutate genes and alter the physical structures of bacteria and phages, disrupting their normal interactions in ways that could help us treat drug-resistant infections.

Flu season in the U.S. is particularly bad this year, and a new branch of the flu family tree may be to blame.

How did Romans invest their wealth in ancient times?

A decade of observations of four planets around the young planetary system V1298 Tau revealed a rare, long-sought missing link in planet formation.

The James Webb Space Telescope captured a colorful portrait of a nearby stellar cradle, revealing a wealth of insights about countless stars.

A bacterial defense system called SPARDA employs kamikaze-like tactics to protect cells and could be useful in future biotechnologies.

A study of limescale buildup in an early bathing facility at Pompeii has revealed that the water was replaced only once per day.

Science news this week Jan. 17, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

NASA's Artemis 2 rocket will roll out Saturday (Jan. 17) ahead of a possible Feb. 6 launch. Here's how to watch.

Zahi Hawass says he hopes to discover the tomb of Nefertiti before he retires, and he believes he's getting close.

NASA's plans for Mars sample return are effectively cancelled as part of a bill approved by the U.S. Congress, ending efforts to collect Perseverance rover samples that could contain evidence of alien life.

Scientists are unraveling the role of senescent cells in a common form of epilepsy, and it could point to new treatments.

From high-wind forecasts and wildfire behavior to floods, aviation hazards, air quality and space weather, science developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research informs decisions that aim to reduce risk.

Cheetahs vanished from Saudi Arabia half a century ago. Now long-dead mummified big cats may help herald their return.

Large subduction-zone earthquakes leave scars on the continental slope in the deep sea.

A new digital system allows operations on a chip to run in parallel, so an AI program can arrive at the best possible answer more quickly.

The map shows diverse geological features shaping Antarctic glaciers from below, which can improve climate models of ice melt.

A hidden chunk of an ancient tectonic plate is stuck to the Pacific Ocean floor and sliding under North America, complicating earthquake risk at the Cascadia subduction zone.

New research finds that retinal diseases thought to map one-to-one to genetic mutations are more complicated than that.