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A startup that has developed lab-grown chicken made by culturing animal cells received a key safety sign-off Wednesday from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The California-based company, called Upside Foods, was cleared by the FDA on the safety of its animal cell culture technology, which can produce meat products without slaughtering any live animals. In an update released Wednesday, the FDA said it evaluated Upside Foods' production process and cultured cell material and has "no further questions" about their safety. The decision has significant implications for sustainable food production and the burgeoning cultivated meat industry. “Human food made with cultured animal cells must meet the same stringent requirements, including safety requirements, as all other food.”

The leaks were different from those that forced NASA to call off the first two Artemis launch attempts. As part of the Artemis program, NASA envisions regular missions to the moon to establish a base camp on the lunar surface before the agency eventually ventures to Mars. Martin added that each Artemis launch is expected to cost around $4.1 billion. If successful, Artemis I will be followed by a planned Artemis II test flight, tentatively scheduled for sometime in 2024. After that, NASA said the Artemis III flight will include the first woman and first person of color to land on the moon.

NASA is readying its next-generation megarocket and space capsule for a historic test flight to the moon early Wednesday morning. The debut flight of the agency’s uncrewed Space Launch System (SLS) rocket is slated to lift off at 1:04 a.m. If successful, the mission would mark a crucial step in NASA’s yearslong program to return astronauts to the moon. The SLS rocket remained on the launch pad during the storm, suffering only minor damage from high winds, according to the agency. NASA’s new moon initiative was named Artemis after the goddess of Greek mythology and twin sister of Apollo.

The Biden administration on Friday announced plans to significantly tighten regulations against methane emissions from domestic oil and gas drilling. The Environmental Protection Agency said the proposed standards would reduce methane from the oil and gas sector by 87% below 2005 levels. In the United States, oil and natural gas operations are the nation’s biggest industrial source of methane, according to the EPA. The Biden administration announced its plan to reduce methane emissions in November 2021 at the last U.N. Last year, the U.S. and the European Union launched the Global Methane Pledge, which aims to reduce the world’s methane emissions by 30 percent by the end of the decade.

Global emissions of carbon dioxide stayed at record high levels in 2022, giving the planet less than a decade to meet the goals of the landmark Paris Agreement, according to a report released Thursday. The Global Carbon Project, made up of scientists who track and quantify greenhouse gas emissions, found no signs of the cuts in emissions needed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times. Carbon dioxide emissions in 2020 fell by a record 1.9 billion tons as a result of strict Covid lockdowns that halted most air travel and disrupted daily lives. So-called carbon sinks, or natural lands and oceans that absorb and store carbon, continue to take up roughly half of the planet's carbon dioxide emissions. “If governments respond by turbo charging clean energy investments and planting, not cutting, trees, global emissions could rapidly start to fall,” she said in a statement.

Climate activists across Europe and the United States blocked entrances to airports Thursday to protest emissions from the aviation industry and call for a ban on private jets. Activists with three groups — Extinction Rebellion, Scientist Rebellion and Guardian Rebellion — descended on the airport terminals as part of organized actions in at least 13 countries. In the U.S., activists gathered at King County International Airport in Seattle and blocked entrances to a private jet terminal at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina and at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. The activists targeted private jets because they represent the contributions of the ultrarich — and their lifestyles — to global greenhouse gas emissions. “The planet is on fire and people are still flying private jets.

NASA has delayed the launch of its next-generation megarocket and space capsule to the moon as Florida braces for an approaching storm. Tropical Storm Nicole, which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane Wednesday, is projected to batter Florida's eastern coast, forcing the space agency to reschedule its planned launch on Nov. 14. NASA is now aiming to launch its uncrewed Space Launch System rocket Nov. 16, during a two-hour window that opens at 1:04 a.m. The rocket is sitting at launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA said the SLS booster is designed to withstand 85 mph winds and will remain at the launch pad during the storm.

A Covid outbreak at an American scientific research station in Antarctica has forced U.S. officials to temporarily halt all travel to the remote outpost. The agency confirmed that 10% of the research station’s population have tested positive for Covid during this recent outbreak. There are 885 people currently living and working at McMurdo Station. Though the station operates year-round, many scientists typically travel to McMurdo in November for field research during Antarctica’s summer season. It’s not yet clear what, if any, impact the outbreak could have on research and operations at the outpost.

Skywatchers on four continents will have the chance next week to catch the last total lunar eclipse for three years. The eclipse will occur Tuesday, with the moon set to turn blood red as it slips into Earth’s shadow. Lunar eclipses occur when the moon, Earth and sun are aligned and the moon passes into Earth’s shadow. After Tuesday's eclipse, the next total lunar eclipse will not occur again until March 14, 2025, according to NASA. While the next total lunar eclipse won’t happen until March 2025, a so-called penumbral lunar eclipse — when Earth’s faint outer shadow falls on the moon’s face — will occur next year in May, followed by a partial lunar eclipse in October 2023.

Countries from Spain and France to as far north as Norway and Sweden are experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures for this time of year. When the band of air is wavier than normal, it can move warm air northward or conversely cause polar air to reach farther south. Still, it’s clear that climate change is amplifying the consequences of jet stream anomalies, O’Reilly said. Across western and central Europe, unseasonably warm temperatures are expected to persist for the next two weeks. While it’s unusual, the anomalous warm spell fits within the bigger pattern of global warming, Pershing said.

One of the most commonly used antibiotics in the country, amoxicillin, is in short supply, federal health officials say. The department also listed a shortage for an oral powder. It wasn't immediately clear what prompted the shortage or how long it could last. A spokesman for the FDA previously said a number of factors can cause drug shortages, including manufacturing and quality problems, delays and discontinuations. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which maintains a database of drug shortages, last reported shortages from the companies Monday.

The outcome of Brazil's presidential election Sunday is being hailed as a crucial victory for global climate, with experts saying the country now has an opportunity to curb rampant deforestation of the Amazon rainforest and jump-start a green economy. The 77-year-old has vowed to fight Amazon deforestation and crack down on illegal gold miners, loggers and ranchers who have invaded indigenous land and caused widespread environmental destruction. “Brazil is ready to retake its leadership in the fight against the climate crisis,” Lula said in a victory speech in Sao Paulo, according to Reuters. The vast Amazon rainforest plays a critical role as a carbon sink, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releasing oxygen. The findings added new urgency to restore balance to the Amazon and avert the worst consequences of climate change.

Pharmacies across the United States are reporting shortages of one of the most widely used antibiotics, raising concerns that the medication will be in short supply for the upcoming winter season. Three key amoxicillin manufacturers — Hikma Pharmaceuticals, headquartered in the United Kingdom; Sandoz, based in Switzerland; and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., headquartered in Israel — are reporting shortages of the antibiotic, according to the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which maintains a database of drug shortages. Because amoxicillin is an antibiotic, it is not used to treat infections caused by viruses, such as Covid, the flu or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). Pharmacists said they are worried if the shortage lingers through the winter, when infections can surge and antibiotic use typically increases. “However, there are a number of factors that can cause or contribute to drug shortages that are out of the FDA’s control.

The amount of carbon dioxide and two other greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere hit record highs last year, the World Meteorological Organization said in a report published Wednesday. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are the three main greenhouse gases responsible for trapping heat in the atmosphere and driving global warming. Measurements for carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide in 2021 were all above pre-industrial levels, “before human activities started disrupting natural equilibrium of these gases in the atmosphere,” the WMO said. Concentrations of carbon dioxide, in particular, are closely monitored as an indicator of how humans are influencing Earth's climate. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.

David Grinspoon, an astrobiologist at the Planetary Science Institute, called the new Webb image “just spectacular beyond words.”“Oh. Young stars, estimated to be only a few hundred thousand years old, are the bright red orbs in the image. New stars form within clouds of dust and gas as dense clumps of mass collapse under their own gravity and begin to heat up. The Webb Telescope captured this dynamic journey in progress, according to Thomas Zurbuchen, the associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. These are baby stars that are forming within the gas & dust," he tweeted.

A German fishing vessel that sank during World War II has been leaking pollutants that are changing the surrounding marine environment in the North Sea, according to a new study. The 80-year-old shipwreck is the V-1302 John Mahn, a fishing trawler that was used as a German patrol boat in WWII. The pollutants found in samples from the ocean floor included various heavy metals, including nickel and copper. "Although we don't see these old shipwrecks, and many of us don't know where they are, they can still be polluting our marine ecosystem," Van Landuyt said in the statement. The V-1302 John Mahn research is part of an initiative called the North Sea Wrecks project, which is studying the seabeds around shipwrecks off the Belgian coast.

A NASA spacecraft successfully changed an asteroid's orbit by intentionally smashing into it last month, agency officials confirmed Tuesday. The results of the cosmic collision are significant because it was the first real-life test of humanity's ability to protect the Earth from potentially catastrophic asteroids. "All of us have a responsibility to protect our home planet," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. NASA /ESA / STScI / HubbleThe DART mission (short for Double Asteroid Redirection Test) was a rare chance to test a key planetary defense strategy, offering scientists an opportunity to assess whether "nudging" an asteroid can actually change its orbit. "NASA has proven we are serious as a defender of the planet," Nelson said, adding that the mission was "a watershed moment for planetary defense and all of humanity."

Researchers at UCLA and a UCLA startup called ElectraTect are testing a "cannabinoid fuel cell" that they say provides a key foundation for one day developing a marijuana breath analyzer similar to ones that exist to test for alcohol on a person's breath. "As such, there exists a need for a fair forensic tool capable of detecting THC in the short window of impairment," the scientists wrote in the study. Evan Darzi / UCLAThe UCLA-built device works similar to commonly used alcohol breath analyzers. The scientists are now trying to miniaturize the technology to create a handheld device that can be used for rapid and inexpensive marijuana testing. The researchers said future devices could test for both alcohol and THC.

Architects and design students in Italy and the United States are collaborating on an initiative to map ancient aqueducts and water systems in Naples. In many ways, Naples lies at the intersection of these concerns, which makes it a compelling laboratory to study potential solutions, De Pace said. The Cool City Project is exploring ways to revive ancient springs, aqueducts and waterways in Naples, Italy, to combat the urban heat island effect. The idea is to examine if reviving these ancient waterways, or resurfacing them, could counter the urban heat island effect. He said he's eager to challenge his students to integrate climate solutions into architectural design — a lesson with applications that extend far beyond Naples and its unique circumstances.

Many of the most destructive and potentially deadly impacts of a hurricane — including storm surge, flooding and rainfall — are not accounted for in a storm's category number. "Hurricane Ian is a very large, slow-moving hurricane. "There have been several alternative scales proposed over the years and none have gained enough attention or traction by the National Hurricane Center," Collins said. "It is important to have such evidence before even proposing to the National Hurricane Center that this should be considered as a replacement." Kantha said the National Hurricane Center acts conservatively and carefully with changes, particularly those with legal implications.

The dramatic moment when a NASA spacecraft intentionally flew head-on into an asteroid was captured by a tiny, Italian-built satellite that was designed to survey the aftermath of the cosmic collision. Photos of NASA's DART probe slamming into a small and harmless asteroid known as Dimorphos were released Tuesday by L'Agenzia Spaziale Italiana, the Italian Space Agency. The images show Dimorphos and the larger, brighter asteroid that it orbits right before and immediately after the impact. The intentional crash, which occurred Monday, was the world's first test of a planetary defense strategy that involves "nudging" an asteroid to permanently alter its trajectory. Dimorphos is located about 6.8 million miles from Earth and does not pose any threat to the planet.

A DART view of the Dimorphos asteroid right before impact. NASA via YouTubeThe DART spacecraft, which is about the size of a vending machine, crashed into Dimorphos at 7:14 p.m. "Oh my goodness," said Elena Adams, a DART mission systems engineer at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. The DART mission is functioning as a proof of concept of asteroid deflection as a planetary defense strategy. Betts said he hopes the DART mission will continue to raise awareness about the importance of planetary defense.

The mission, known as DART, or the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, will attempt a method of planetary defense that could save Earth from an asteroid on a potential collision course with the planet. On Monday, the spacecraft will crash into Dimorphos at a blistering speed of around 4 miles per second, or 15,000 mph. Ground-based telescopes will be used to time Dimorphos' orbit and determine whether the mission was a success. The Applied Physics Lab built and manages the $325 million DART mission for NASA. Even if the DART mission fails, scientists will learn a lot from the experiment, said Andrea Riley, a program executive in NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office.

The observatory's views, released Wednesday, include rare looks at Neptune's rings, providing some of the sharpest images of these ghostly features seen in more than 30 years, according to NASA. I ugly-cried when I saw THE FIRST JWST NEPTUNE IMAGES!" The images are the first that have been taken of Neptune's rings at infrared wavelengths, which can pierce through dust and gas that might otherwise obscure celestial targets. The Webb telescope's infrared instruments allow it to see planets, stars and galaxies beyond the range of human sight and other telescopes that see primarily in visible light. Along with its bright rings, the Webb observatory spied Neptune's fainter dust bands and seven of the planet's 14 known moons.

According to a new study, there are estimated to be 2.5 million times more ants on this planet than people. In total, that's 20 quadrillion — or 20,000,000,000,000,000 — ants. Taken together, the total mass of ants on the planet would actually outweigh all of the world’s wild birds and mammals, he added. Jorge Villalba / Getty Images / iStockphotoAnts can be found in nearly all habitats except for polar regions, according to the study. A separate study published in April 2020 in the journal Science found that the planet has lost more than one-quarter of its land-dwelling insects in the past 30 years.

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