Science News

People with evening chronotypes have a 1.7-fold higher risk of retiring early than those with morning chronotypes, according to a Finnish study published in Occupational & Environmental Medicine. Chronotype refers to the body's natural sleep-wake schedule. Researchers said the ability of evening-type people to continue working until retirement age could pose challenges for sustainable economies.

NASA has created a material that could be used for manufacturing during future space missions. Developed at NASA's Glenn Research Center, the material could be produced directly on the Moon or Mars, allowing NASA to pack fewer supplies, reduce weight and lower launch costs. The biodegradable plastic could be produced by bacteria fed with crew waste or carbon dioxide.

European Space Agency's (ESA) Juice (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) spacecraft completed a flyby of Earth where it used the planet's gravity to change trajectory and boost speed on its journey to Jupiter. The manoeuvre, conducted on Monday, helped the spacecraft conserve fuel and increase speed by 3.5 km/second. It also captured images of Madagascar, Earth and Moon during the flyby.

Swiss robotics researchers revealed Cyber-Thing, a robotic hand that moves like The Addams Family's 'Thing.' It can type, move blocks, flip itself upright, and navigate surfaces using sensors and an onboard computer. Engineer Amirhossein Kazemipour says it could assist people with reaching difficulties. Battery life is still in development.

A study by the Harvard researchers found students using an AI tutor scored higher on posttests (4.5 vs. 3.5), completed lessons faster, and felt more motivated. The AI provided personalised, self-paced guidance. Researchers don't suggest replacing classrooms but highlight how AI could make learning more effective and tailored to individual student needs.

In 108 attempts, no AI model escaped a virtual machine despite root or code-level access. Four models found loopholes via DNS spoofing and image OCR, but were patched. Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas said open results aid safer AI. NVIDIA also launched an Open Agent Safety Platform with Anthropic and IBM.

OpenAI has introduced new safety protocols targeting frontier reinforcement-learning training, covering alignment, containment, and monitoring controls. Plans include automated tools and human reviewers to identify weak spots in RL datasets, multi-layer infrastructure security, and repeated red-teaming of sandboxes. NVIDIA also announced its Open Agent Safety Platform on Monday.

China plans to create a comprehensive AI-driven geological map of Mars by end of 2028, led by chief scientist Hou Zengqian for the Tianwen-3 mission. The map will integrate data from Zhurong rover and aim to set a global benchmark for Martian geological ages, advancing China's space rivalry with the US.

A new IIT Madras study reveals that highly educated professionals, including IT workers, bankers, doctors, and even cybersecurity-certified individuals, frequently fall victim to financial cybercrime. The findings challenge the widely held belief that digital literacy and education provide adequate protection against online scams.

SpaceX's Starship suffered an engine shutdown during an uncrewed test flight from Texas on September 28, 2026 — its first attempt to deploy commercial satellites. Despite the Raptor engine failure, the vehicle reached orbit. NASA, relying on Starship for Artemis Moon missions targeting summer 2027, faces potential delays if engine issues aren't resolved.