Science Correspondent
Dr. Elena Vasquez reports on scientific discoveries, climate research, and emerging technologies. With a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley, she brings rigorous scientific understanding to her reporting on climate change, biodiversity, and sustainability. She is a fellow of the National Association of Science Writers.
A fossil site in China’s Yunnan Province reveals complex animal groups existed 554–539 million years ago, pushing back the origins of vertebrates and starfish relatives by 4 million years before the Cambrian explosion.
On April 1–2, 2026, the 'Pink Moon'—April's full moon—illuminated skies worldwide, just hours before NASA launched four astronauts on the Artemis 2 mission to lunar orbit. The celestial event, named for North America's early spring phlox blooms, was photographed across continents, from Argentina to
Researchers have combined single-cell profiling of genome structure, histone marks, chromatin accessibility, and gene expression to reveal intricate gene regulation dynamics. This four-omics approach provides unprecedented insight into how DNA folding and epigenetic modifications control cellular id
NASA's Artemis II mission will fly around the moon during the sun's solar maximum, exposing astronauts to heightened solar radiation. Space physicist Patricia Reiff explains the risks, shielding strategies, and why this timing may actually reduce cosmic ray exposure.
The 2025 Global Physics Photowalk contest unveils breathtaking images from particle physics labs worldwide. Winning entries capture the intersection of human curiosity and scientific discovery, from cryogenic detectors hunting dark matter to neutrino telescopes buried deep underwater.
A Starlink satellite suffered an in-orbit anomaly in December 2025, breaking apart into multiple objects and forcing SpaceX to confirm a debris-generating event. Regulators and industry experts warn of growing collision risks as satellite constellations expand.
NASA’s XRISM spacecraft has detected winds exceeding 2 million mph blasting from the Cigar Galaxy M82, expelling gas equivalent to seven suns annually. The discovery challenges existing models of starburst galaxies and their role in galactic evolution.
April 10 brings the full pink moon, coinciding with the first launch window for NASA’s Artemis II mission. This historic four-astronaut flight marks the first crewed lunar voyage in 50+ years, set to orbit the moon while Indigenous communities celebrate the moon’s seasonal significance.
Scientists at the University of Michigan found that standard lab gloves likely skew microplastic pollution data by thousands of times. The contamination, traced to stearate salts in gloves, mimics microplastic signatures and inflates environmental reports.
An international team of researchers has identified a previously unknown 'critical point' in supercooled water—liquid water cooled below 0°C without freezing—revealing new insights into water’s bizarre behavior at extreme temperatures. The discovery, achieved through rapid X-ray imaging and laser he
Scientists have found the earliest direct evidence of plate tectonics on Earth, suggesting the phenomenon was shaping the planet 3.5 billion years ago. The analysis could offer clues about Earth's early history and the conditions that supported early life.
Astronomers have directly measured the speed of scorching gas erupting from the heart of galaxy M82 at over 3 million kilometers per hour. The findings confirm that hot inner winds drive massive outflows stretching tens of thousands of light-years into space.
Physicists have developed a method to 'catapult' electrons across solar materials in quadrillionths of a second. This breakthrough could revolutionize organic solar cell efficiency.
Meteorite hunters are scouring Ohio after a 7-ton space rock exploded over Valley City Tuesday, creating a sonic boom heard from Wisconsin to Maryland. Locals and collectors report finding fragments, sparking a treasure hunt for cosmic debris.
Scientists uncovered 29 human footprints on British Columbia’s Calvert Island, dating back 13,000 years. The preserved tracks, showing three distinct individuals, offer rare evidence of early coastal migration into the Americas.
A 2024 study claiming metallic nodules produce oxygen on the deep seafloor without light faces fierce backlash. Critics argue flawed chamber incubations and thermodynamic violations invalidate the findings, calling for retraction.
New radiocarbon dating reveals the bow and arrow reached North America around 600 CE, replacing the atlatl through rapid cultural diffusion. Researchers analyzed preserved weapons from dry caves to pinpoint the timeline.
Researchers in South Korea have identified a new dinosaur species, Doolysaurus huhmini, from a 113-million-year-old fossil discovered on Aphae Island. The baby dinosaur, estimated to be 2 years old, is the first Korean dinosaur fossil with skull bones revealed via micro-CT scan.
A nearly complete Edmontosaurus skull with an embedded T. rex tooth found in Montana offers direct fossil evidence of a predator-prey interaction 66 million years ago. The discovery, analyzed with CT scans, reveals how the iconic carnivore hunted its prey.
Scientists analyzing Antarctic blue ice have uncovered that atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane remained remarkably steady over the past 3 million years, challenging prior assumptions about Earth's climate stability. The findings, derived from high-resolution ice core records, offer new insights