Latest Science News
Global energy storage passes a major annual milestone
BloombergNEF reports that worldwide energy storage installations, mostly batteries, crossed 100 GW per year for the first time in 2025, reaching 112 GW. China accounted for 54% of those installations, underscoring how rapidly grid-scale storage is scaling to support renewable energy .
Saudi Arabia sets a new record for ultra-efficient desalination
Saudi Arabia says its Yanbu desalination complex has achieved a world record for low-energy freshwater production using advanced reverse osmosis. The partially solar-powered unit can produce 200,000 cubic meters of water per day at just 1.55 kWh per cubic meter, a notable step for water security in arid regions .
Texas plans a massive new desalination plant
Two companies and two county governments in Texas have agreed on a partnership to build a major advanced-reverse-osmosis desalination plant on South Padre Island. The project is expected to have a capacity of at least 50 million gallons per day, signaling growing interest in large-scale seawater desalination in the U.S. .
Atoco unveils a prototype atmospheric water harvester
U.S. startup Atoco has introduced a shipping-container-sized water harvester that uses metal-organic frameworks to pull water from air. The company says it can produce up to 4,000 liters of pure water daily at a cost of cents per liter, with a smaller model aimed at off-grid communities .
Burkina Faso sees major malaria vaccine gains
Recent reporting highlights “epic malaria vaccine wins” in Burkina Faso, pointing to major public-health progress in a region heavily affected by the disease. The development is especially important because malaria remains a leading cause of illness and death, and warming climates can expand mosquito-borne risk .
North Atlantic right whale calves hit a recent high
The critically endangered North Atlantic right whale had 23 new calves born off the U.S. East Coast this winter, the most since 2009. Scientists estimate the population at around 384 individuals, making the breeding-season improvement a cautiously encouraging sign .
A historic fossil-fuel transition summit took place in Colombia
The world’s first International Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels was held in Santa Marta, Colombia, in late April. The meeting is being viewed as an unprecedented diplomatic and scientific milestone in the shift toward low-carbon energy systems .
Solar-plus-storage expands in Angola
The Luau project has come online in eastern Angola with 31.85 MW of solar generation paired with 75.26 MWh of battery storage. Projects like this are important for expanding reliable electricity access while reducing dependence on fossil-fuel power .
New science findings from Mars and gravitational waves
NASA’s MAVEN mission has reported the first observed “Zwan-Wolf effect” deep in Mars’ atmosphere, while another study suggests a possible dark-matter imprint in gravitational waves. Both findings remain preliminary, but they point to active frontiers in planetary science and fundamental physics .
A close asteroid flyby is drawing scientific attention
Asteroid 2026 JH2 is expected to make a close pass by Earth after being discovered only days earlier by astronomers at the Mount Lemmon Survey. Such fast turnaround discoveries are a reminder of how planetary defense depends on rapid sky surveys and follow-up observations .
A school trip in Norway turned up an ancient sword
A six-year-old student in Norway spotted a rusty object during a school trip, later identified as an ancient sword. The find adds a human-interest archaeology story to the week’s science headlines and shows how ordinary outings can still produce major historical discoveries .
African research leaders push for greater global visibility
At a GRC 2026 meeting in Thailand, African funders held engagements focused on improving visibility, coordination, and participation for African and Global South researchers. The discussions reflect broader efforts to strengthen scientific networks and ensure more equitable access to international research platforms .