Today’s top story
This is the second deployment of the massive Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion capsule perched on top, the first having took place on 17 January. But after two wet dress rehearsals and two leaks, NASA decided against it roll the rocket back to the vehicle assembly building for repairs.
And it wasn’t the first time an Artemis rocket was sent back to store. Artemis I SLS rocket went back to the vehicle assembly building more than once in 2022, before the end takes off and completes its unmanned test flight around the moon later that year. The cumulative delays led NASA to announce a major overhaul of the Artemis program with the agency now targeting annual launches, potentially drop SpaceX and Boeing from their mission plans, and targeting two lunar landings in 2028.
Once Artemis II reaches the launch pad, NASA will conduct another dress rehearsal and flight readiness review before announcing a launch window.
The trend
The Northern Lights may be visible in the skies over 20 US states near the Canadian border this week, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a warning that two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are due to hit Earth.
CMEs are plasma eruptions that are ejected from the Sun. If they collide with Earth’s magnetic field, they can trigger geomagnetic storms, disrupt satellites and communications systems, and cause auroras.
Thermospheric light shows have been incredibly common this month, thanks to a hyperactive sun and Earth’s sideways position to the sun during the spring equinox. Both phenomena have made March 2026 it best month for northern lights in almost a decade.
Three to read
- All 5 ‘letters’ of DNA found on an asteroid speeding through our solar system. What do they tell us about the origin of life? (Live Science)
- More than 150,000 uncounted COVID-19 deaths occurred early in pandemic, study finds (Associated Press)
- The Iran war could push global food insecurity to record levels, leaving 363 million people hungry (Live Science)
Today’s picture
Emperor cichlids, which live in East Africa’s Lake Tanganyika, don’t take well to being stared at – they’re more likely to attack human divers who stare at them.
Interestingly, the fish also reacted with equal aggression when divers looked at their eggs or fry. This suggests that they share the ability to infer intent from a glance with primates and some birds.
Say it, said it
Word of the day
Doggerland — Named after a medieval Dutch fishing boat called a dogger, this now sunken forest kingdom once connected Britain to mainland Europe during the last Ice Age.
Quote of the day
“We feed them tuna; like royalty, they feast on the sea’s top predators. What do we get in return?”
Fun and games
NASA is preparing to return to the moon. But how quickly can you name all 12 Apollo astronauts who walked on the moon?
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