Hidden ice beneath Mars’ surface may mark the spot where humanity first sets foot on the Red Planet. A newly identified region on Mars may hold the key to future human landings. Researchers found evidence of water ice less than a meter beneath the surface, close enough to be harvested for water, oxygen, and fuel. The location strikes a rare balance between sunlight and cold, helping preserve the ice. It could also offer clues about whether Mars once supported life.

Before humans can make the long trip to another world, scientists must identify a safe and practical place to land. New research led by a University of Mississippi scientist suggests one region on Mars may meet many of the requirements for future human missions.

Erica Luzzi, a planetary geologist and postdoctoral re...

Over 70 million Americans wear digital activity trackers (DATs) to record their sleep, steps and heart rate. A new study from Scripps Research found that these devices could also provide insight into even more, including individual health risks like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and high blood pressure.

The findings, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research on December 3, 2025, used DATs to identify an association between sleep variability—the night-to-night fluctuation of when an individual falls asleep and wakes—and their risk of developing sleep apnea and hypertension. This research joins a growing body of evidence that DATs could become more useful clinical tools to assess health risks in the near future.

“Data from digital activity trackers provides a uniqu...

A Carnegie-led team of astronomers detected the strongest evidence yet of an atmosphere around a rocky planet beyond our solar system. Their work, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, used NASA’s JWST to reveal an alien atmosphere in an unexpected place—an ancient, ultra-hot super-Earth that likely hosts a magma ocean.

TOI-561 b is a rocky world that’s about twice Earth’s ma...

A humble Brazilian coastal plant used in folk medicine is now backed by science as a potential natural fighter against inflammation and arthritis.

A research team in Brazil has found strong evidence that the Joseph’s Coat plant (Alternanthera littoralis) is both safe and effective at reducing inflammation, easing pain, and protecting against arthritis. The study was carried out by scientists from the Federal University of Grande Dourados (UFGD), the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), and São Paulo State University (UNESP).

Joseph’s Coat grows naturally along Brazil’s coastline and has long been used in tradi...