NASA has announced the names of four astronauts for its highly anticipated Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for late 2027. The crew includes Randy Bresnik, Andre Douglas, Frank Rubio, and Luca Parmitano, with test pilot Bob Hines serving as backup. The two-week mission will focus on scientific research in space and docking exercises to prepare for future lunar landings.

The mission will be conducted through a public-private partnership involving three rocket launches. The astronauts will travel aboard the Orion spacecraft, which will dock with lander models developed by Blue Origin and SpaceX. Concerns arose after a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded during a test on May 28, damaging the Cape Canaveral launch site, but NASA officials expressed confidence in meeting the 2027 schedule.

Artemis 3 aims to maintain U.S. leadership in space exploration amid competition with China, which plans to send astronauts to the Moon by 2030. NASA has revised the mission plan to remain in low Earth orbit rather than land on the Moon, reducing risks and paving the way for future lunar bases before 2030.

A team of researchers in the United States has successfully achieved highly precise DNA editing in human embryos, marking what they describe as a major milestone in genetic science. Led by geneticist Dieter Egli at Columbia University, the study used a technique known as base editing, which allows for subtle DNA changes with fewer harmful effects compared to the traditional CRISPR method. The researchers reported successful edits to genes linked to heart disease risk and fetal hemoglobin production. The study is currently under peer review and has not yet been published in a scientific journal.

Scientists say the breakthrough could one day help correct genetic defects in embryos created through IVF, potentially preventing hereditary diseases. However, critics warn that the same technology could be used to select traits such as intelligence or height, raising fears of a new era of eugenics. The research’s next phase is being funded by Nucleus Genomics, a company previously criticized for predicting embryo traits.

Experts caution that the technology remains experimental, with unresolved safety and ethical questions, and emphasize the need for broad societal discussion before clinical use.

Bangladesh has been named among the winners of the 13th edition of the Beamline for Schools competition, alongside teams from India, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The competition, organized for secondary school students worldwide, invites participants to submit proposals for physics experiments to be conducted at CERN or its partner institutions. Five teams were selected based on the scientific merit of their proposals.

The Bangladeshi winning team, named POLARIS, includes students from Chowmuhani Government Saleh Ahmed College in Noakhali, Birshreshtha Noor Mohammad Public College, and Collectorate School and College Rangpur (CSCR). They will travel to Bonn University to carry out their proposed experiments. Teams from India and Turkey will perform their experiments at CERN in August 2026, while the UK and US teams will conduct theirs at a DESY beamline.

Since its launch in 2014, the Beamline for Schools program has seen growing participation. In 2026, a record 712 teams from 89 countries submitted experimental proposals.

Dr. Jannatul Ferdous, Associate Professor of Pharmacy at Comilla University, has become the first Bangladeshi to receive Japan’s prestigious Asian Young Biotechnologist Award 2026. The honor was conferred by the Society for Biotechnology, Japan (SBJ), in recognition of her outstanding contributions to biotechnology research. She confirmed the news on June 2, noting that her research focuses on using nanotechnology to enhance the effective application of drugs and biomolecules.

Dr. Ferdous expressed that the achievement brings her immense pride and joy as a researcher. She believes that winning the award through competition with scientists from developed nations will inspire young researchers in Bangladesh. The SBJ will formally present the award to her during its 78th annual conference, scheduled for September 15–17 at Hokkaido University in Japan, with all participation expenses covered by the organization.

Founded in 1923, the Society for Biotechnology, Japan, is a highly regarded international scientific body dedicated to advancing research in biology, biotechnology, and life sciences.

A meteor traveling toward Earth exploded over the northeastern United States on Saturday, according to NASA. The agency reported that the blast released energy equivalent to about 300 tons of TNT, producing a loud explosion that echoed across the region. NASA Deputy News Chief Jennifer Doren stated that the fireball broke apart at 2:06 p.m. local time over northeastern Massachusetts and southeastern New Hampshire.

Doren clarified that the meteor was not part of any active meteor shower but a natural celestial object, unrelated to space debris or satellite reentry. NASA data indicated the meteor was traveling at more than 75,000 miles per hour and disintegrated roughly 40 miles above the ground, causing the intense sound.

Residents in the affected areas reported being startled by the sudden noise, with some saying their homes shook. NASA referenced the 2013 Chelyabinsk event in Russia for comparison, where a much larger meteor exploded with far greater energy and caused injuries and property damage.

Archaeologists have rediscovered the long-lost Egyptian port city of Heracleion beneath the waters of Abu Qir Bay, about 32 kilometers from Alexandria. The discovery was made in 2000 by a team from the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology, led by renowned archaeologist Franck Goddio, while searching for a sunken warship of Napoleon. Instead, they uncovered the remains of Heracleion, buried under sand for 1,200 years. The find included a fragment of a six-ton statue of the god Hapi, which first signaled the presence of the ancient city.

Over the next 13 years, the team excavated numerous artifacts from the site, including temple ruins dedicated to Egyptian gods Amun and Khonsu, more than 64 shipwrecks, 700 anchors, gold coins, copper weights, and golden vessels. They also recovered a statue of Cleopatra III modeled after the goddess Isis, as well as stone inscriptions in Greek and Egyptian and animal mummies offered to Amun. Despite centuries underwater, many relics remained remarkably intact.

Heracleion, also known by its Egyptian name Thonis, was once a major Mediterranean port before an earthquake caused it to sink into the sea.

A new study reported by the BBC reveals that Earth's days are gradually becoming longer as climate change causes polar ice and glaciers to melt, redistributing mass toward the equator and slowing the planet’s rotation. The change is extremely small—measured in fractions of milliseconds—but scientists describe the underlying force as immense and unmatched in millions of years. Researchers from the University of Vienna and ETH Zurich analyzed geological records to determine whether such rapid changes had occurred before.

The team examined fossilized shells of benthic foraminifera from the ocean floor, which preserve ancient sea-level data, and used a custom machine learning algorithm to refine records dating back 3.6 million years. They found that the current rate of lengthening, about 1.33 milliseconds per century, is unique in the geological record. The study attributes this to roughly 1,000 gigatons of mass shifting from polar regions to the oceans.

Scientists warn that if greenhouse gas emissions remain high, climate change could become the dominant factor affecting Earth's day length by the end of this century.

China is set to launch the Shenzhou-23 spacecraft on Sunday at 11:08 p.m. from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, using a Long March-2F Y23 rocket. The mission, part of preparations to send humans to the Moon by 2030, will see three astronauts spend one year aboard the Tiangong space station, marking a new record for China’s space program. The crew includes commander Zhu Yangzhu, pilot Zhang Yuanzhi, and payload specialist Li Jiaying, the first astronaut from Hong Kong and a former police officer.

The mission aims to study the physical and psychological effects of long-term space habitation, including radiation exposure, bone density loss, and mental stress. It will also test the feasibility of extended human stays in space, a key step toward China’s lunar ambitions.

The launch comes as the United States targets a 2028 human lunar landing, while China plans its own by 2030 and envisions a joint permanent lunar base with Russia by 2035.

A state-of-the-art plant tissue culture laboratory is under construction in Balaghata, Bandarban, along the Sangu River. Designed in the shape of a biological cell nucleus, the circular building combines modern architecture with eco-friendly concepts. The facility will include advanced rooms for media preparation, inoculation, culture growth, acclimatization, and research, aiming to support international-standard agricultural innovation in the hilly region.

Officials from the Department of Agricultural Extension said the lab will enable rapid production of disease-free and genetically uniform seedlings, reducing costs and risks for farmers. Local farmers expressed optimism that the lab will provide improved seedlings for high-value crops such as bananas, pineapples, strawberries, dragon fruit, and orchids, encouraging youth participation in agriculture. Women farmers also hope to benefit from better access to quality planting materials and new entrepreneurial opportunities.

According to project leaders and agricultural scientists, the facility will serve as a hub for research on hill-adapted crops, mother plant improvement, and climate-resilient farming technologies. With construction nearly 80 percent complete, experts view the lab as a symbol of agricultural modernization and sustainable development in Bangladesh.

Scientists have identified a new species of giant, long-necked dinosaur named 'Nagatitan' from fossils discovered in northeastern Thailand. The species, officially called 'Nagatitan chayaphumensis', lived between 100 and 120 million years ago, predating the Tyrannosaurus rex by about 40 million years. Measuring 27 meters in length and weighing around 27 tons, it is the largest dinosaur ever found in Southeast Asia and belongs to the herbivorous sauropod family.

The fossils were unearthed a decade ago near a pond in Thailand’s Chaiyaphum province by a team of researchers from the United Kingdom and Thailand. The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, was led by Thai PhD researcher Thitiot Sethapanisakul of University College London. Researchers believe Nagatitan may represent Thailand’s “last titan,” as the fossils were found in the youngest rock layers containing dinosaur remains.

The discovery is expected to shed light on how ancient climate changes influenced the evolution of large dinosaurs. Scientists noted that Nagatitan lived during a period of global warming and rising carbon dioxide levels, when giant sauropods adapted to high temperatures and changing vegetation.

A daylong consultative workshop on the potential of genome editing technology for developing climate-resilient rice varieties was held in Gazipur. The event took place on Saturday at the BRAC Agricultural Research and Development Centre as part of a special research project funded by the Bangladesh Academy of Sciences. It was chaired by Professor Dr. Md. Tofazzal Islam, with Gazipur Agricultural University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. GKM Mostafizur Rahman as chief guest and biotechnologist Professor Hasina Khan as special guest.

Speakers emphasized that modern genome editing could provide timely and effective solutions for sustainable agriculture and food security amid growing climate challenges. Researchers from several universities and institutions presented progress on developing rice varieties tolerant to salinity, drought, heavy rainfall, and diseases. Technical sessions covered guide-RNA design, genome editing applications, and biosafety issues related to rice variety release.

The workshop concluded with a strategic plan to develop and commercialize genome-edited, climate-resilient rice within three years, highlighting collaboration between academic and industrial partners to advance Bangladesh’s agricultural innovation.

A rare comet will be visible in the skies of the Southern Hemisphere for the next two weeks before disappearing from view for approximately 170,000 years. According to astronomer Josh Aoraki of Auckland’s Te Whatu Stardome in New Zealand, the comet had been traveling through the Northern Hemisphere but is now visible in the south after orbiting the Sun.

Aoraki explained that the comet is bright but not visible to the naked eye, requiring binoculars, a telescope, or a camera to observe. He added that while it is not bright enough for unaided viewing, it is relatively easy to photograph. The comet’s brightness is expected to gradually fade over the coming two weeks.

Residents of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the Pacific region are advised to look toward the western horizon shortly after sunset, ensuring an unobstructed view. The best viewing time will be within the first hour after the Sun sets.

False claims alleging that the United States is 'stealing clouds' in the Middle East have spread widely on social media amid the ongoing U.S.-Israel and Iran conflict. Iraqi lawmaker Abdullah al-Khaikani told Al-Rashid TV that the U.S. was using aircraft to break and steal clouds, suggesting recent rains in Iraq returned because the U.S. was distracted by war. However, he provided no evidence to support his statements.

Iraq’s meteorological department dismissed the allegations as unscientific, noting that forecasts had already predicted a rainy year. Scientists and climate experts emphasized that no existing technology can steal or control clouds. They explained that cloud seeding—a weather modification method used in several countries—can only slightly increase rainfall from existing clouds. Experts from institutions including Khalifa University, Wyoming University, and the UN University stressed that climate change, not manipulation, is driving extreme weather in the region.

Researchers warned that misinformation thrives amid uncertainty and water insecurity, as people seek simple explanations for complex climate phenomena.

French oceanography expert Ms. Tania Astrid Capuano paid a courtesy visit to Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A. B. M. Obaidul Islam on Tuesday at the vice-chancellor’s office. Both sides emphasized strengthening mutual cooperation in education and research, particularly in oceanography and natural resource management. The meeting was also attended by Dr. K. M. Azam Chowdhury, Director of the Dhaka University International Center for Ocean Governance.

During the discussion, participants explored expanding ongoing joint academic and research programs between Dhaka University and various European universities. They agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding soon between Dhaka University and France’s Center for Natural Resource Studies (CNRS). According to the source, this initiative is expected to accelerate international research and academic exchange activities.

Ms. Capuano has been serving as a visiting fellow at the International Center for Ocean Governance for the past two years, contributing to building connections and implementing joint research projects with European institutions. The vice-chancellor thanked her for her contributions and expressed hope for continued collaboration.

A 158.20-carat rare yellow diamond has been discovered at the Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories. The find, made in March 2025 and announced by Rio Tinto on April 1, 2026, originated from one of the world’s most remote mining sites, located on a small island in Lac de Gras about 200 kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. The mine operates off the national power grid and is accessible only by ice road in winter or floatplane in summer.

According to Rio Tinto, the diamond formed around two billion years ago deep within the Earth. Its yellow hue results from nitrogen atoms in its structure, making it exceptionally rare and valuable. Yellow diamonds account for less than one percent of Diavik’s total production, and this is only the fifth yellow diamond from the mine weighing over 100 carats.

The Diavik mine officially ceased operations in March 2026, making this discovery one of its final major finds. The diamond’s market value has not yet been disclosed, and cutting and sale processes have not begun.