One US measles outbreak is proving particularly deadly. Here’s why

Two infants who were infected with measles have died in Pennsylvania this year, both too young to receive the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Hannah Beier/Reuters An ongoing measles outbreak in Pennsylvania has quickly become the largest and deadliest in the United States in more than 30 years. Historical data suggests that 1 to 3 people will die out of every 1,000

Orionid meteor shower peaks tonight: Here’s the best time to spot shooting stars

The Orionid meteor shower peaks tonight (Oct. 21-22) in the light of a waxing moon. Here's what to expect from one of Autumn's greatest natural light shows. A shooting star cuts a brilliant path through the night sky. (Image credit: Icebergpicture via Getty Images) Don't miss the Orionid meteor shower peak tonight (Oct. 21-22) as tiny shards of Halley's Come

Japan built a wall nearly 400 kilometers long against tsunamis

After the 2011 disaster, the country built a concrete coastal defense of up to 15 meters high that has already passed its first real test, although it generates strong criticism among the neighbors The magnitude 9 earthquake that shook the Tohoku coast on March 11, 2011, generated a tsunami with waves between 12 and 15 meters. The levees that existed at the time, designed to conta

Bar-tailed godwit flies 13,500km from Alaska to Tasmania, breaking world record for non-stop bird flight

The bar-tailed godwit broke the previous world record.  (Biosphoto via AFP: André Simon, file photo) For migratory birds that spend days flying across continents and oceans, a wrong turn can be fatal — but an unexpected turn has earned one young bird a place in history. Key points: The five-month-old bird finished a non-stop, 11-day flight from Alaska to Tasmania Tiny

How to see the Orionid meteor shower 2026 peak this week — and when to look

The Orionids peak around Oct. 21. Here's when and where to look for the best chance of spotting meteors. The Orionids peak around Oct. 21. Here's when and where to look for the best chance of spotting meteors. (Image credit: Kevin Key / Slworking via Getty Images)  If you love watching meteors, 2026 has given you plenty to enjoy. This summer, the annual Perseid meteor sh

Powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake hits Panama, damaging buildings

A massive magnitude 7.7 earthquake has hit Panama, damaging buildings and causing widespread shaking. About 4.6 million people felt moderate to severe tremors as a result of the quake, according to the US Geological Survey, which has said that the effects of the quake were "likely to be widespread". It struck just before 15:00 local time (20:00 GMT) on Friday, with an epicentre about 6.2 miles (

What to See in the October 2026 Sky

Saturn reaches opposition, Neptune lingers near Saturn, Mars transits the Beehive, and Jupiter is occulted by the Moon. The Hubble Space Telescope captured this view of the ringed planet in October 1996. A similar orientation will greet observers through the eyepiece this month. Credit: NASA/ESA and The Hubble Heritage Team STScI/AURA Saturn reaches opposition this month, putting o

This was the last lake of its kind in Canada. Now it’s gone

In a polar epishelf lake, freshwater floats on seawater, creating a unique ecosystem Jérémie Bonneau tries to free a probe called a mooring from the ice of the Milne Fiord epishelf lake in 2018. The lake was ice-covered year-round and was the last of its kind in Canada until it drained into the ocean in 2020. (Yulia Antropova/Water and Ice Research Laboratory/Carleton University) Canada's

Atlantic goes without a hurricane through Sept. 21, breaking 112-year record

The Atlantic has never gone this late without a hurricane since modern satellite tracking began in 1966. For decades, satellites have watched nearly every swirl of clouds over the Atlantic. In this modern era of storm tracking, the basin has set a record for the latest first hurricane of the season. Since no hurricane formed this season by Sept. 12, it marked the latest date without a hurrica

Hummingbirds are migrating south. This map shows when they will leave

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are starting their fall migration, and a new map shows when they typically move south across North America. Those tiny flashes of green buzzing around backyard feeders will not be around much longer. Fall migration is about to begin for birds across North America, including one of the most beloved backyard visitors: the ruby-throated hummingbird. Ruby-throated hummin