Astro

NASA's Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flight of the Artemis program, is drawing wide attention ahead of launch. Coverage explains how to watch the launch, which astronauts will fly around the Moon, and what the mission means for future lunar landings. Interest centers on the four-person crew and the mission's role in returning humans to deep space for the first time since Apollo.

An astronomer is tracking the gradual orbital decay of Starlink satellites and proposes turning their slow sink toward Earth into a global 'planetary barometer'. Because satellite drag depends on the density of the upper atmosphere, the falling spacecraft could act as a distributed network of sensors measuring how that layer changes over time.

A new data-driven analysis by Peter Vijeh examines whether Reddit hosts coordinated astroturfing campaigns, using posting patterns and engagement data to identify suspicious activity. The findings suggest that certain topics and products receive inorganic boosts from accounts behaving in coordinated ways, fuelling renewed debate about how much discussion on the platform is genuinely organic.

Elon University is hosting a 'Physics & Astro Tea' session on seeing physics in the national parks. The talk invites students and staff to consider how natural landscapes illustrate physical principles, continuing the department's informal discussion series on physics and astronomy topics.

The Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros met in Game 1 of the 2026 MLB Wild Card round on September 29, with the full game highlights drawing large attention. Japanese star Munetaka Murakami is featured in the matchup, adding international interest to the playoff opener between the two American League clubs.

PS5 emulation on PC is reportedly advancing quickly, with games like Astro Bot and Demon's Souls now running well without a PlayStation 5 console. The news has caught attention among gamers and tech watchers, as emulating current-generation hardware is a difficult task and progress has historically been slow. If the strides continue, it could change how people access PlayStation exclusives outside Sony's ecosystem.

SpaceX launched its 13th long-duration astronaut crew to the International Space Station, extending its run of routine human spaceflight missions for NASA. The flight carries a fresh crew to relieve astronauts aboard the orbital laboratory. It underscores how regularly private rockets now ferry crews to orbit, a role once held exclusively by government space agencies.

The Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros faced off in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card series on September 30 as part of the 2026 MLB postseason. Full-game highlights from the matchup are drawing heavy attention from baseball fans following the playoffs. The result shapes which club advances deeper into October baseball.

Houston Astros star Jose Altuve hit his 28th career postseason home run, moving him within one of the all-time MLB postseason record. The mark highlights his reputation as one of the most productive postseason hitters of his era, and fans are watching to see whether he can tie and break the record during the current playoffs.

Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro says his attempt to make a film adaptation of the video game BioShock ended badly, calling the call he made about it 'probably one of the most disastrous calls I've ever had.' The director's comments shed light on the long history of troubled efforts to bring the acclaimed underwater dystopia game to the big screen, a project Hollywood has repeatedly failed to launch.

Hospitality industry commentary from Tony Nicastro examines where hotel fitness and wellness offerings are headed. The piece discusses how hotels are rethinking gyms, recovery amenities and wellbeing programming as guest expectations shift toward more comprehensive health experiences during travel. Industry observers are weighing his outlook on how fitness will shape hotel design and guest services in the years ahead.

USA Today examines why the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros all fell in sweeps during the MLB playoffs, identifying the fatal flaws behind each team's early exit and outlining what fixes each franchise must make to contend next season. The analysis comes as those teams' fans digest rapid, lopsided postseason defeats.

A Canadian astronaut has lifted off for a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station. The flight continues Canada's long-standing involvement in station operations, with the astronaut set to carry out scientific research and maintenance work in orbit for roughly half a year before returning to Earth.

SpaceX's Crew 13 mission has docked with the International Space Station, beginning a six-month stay in orbit. Among the crew is an astronaut who will miss the birth of his third child while on the mission, a detail drawing attention and sympathy as coverage of the docking circulates widely.

Hilary Duff has released a new song titled 'CATastrophe' for the film The Cat in the Hat. The track leans on a feline pun and is being positioned as part of the movie's musical rollout. It also puts Duff back in a music setting, drawing attention to how the song connects with the film's tone and characters.

SpaceX is set to launch the Crew-13 mission for NASA today, carrying astronauts to the International Space Station. Coverage includes the full launch timeline and details on how to watch the liftoff live. The mission continues SpaceX's regular rotation of crewed flights to orbit under its contract with the US space agency.

SpaceX launched four astronauts to the International Space Station, continuing its role flying crews for NASA. The mission lifts another team of astronauts into orbit for a stay aboard the station. People are following the launch as another milestone in commercial human spaceflight and ongoing operations keeping the space station staffed.

A Guardian reporter attended the United Astrology Conference in Chicago, America's largest gathering of astrologers, and found the community locked in an internal dispute over how the stars should be read. The article frames the clash as a debate over methods and traditions within modern astrology, placing the practice in the context of its history and its growing commercial appeal in the United States.

The annual Draconid meteor shower is back in the spotlight, with stargazers sharing viewing guidance for the 2026 display. The shower, produced by debris from comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, radiates from the constellation Draco and is typically best seen in early October from the Northern Hemisphere, though it usually produces only a modest number of meteors per hour.

Alberta Health Services is investigating a gastrointestinal illness outbreak linked to a Calgary restaurant. The agency has not released the restaurant's name, the number of people affected, or the suspected cause. Officials are urging anyone who ate there and developed symptoms to seek medical advice. The case is drawing attention locally as residents look for details about food safety.

Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has confirmed what he describes as disastrous attempts or calls to adapt a bestselling video game franchise, according to an IMDb news report. He says the efforts went badly, shedding light on the troubled history of bringing major games to screen. Further details about which franchise or which studios were involved have not been reported.