Earth's oceans

SpaceX's Starship has returned to Earth, splashing down after its latest flight test. The rocket's descent into the ocean marks another milestone in the company's program to develop the massive spacecraft for future missions to the Moon and Mars. Reactions are focused on how the vehicle performed during reentry and landing, and what the results mean for upcoming test flights and NASA's lunar plans.

SpaceX's Starship completed a full-duration test flight of roughly three hours, returning through the atmosphere and splashing down in the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaii. The flight marks another step in the rocket's development campaign, with observers tracking how the vehicle handled reentry and recovery. SpaceX has not detailed the outcome of every test objective, but the splashdown confirms the ship survived to its planned end point.

SpaceX's Starship has splashed down in the Pacific Ocean after returning to Earth earlier than planned. The next-generation rocket, developed for missions to the Moon and Mars, ended its flight short of schedule, prompting discussion about what caused the early return and what the outcome means for the vehicle's testing programme.

Scientists report that conditions on Enceladus, Saturn's icy moon with a subsurface ocean, could support microbial life. The findings strengthen the case that the moon is one of the most promising places in the solar system to search for living organisms beyond Earth. The research is drawing attention among space and astrobiology enthusiasts discussing future exploration missions to Enceladus.

The European Space Agency's JUICE mission, bound for Jupiter and its icy moons, passed at less than 10,000 km overhead around 13:45 CEST during its second Earth gravity assist, prompting a heads-up to ships in the Indian Ocean beneath its flight path. The spacecraft will return for one final Earth slingshot in 2029 before heading to the outer solar system.

A spacecraft built to explore icy moons where life could exist is flying close by Earth, using the planet's gravity to adjust its course. The maneuver is part of a long journey toward the outer solar system, where scientists hope to study oceans beneath the moons' surfaces. The flyby has drawn attention as a milestone in the search for conditions suitable for life beyond our planet.

New research indicates that Earth microbes can survive under simulated conditions of the ocean beneath the ice of Saturn's moon Enceladus, suggesting life there is not out of the question. Scientists see the finding as encouraging for the search for life beyond Earth, since Enceladus's subsurface ocean is considered one of the most promising places to look.

Scientists suggest Saturn's icy moon Enceladus could host microbial life, and that plumes of water erupting from beneath its surface offer a way to detect it. The geysers blast material from a subsurface ocean into space, meaning a spacecraft could potentially sample it without drilling through the ice, keeping hopes alive in the search for life beyond Earth.

New research explains how Saturn's moon Enceladus transforms its subsurface ocean spray into chemically varied ice grains, shedding light on the processes behind the plumes first observed by the Cassini spacecraft. The findings help scientists understand the moon's ocean chemistry and its potential to host conditions suitable for life.

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside report that shifts in ocean chemistry played a key role in maintaining Earth's oxygen levels, allowing complex life to keep breathing over geological time. The study, covered by Phys.org, explains how chemical processes in the oceans helped regulate the planet's atmosphere across Earth's history.

A new documentary follows a couple living in extreme isolation on one of the world's loneliest stretches of sea, showing how they survive far from any community. Viewers are drawn to the footage of their daily routines, self-reliance and life without neighbours, making the film one of the most talked-about ocean stories online this week.

NASA's Earth Observatory reports that powerful storms continue to move across the Pacific Ocean, documented through satellite imagery of the region. The imagery highlights the scale and persistence of the storm systems churning over Pacific waters. Beyond the headline, no further details are provided about specific locations affected, damage caused, or forecasts for the coming days.

Scientists are examining a strange exception in the world's oceans: while nearly all ocean waters are warming due to climate change, one region has instead grown colder. The anomaly stands out against the broader trend of record marine heat, and researchers are working to understand what local processes could be cooling that spot while the rest of the ocean heats up.

New research indicates the ice grains erupting from Saturn's moon Enceladus are more unusual than scientists previously understood. Enceladus, which has a subsurface ocean beneath its icy shell, constantly sprays water vapor and ice particles into space through cracks near its south pole, and fresh analysis of this material has revealed unexpected properties. The finding adds to interest in the moon as one of the most promising places to search for life beyond Earth.

SpaceX's Starship completed Flight 14, reaching Earth's orbit before the vehicle's descent ended with an explosion over the Pacific Ocean. The test flight marks another step in the rocket's development program, with the controlled ocean landing used to gather data while protecting populated areas. Attention now turns to what the flight data reveals and how SpaceX adjusts for the next launch.

A question about why roughly half of Earth remains unexplored is drawing wide attention, with ocean depths at the center of the discussion. The conversation highlights how much of the planet, particularly the deep sea, has never been mapped or surveyed by humans, prompting debate about funding for ocean exploration and what discoveries may still be hidden in unexplored regions.

SpaceX's Starship returned to Earth ahead of schedule, making a fiery splashdown in the Pacific Ocean during its latest orbital test mission. The early return cut short plans for the flight, though details on what prompted it have not been confirmed. The splashdown adds to the ongoing series of high-profile test flights as SpaceX continues developing the vehicle for future missions.

New reporting highlights that Earth's ocean floor plays a far larger role in regulating the climate than previously understood. The seafloor influences how heat and carbon are stored and exchanged between the ocean and the atmosphere, processes that are central to climate models and projections. Coverage on multiple outlets is drawing attention to how much of the planet's climate machinery sits beneath the waves, largely out of sight.

Jeff Bezos has pledged $25 million through his Earth Fund to support ocean protection efforts in the Pacific. The grant comes as the fund reportedly has only about $7 million left to spend from its commitment, raising questions about how much further Bezos's philanthropy will extend and what the remaining money will go toward.

A new finding reports that seafloor topography plays a role in shaping the global climate even in the absence of continents, suggesting underwater ridges, trenches and other seabed features influence ocean and atmospheric circulation on a planetary scale. The claim is drawing attention among ocean and climate observers, who see it as a reminder that the deep seafloor remains a key, still poorly mapped factor in Earth's climate system.

New research suggests Saturn's icy moon Enceladus makes signs of potential alien life easier to detect. The moon's subsurface ocean, sampled by NASA's Cassini spacecraft through plumes venting from its south pole, offers a promising target in the search for life beyond Earth, and the findings have drawn attention from planetary scientists.