asteroid samples

A weekly science news roundup highlights three stories: research on unusually loud birds, findings on how eating with company affects people, and the latest on asteroid samples returned to Earth. The pieces cover animal behavior, dietary research and planetary science, offering readers a quick digest of recent developments across different scientific fields.

NPR's weekly science roundup highlights three stories: unusually loud birds, research on how eating with company affects us, and new findings from asteroid samples. The roundup gathers recent developments in nature, behavior, and space research into a single digest for general readers.

Japan's Hayabusa2 asteroid probe has lost the last of its functioning engines, leaving the spacecraft without a propulsion system. The probe, which already returned samples from asteroid Ryugu to Earth, was on an extended mission. JAXA is expected to assess the failure and weigh options for the craft's future, with the exact impact on its remaining scientific goals still to be confirmed.

The sole remaining functioning ion engine aboard Japan's Hayabusa2 probe has failed, according to reports citing the space agency. The unmanned spacecraft is on an extended mission toward a new target asteroid after successfully returning samples from asteroid Ryugu to Earth in December 2020. The engine failure raises questions about whether the probe can complete its planned journey.