Science news this week: Artemis II lifts off, diabetes cured in mice, and smog in China shapes Arctic storms
NASA’s long-awaited launch Artemis II Mission dominated science news this week, with excitement peaking Wednesday, April 1, as the space agency’s first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Millions of people watched around the world as the massive Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center launch pad at 6:35 p.m. EDT. Live Science covered the launch livereporters following the action remotely and directly from Florida’s Space Coast.
In the field of earth science, chemists have discovered a method for turn breadcrumbs into hydrogen for use in chemical manufacturing. Archaeologists have found the world’s oldest evidence of gambling in the form of dice invented by indigenous people of the Western United States more than 12,000 years ago. Another archaeological discovery in Vietnam could disputing the alleged syphilis story. And a new study suggests that quantum computers we don’t need to be as powerful as we thought to break the world’s most secure encryption algorithms.
Scientists have cured type 1 diabetes in mice
In type 1 diabetes, the immune system attacks the cells that produce insulin, leaving the body with too little of the hormone that controls blood sugar. These insulin-producing cells can be replaced, but the procedure typically requires patients to experience lifelong immune suppression, leading to serious health complications.
Now, in a new study, scientists have explored a way to transplant insulin-producing cells without relying on immunosuppression. So far, the approach has shown promise in lab mice, although more work is needed to show it works in humans. But in theory, it could pave the way for a cure, experts told Live Science.
Discover more health news
—Scientists have discovered an ‘Achilles heel’ in deadly superbugs
—Component of pig sperm could deliver chemotherapy to hard-to-reach eye cancer, mouse study suggests
—Teenager’s Hives Found to Be Caused by Rare Water Allergy
The little mysteries of life
Life on Earth literally revolves around the light and energy of the sun, but what would happen if our companion star suddenly disappeared? Live Science Contributor Jesse Steinmetz addresses the question of what a suddenly sunless Earth might look like and what organisms could survive in such a cold and dark place.
—If you liked this, sign up for our newsletter Life’s Little Mysteries
China’s efforts to reduce air pollution have had unexpected results
But it’s not all good news: aerosols cool the planetso their disappearance could ultimately reveal warming caused by greenhouse gases, previously offset by the cooling effect of pollution. In short, this is a complex situation that will require more research to fully understand.
Discover more news about planet Earth
—Extreme wildfires, droughts and storms could occur even with moderate global warming, study finds
—Scientists discover huge freshwater reservoir hidden beneath the Great Salt Lake
—Earth’s energy imbalance is far more extreme than climate models show – but scientists don’t know why
Also in science news this week
—A comet seen reversing its rotation for the first time – and it could soon ‘self-destruct’
—Tasmanian tigers discovered in Australia’s indigenous rock art, suggesting these marsupials lived there much longer than previously thought
—Rare “sungrazer” comet MAPS will shine brightly on Saturday – if it survives a dangerous encounter with our star
—New modification of Einstein’s relativity could transform our understanding of the Big Bang
Science long reading
NASA’s Artemis II mission will not only help the space agency prepare for future trips to the lunar surface, but will also provide a unique opportunity to study the impacts of deep space on human health. With the the sun has recently passed its peak activitycalled solar maximum, could the four-person crew face an even greater radiation risk than they otherwise would?
To understand the effects of space weather on the human body, Live Science trending news editor Patrick Pester spoken with Patricia Reiffprofessor of physics and astronomy at Rice University in Houston. Counterintuitively, she explained that solar maximum might be a better time for the Artemis II mission than you think.
Something for the weekend
If you’re looking for something a little longer to read over the weekend, here are some of the best analysis, crosswords and opinion pieces published this week.
—Homo habilis is the first named human. But is it really human? [Analysis]
—Live Science Crossword #37: The seventh planet from the Sun — 2 down [Crossword]
Scientific news in pictures
Scientists recently unveiled the first 3D map of clitoral nerves, which renders tissue at micron-scale resolution. The effort involved CT scans assembled from X-rays using an extremely bright light source, called a synchrotron. Before this research, other scientists had studied the general structure of the clitoris using MRI and tallied the results. About 10,000 nerves in the organ. But the 3D map provides new information about nerve structures that could be extremely useful to surgeons.
A photo taken in 2025 by an astronaut shows concentric mountain ridges in the Libyan desert. Known as Mount Arkanu (sometimes spelled Arkenu), this colossal structure was once believed to be an ancient impact crater. But recent research suggests that it actually formed from magma repeatedly rising to the surface and penetrating the surrounding rock. Mount Arkanu is home to ancient artwork depicting human figures, as well as livestock and other tethered animals, such as giraffes.
Science in motion
NASA’s Artemis II crew launches to the Moon
If you weren’t able to watch the Artemis II launch live on Wednesday, don’t worry! NASA coverage of the event is available on the agency’s YouTube channel. (And for detailed explanations of the science you see, check out live coverage from Live Science.)
In addition to witnessing the epic moment of liftoff, you can learn about the wide range of NASA astronauts’ pre-launch rituals, the menus the crew will follow during their adventure, and the mission’s official mascot, Rise, designed by 8-year-old Lucas Ye of California. The coverage also covers all the details of how the Artemis II mission will unfold now that the astronauts have left Earth’s atmosphere.
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