Researchers at the Geodynamics Research Center (GRC), Ehime University, measured P- and S-wave velocities of a lunar orthopyroxene under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions equivalent to those in the Moon’s interior. Comparison of laboratory data with seismic models from NASA’s Apollo missions revealed the lunar upper mantle (at depths of 40–740 km) likely contains more iron than previously thought. This new finding has wide implications for the formation and evolution history of the Earth-Moon system.

Viewed from a great distance in both space and time, the nighttime glow of inhabited areas on Earth is steadily increasing. However, the hidden variability within in this overall change has been demonstrated by a new analysis of satellite data undertaken by a research team from the University of Connecticut, in collaboration with NASA and researchers in the U.S. and Germany. “For the first time, daily satellite images were used for this purpose on a global scale,” says Professor Christopher Kyba, professor of nighttime light remote sensing at the Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, who participated in the study. The data confirm earlier studies that light emissions are increasing overall. However, the most important new finding is that fluctuations occur frequently, and are not solely attributable to major factors such as the COVID-19 lockdowns or the war in Ukraine. The researchers reported their findings in the April 8, 2026, issue of the journal Nature.

A recent study has for the first time systematically identified multiple nitrogen-bearing organic species on the surfaces of lunar soil grains returned by China's Chang'e-5 and Chang'e-6 missions. The research further reveals an evolutionary pathway defined by exogenous delivery, impact modification, and continuous solar wind processing.

Scientists in Japan have developed a high-resolution X-ray telescope sharp enough to distinguish an object just 3.5 mm wide from one kilometer away, by combining precision mirror-making technology with space astronomy. To test its performance, they built a first-of-its-kind evaluation system, capable of simulating starlight on the ground to measure the telescope's sharpness before its launch on the US-Japan FOXSI sounding rocket mission. The findings, published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, represent a landmark achievement for Japanese X-ray astronomy and pave the way for high-resolution X-ray observations on future smaller satellites.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) successfully launched three advanced experimental payloads aboard the Department of War (DoW) Space Test Program’s (STP) Satellite-7 mission at approximately 4:33 a.m. PDT on April 7 from Vandenberg U.S. Space Force (USSF) Base, Calif.

KAIST Develops Electrode Technology Achieving 86% Efficiency for Converting CO₂ into Plastic Precursors

In the process of converting carbon dioxide into useful chemicals such as ethylene—a key precursor for plastics—a major challenge has been the flooding of electrodes, where electrolyte penetrates the electrode structure and reduces performance. KAIST researchers have developed a new electrode design that blocks water while maintaining efficient electrical conduction and catalytic reactions, thereby improving both efficiency and stability.

KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 6th of April that a research team led by Professor Hyunjoon Song from the Department of Chemistry has developed a novel electrode structure utilizing silver nanowire networks—ultrafine silver wires arranged like a spiderweb—to significantly enhance the efficiency of electrochemical CO₂ conversion to useful chemical products.

In electrochemical CO₂ conversion processes, a long-standing issue has been flooding, where the electrode becomes saturated with electrolyte, reducing the space available for CO₂ to react. While hydrophobic materials can prevent water intrusion, they typically suffer from low electrical conductivity, requiring additional components and complicating the system.

To overcome this, the research team designed a three-layer electrode architecture that simultaneously repels water and enables efficient charge transport. The structure consists of a hydrophobic substrate, a catalyst layer, and an overlaid silver nanowire (Ag NW) network, which acts as an efficient current collector while preventing electrolyte flooding.