Latest Science News
Super El Niño 2026 could bring severe global climate impacts
Meteorologists are warning that the Pacific may be heading toward a very strong El Niño later in 2026, with some forecasts suggesting it could intensify quickly. If that happens, impacts could include extreme heat, drought, crop losses, and rising food prices across multiple regions .
Asteroid 2026 JH2 to pass unusually close to Earth, but poses no impact threat
A newly discovered asteroid about 115 feet wide will zip past Earth on May 18 at roughly 56,000 miles away, closer than some satellites but still far outside any collision risk. Scientists say it should be visible with a good telescope or binoculars during the close approach .
U.S. sea level science faces major funding and institutional cuts
Researchers warn that recent and proposed cuts to NASA, NOAA, NSF, and EPA funding could damage decades of progress in sea level science. The loss of data, staff, and advisory structures may reduce the accuracy of future coastal risk projections worldwide .
Pacific warming is being watched as an early El Niño signal
Ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific are already running warmer than average, which may be an early sign that El Niño conditions are forming. Forecast centers including NOAA and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology are monitoring whether this warming develops into a stronger event later in the year .
Scientists warn of possible record-setting El Niño strength
Some model forecasts suggest the event could exceed 2°C above average in key Pacific regions, which would place it among the strongest El Niño episodes on record. Researchers stress that forecasts remain uncertain, especially during the unstable spring-to-summer transition period .
Close asteroid flyby offers a rare observing opportunity
2026 JH2 is expected to reach around magnitude 11.5 at closest approach, making it a relatively easy target for amateur astronomers with suitable equipment. The object’s orbit takes it out toward Jupiter, and this visit is being tracked closely by observatories worldwide .
Climate science community warns of cascading global effects from El Niño
The expected El Niño could influence weather far beyond the Pacific, with potential effects on rainfall, heatwaves, and agricultural yields in vulnerable countries. Analysts say poorer regions may feel the economic shocks most strongly through food and water stress .
Satellite-era sea level measurements are at risk, scientists say
Experts note that missions such as TOPEX/Poseidon and GRACE/GRACE-FO have been essential to understanding sea level rise and ice-sheet change. They argue that weakening U.S. science capacity could disrupt the long-running datasets needed to refine global sea level projections .
Asteroid 2026 JH2 is comparable in size to the Chelyabinsk meteor
The asteroid is described as similar in scale to the object that exploded over Russia in 2013, though this time there is no danger of impact. Scientists emphasize that limited early observations create some uncertainty in the exact flyby distance, but the trajectory remains safe .
Researchers say global climate monitoring depends on stable institutions
The sea level science debate highlights how much international climate research relies on U.S.-led observing systems, models, and funding. If those systems weaken, scientists say the whole world could lose critical information for understanding coastal hazards and long-term climate change .