Science & Technology — July 25, 2026

Starship completes 13th test flight. SpaceX's Starship deployed 20 next-generation V3 Starlink satellites and achieved what the company called its softest-ever ocean splashdown. The booster suffered another engine relight failure.

The flight marked the first time Starship carried a functional payload, with the 20 V3 Starlink satellites deployed during the mission. The booster's repeated engine relight failures have been a recurring issue across recent test flights, and resolving that problem remains a key milestone before the vehicle can attempt a full catch-and-reuse cycle.

Scientific American · Read more →

Personalized gene therapy relieves severe epilepsy. A therapy that switches off one copy of a faulty gene relieved severe epilepsy in two boys; one can now walk independently for the first time.

The therapy works by silencing one copy of a faulty gene rather than correcting or replacing it, a precision approach described by Nature as a landmark in precision medicine. The results in both boys suggest the technique could be adapted for other genetic conditions caused by similar gain-of-function mutations, though researchers have not yet indicated a timeline for broader clinical trials.

Nature · Read more →

El Niño forecast to be strongest in 150 years. Forecasters give the developing El Niño a 90% chance of becoming the most powerful in 150 years, with projected economic losses of up to $10 trillion by 2032.

According to Wired, forecasters describe the projected strength as exceeding historical precedent by a "mind-blowing margin." The event is expected to push 2027 global temperatures to new records. Economic loss projections of up to $10 trillion by 2032 reflect anticipated disruptions to agriculture, infrastructure, and weather patterns across multiple continents.

Wired · Read more →

New CRISPR enzyme shreds cancer cell DNA. In early lab tests, a newly discovered CRISPR-related enzyme targeted cells carrying tumor-causing mutations and destroyed them by shredding their DNA — a potential new avenue for cancer treatment.

The enzyme is described as CRISPR-related but distinct from the more widely known Cas9 system. In lab tests, it identified cells carrying tumor-causing mutations and destroyed them by fragmenting their DNA rather than editing it. Researchers say the findings open a potential new treatment avenue, though the work remains at an early, pre-clinical stage.

Nature · Read more →