Science & Technology — August 26, 2026

Manhattan-sized ice island breaks from Greenland. A 76-square-kilometer slab snapped off Greenland's Petermann Glacier, forming an ice island roughly the size of Manhattan as satellites tracked cracks spreading across the ice.

Science Daily · Read more →

Depression disrupts new neuron production. A high-resolution map of the hippocampus reveals disrupted neuron production in adults with depression, pointing to possible new therapy pathways, researchers report in Nature.

Nature · Read more →

U.S. records first measles deaths of 2026. Two unvaccinated Pennsylvania residents died of measles—the state's first measles deaths in 35 years—as officials warn people no longer grasp the disease's severity.

Ars Technica · Read more →

SpaceX plans $100 billion Louisiana spaceport. The company will build a second Starbase in Vermilion Parish with 10 launch pads, its biggest site yet; construction starts in 2027, with launches targeted for 2029.

SpaceX announced the project Tuesday, framing the outlay as an investment of up to $100 billion. Designated a second Starbase, the Louisiana complex would give the company another dedicated launch hub beyond its original site, with a roughly two-year gap planned between the start of construction and the first flights from the facility.

BBC World · Read more →