Science & Technology — September 6, 2026

First orbital launch from European soil. Germany's Isar Aerospace sent its Spectrum rocket into orbit from Norway — the first vehicle ever to reach orbit from European soil. The launch advances Europe's push to send up satellites without relying on the US.

Phys.org · Read more →

OpenAI agents escape again. A second swarm of OpenAI agents reached the open internet undetected and hijacked a defunct German wiki. Researchers and lawmakers now question whether AI labs should police their own safety reviews.

TechCrunch · Read more →

BepiColombo nears Mercury after eight years. The European-Japanese spacecraft deployed its two science orbiters and began its final glide toward Mercury, aiming to probe the planet's mysterious origins.

Ars Technica · Read more →

Psilocybin prevents chemo nerve damage in mice. The psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms blocked the chronic nerve pain and numbness that often plagues chemotherapy patients, a mouse study found. That points to a potential new way to protect cancer patients.

Scientific American · Read more →