'Mega heat waves' strengthened by interaction between soil moisture, atmospheric pressure and temperature

A Science Advances study led by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and IIASA reports that at high temperatures soil moisture, pressure and heat begin reinforcing one another, pushing extreme heat waves about 10% hotter than they would otherwise be. The authors caution that current climate models may understate future heat wave risk.

Pakistani astronaut to board Shenzhou 24 and become the first foreigner on China's space station

A Pakistani astronaut will fly aboard China's Shenzhou 24 and become the first foreign national to visit the country's space station, Chinese state media reported. The China Manned Space Agency said the astronaut would carry out a short on-orbit flight and return on Shenzhou 23, without giving a launch date.

Polar vortex faltering weeks earlier than ever recorded

Meteorologists say the polar vortex is already weakening in early November, which they describe as the earliest stratospheric disruption on record, with a November sudden stratospheric warming seen only three times since the 1950s. They warn this raises the chance of cold outbreaks over the Northern Hemisphere, while possible roles for El Niño and climate change remain uncertain.

Why treating soil acidity crop by crop is no longer enough for prairie farmers

Using five decades of University of Alberta Breton Plots data, researchers found that liming legume forages improved forage growth and left more nitrogen available to cereal crops that followed. They also reported that alfalfa can acidify soil, and recommend managing pH across entire rotations with repeated layered soil testing.

Rubin Observatory discovers two hidden companions of the Milky Way. Hundreds more may be waiting

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has found two previously unknown Milky Way satellites, Aquarius IV and Rubin-GC1, using preview images covering only about 7% of the sky. Astronomers say the full 10-year survey could reveal many more faint satellites and aid studies of galaxy formation and dark matter.

Scientists discover Europe's ancient forests were nothing like we imagined

Aarhus University-led researchers examined paleoecological records from the Miocene through the pre-industrial era and conclude that Europe's landscapes were mainly shifting mosaics of trees, open areas and meadows, not continuous closed forest. They argue dense reforestation may conflict with species adapted to mixed habitats and grazing.

Human bodies produce 2 billion metric tons of CO2 a year just by staying alive

A University of Bath-led study published in The Lancet Planetary Health estimates that human metabolism produced 2.05 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2015, up 74% from 1985. The authors say population growth drove most of the rise and caution that this biological CO2 is not comparable to fossil-fuel emissions.

Drinking 2–3 cups of coffee a day linked to dramatically lower dementia risk

Long-running U.S. research associates regular caffeinated coffee with lower dementia risk, with the strongest link at two to three cups daily. Higher consumers had 141 yearly dementia cases per 100,000 versus 330 among people who rarely or never drank caffeinated coffee, though the study does not prove causation.

ChatGPT Lockdown Mode could be bypassed to steal your chat history

Check Point Research reported a way to bypass ChatGPT's Lockdown Mode, an optional setting meant to block prompt injection from leaking data, using the HTML preview's popup windows; in the ChatGPT Classic desktop app no click was needed. OpenAI fixed the flaw on September 18, and Check Point retested and confirmed the technique no longer works.

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26320.9876 moves Beta to 26H2

Microsoft's Beta Channel received Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26320.9876 on November 6, 2026, moving testers to version 26H2 through an enablement package. It adds a gradually rolling out WinUI 3 Windows Search with inline actions, Xbox mode quick settings, a File Explorer tilde shortcut, and expanded web sign-in on Entra hybrid-joined devices.