New discoveries in science feature stunning space photography, rare Peruvian tombs, and a new cat species

Stargazer Ali Alobaidly won the top spot in the ZWO Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition with a composite image of the Shark Nebula, captured after 26 hours of observation from the Kuwait desert. In other categories, Miguel Claro won for a sunspot shot named Active Region 4122 in Portugal, Stefano Pellegrini won for a star trail over Botswana's Nxai Pan National Park, Petr Horalek won for a daylight timelapse of the Moon passing Venus in the Czech Republic, and Radoslav Sviretsov topped the aurorae category with an image of the Northern Lights over an Iceland church. In archaeology, researchers in Peru unearthed a monumental burial site at the Chan Chan archaeological complex containing the remains of 38 high-status individuals buried with shell and metal artefacts. One person was found in a fully extended body position, which is highly unusual for Chimú burials. Chan Chan served as the capital of the Chimú Empire before the Inca takeover in the fifteenth century. Marine discoveries include video journalist Martina Birrer spotting a crab stuck inside the tentacles of a barrel jellyfish in Greece's Thracian sea during an expedition. Meanwhile, scientists captured two helical double strands of DNA in the act of zipping up next to each other for the first time, a process helped by positive calcium and magnesium ions. Biophysicist Agnes Noy from the University of York noted these regions could relate to cancer when mutations disrupt cellular processes. British artist Luke Jerram created the Pollenarium installation, using over 100 nylon ball lenses to let visitors see the world through the eyes of an insect. In Switzerland, researchers from the University of Lausanne and the Summit Foundation are testing thick woollen blankets on the Tsanfleuron Glacier to slow down snow melting and replace synthetic tarpaulins, utilizing local wool where at least 40% is otherwise discarded annually. Biologists also described a brand new cat species named Leopardus tilcayo from the Bolivian Andes, identified through genomic analysis after initially being mistaken for an oncilla. Additionally, a catastrophic flood on the China-Nepal border left 1,454 dead and over 5,600 missing after thawing permafrost caused an upstream glacier collapse along the Bhotekoshi River. SpaceX successfully launched its Starship rocket from Texas, completing two orbits and deploying Starlink satellites before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean after three hours. Finally, excavation finished for Japan's Hyper-Kamiokande neutrino detector, a cavern built 650 metres under Nijuugo Mountain that will use 260,000 tonnes of water starting in 2028.

Context

These diverse updates span global scientific research, space exploration, and environmental monitoring. Such wide-ranging findings highlight ongoing efforts in astronomy, biology, and earth sciences to document natural phenomena and archaeological history.