Mexico: Monarch butterflies drop 53% in wintering area

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The number of monarch butterflies that showed up at their winter resting grounds decreased about 53% this year, Mexican officials said...

UN: Last year was second-warmest and decade was hottest ever

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Last year was the second warmest on record, the past decade was the hottest in human history and January was the...

Will heat stop the spread of new virus? No one really knows

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — As outbreaks of the new coronavirus that first emerged in China continue to spread in more than 100 countries — particularly...

It’s cloudy with a chance of iron rain at hot, faraway world

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — At one hot, faraway world, it’s always cloudy with a chance of iron rain. That’s the otherworldly forecast from Swiss...

Widow of Yuri Gagarin, first human in space, dies at 84

MOSCOW (AP) — The widow of Yuri Gagarin, the first human to fly to space, died Tuesday. She was 84. Russia’s space agency Roscosmos announced...

Scientist links 2 state outbreaks with genetic fingerprints

SEATTLE (AP) — A U.S. scientist is helping public health authorities understand and track the coronavirus, turning up clues about how it arrived and spread...

Europe, Russia postpone joint rover mission to Mars

BERLIN (AP) — The European Space Agency and Russia’s Roscosmos said Thursday they are postponing a planned joint mission to Mars until 2022, in part...

Giant Hawaii telescope cost estimate increases to $2.4B

HONOLULU (AP) — The cost to build a giant telescope that’s unpopular among many Native Hawaiians is now estimated to have ballooned by a billion...

Stuck home? Planets, moon providing predawn entertainment

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Stuck at home this week? The planets and our moon are providing some early morning entertainment. Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and...

As virus shuts down cities in Europe, pollution drops

BERLIN (AP) — The European Union’s space agency’s earth-observation satellites have detected a significant reduction in the pollutant nitrogen dioxide, a byproduct of the use...

SpaceX puts 60 satellites into orbit despite engine failure

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX launched 60 more of its internet satellites into orbit Wednesday despite an engine failure shortly after liftoff on a...

Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, who circled moon, dies at 88

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, who circled the moon alone in 1971 while his two crewmates test-drove the first lunar...

‘Wonderchicken’ fossil reveals ancestor of today’s birds

New York (AP) — A tiny fossil skull nicknamed “Wonderchicken” is giving scientists a rare glimpse at early ancestors of today’s birds. It may be...

Media faces challenges in covering coronavirus outbreak

NEW YORK (AP) — Covering the coronavirus story requires careful navigation and constant attention. News organizations trying to responsibly report on the growing health crisis...

Greens, Thunberg say EU climate law lacks ambition

BRUSSELS (AP) — Climate activists and Green members of the European Parliament are urging the European Union to be more ambitious as the bloc gets...

Virus halts pilgrimages to Mecca, Friday prayers in Iran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The coronavirus outbreak disrupted Islamic worship in the Middle East as Saudi Arabia on Wednesday banned its citizens and other residents...

EU commission unveils climate law amid criticism

BRUSSELS (AP) — Amid fierce criticism from environmental activists, the European Commission unveiled plans Wednesday for its first ever climate law, which will act as...

Japan suspends annual funding for Hawaii telescope project

HONOLULU (AP) — Japan suspended its yearly funding for a giant telescope project in Hawaii, citing an ongoing stalemate over its construction. Japan is not...

Senators reach $2B deal to boost conservation, parks

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate leaders and the Trump administration have reached an election-year deal to double spending on a popular conservation program and devote more...

Great Barrier Reef enters crucial period in coral bleaching

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Great Barrier Reef is facing a critical period of heat stress over the coming weeks following the most widespread coral...

Meet Perseverance: Mars rover gets name ahead of July launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA’s next Mars rover finally has a name. Perseverance, a six-wheeled robotic explorer, will blast off this summer to collect...

Hundreds attend service for NASA pioneer Katherine Johnson

HAMPTON, Va. (AP) — Three black astronauts joined hundreds of other mourners Saturday at a memorial service for pioneering African American mathematician and NASA researcher...

Boeing hit with 61 safety fixes for astronaut capsule

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Boeing faces 61 safety fixes following last year’s botched test flight of its Starliner crew capsule, NASA said Friday. NASA...

SpaceX launches station supplies, nails 50th rocket landing

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX successfully launched another load of station supplies for NASA late Friday night and nailed its 50th rocket landing. The...

Facebook reports 4Q profit, user growth despite challenges

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Facebook had a strong fourth quarter, making more money on advertising and adding more users despite challenges around regulation, privacy and...

Record sales push Tesla to 2nd straight quarterly profit

DETROIT (AP) — Record electric vehicle sales in the fourth quarter helped to push Tesla Inc. to its second-straight quarterly profit, giving bullish investors optimism...

Uber, Lyft confirm Phoenix airport business as usual for now

PHOENIX (AP) — Ride-hailing companies Uber and Lyft say they won’t change their service at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport until Arizona’s highest court rules...

Apple, Broadcom told to pay Caltech $1.1B in patent lawsuit

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal jury on Wednesday decided that Apple Inc. and Broadcom Inc. must pay $1.1 billion to the California Institute of...

Pompeo reassures Britain on US relations after Brexit

LONDON (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Thursday that the U.S. and Britain would retain and enhance their special relationship once the...

Ginni Rometty, 1st female CEO at IBM, to step down in April

ARMONK, N.Y. (AP) — Ginni Rometty, the first female CEO in IBM’s century-long history, is leaving the helm in April. Rometty, 62, will remain IBM’s...

IBM CEOs over the century; first and only woman is leaving

IBM has had just one female CEO in its century-long history. Ginni Rometty took over the helm in January 2012. IBM announced Thursday that she’s...

Atari plans to open video game-themed resorts in 8 US cities

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Atari, the arcade game company that ushered in the gaming revolution in the 1980s, is opening eight video game-themed hotels across...

Mario like Mickey? Nintendo banks on profits from characters

TOKYO (AP) — Will Mario follow in the steps of Mickey Mouse? Japanese video game maker Nintendo Co. said Friday it is bullish about profiting...

Twitter, Pinterest crack down on voter misinformation

Twitter and Pinterest are taking new steps to root out voting misinformation designed to suppress participation in the November elections. Twitter unveiled a new tool...

Amazon’s latest milestone: 150 million Prime members

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon had another prime holiday season. The online retailer said Thursday it has more than 150 million Prime members worldwide who...

Dating apps face US inquiry over underage use, sex offenders

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A House subcommittee is investigating popular dating services such as Tinder and Bumble for allegedly allowing minors and sex offenders to...

Philippine volcano alert lowered, thousands return home

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine authorities on Sunday lowered the alert level at Taal Volcano, two weeks after it began spewing ash, steam and rocks,...

Survey: Alaska’s Cook Inlet beluga whales continue decline

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The population of endangered beluga whales in Alaska’s Cook Inlet continues to decline, federal marine mammal authorities announced Tuesday. A biennial...

China temporarily bans wildlife trade in wake of outbreak

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities temporarily banned the trade of wild animals Sunday following a viral outbreak in Wuhan, saying they will “severely investigate and...

4 Missouri River states unite to try to limit flooding

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri are joining forces for a study that will look for ways the states can limit flooding...

UK introduces new fast-track visa to attract scientists

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced a new fast-track visa to attract more of the world’s best scientists to the U.K. in...

Northeast governors slow to embrace regional climate pact

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Supporters of a regional pact that would tackle transportation emissions are struggling to win over several New England governors concerned that...

German government defends coal phase-out against critics

BERLIN (AP) — The German government approved a bill Wednesday that will codify the country’s closure of coal-fired power stations, defending the plan against critics...

Harvard professor charged with hiding China ties, payments

BOSTON (AP) — A Harvard University professor was charged Tuesday with lying about his ties to a Chinese-run recruitment program and concealing payments he received...

Astronaut craves salsa and surf after record 11 months aloft

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — After nearly 11 months in orbit, the astronaut holding the record for the longest spaceflight by a woman can’t wait...

NASA shutting down space telescope, infrared eyes to cosmos

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA is pulling the plug on one of its great observatories — the Spitzer Space Telescope — after 16 years...

Telescope reveals details of sun’s turbulent surface

NEW YORK (AP) — A telescope in Hawaii has produced its first images of the sun, revealing its turbulent gas surface in what scientists called...

WWII-era ammunition found at Tesla factory site near Berlin

BERLIN (AP) — Authorities in Germany say 85 kilograms (187 pounds) of World War II ammunition have been found on the site where Tesla plans...

UK lays out tough child data privacy rules

LONDON (AP) — Social media sites, games and other online services won’t be allowed to “nudge” British kids into revealing personal details or lowering their...

Netflix holds its own in the streaming wars – for now

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Netflix is holding its ground in the streaming wars, passing its first big test since Apple and Disney launched rival services....