The U.S. is expanding its long-standing scientific collaborations with India —as both countries prioritize strengthening their science and tech foundationsand try to counter China's ever-growing influence.
Why it matters: The Biden administration is trying to build "a stable base in the Indo-Pacific." India is challenging China to become the voice of the Global South. Science is a lever of power both are pulling to try to achieve those goals.
NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is back on Earth after a record-breaking 371 continuous days in space.
Why it matters: Understanding what happens to the human body during long-duration stays in orbit is crucial before sending astronauts to farther afield destinations like the Moon and Mars.
This summer featured the hottest days yet recorded worldwide. And we're already seeing some of the biggest temperature anomalies of any fall season.
Our thought bubble: There have been so many temperature records set this year that some of the words we use to describe them — "unprecedented," "record" and "unusual" — are losing their punch.
