Week in Science: First private space walk was a stellar success

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September 13—This week, the world's first-ever commercial space walk went off without a hitch. Plus, U.S. deaths from heat are dangerously undercounted, and the surprising benefits of gossip. All that and more below! —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor

Top Stories

Polaris Dawn's First Private Space Walk Was a Stellar Success The world's first commercial space walk, by billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, tested new technology and was practically flawless Lee Billings

A New Quantum Cheshire Cat Thought Experiment Is Out of the Box The spin of a particle seems to detach and move without a body—a strange experimental observation that's stirring up debate Manon Bischoff

The First Person to Receive an Eye and Face Transplant Is Recovering Well A man who received a partial face and eye transplant after a serious accident does not have any vision in the transplanted eye, but the eye itself is still alive Tanya Lewis

The Surprising Benefits of Gossip Social scientists are uncovering the intricate group dynamics of gossip Francine Russo

Starliner Spacecraft Safely Returns to Earth, sans Astronauts Starliner's first crewed test flight has concluded with a successful touchdown—and two astronauts still in orbit awaiting a different ride home Lee Billings

Hurricane Francine Heads toward Louisiana, Ending Atlantic Hurricane Lull Tropical Storm Francine formed on Monday, ending a lull in the Atlantic hurricane season. It is expected to hit Louisiana as a hurricane Andrea Thompson

Shields Up! Lunar Swirls Arise from Ancient Underground Force Fields on the Moon Wispy whorls on the moon's surface are as lovely as they are strange. Scientists are starting to unravel their origins Phil Plait

U.S. Deaths from Heat Are Dangerously Undercounted By vastly understating the number of heat-related deaths, medical officials make it harder to improve heat safety and save lives Ariel Wittenberg; Chelsea Harvey; E&E News

Balancing Long-Term Caregiving with Personal Well-Being Caring for aging loved ones brings its own set of emotional and physical hurdles. Experts offer guidance on finding support. Rachel Feltman; Lauren J. Young; Tanya Lewis; Madison Goldberg, contract writer; Fonda Mwangi

We Must Secure Our Future in a Hotter, More Dangerous World Defending the U.S. is much more complicated in an era of climate change Sherri Goodman, expert writer

How Wildfires Create Rain and Change the Weather Because wildfires create their own wind patterns, they can also spawn their own weather. Here's how it works Kyle Hilburn, partner content; The Conversation US

Vape Additives that Mimic Nicotine Are Potent—and Largely Unregulated Nicotine analogs allow e-cigarette makers to avoid traditional tobacco product regulations. But data on their safety in humans are lacking Bradley van Paridon

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