Week in Science: See stunning footage of the 2026 eclipse

Plus, major COVID study retracted                    

View in web browser

August 14—This week, the world saw another total solar eclipse! Check out our footage of the event, and see photos from along the path of totality. Also, scientists finally learned how metformin prevents type 2 diabetes by turning the gut into a sugar sink, birdsong follows a fundamental law of human language and a major study that fueled COVID vaccine skepticism was retracted. A lot more happened this week—take our Friday quiz to test your science knowledge. —Emma Gometz, Newsletter Editor How are you liking this newsletter? Email newsletters@sciam.com anytime.

Top Stories

See the 2026 total solar eclipse from around the world From a partial eclipse over Berlin to totality over Spain, see some of the incredible images of the August 12 total solar eclipse Claire Cameron

Popular drug metformin transforms your gut into a sugar sink Researchers are finally learning the mechanism behind one of the most prescribed medicines in the U.S., primarily used to treat or prevent type 2 diabetes Viviane Callier

Support science journalism you can trust with a subscription to Scientific American: Get 90 days of digital access for just $1!

Major COVID study that fueled vaccine skepticism retracted over ‘misinformation’ This study was originally published in 2024 and was criticized as being misleading by other scientists at the time Adam Kovac

Damaged sperm might be the true cause of repeated miscarriages New guidelines say testing sperm for DNA damage could help explain recurrent pregnancy losses Sarah Elizabeth Richards

Scientists calculated how much money and lives ‘Medicare for All’ might save—it’s a lot This study has been touted by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont as proof of the benefits of a universal, single-payer health care system, but the research hasn’t been peer-reviewed Adam Kovac

Scientists are closer than ever to understanding the power of the vagus nerve The vagus nerve is the autonomic nervous system’s highway, connecting every major organ Mary Randolph

Life on Earth may have emerged not once but twice The last common ancestor of all living things may not have been alive at all Stephanie Pappas

NASA’s Voyager 2 survives daring ‘big bang’ maneuver After 49 years in space, NASA’s Voyagers are running low on power—but an audacious move should extend the tenures of the two spacecraft Meghan Bartels

Science YouTuber Hank Green used AI to research his videos. His fans pushed back The backlash raises a bigger question for science communicators: Where should AI fit into their work? Mary Randolph

Latest Pentagon UFO files release includes video of mysterious ‘cold orbs’ This new cache of material includes footage of a U.S. military plane’s infrared display recorded during an exercise over the Gulf of Oman in 2021 Adam Kovac

Birdsong follows a fundamental law of human language A fundamental law of human language has now been found in both songbirds and whales Cody Cottier

Science may finally have made up its mind about coffee’s health benefits Doctors used to warn coffee drinkers. Now research reassures them Mary Randolph

Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters here. Scientific American 1000 N West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, Delaware 19801 Support our mission, subscribe to Scientific American here Unsubscribe  |  Preferences Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us