I’m a science journalist and researcher at The Watchers, contributing to the Epicenter edition, where I cover peer-reviewed scientific research and emerging discoveries across Earth and space sciences. With a background in astronomy and a passion for environmental science, I’ve worked in shark and coral conservation in Fiji, conducting reef and shark-behavior research, contributing to mangrove restoration, and earning PADI Open Water and Coral Reef Certifications. I bring a blend of scientific rigor and storytelling to illuminate the discoveries shaping our planet and beyond.
A deep-sea mining test carried out in 1979 in the Clarion Clipperton Zone continues to show clear ecological damage, according to a study recently published in Nature. While physical marks on the seafloor persist, some small and mobile organisms have begun to return. Recovery, however, remains slow and incomplete.
An EF-1 tornado with maximum winds of 177 km/h (110 mph) struck Burnet County, Texas, at approximately 17:00 LT (22:00 UTC) on May 1, 2025. It injured one person, destroyed one home, and damaged at least 14 others. A second brief tornado touched down over open country later the same day.
Scientists are deploying ShadowCam’s high-sensitivity imaging and cosmic ray radar simulations to locate and quantify lunar water ice, a critical resource for future lunar bases that could provide drinking water or be processed into rocket fuel components.
2 drivers drowned in Oklahoma on April 30, 2025, as slow-moving thunderstorms triggered severe flash flooding across southern and eastern regions. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued multiple flood warnings and watches, with heavy rainfall increasing risks through early May.
Gold may not come from where you think. According to new research, some of the gold found in objects like phones and laptops could have been forged in violent magnetar explosions billions of years ago.
A new study shows that the latitude of solar coronal holes and the Sun’s B0 angle significantly influence high-speed solar wind streams, potentially improving the accuracy of space weather forecasts. The research introduces a predictive algorithm based on L5-L1 observations to enhance forecasting capabilities.
Geologists from the University of Colorado Boulder report that extensive valley networks on Mars were likely formed by widespread precipitation, challenging previous theories that attributed their formation to runoff from melting ice caps. Using landscape evolution models and topographic data from NASA missions, the researchers found that valley head elevations across Mars’ southern highlands are more consistent with rain or snowmelt than with localized ice melting.
Record rainfall triggered flash floods in Omaha, Nebraska, on Thursday, April 24, 2025, as severe thunderstorms moved through the state. Omaha recorded 64 mm (2.5 inches) of rain, surpassing the previous daily record of 43 mm (1.7 inches) set in 2007. Large hail and a couple of tornadoes were also reported during the storms.
Researchers predict that solar cycle 25 will produce 2 ± 1 extremely strong solar flares (stronger than X14.3) after spring 2027, along with a broader estimate of 5 ± 2 flares exceeding X10, based on solar observations since 1975.
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft flew by asteroid Donaldjohanson on April 20, 2025, capturing images of its elongated, lumpy bowling pin shape. The flyby, conducted as a test for upcoming Jupiter Trojan asteroid missions, revealed the asteroid’s dimensions as approximately 8 km (5 miles) in length and 3.5 km (2 miles) in width.
