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.
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.
An M6.2 earthquake struck Istanbul, Turkey, on April 23, 2025, injuring more than 350 people, damaging buildings, and prompting warnings from seismologist Prof. Dr. Naci Görür about the potential for an M7+ event. He called for urgent action to strengthen the city’s seismic preparedness.
A Chinese research team tracked sulfur dioxide (SO2) from Iceland’s Sundhnukagigar volcano, which traveled over 2 000 km (1 243 miles) to the Svalbard Islands in the Arctic in 2023, causing significant smog. The findings, published in The Innovation Geoscience, documented the long-distance environmental impact of the eruption.
A NASA experiment shows how solar wind can form water on the lunar surface. The study, conducted with Apollo 17 samples, simulated 80,000 years of solar wind exposure.
Kīlauea’s 2018 eruption released volcanic ash that contributed to a large phytoplankton bloom 1 930 km (1 200 miles) away in the North Pacific. The bloom, spanning 1.5 million km², was one of the largest recorded in the region.
A new study from the University of Oxford shows that Earth’s building blocks contained sufficient hydrogen to form water internally, challenging the prevalent theory that water was delivered mainly by asteroids or comets.
At least 13 people have died in Nigeria’s Kwara and Niger states due to flooding triggered by the water released from the Jebba Dam on April 16, 2025. The floods have affected over 5 000 dry-season farmers across Niger and Kwara, impacting over 10 000 ha (24 700 acres) of paddy farms in Niger State’s Mokwa region alone.
A new study reveals that 14–17 % of global cropland, roughly 242 million ha (598 million acres), is contaminated with toxic metals, affecting food safety for up to 1.4 billion people. The contamination, driven by metals like cadmium and nickel, poses risks to agriculture and human health worldwide.
