Yes, Microsoft Office is under $50. No, it’s not an Office 365.

Stunning footage from a Ugandan national park shows a surprising scene—predators like snakes and birds feasting on fruit bats, which are notorious carriers of viruses like Ebola. Scientists think this messy buffet might explain how deadly pathogens jump from bats to other animals (and eventually humans).

Editor’s Note: Most people don’t picture a snake snacking on a bat as a public health concern, but these predator-prey interactions could be a missing link in how viruses spill over into new species. Understanding these chaotic moments in nature might help us predict—or even prevent—future outbreaks.

A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration illegally slashed NIH grants aimed at supporting minority and LGBTQ+ health research, calling the cuts discriminatory. The court ordered the government to reinstate most of the funding, siding with advocates who argued these programs address critical disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just about money—it’s a win for marginalized communities who rely on targeted research to tackle systemic inequities in healthcare. The ruling pushes back against politicized budget cuts that could’ve set back progress on closing gaps in medical treatment and understanding. For researchers and advocacy groups, it’s a validation that these programs have legal (and moral) weight.

Back in the Apollo days, astronauts stumbled across something unexpected on the moon—tiny, fiery-orange glass beads scattered across its surface. For decades, scientists scratched their heads over how they got there. Now, new research suggests these beads are likely remnants of ancient volcanic eruptions that spewed molten material, which cooled into these colorful specks. It’s a clue that the moon’s volcanic past might have been way more dramatic than we thought.

Editor’s Note: This isn’t just a cool lunar oddity—it’s a piece of the puzzle about how the moon formed and evolved. If these beads are volcanic, they could rewrite parts of the moon’s geologic history, hinting at explosive eruptions we didn’t know happened. Plus, it’s a reminder that even 50-year-old Apollo samples are still giving us fresh insights. Who knows what else we’ll learn from moon rocks?

The James Webb Space Telescope just gave us an unsettling update on asteroid 2024 YR4—nicknamed the "city-killer" for its size. Fresh observations show its odds of slamming into the moon in December 2032 have jumped to 4.3%. That’s still a long shot, but space rocks this big (roughly the size of a football field) don’t usually get this close to a direct hit.

Editor’s Note: A 4.3% chance might sound low, but in asteroid terms, that’s eyebrow-raising. If 2024 YR4 did hit the moon, it wouldn’t threaten Earth directly, but the spectacle (and potential debris) would be a stark reminder of how much we still have to learn about near-Earth objects. Plus, it’s a test run for how we’d handle a rock actually headed for us.

Imagine stumbling upon a natural source of clean energy hiding beneath the American Midwest—not oil or gas, but hydrogen, formed by an ancient geological rift. That’s exactly what a handful of companies are chasing right now. New Scientist tagged along with one of the first drillers betting on this untapped resource, which could shake up how we think about fuel.

Editor’s Note: Hydrogen’s been hyped as a green energy game-changer, but most of it’s made from fossil fuels today. If naturally occurring "gold hydrogen" is out there in usable quantities, it could slash emissions and energy costs. The catch? No one knows yet if this is a fluke or the real deal—but the fact that prospectors are already digging in makes it a story worth watching.