Britain’s wasps are unusually scarce this summer; researchers cannot find enough for experiments, and the few seen are unusually small

Britain’s wasps are unusually scarce this summer; researchers cannot find enough for experiments, and the few seen are unusually small

Britain’s summer is missing one of its most familiar insects. Wasps that usually gather around outdoor food, patrol gardens and become increasingly noticeable in late summer appear unusually scarce in 2026. The shortage has become so pronounced that researchers are struggling to collect enough insects for laboratory experiments, while the few wasps being seen appear … Read more

Some stars repeatedly skim past supermassive black holes, lose material and survive; scientists now think their unusually rapid spin explains why each returning flare becomes progressively dimmer

Some stars repeatedly skim past supermassive black holes, lose material and survive; scientists now think their unusually rapid spin explains why each returning flare becomes progressively dimmer

Representative Image (Canva) Some stars can make repeated close passes around supermassive black holes, losing part of their material each time while surviving to return again. These encounters produce bursts of light, or flares, that can recur months or even years apart. But astronomers have been puzzled by a pattern seen in some of these … Read more