The iNaturalist cellphone app not only helps users identify plant, animal and insect species; it also provides invaluable data to scientists studying biodiversity, species decline, and habitat loss.

March 21, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

Ahead of the film adaptation’s release, Weir talked to Popular Mechanics about creating accurate sci-fi tech, protagonist Ryland Grace, and more.

Andy Weir discusses his science-fueled novel “Project Hail Mary,” which has been adapted into a film that opens in theaters on Friday.

The bestselling writer and self-described “dork” explains how he crafts upbeat space-set thrillers from dire scenarios only expertise can solve.

The African continent is splitting along a triple junction of rifts that converge in Afar, Ethiopia. A new ocean may take millions of years to form, but that is giving scientists ample time to glean important discoveries from one of the world’s most inhospitable regions.