LND topic: planetary-institute page 1

planetary institute

Staff Cuts Slow Down Government Record Requests

March 14, 2026

A wave of layoffs in the federal workforce has made it harder for people to get documents from government agencies. The cuts started when a new president took office 14 months ago, with a hiring freeze and many employees leaving or retiring early. The result is that agencies are missing deadlines fo

education

Celebrating Local Scholars: A Look at Their Academic Wins

March 14, 2026

Osceola County students are making waves far beyond their hometown, earning top honors at a variety of colleges and universities across the country. One standout is Jalen Amari Gummer, who earned a cum laude Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from Furman University. His success is a reminder tha

environment

Smart Pyrolysis: Turning Plastic Trash into Useful Oil

March 12, 2026

A new team effort in Germany is turning the way we think about plastic waste. The project, called Smart Pyrolysis, brings together a chemical company and a research institute to make plastic recycling smarter. Instead of burning or dumping plastic, the plan is to heat it in a controlled way so

science

Mystery Orbit: Why a Black Hole‑Neutron Star Collision Defies Expectations

March 11, 2026

A recent collision between a black hole and a neutron star has shocked scientists, showing that the two bodies were still on an oddly oval path just before they merged. This new finding contradicts the long‑held belief that such pairs must settle into neat, circular orbits before they meet. By re‑

health

Future Paths in Medical Ethics: Lessons from a 50‑Year Journey

March 11, 2026

The Journal of Medical Ethics marked half a century in 2025, sparking thoughts about how the field has evolved and where it should head next. At that year’s Institute of Medical Ethics conference, researchers gathered opinions from attendees to map out the discipline’s future. They asked three key q

science

Science Lost in the Skies

March 7, 2026

The world watches missiles fly over the Middle East and sees the obvious damage: people hurt, leaders lost, oil prices jump. But a hidden cost is also growing, one that shows up not on a battlefield map but in laboratories and libraries. In June of last year, two missiles from Iran hit the Weizma

science

Scientists Leave NIH, Saying Their Work Is Blocked

March 6, 2026

In the past few years, many federal researchers have quit or retired early from the National Institutes of Health. A doctor who studied cancer treatments, a scientist studying tick diseases, and an addiction researcher all said the Trump years made their jobs impossible. They faced budget cuts, hiri

science

Breaking the Data Gap: How a WNBA Owner is Powering Women’s Sports Science

March 6, 2026

A new owner of the New York Liberty stepped into her role in 2019 with a clear goal: improve the health and performance of female athletes. She noticed that most scientific research in sports focused on men, leaving women with fewer tools to prevent injury and enhance training. To address this misma

politics

PETA’s Unexpected Ally in the Fight Against Animal Testing

March 5, 2026

PETA, a well‑known animal rights group that often stages eye‑catching protests, has recently found itself praising the current U. S. administration for its moves to cut back on animal research. The group’s senior VP, Kathy Guillermo, praised the shift in policy as “night and day” compared to past le

politics

AI Centers vs. Farmland: Texas Votes on the Future

March 4, 2026

In a surprising turn, voters in Texas chose businessman Nate Sheets over longtime incumbent John Miller for the state’s agriculture commissioner role. The decision highlighted how the rise of artificial‑intelligence data centers may outweigh traditional farming concerns, even in a state known for it