The US has signed the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which will be verified through a global seismic monitoring system. The treaty bans nuclear testing in all environments except underground, and the global network is being installed by IRIS and the National Science Foundation to detect seismic events of magnitude 4.25 or larger.
The University of Wyoming's Institute for Energy Research has developed technology to evaluate deep natural gas resources, which is gaining interest from Asian nations. This technology helps understand fluid-flow relationships and pressure, unlocking hydrocarbon resources in deeper parts of sedimentary basins.
UC Berkeley's Center for Extreme Ultraviolet Astrophysics will take over day-to-day operations of the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) observatory, fostering space science and technology innovation. The transfer aims to reduce costs and increase educational outreach through project-based learning experiences.
A team of astronomers observed extremely rapid bursts of high-energy gamma rays from a distant galaxy, challenging current theoretical models. The bursts were extremely rapid, occurring in under half an hour, while previous flares occurred over days or minutes.