Just try to keep up with Santa this weekend in Houston.

ExxonMobil partners with Spring ISD to boost STEM education.

Houston-based Intuitive Machines aims to land its Nova-C lander on the moon, returning American innovation to the lunar surface and advancing commercial space exploration.

Researchers at Texas A&M developed a material inspired by fire ants that self-assembles and disassembles, potentially aiding advancements in medical and robotics technology.

NASA has cracked open asteroid Bennu samples, after fixing a technical issue, with initial findings showing carbon and water indicative of life's building blocks.

Axiom Space launched its third commercial crew mission to the ISS with SpaceX, including the first Turkish astronaut and experiments to study space's effects on humans and plants.

Brazoria County officials and residents oppose the proposed Charles River monkey breeding and research facility, with Pearland City Council rejecting it due to ethical and environmental concerns.

Reliant Energy offers tips to Houstonians for saving on utility bills during high-energy demand periods, while various assistance programs provide aid for those struggling with costs.

Rice University has launched the Rice Synthetic Biology Institute, aiming to become a leader in graduate research and attract top talent in science and engineering.

Intuitive Machines delays its moon landing mission due to propellant loading issues, with a rescheduled launch set for Thursday from Kennedy Space Center.

AT&T users nationwide faced disruptions in service, affecting calls, texts, and internet connectivity. Verizon and T-Mobile also saw some outages. The cause remains unclear, and the impact stretched to emergency services and media operations.

The FAA concluded its investigation into SpaceX's Starship test, mandating 17 corrective actions before further launches, following the explosive failure of both stages during a November test flight.

Intuitive Machines' lunar lander mission with the Nova-C craft ends earlier than planned due to power loss with the onset of the lunar night, after a challenging landing tilted the lander.

Houston police fatally shot a male suspect during a response to an assault call at an apartment on Leona Street; officers Kang and Samaniego, unharmed, returned fire after being attacked.

NASA's Johnson Space Center celebrated the graduation of 12 astronauts, including two from the UAE, who completed rigorous training and may crew various spacecraft for future missions.

Biotech firm Cellipont establishes its 76,000-square-foot headquarters in The Woodlands, Texas, reflecting the area's growing appeal to life science companies.

NASA's budget for FY 2024 has been reduced by 2%, with a total allocation of $24.9 billion, affecting scientific projects but sparing Houston's Johnson Space Center.

Rice University joins the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium to focus on creating safe and reliable AI through a strategic alliance, with the Ken Kennedy Institute leading the university's efforts.

SpaceX is preparing for the third launch attempt of Starship in Texas, aiming for a historic flight with a 70% chance of favorable weather. This test will demonstrate the vehicle’s capabilities for future manned missions to the moon and Mars.

Houston and Central Texas businesses anticipate challenges resulting from a potential TikTok ban discussed in Congress due to national security concerns related to its Chinese parent company.

The commercial lunar lander Odysseus, or 'Odie', did not survive the extreme conditions of the moon's surface after its historic landing, Intuitive Machines confirms.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket created a light show in the night sky over Houston, mistaken for a celestial event, while performing a deorbit burn before splashing down in the Atlantic.

Texas Original opens a new medical cannabis pickup location in Sugar Land, Texas, expanding access to patients and adding new products like THC-only gummies.

The FIRST Robotics World Championships in Houston features young tech minds and robotics, including nine San Diego teams and a family legacy of mentorship in the field.

Boeing's launch of the Starliner spacecraft was postponed due to a valve issue in the Atlas V rocket. The mission aimed for the ISS will attempt another launch on Friday.

Texas A&M University is partnering with NASA to build a testing facility at the Johnson Space Center to support future lunar and Mars missions, funded by $200 million from the Texas legislature.

Houston's Venus Aerospace gears up for hypersonic travel, benefiting from an FAA reauthorization bill, while embarking on its fourth year with significant legislative support to prioritize hypersonic aircraft development.

The world's largest Cybertruck meetup organized by the Tesla Owners Club of Austin is set for June 2 in Gatesville, Texas, featuring activities like a light show and a challenging dirt track event.

SpaceX's Starship prototype has successfully completed its fourth test launch, including water landings of the booster and spacecraft, despite minor issues, advancing the company's reusable spacecraft development.

Firefly Aerospace is set to launch its Alpha rocket carrying eight educational and organizational CubeSats into orbit as part of NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative.

Houston residents used the Whataburger app to track power outages following Hurricane Beryl, as the fast-food chain's operational status reflected area electricity availability.

NASA cancels its moon-bound VIPER rover project due to budget constraints, although the agency seeks alternative ways to achieve the mission's scientific goals.

A defect in a CrowdStrike content update caused a global IT outage, disrupting airport services in Houston and impacting various sectors including healthcare and banking. The issue affected Microsoft 365 apps but was not a cyberattack.

The James Webb Space Telescope captured images of the interacting galaxies known as "The Der" and the "Egg," revealing details of their cosmic dance and star formation.

Houston's major airports are operational again after a CrowdStrike software update issue affected Microsoft 365 services, causing significant flight delays and cancellations worldwide.

NASA's Johnson Space Center renamed a building to honor Dorothy Vaughan and the women of the Apollo program, reflecting on their pivotal roles in space exploration.

Crew-9, with astronauts from NASA and a cosmonaut from Roscosmos, is set to launch in August for a six-month ISS mission, focusing on interdisciplinary research and personal mementos.

NASA astronauts will return on SpaceX Crew Dragon as Boeing Starliner faces issues; NASA stresses safety in decision, and Boeing is committed to resolving technical problems.

The Polaris Dawn mission, led by Jared Isaacman, plans to conduct the first commercial spacewalk and aims to fly higher than any other human since the Apollo missions.

Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander is headed to JPL for environmental tests before its planned SpaceX Falcon 9 launch later this year to carry out science missions on the moon.

Audio feedback from an audio system was identified as the cause of a strange noise detected in the Boeing Starliner capsule, which won't affect its return to Earth.

The Polaris Dawn mission may launch on Friday, with backup dates set for Saturday and Sunday, following delays due to a helium leak and weather. It aims to conduct the first commercial spacewalk and further test Starlink communications.

The Boeing Starliner is scheduled to return to Earth from the ISS, after propulsion issues delayed its departure. The uncrewed spacecraft will undock, perform a deorbit burn, and land in New Mexico.

Drones are being introduced in Texas law enforcement to address rapid response challenges, despite concerns over privacy and warrantless surveillance. Montgomery County and Bee Cave are testing programs that utilize drones as first responders.

The Polaris Dawn mission, led by SpaceX and funded by Jared Isaacman, successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center for a five-day orbit with aims to conduct a commercial spacewalk and reach a high apogee.

Anna Menon read her book "Kisses from Space" to St. Jude patients and her children from the Polaris Dawn spacecraft, supporting the hospital's mission.

The FAA has postponed approval for increased Starship launches by SpaceX, citing the need for additional environmental and safety reviews. SpaceX has criticized the delays as overly bureaucratic.

Meta experienced global outages affecting Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, with over 90,000 reports on Downdetector. Services mostly resumed within an hour.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe is expected to make its closest approach to the sun yet, venturing within 3.8 million miles of the solar surface at speeds of 430,000 mph.

Researchers at UTMB led by Dr. Yunfeng Chen use mechanobiology in a miniaturized device to improve thrombotic risk diagnosis, a major step for personalized medicine in cardiovascular disease prevention.

Axiom Space plans to launch the world's first commercial space station modules starting with the power module to ensure earlier free flight operations, supporting NASA's transition from the ISS.

A study demonstrates that the oral antiviral drug obeldesivir is effective against Marburg virus, offering a potential treatment that improves survival rates.

Texas A&M University System collaborates with four companies to develop advanced nuclear reactors at its Rellis Campus, in a move expected to boost the state's energy innovation.

Houston-based company Intuitive Machines' lunar lander Athena failed to operate after a sideways landing on the moon, halting its mission and experiments.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams returned to Earth via SpaceX capsule after an extended space mission due to Boeing test flight issues. They spent 286 days in space before splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.

Dr. Bernard Harris, an astronaut and University of Houston alum, will be inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame for his achievements, including being the first African American spacewalker.

A significant Xfinity service outage in Houston disrupted internet, TV, DVR, and voice services, affecting residential customers, public services, and Port Houston operations. Restoration was expected by 4 p.m. The cause is under investigation.

UTMB partners with Microsoft for a five-year collaboration to enhance healthcare technology, moving its Epic medical records system to Azure for improved security and innovation.

Google offers buyouts to employees as part of cost-cutting, including staff from search, ads, research, and engineering, and asks some remote workers to return to hybrid work.

SpaceX's Starship experienced an "anomaly" during a test in South Texas, causing an explosion but no injuries. The incident rattled local homes, sparking discussions about SpaceX's impact and environmental concerns.

Archaeologists at the University of Houston discovered a tomb believed to be of Mayan king Te K'ab Chaak in Belize, revealing ties between ancient Mesoamerican cultures.

Texas AG Ken Paxton is taking action against Big Tech and others to protect data privacy, securing settlements with companies like Meta and Google and investigating over 200 entities for potential privacy violations.

Apple is set to reveal the iPhone 17 lineup on September 9, including the iPhone 17, 17 Air, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max, with pre-orders starting September 12. New features include LTPO OLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates across all models.

Axiom Space launches a global university alliance to expand microgravity research, partnering with 15 educational institutions to sustain scientific access to low-Earth orbit.

NASA is announcing its 2025 astronaut class today, chosen from over 8,000 applicants for Artemis II moon mission training. The event will be live-streamed at 11:30 a.m. from the Johnson Space Center.

Eli Lilly to construct a $6.5 billion manufacturing plant in Houston, as per CEO David Ricks, expecting to create 4,000 construction and 615 permanent jobs.

An AWS outage affected many websites and services, including Venmo and Hulu. The issue, stemming from DNS problems in DynamoDB, was largely mitigated by 3:35 a.m. PDT.

We tried to check our own website this morning and got an error message, joining millions of users locked out when the company protecting a fifth of the internet went dark. Whether you can read this right now depends on where you're sitting—a fitting introduction to the fragile infrastructure holding the digital world together.

An mRNA vaccine developed by the Houston Zoo and Baylor College of Medicine appears to help elephants fight a deadly herpesvirus, with early successes at Cincinnati and other U.S. zoos. If trials hold up, the shot could cut juvenile elephant deaths worldwide.

A UTHealth Houston‑led trial finds the oral GLP‑1 pill orforglipron produced dose‑dependent weight loss and improved blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes.

Houston Independent School District introduces a secure version of ChatGPT designed to help teachers with administrative tasks without changing teaching methods or curriculum.

Houston broke ground on a VA‑campus disease‑testing lab officials say will process thousands of samples daily, a project that moved forward after federal funding was cut.

State grants steer more than $120M to Houston hospitals, startups and prevention programs in CPRIT's latest round.

Aboard the ISS, astronauts shared packaged turkey, lobster and even a can of Russian cranberry sauce during a Thanksgiving meal after a Soyuz crew arrived. The multinational dinner came from a specially packed "BOB" flown up on a resupply run.

A small asteroid with a non-zero percent chance of hitting the Moon in 2032 has scientists from the Bay Area to Houston and New York scrambling to refine its orbit. As teams weigh everything from reconnaissance missions to nuclear disruption, the question is whether the odds will shrink before time runs out.

Lexicon Pharmaceuticals of The Woodlands licensed LX9851 to Novo Nordisk in a deal worth up to $1B, delivering upfront cash and renewed momentum for the local life‑science cluster.

Avance Biosciences opened a 75,000-square-foot GMP potency and cell-based assay center in northwest Houston to support vaccines and cell and gene therapies.

Two businessmen have been arrested for smuggling advanced AI technology to China, violating U.S. export controls, with one pleading guilty to exporting NVIDIA GPUs worth $160 million.

Houston geothermal startup Fervo closed a $462M Series E with Google among the backers, accelerating its Cape Station build in Utah and a wider western pipeline.

A Houston startup says its field kit spots corrosive microbes in hours, not months, promising fewer leaks, less chemical use and lower emissions. Pilots in Houston and Brazil are already underway.

Intuitive Machines has teamed with Leonardo and Telespazio to link U.S. and European lunar communications and navigation systems, with the first relay satellite planned for IM‑3.

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston is the first VA to deploy Intuitive's Da Vinci 5 robots, bringing haptic feedback and analytics to help reduce recovery times.

Sugar Land invests in surveillance technology and local biotech research, approving $2.2 million for license plate readers and $500,000 for police tech, plus a $1 million incentive to foster Hope Biosciences' growth.

ERCOT's new 'batch' interconnection plan could put about 8.2 GW of approved data‑center load back under review, forcing clearer timelines and staged commitments.

Project Metis aims to turn Houston into a global brain‑health hub by linking universities, hospitals and industry. Leaders say the move could attract trials, startups and jobs.

Paladin's Knighthawk 2.0 promises faster, higher‑resolution aerial video for police and firefighters. The Houston startup is testing the system in the Memorial Villages while it works through privacy and regulatory details.

Space Center Houston's Moon 2 Mars Festival (March 11–14) pairs hands-on STEM, tram tours and concerts by The Wallflowers and 311.

Austin approved a jobs‑based incentive for South Korea’s 3billion to open a 12,994‑sq‑ft genetic testing lab, promising about 200 jobs and capacity for 50,000 tests a year.

FIRST extended its partnership with Houston through 2034, a seven-year agreement tied to the George R. Brown expansion that officials say will bring thousands and more than $500 million to the city.

Humble ISD has signed an agreement to pilot OpenAI’s ChatGPT for Teachers through 2027, promising training and privacy protections while testing whether the AI can cut paperwork for staff.

Rice won conditional approval for a $14.1M Texas Space Commission grant to create a Center for Space Technologies focused on lunar research and workforce training.

A new $70M, four-story health building opened at SHSU’s Conroe campus, centralizing graduate allied-health programs and simulation labs for hands-on training.

AIAA has submitted a bid to bring IAC 2029 to Houston, tying the event to the GRB South expansion and the city’s space legacy.

Space Center Houston says it has the space and staff to host a major NASA vehicle, but NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman will decide which artifact comes to Houston.

UTMB's Moody Longevity Trial will test whether weekly tirzepatide (Zepbound) shifts DNA‑methylation clocks and measures of mobility and brain health in adults 55–70.

University of Houston physicists used a pressure‑quench protocol to stabilize superconductivity at 151 K under ambient pressure — a new record with implications for power transmission.

Daikin Park will add Evolv Gen2 scanners and the autonomous eXpedite bag scanner, promising faster entry lines and renewed privacy questions.

LSU’s FUEL is funding proof‑of‑concept grants, a brewery‑turned startup hub and new university programs to turn Baton Rouge labs into energy‑sector jobs. Early investments and a repurposed maker space are meant to keep innovation and jobs in Louisiana.

Houston jeweler Johnny Dang says viral AI‑generated videos are falsely depicting him and his business. The clips spread fast — here’s what experts and new laws say.

Axiom Space is assembling the AxEMU lunar suits in Houston — seamstresses and engineers are running pools and vacuum tests as NASA moves toward Artemis surface operations.

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office has started training deputies on Axon’s AI Translation Assistant, which transcribes and translates body‑cam audio in near real time. The feature is being added to existing Axon cameras and evidence software.

Local pad activity, Booster 19 testing and a Starbase closure have pushed SpaceX’s next Starship flight into an early‑to‑mid‑May window. Here’s what to watch.

TMC and San Jac signed an April 14 MOU to expand hands‑on training and channel students into growing biomanufacturing jobs in Houston.

Rice researchers built a two‑bacterium sensor that converts chemical detections into electrical signals for low‑cost field readouts.

UT Austin, UTSA and Baylor are moving AI into core computer‑science classes as software hiring cools and many students delay the job market for extra training.

Houston startups raised $532.3M in Q1 2026 — a near‑50% jump from a year earlier, driven by large energy and decarbonization financings.

UTHealth Houston followed 630 hospitalized COVID patients for 36 months and found four cognitive trajectories, including a small group with delayed decline.

Dr. Anil Menon, an emergency physician at Memorial Hermann–Texas Medical Center, is headed to the International Space Station for an eight‑month mission beginning this summer.

Texas Southern University is opening a spaceport facility at Ellington Airport with classrooms, hangars and training designed to funnel students into aerospace careers.

UH and DHR Health broke ground on a $15M medical research and education center in McAllen to train doctors locally and expand community-focused research.

A Texas A&M team reports a two‑dose nasal spray made from stem cell‑derived vesicles cut brain inflammation and improved memory in older mice.

Peggy and Carl Sewell gave $10 million to launch MD Anderson's Center for Cellular Language Intelligence, a hub using spatial biology and AI to map tumor ecosystems.

Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern joined 13 other HBCUs in AHRI, a new coalition designed to boost research capacity and help more schools reach Carnegie’s R1 status. Leaders say pooled funding and AAU and Harvard partnerships will accelerate the work.

UT Arlington will lead a $4M, state-backed project with Rice to deploy a radar-integrated, real-time flood-warning network across the Texas Hill Country. The platform aims to deliver location-specific depth forecasts to emergency managers.

A $13M state award will expand Texas A&M’s Cyclotron Institute, boosting radiation testing used by satellites, defense systems and semiconductor makers.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Netflix, alleging the streamer secretly harvested Texans’ data — including kids’ viewing logs — and shared it with ad-tech and data brokers.

Richard Tapia, the Rice University mathematician and mentor who championed diversity in STEM, has died at 88. His legacy includes the Tapia Center and a bridge named for him.

A Houston patient reports no evidence of disease after receiving tile‑based brachytherapy at MD Anderson, while Phase 3 ROADS data presented at ASCO show markedly improved local control.

A Dallas Fed survey finds two-thirds of Texas companies use AI; a small share say it lowered their need for workers.