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In an image captured by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, sunlight reflects off lakes of liquid methane around Titan's north pole. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/University of Idaho

Astronomers have used data from NASA’s Cassini mission to map the entire surface of Titan for the first time. It reveals that Saturn’s largest moon has a diverse terrain of mountains, plains, valleys, craters and lakes unlike anywhere in the Solar System outside Earth. NASA plans to send a drone to explore the surface of Titan by 2034.

Nature | 4 min read

Reference: Nature Astronomy paper

Source: Ref. 1

Samoa has declared a state of emergency, closed all schools and imposed mandatory immunization because of a measles epidemic that had killed six people as of last week. Most of the deaths have been among infants, none of whom were vaccinated. “The way it is going now and the poor (immunisation) coverage, we are anticipating the worst to come,” said Leausa Take Naseri, Samoa’s director-general of health.

The Guardian | 3 min read

The low gravity on the International Space Station makes some astronauts’ blood flow extremely slowly — and sometimes even flow backwards — in a vein that connects the head and the body. In tests on 11 astronauts in space after 50 days, 6 showed stagnant or retrograde flow in the left internal jugular vein, which caused one to develop a potentially dangerous blood clot.

New Scientist | 3 min read

Reference: JAMA Network Open paper

Features & opinion

The rich, crowded future of space is the focus of two books that explore the triumphs and disasters of space hardware. They inspire wonder at what we’ve achieved and a fresh awareness that we’ve only just begun, writes reviewer Meg Urry.

Nature | 5 min read

When it comes to your research style, are you a Niels Bohr — or more of an Alexander Fleming type? Business researchers Carsten Lund Pedersen and Thomas Ritter have come up with a two-by-two matrix that sorts scientists by their approach to scientific investigation. The benefits, they say, are “a basis for more objective self-analysis and reflection, and a better understanding of your colleagues and how they are likely to complement your own strengths and limitations”.

Nature Index | 6 min read

Reducing the amount of disposable plastic used in the lab is a challenge, and contamination means that recycling is just as hard. From complex decontamination processes to convincing recycling companies that ‘glucose’ is not toxic waste, discover how scientists are finding ways to make it happen.

Mosaic | 15 min read (or this 4-min short version if you’re in a hurry)