Daily Brief: Top 5 science stories making headlines

Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 18 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in the field of science.

SpaceX targets first Starship orbital test

SpaceX said it was preparing to launch its next Starship flight test on or before 22 September, a mission expected to send the vehicle into orbit for the first time and deploy Starlink V3 satellites. Starship's 14th test flight would mark a major leap in the rocket's development over its last test in July.

Satellite data shows major ice losses for Greenland and Antarctica

New research based on satellite data dating back to the 1970s has documented major polar ice losses in Greenland and Antarctica - home to Earth's two great ice sheets, that have contributed to rising global sea levels. Between 1979 and 2023, according to data from 27 satellite missions, Greenland and Antarctica lost a combined 11.3 trillion tons of ice. 

NASA says Roman telescope could last 22 years

NASA says the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope could have a potential operational lifespan of up to 22 years, even before reaching its planned orbit. Ahead of its launch last month, the U.S. space agency had said Roman was designed for a five-year primary mission, plus a five-year extended mission, with a 10-year fuel budget in total.

Study shows marvels of the Roman Empire's road network

Augustus, ancient Rome’s first emperor, placed the gilded Milliarium Aureum, or Golden Milestone, in the Roman Forum in 20 BC to mark the symbolic starting point of the empire’s roads. Researchers have now conducted a detailed structural analysis of the network, which stretched roughly 190,000 miles (300,000 km) across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

New cat species identified in Bolivia

A previously unknown species of tiny wild cat has been identified in Bolivia’s cloud forests, marking the first formal description of a new living cat species in more than a century. Known as Tilcayo by local communities, the tiger cat measures about 46 cm long and weighs around 1.4 kg, making it smaller than an average domestic cat.

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SpaceX Starship NASA Greenland climate change Roman Empire Ancient Rome Bolivia