Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
A wayward SpaceX rocket crashes into the moon, offering scientists a rare chance to study a lunar impact, while cyberattacks targeting U.S. water utilities raise concerns about critical infrastructure security. We also unpack the record-breaking Cyclospora outbreak driving shoppers to farmers markets and explore the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the first mRNA-based flu vaccine.
0:00 Intro
0:23 SpaceX Rocket Crashes into the Moon
5:16 Cyberattacks on Water Utilities
6:51 Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
11:08 New mRNA Flu Vaccine
Recommended Reading:
A SpaceX rocket is about to crash into the moon—scientists will be watching
scientificamerican.com/article/a-spacex-rocket-is-about-to-crash-into-the-moon-scientists-will-be-watching
Elon Musk reveals SpaceX plans to build satellite factories on the moon
scientificamerican.com/article/elon-musk-reveals-spacex-plans-to-build-satellite-factories-on-the-moon
In a first, U.S. approves powerful new mRNA vaccine for flu
scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-approves-modernas-mrna-vaccine-for-flu-the-first-of-its-kind
Cyclospora outbreak tied to two deaths as parasite-borne illness continues to rage
scientificamerican.com/article/cyclospora-outbreak-tied-to-two-deaths-as-the-parasite-borne-illness-continues-to-rage
Join our Summer Reading Challenge
sciam.com/readingchallenge
E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!
Discover something new every day. Subscribe to Scientific American: scientificamerican.com/getsciam
And sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter: scientificamerican.com/account/email-preferences
Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.
A wayward SpaceX rocket crashes into the moon, offering scientists a rare chance to study a lunar impact, while cyberattacks targeting U.S. water utilities raise concerns about critical infrastructure security. We also unpack the record-breaking Cyclospora outbreak driving shoppers to farmers markets and explore the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the first mRNA-based flu vaccine.
0:00 Intro
0:23 SpaceX Rocket Crashes into the Moon
5:16 Cyberattacks on Water Utilities
6:51 Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
11:08 New mRNA Flu Vaccine
Recommended Reading:
A SpaceX rocket is about to crash into the moon—scientists will be watching
scientificamerican.com/article/a-spacex-rocket-is-about-to-crash-into-the-moon-scientists-will-be-watching
Elon Musk reveals SpaceX plans to build satellite factories on the moon
scientificamerican.com/article/elon-musk-reveals-spacex-plans-to-build-satellite-factories-on-the-moon
In a first, U.S. approves powerful new mRNA vaccine for flu
scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-approves-modernas-mrna-vaccine-for-flu-the-first-of-its-kind
Cyclospora outbreak tied to two deaths as parasite-borne illness continues to rage
scientificamerican.com/article/cyclospora-outbreak-tied-to-two-deaths-as-the-parasite-borne-illness-continues-to-rage
Join our Summer Reading Challenge
sciam.com/readingchallenge
E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover!
Discover something new every day. Subscribe to Scientific American: scientificamerican.com/getsciam
And sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter: scientificamerican.com/account/email-preferences
Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Marielle Issa and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith.
