Daily Recap: Science — 3 November 2026

Today’s science news spans both deep time and frontier technology, from new chemical clues about Inca ritual sacrifice to particle physics results at the edge of detectability. It also highlights how better measurement tools—from butterfly tags and asteroid imaging to seismic map...

Physicists at CERN’s upgraded LHCb experiment find evidence for an ultra-rare particle decay expected to happen only about once in every 10 billion beauty particles. The result caps a search lasting more than four decades and gives researchers a new way to test physics at extremely small scales in the so-called zeptoverse.

New toxicology analysis of Inca child mummy remains suggests children chosen for high-altitude sacrificial rituals were given multiple psychoactive substances before death, including cocaine and alcohol. The findings add chemical evidence to the picture of how the Inca prepared victims for these ceremonies and may refine understanding of ritual practice in the empire.

Seismologists use dense monitoring data to produce high-resolution images of where magma is stored beneath Hawai‘i’s Kīlauea volcano. The work improves scientists’ picture of the plumbing under one of the world’s most active volcanoes, a closely watched site that offers unusually rich data because of its long eruptive history and accessibility.

Researchers are fitting monarch butterflies with tiny tracking devices to map where they pause to feed and rest during their migration across North America. The project aims to identify the stopover sites the insects depend on, information that could guide conservation efforts as monarch populations continue to decline.

Europe’s Hera spacecraft has captured its first clear views of the two asteroids in the binary system altered by NASA’s DART impact mission. The images mark an early milestone as Hera closes in on the target, where it will help assess the outcome of the deflection test and strengthen planetary defense research.

South Korea is set to launch a preliminary review system for small modular reactor projects that lets developers seek early safety and design checks before formal licensing. The move is intended to streamline preparation for SMR applications, and regulators say several companies are ready to apply once the system begins.

Tamil Nadu has introduced a three-year policy to expand battery energy storage for solar integration and grid support. The plan targets 2.5 gigawatts of BESS capacity with 10 gigawatt-hours of storage, with the state power development corporation set to procure eligible projects at that scale over the policy period.

Indian universities feature strongly in QS Asia 2027 research output measures, with multiple institutions ranking highly for papers per faculty and many tying for top standing in share of staff with PhDs. The results point to broad research productivity and a large doctorally qualified academic workforce across the sector.