Thursday, 13 August 2026
The day in science is led by the sky and the ground: a total solar eclipse draws crowds across northern Spain, while earthquakes in Colombia and India underscore how abruptly natural forces can disrupt lives. At the same time, aviation engineers mark a small but symbolic step toward electric flight with a successful test of a large battery-powered aircraft.
A total solar eclipse sweeps across parts of northern Spain, plunging some areas into darkness for about 59 seconds. The event reveals the Sun’s corona and draws crowds into streets, parks and rural viewpoints, where people watch the Moon fully cover the Sun and respond with cheers as daylight briefly fades.
Rescuers in Colombia continue searching for survivors after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake strikes on Monday. Teams work through damaged buildings and piles of rubble as officials warn that the window for finding people alive is narrowing, making the operation increasingly urgent with each passing day.
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake hits Leh in Ladakh on Thursday morning, with a second, smaller tremor reported a few hours later. The first quake occurs at about 6:05 a.m. at a depth of roughly 10 kilometers, adding to concerns about aftershocks in the Himalayan region.
Heart Aerospace says it completes the first piloted flight of its Heart X1 in New York, describing it as the largest battery-electric aircraft ever flown. The 106-foot airplane marks an early milestone for electric aviation, with the company saying the brief test flight uses about $5 worth of electricity.
Recap for Thursday, 13 August 2026
Source: •
27 sources
21 sources
12 sources
12 sources
11 sources
10 sources
10 sources
10 sources
10 sources
10 sources