However, Bhambri and Xinyu bounced back in style as they held on to their serves for the remainder of the set and broke the American team’s service games three times in a row to take the first set.
The second set began on a similar note with Bhambri-Xinyu dropping their serve in the second game to trail 3-0 again.
The Indo-Chinese duo narrowly saved themselves from going 4-0 up by saving a break point in the fourth game but it proved to be their only high point in the set as they lost it by a 6-1 margin.
Faced with a deciding set, both teams brought their A game and didn’t drop a single serve throughout, forcing a tiebreaker, which the Indo-Chinese pair won 10-6.
Bhambri is the only Indian tennis player in the mixed doubles draw at the penultimate Grand Slam of the year.
Yuki Bhambri and his American partner Robert Galloway also made the second round of the men’s doubles competition on Wednesday and are due to play Portugal’s Nuno Borges and the USA’s Marcos Giron on Saturday.
India’s N Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli will also be in action in the second round of the men’s doubles competition, albeit with different partners.
Rohan Bopanna and his Belgian partner Sander Gillé, however, bowed out in the opening round itself after going down to the third-seeded German duo of Tim Pütz and Kevin Krawietz.
Although the last 50 years have seen a decrease in heart disease deaths, chronic disease mortality has concurrently risen in a trade-off from more patients surviving events such as heart attacks.
According to a recent study, heart disease accounted for 41% of all deaths in the US in 1970; by 2022, it accounted for 24% of all deaths. The proportion of deaths caused by acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) dropped by almost 90% during this period. However, chronic heart diseases, such as heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, and arrhythmias, are rising substantially in the American population.1
“People are now surviving these acute events, so they have the opportunity to develop these other heart conditions,” said Sara King, MD, a medical resident of Stanford University of Medicine and lead author of the study.1
Investigators collected data from the National Vital Statistics System Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research database, examining adults ≥ 25 years of age in the US from 1970 to 2022. Investigated outcomes included absolute number and age-adjusted mortality of total heart disease, ischemic heart disease, and other subtypes.2
During the indicated time, the US population > 25 years of age increased from 108.9 million to 229 million. Life expectancy likewise increased from 70.9 years to 77.5 years. The National Vital Statistics System recorded a total of 119,152,492 deaths, with 37,276,835 (31%) attributed to heart disease. In 1970, 733,273 heart disease deaths were recorded, of which 666,257 (91%) were ischemic and 67,016 (9%) were from other diseases. In 2022, investigators found 701,443 heart disease deaths, of which 371,360 (53%) were ischemic and 330,083 (47%) were from other heart diseases.2
Age-adjusted mortality for AMI also decreased by 89%, from 354 per 100,000 in 1970 to 40 per 100,000 in 2022. Average annual percentage change (AAPC) for AMI was -4.2% (95% CI, -4.3 to -4.1) from 1970 to 2022. Age-adjusted mortality for chronic ischemic heart disease fell by 71%, from 343 per 100,000 to 98 per 100,000. AAPC for chronic ischemic heart disease was -2.5% (95% CI, -2.6 to -2.4).2
Notably, investigators also saw age-adjusted mortality for other heart disease subtypes increase by 81%, from 68 per 100,000 to 123 per 100,000. AAPC for other heart disease subtypes was 1.2% (95% CI, 1.1 to 1.2). Heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, and arrhythmia had the greatest mortality increases, with age-adjusted mortality rising from 13 to 32 per 100,000 (146% increase), 16 to 33 per 100,000 (106% increase), and 2 to 11 per 100,000 (450% increase).2
Additionally, the rise in non-ischemic heart disease deaths reflects a rise in risk factors including obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and physical inactivity, according to King and colleagues. Roughly 50% of adults have diabetes or pre-diabetes, and 40% have obesity.1
While investigators noted the reduction in heart disease mortality over the last 50 years may be indicative of success in medical and public health interventions, they also indicated the emerging challenges presented by chronic ischemic heart disease and similar conditions. They suggest several possible explanations for the shift; interventional methods to reduce mortality from AMI, improvement in cardiac imaging, and the development of beta blockers, renal-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors, and others.2
“We have so many tools in our toolbox now, but still, there’s a lot more that can be developed and improved,” King said. “I hope the numbers just keep getting better.”1
References
Standford Medicine. As fewer Americans die from heart attacks, more succumb to chronic heart disease. Eurekalert! June 25, 2025. Accessed July 2, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1088540
King SJ, Wangdak Yuthok TY, Bacong AM, et al. Heart disease mortality in the United States, 1970 to 2022. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2025;14(13). doi:10.1161/jaha.124.038644
Soham Parekh, a software developer from India, has recently become popular for working at at least 10 startups at the same time. This became known after company executives started talking about him on social media, writes CNBC.
At least 10 tech executives have publicly said they hired Parekh in recent weeks, only to be quickly fired after the public outcry. It all started with the CEO of analytics startup Mixpanel, who on Wednesday decided to warn his colleagues about Parekh, who was trying to work for multiple companies at once.
“PSA: there’s a guy named Soham Parekh (in India) who works at 3-4 startups at the same time. He’s been preying on YC companies and more. Beware.I fired this guy in his first week and told him to stop lying / scamming people. He hasn’t stopped a year later. No more excuses,” the executive’s post reads.
More people started sharing their experiences with Parekh in the comments. Some said they had only recently hired him, but had immediately cut off all contact with him after hearing such comments. Others said they had only recently interviewed him.
Later, the guy himself began giving interviews about the whole situation. He said that he was prompted to take such actions by a difficult financial situation, and that he had to spend many sleepless nights working at several startups.
“I’m not proud of what I’ve done. That’s not something that I endorse, either. But, you know, financial circumstances, essentially. No one really likes to work 140 hours a week, right? But I had to do this out of necessity. I was in extremely dire financial circumstances,” Parekh says.
One of Parekh’s former employers at Normic AI said that the guy worked at most four startups at a time, where he sometimes received a six-figure salary. According to his estimates, he could earn $30-40 thousand per month. Parekh himself said that he began to get a job at several companies at the same time in 2022.
Polydor Label Group is officially on a hot streak.
That’s the verdict from label group president Ben Mortimer, as the Universal Music company marks a run of success for artists new and established.
The latest chart result for the label is the No.1 comeback for Lewis Capaldi (previously with EMI), who debuted at the singles summit with Survive on consumption of 68,414 units (including a whopping 25,415 physical copies).
Following Capaldi’s surprise Glastonbury performance, his new partnership with Polydor has delivered his fastest-selling single to date as well as the biggest opening week for any single this year. In fact, Polydor has achieved both the biggest opening week of the year on the singles chart (Survive) and on the albums chart with Sam Fender’s People Watching, which opened with 107,124 units in February.
Fender’s highest-selling week one album result (the only one to break 100,000 in a week so far) has yet to be surpassed. It also had the biggest vinyl sales of any release week and was the fastest-selling vinyl release by any British act this century.
With consumption of 191,724 units so far, People Watching is the biggest-selling album released in 2025 and No.3 overall. The album was further boosted by Fender’s record-breaking stadium shows in London and Newcastle. He recently secured a Top 10 single with Rein Me In, which features PLG artist Olivia Dean.
Richard O’Donovan, head of A&R, Polydor, said: “I couldn’t be more proud of everything Sam and the team have achieved here in the UK. It’s been such an exciting journey so far, and we’re now looking forward to taking Sam’s story to the rest of the world. There’s so much more to come, plenty of exciting plans in the works and new music on the way later this year.”
We’re on an exhilarating run at Polydor Label Group
Ben Mortimer
Another returning artist, Olivia Dean, has reached a new peak this week with her latest single, Nice To Each Other, moving 18-15 (22,608 units – up 4.2% week-on-week). Dean, who is signed to Capitol (part of Polydor Label Group), has a simultaneous Top 20 single with Sam Fender collaboration Rein Me In at No.12 (26,001 units in the past week).
Dean has also made her first appearance in the Spotify Global chart. Her second album, The Art of Loving, lands on September 26.
Capitol’s Sammy Virji is also breaking new ground, with his latest single Cops & Robbers (featuring Skepta) becoming his first Top 40 single. Virji’s global rise includes headlining at the 13,000-capacity Forest Hills Stadium in Brooklyn last month, as well as immediately selling out a show at Manchester’s Warehouse Project in October this year.
Jo Charrington, president, Capitol UK, said: “This is an immensely exciting time for Capitol. The rise of Olivia and Sammy from different worlds but both with huge global momentum is testament to the talent and drive from the artists and their teams. With albums coming from each artist later this year, we are very ambitious about the heights they can reach.”
PLG’s dance label imprint Chaos is thriving, too, with a catalogue of over 1.5 billion streams in just over two years since inception. Music Week reported on the launch of Chaos at the time.
Chaos has made an impact with two Top 5 singles, a Top 10 album, a nomination for Best Label at the Radio 1 Dance Awards 2024, two BRIT Award nominations and four artists featured across the Glastonbury 2025 line-up.
Chrystal’s The Days charted on the US Hot 100 and broke into the Global Spotify Top 50, and is the seventh biggest-selling song of 2025 in the UK. Meanwhile, the collaboration between Jazzy and Rossi, High On Me, has secured a new peak of No.28 (13,909 units – up 15.6% week-on-week).
This is an immensely exciting time for Capitol
Jo Charrington
Across the label’s international roster, Olivia Rodrigo closed Glastonbury Festival and has seen a 60.2% consumption boost for current album, Guts, which has moved 24-8 (6,374 units). It has consumption to date of 601,278. There was a similar gain for debut album, Sour, (up 48.1%), which climbed 25-11 (5,849 units). Sour has consumption to date of 1,155,725.
Doechii and Gracie Abrams both had significant breakout performances at the festival too.
Meanwhile, Sabrina Carpenter has spent two weeks at No.1 with new single Manchild, and her Short N’ Sweet album stands as the UK’s top-selling album of the year to date (728,884 sales to date) .
As it secures 45 consecutive weeks in the Top 5, Short N’ Sweet breaks a chart record with the longest Top 5 run ever for a solo artist.
Polydor-signed Lana Del Rey is also set for a consumption boost. She is currently on a stadium tour, including sold-out concerts at Wembley Stadium (July 3-4). While the chart impact of those will be seen in the next week, the Born To Die album has already had a 10.3% week-on-week consumption increase, climbing six places to No.32.
Ben Mortimer, president, Polydor Label Group, said: “We’re on an exhilarating run at Polydor Label Group. We have domestic success stories from across the group, in multiple genres, and from brilliant artists at all stages of their careers. This isn’t a case of one week at No.1, then done. This is real, sticky artist development in action. Plus, our international roster continues to go from strength to strength. PLG is on a hot streak, and, thankfully, it feels like just the start.”
Moon-phase watches, at anything but astronomical prices, made a rare appearance from recent Noah x Timex collabs to Longines. Solid steel APs seem to be the new tough guy timepiece, paired with chic Neapolitan summer styles or rough military vintage. Dress watches, dainty, particular, obscure, and esoteric, enjoy the popularity vintage Rolex watches once did. The variety is nearly infinite: Tiny Tanks, 50s-60s Omegas, Genta-hyped lesser-known Universal Geneve, and even modern options from small brands like Sericas.
Trillions of pounds worth of assets are managed by London’s listed investment houses. Their purpose is to deliver financial security for clients by growing and preserving the value of their capital.
Larger managers, such as Legal & General, Aberdeen, M&G and Schroders, offer access to a wide range of asset classes and geographies, can handle the largest mandates and tend to focus on mainstream markets.
Smaller players offer distinctive investment approaches and niche and specialist options for diversification, often catering to wealthy individuals with an appetite for impact investing or risk, or who carry tax burdens that are suitable for easing through venture capital trusts and enterprise investment schemes. These enable investors to earn tax breaks in return for providing capital to young British companies.
Among these smaller managers are Polar Capital, whose offering includes technology, scientific and financial funds. Foresight specialises in infrastructure and private equity opportunities that can help tackle climate change, and Liontrust with its range of funds focused on sustainability. A clue as to what makes Mercia Asset Management stand out is in the name of its range of VCTs: Northern.
This manager steers clear of overfished London and south-east England, preferring to find opportunities in regional towns and cities — 80 per cent of its investment activity is outside south-east England — where it can identify and support high-growth, ambitious businesses on attractive valuations, and which meet its impact and socially responsible requirements.
Investing in niche areas and cutting-edge smaller companies is not without its risks, and while there is demand in the market for differentiation and diversification in terms of strategies and processes, good performance is essential to keeping fund flows and management fees coming in.
BUY: Mercia Asset Management (MERC)
Inflows accelerated in the final quarter, writes Mark Robinson.
Mercia Asset Management slipped back into the black at its March year-end, as the specialist asset manager increased its cash margin. Performance was aided by economies of scale, and evidenced by a 390 basis point rise in the adjusted margin to 22.1 per cent.
It’s too early to judge whether this vindicates the “Mercia 27”, a 100 per cent growth target, as it was only outlined a year ago. But the scaling of the fund management business is under way, and it wouldn’t be fanciful to suggest that Mercia has already made strides to meet its Ebitda target of £10mn by full-year 2027.
The group realised a fair-value loss of £300,000 in the period, against a £4.5mn gain in the previous year, though fair-value movements strengthened appreciably in regard to unrealised assets. In contrast to many industry peers, Mercia increased its third-party funds under management (FUM) by around 10 per cent on an organic basis to £1.8bn, with no redemptions recorded. Venture FUM rose by 1.6 per cent to £928mn.
Meanwhile, the direct investment portfolio’s fair-value assessment stood at £126mn, against £117mn last time around. Management intends to offload about 70 per cent of these direct investments over the next couple of years, so exit activity is set to rise in the near term. Some mandates are moving into the realisation phase within its equity and debt funding businesses.
The bulk of the inflows were recorded in the final quarter of its financial year. They reflected both existing mandates and new fund management contracts. The period also saw successful Venture Capital Trust and Enterprise Investment Scheme fundraisings. Given the timing, it is unlikely that the related impact of the inflows on revenues is fully reflected in these figures.
Mercia’s ability to rejig its business focus is aided by an unencumbered balance sheet. And a number of funding rounds were completed following the period end. The group carries no debt and exited full-year 2025 with £39.3mn in net cash. This has underpinned a 5 per cent increase in the proposed final dividend, along with the commencement of an annual share buyback policy of up to £3.0mn.
It’s a niche offering for investors: venture capital funding, private equity and debt finance to high-growth regional UK small and medium-sized enterprises. Consequently, sell-side coverage is limited, but Mercia trades on a 45 per cent discount to the consensus target price, and by 23 per cent to net assets, giving rise to a price/book ratio of 0.7 times. We maintain that Mercia is undervalued, or maybe unfairly overlooked.
BUY: Currys (CURY)
The electronics retailer’s turnaround strategy is paying off despite ongoing cost pressures, writes Valeria Martinez.
Currys is showing why it was the right call to push back against Elliott Management’s takeover approach last year. The once-struggling retailer has turned a corner, with chief executive Alex Baldock’s turnaround plan starting to deliver. A sharp rise in free cash flow and profits has allowed the group to reinstate its dividend after a two-year break.
While the company is still dealing with cost pressures, from high inflation to rising national insurance contributions, it has done a decent job of managing them so far. Another £32mn in annual costs is expected from last year’s Autumn Budget, but Currys plans to offset this by cutting central costs and automating and offshoring parts of the business.
Helpfully, demand has been resilient despite the wider economic backdrop. UK and Ireland like-for-like sales rose 4 per cent in the year to May 3, with operating profits up 8 per cent to £153mn. Margins held steady at 2.9 per cent.
A growing focus for Currys is more profitable revenue streams, such as credit, repairs and connectivity services. These so-called “solution” sales rely less on one-off product purchases and tend to deliver better margins. Revenue from these areas rose 9 per cent to £814mn last year, and Panmure Liberum estimates they now make up 28 per cent of UK and Ireland revenue.
Net cash stood at £184mn at the year end, excluding leases and pensions. When accounting for a £103mn pension deficit, the net position is now £81mn, which Panmure Liberum analyst Wayne Brown said is £901mn better than six years ago. “The prospects for buybacks this year are very real,” he said, though they are likely to hinge on the outcome of the pension triennial review due later this year.
The shares are up more than 70 per cent over the past year, yet still trade at just 11.4 times forward earnings. That’s well below their five-year average of 31.7 times.
Good farm gate prices this year for all agricultural products has meant a decent profit harvest for suppliers to the industry. Feed and equipment supplier Wynnstay has reaped the benefit, reporting the same amount of profit in its first-half results as it managed for the whole of last year.
The half-year results are typically the highest point in the company’s annual working capital cycle as it stockpiles products in advance of the spring planting season. This meant the company’s business segments in fact reflected the vagaries of the preceding season.
For instance, feed and grain revenue more than doubled to £900,000, but grain trading was down 13 per cent as the poor harvest in 2024 worked its way through the supply system. In the meantime, the company sold off its Twyford mill and has outsourced milling for its poultry feed.
Arable profits tripled to £1.4mn on the back of better fertiliser prices and favourable spring planting conditions. Meanwhile, the company’s network of 51 stores generated a higher profit of £3.1mn with both footfall and margins remaining stable.
The company is midway through project Genesis, which is its plan to simplify the business and improve returns on capital consistently across the group and to invest where supply is constrained — Wynnstay’s investment in a new fertiliser facility in Avonmouth is part of this strategy.
Wynnstay’s shares have started to recover after a rocky couple of years. The price/earnings ratio of 13.6 for this year reflects its gradual reorganisation. However, until there is evidence of margin improvement, we remain cautious.
Meanwhile, Neeraj Phogat (65kg) and Anamika (51kg) saw their campaigns come to an end in the quarter-finals. Neeraj fought a close and spirited bout but went down 3-2 in a split decision.
A total of 10 Indian boxers are in the semis and one in the final at the Kazakhstan boxing meet.
The tournament in Astana is the second and last of two scheduled World Boxing Cup meets for the year.
Back in April, India had won six medals at the previous World Boxing Cup leg in Brazil. The Indian women did not compete in Brazil on account of the national championships.
Boxers accumulate ranking points through their performances at these two meets with the top pugilists qualifying for the World Boxing Cup Finals scheduled in New Delhi, India, in November.
The Kazakhstan leg will run until July 7, with over 400 boxers from 31 countries, including Olympians, competing across 10 weight categories in both men’s and women’s divisions. India have sent a 20-member team.
Free-to-play open-world RPG NTE recently launched its Containment Test, a closed beta that showcases the upgrades developer Hotta Studio has made since the game’s last technical test. There are improvements across the board, including better visuals, new mechanics, racing content, reworked combat, and more.
NTE takes place in Hethereau, a sprawling metropolis that’s really more like two cities in one. On the surface, it’s a pristine urban center filled with people going about their daily lives. But the underworld is constantly warped by reality-defying anomalies, and you’re an unlicensed Anomaly Hunter tasked with investigating these strange occurrences and putting a stop to them.
Hethereau itself has always been one of the game’s focal points, a city built in Unreal Engine 5 to allow seamless travel across its massive size. But the latest updates have taken things to another level, giving the city a comprehensive visual overhaul. There’s richer detail, updated aesthetics, and improvements to lighting and environmental effects.
Light and shadows now show more contrast, which is especially apparent as you progress through the natural day/night cycle. You also can experience dynamic weather conditions — from fog to rain to snow — as you travel across the city, and snow effects in particular have been enhanced. Thanks to physically based rendering, snowflakes now look translucent and lifelike.
Characters have also gotten a graphical makeover. The materials of their clothes and strands of their hair are now much more detailed, making each character pop even more in the anime-inspired art style.
You’ll form a party of four characters during your anomaly-hunting missions, and each character has their own skills called Esper Abilities. You control one character at a time, but can switch between the four in your party on the fly to chain their Esper Abilities together and form combos that synergize well together.
That experience has also been refined in the latest update, with actions, skills, and the overall feel of combat reworked for smoother gameplay. There are also new mechanics, like parry attacks and critical dodge counterattacks, that have been introduced to add more variety to combat.
No matter which characters are in your party, you can make use of their Esper Abilities inside and outside of combat. Some help with traversal of the city, like allowing you to run up the sides of buildings and parkour to get around quickly. But that’s not the only way to travel through Hethereau. There are also ziplines that can help you find hidden corners of the city, and with the help of the character Mint from the Bureau of Anomaly Control, you can “requisition” cars.
Buying and modding cars has always been part of NTE. There are lots of customization options — including colors, tires, bumpers, and engines — and you can mix and match until you have your ride just how you want it. There are dozens of different custom cars, and you can drive in first-person or third-person.
Requisitioning cars is new in the latest update and can bring some consequences with it if you’re reckless. With Mint’s help, you can commandeer vehicles at any time across the city, which can help quickly get you from mission to mission if you don’t have an owned car easily at hand. However, be aware that if you damage the vehicle or disturb public safety, things can get out of hand fast. There’s a new multi-level wanted system with escalating consequences — police officers and bots will you pursue you and get increasingly aggressive the higher your wanted level rises. You can see this system in action in the video below.
However you end up with your car, you can take it online and team up with friends to take on street racing crews across different districts in multiplayer races, another new addition in the latest update. Racing also includes drifting, but be careful when it’s raining or snowing — the roads will be slippery and handling will be worse.
The Containment Test is running from now until July 16, after which Hotta Studio will take player feedback and address it in future updates. The full release of NTE will be available on PC, console, iOS, and Android, and it will be free-to-play with cross-progression across all platforms. Pre-registration is open now, and for the latest news and info, you can follow them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Discord.
There is no better excuse to travel than to see a total solar eclipse, and the next one happens on Aug. 12, 2026. Although a total solar eclipse is an unforgettable experience, totality lasts only a few minutes. So what do you do before and after the eclipse?
Boredom won’t be a problem for the 2026 total solar eclipse, with some truly spectacular locations and popular vacation areas in or close to the path of totality. From Greenland to Spain, there are myriad unique experiences and off-the-beaten-track itineraries that offer much more than nature’s greatest spectacle.
Related: Best total solar eclipse 2026 cruises for the ultimate adventure
1. Astrophotography and an eclipse chase
The Picos de Europa within the Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain. (Image credit: Carlos Fernandez via Getty Images)
With a total solar eclipse and the peak of the Perseid meteor shower happening the same night, Aug. 12, 2026, is poised to be a significant day for astrophotographers. The core of this tour, led by British astrophotographer Ollie Taylor, is centered around astrophotography, with expert tuition provided where needed — and beginners are welcome. Taking place from Aug. 10 to Aug. 19, 2026, the tour will view the eclipse between Madrid and Zaragoza — wherever there is a clear sky — before visiting the Cantabrian Mountains and the coast for sunset shoots, more astrophotography and, once at the northern coast, seascapes and lighthouses.
2. Totality from a geothermal pool
Iceland’s Blue Lagoon will hold an eclipse-viewing event. (Image credit: Alex Walker via Getty Images)
With an eclipse, the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and the possibility of northern lights, Aug. 12, 2026, is all about the sky in Iceland, where warm geothermal waters and volcanic landscapes could provide the ideal backdrop. Guided by Canadian astronomer and astrophotographer Stéphane Picard at Cliff Valley Astronomy, this small-group tour from Aug. 10 to 16, 2026, explores southwestern Iceland, offering the opportunity to witness the eclipse from the Blue Lagoon on the Reykjanes Peninsula, followed by the Perseids from the countryside near Vík.
Evenings feature stargazing sessions and expert-led astronomy briefings, accompanied by day trips to classic Icelandic landmarks, including Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss waterfall, and the black-sand beaches of Reynisfjara.
3. A sunset eclipse with Bill Nye “The Science Guy”
A sunset eclipse will grace Sant Elm in Mallorca, Spain. (Image credit: imageBROKER/Harry Laub via Getty Images)
The eclipse in Spain happens close to sunset, which makes mountainous terrain risky, unless an astronomer has checked out the sight lines in advance. However, from Spain’s Balearic Islands (Ibiza, Mallorca, Menorca, Formentera and some smaller islands) in the Mediterranean Sea, there’s something else on offer: a sunset eclipse. Yes, there could be clouds on the horizon, as seen from the west coasts of these popular vacation islands, but a rare golden corona is the prize.
Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!
Relatively few tours visit these islands, but Betchart Expeditions is an exception. The company is offering an adventure from Aug. 3 to 13, 2026, with The Planetary Society’s Bill Nye (“The Science Guy”). It starts off on mainland Spain, with visits to Madrid’s historic Royal Observatory, the Castile La Mancha Science Museum in Cuenca, and the City of Arts and Science Center in Valencia, before transferring to Mallorca (also spelled Majorca) to target a total solar eclipse at sunset.
4. Whales and rare wildlife in northern Spain
A dolphin in the clear waters of the Bay of Biscay off the northern coast of Spain, near Bilbao. (Image credit: Dr John A Horsfall via Getty Images)
Starting from Plymouth in the U.K., Naturetrek’s 10-day journey from Aug. 9 to 18, 2026, offers a unique blend of astronomy and wildlife watching. After sailing across the Bay of Biscay to Santander — with opportunities to spot fin and minke whales, dolphins and shearwaters — the group will travel inland to the Cantabrian Mountains to visit Las Loras Geopark and Palentina Mountain Natural Park.
On Aug. 12, totality will be experienced from a carefully selected site near Peña Ulaña, with 1 minute, 42 seconds of totality visible just before sunset, followed by post-eclipse stargazing under dark mountain skies during the peak of the Perseid meteor shower. The trip will then reach the dramatic limestone peaks of the Picos de Europa, home to Alpine choughs, griffon vultures, and elusive wall creepers.
5. Iceland’s remote Westfjords
Látrabjarg in the Westfjords, Iceland. (Image credit: Smartshots International via Getty Images)
With Greenland the preserve of cruise ships for this eclipse, the first people on land to experience totality will be in Iceland’s lonely Westfjords region. Organized by Betchart Expeditions and led by astronomer Joe Llama of the Lowell Observatory, a special expedition to Iceland from Aug. 8 to 16, 2026, will observe totality near Ísafjörður, weather permitting, with preparations and photography set up on-site. On each side, there will be an in-depth look at Iceland’s volcanic geology and mid-Atlantic tectonic setting, with the itinerary also including Lake Mývatn’s lava fields and the rift between the Eurasian and North American plates.
6. Totality from the plains of Spain
The cathedral in Burgos, Spain, is close to the centerline of the path of totality. (Image credit: Gonzalo Azumendi via Getty Images)
It’s one of the least-visited areas of Spain — at least for international travelers — but the north central plains of Spain are the highest and driest of the entire eclipse track. This short trip from New Scientist Discovery Tours, from Aug. 10 to 14, 2026, is based entirely in Burgos, a medieval city that’s home to Burgos Cathedral and the Museum of Human Evolution. Expect talks from astronomers John Mason and Martin Griffiths, as well as private eclipse viewing from a secluded site west of Burgos, near the centerline of the path of totality. The eclipse will be followed by a celebratory dinner before the peak of the Perseid meteor shower.
7. A journey through the Basque Country
Parador de Lerma in Lerma, Spain. (Image credit: Rachel Carbonell via Getty Images)
Straddling the border between France and Spain in the western Pyrenees, the Basque Country is the focus of this Aug. 9-13, 2026, journey with Wilderness Travel through culture, gastronomy and astronomy. The tour begins in Bilbao, with visits to the iconic Guggenheim Museum and a cruise on the Nervión River, followed by a drive south to Burgos (which is not in the Basque Country but rather the autonomous community of Castile-Leon) for a tour of the city’s Gothic cathedral.
Totality will be experienced at the 17th-century Parador de Lerma, directly on the centerline, with astronomy talks and guided viewing from veteran astronomer and eclipse chaser Alex Filippenko, a professor of astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley. A plethora of hiking add-ons are possible, including across the French-Spanish border along the Camino de Santiago, visits to prehistoric dolmens, and time to explore San Sebastián.
8. Valencia and an inland eclipse
Valencia, Spain. (Image credit: Anton Petrus via Getty Images)
This affordable week-long tour, from Aug. 7 to 13, 2026, with eclipse tour specialist Astro Trails begins with four nights in coastal Valencia before a train journey to Madrid and a trip to the medieval town of Sigüenza to witness totality for 1 minute, 38 seconds from the ramparts of the 12th-century Sigüenza Castle.
9. Hiking and astronomy in the Picos de Europa
The landscape near Sotres in Picos de Europa National Park. (Image credit: Ashley Cooper via Getty Images)
If daily walks to explore glacial valleys, high plateaus, shepherd trails and limestone gorges — with a few cheese and cured-meat tastings along the way — sounds like your thing, consider this eight-day hiking and astronomy-focused tour from Explore based in the heart of the Picos de Europa. Participants stay at the family-run Casa Cipriano, known for its hearty local cuisine and mountain hospitality, in the remote village of Sotres. The highlight is a guided hike to Pico de la Tabla for a high-altitude view of the total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, with nearly two minutes of totality as the sun sets over the rugged peaks. Astronomer Rebecca Fernández will be on hand for eclipse interpretation and night-sky viewing with a telescope.
10. Madrid, Toledo and Valladolid
Madrid is not in the path of totality but would make a good base. (Image credit: basiczto via Getty Images)
Just south of the eclipse track, Madrid — with its international connectivity — is a great base for independent travelers. This Special Interest Tour is based for four nights in Madrid (including a walking tour, a flamenco show and an Ibérico ham-carving workshop), takes day trips to Toledo and Ávila, and spends two nights in Abadía Retuerta Le Domaine vineyard close to Valladolid. This region has an excellent chance of clear skies for a totality of 1 minute, 35 seconds. The group will be accompanied by astronomer Bob Berman, who will give lectures and serve as a guide to the night sky.
