CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX delivered a fresh crew to the International Space Station on Saturday, making the trip in a quick 15 hours.
The four U.S., Russian and Japanese astronauts pulled up in their SpaceX capsule after launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. They will spend at least six months at the orbiting lab, swapping places with colleagues up there since March. SpaceX will bring those four back as early as Wednesday.
Moving in are NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov — each of whom had been originally assigned to other missions. “Hello, space station!” Fincke radioed as soon as the capsule docked high above the South Pacific.
Cardman and another astronaut were pulled from a SpaceX flight last year to make room for NASA’s two stuck astronauts, Boeing Starliner test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, whose space station stay went from one week to more than nine months. Fincke and Yui had been training for the next Starliner mission. But with Starliner grounded by thruster and other problems until 2026, the two switched to SpaceX.
Platonov was bumped from the Soyuz launch lineup a couple of years ago because of an undisclosed illness.
Their arrival temporarily puts the space station population at 11. The astronauts greeting them had cold drinks and hot food waiting for them.
While their taxi flight was speedy by U.S. standards, the Russians hold the record for the fastest trip to the space station — a lightning-fast three hours.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Opting for more unusual and often underrated bedding plants is a way of giving your garden long-lasting color and interest. In many cases, it’s possible to choose repeat performers that will come back year after year, as well as varieties that will beautifully fill out beds, borders and containers all summer long.
Traditional annual bedding plants are designed to give an instant off-the-shelf fix to borders and container gardens. They come in a range of showy colors that lift the garden such as intense pink petunias, scarlet geraniums, and coral begonias. The downside is these high maintenance plants need regular watering, feeding and deadheading.
They also have a high carbon footprint due to the intensive cultivation methods used in glasshouse growing. Plus, they usually end up on the compost heap at the end of the season, so you’re back to the garden center the following summer to start over. So, by choosing from within this expert-led selection of underrated plants that offer good looks as well as longevity, you’re helping the environment too.
1. Cuphea
(Image credit: R Ann Kautzky/Alamy Stock Photos)
‘Cuphea is often overlooked in the garden center because it doesn’t scream for attention.’ says horticultural expert Amy Enfield. ‘Also known as firecracker plant or cigar flower, its beauty is more refined than many other bedding plants.
‘The individual flowers are small and slender, which can make the plant look less impactful. Gardeners might pass over the unique, tubular “cigar” blooms, thinking them too quirky or niche.’
Subtlety is cuphea’s greatest asset. A heat-loving annual that produces a profusion of flowers that are an irresistible magnet for hummingbirds, its fine-textured foliage and long bloom season make it a delightful addition to mixed containers and borders.
‘The flowers of cuphea are unlike most common bedding plants,’ says Amy. ‘Varieties like ‘David Verity’ have orange, cigar-shaped flowers with a flared tip, while others, such as ‘Bat Face’, have whimsical purple and red blooms that resemble the face of a tiny bat.’
Cuphea handles intense summer heat and humidity with grace, blooming continuously without needing to be deadheaded. It’s also a great alternative for any “filler” plant in container gardens. Its airy texture provides a beautiful contrast to plants with large leaves like coleus or sweet potato vine.
Perennial in zones 8-11, cuphea is grown as an annual elsewhere. Planting beds should be amended with a product like Miracle-Gro® all purpose soil from Amazon before planting. Full sun will result in the most prolific blooming. A light shearing in midsummer can rejuvenate the plant and encourage even more blooms.
Amy Enfield
Amy Enfield has 30 years’ experience in the garden industry and has been with ScottsMiracle-Gro for 13 years. She has a BS and MS in Horticulture from Michigan State University, and a PhD in Plant and Environmental Sciences from Clemson University.
‘Blue daze is one of the most underrated bedding plants, primarily because of its subtlety,’ says Amy Enfield. ‘In a garden center filled with tall, upright plants in a rainbow of colors, the gentle, ground-cover nature of blue daze can be overlooked.’ It’s one of the most underrated ground covers too.
Also known as Evolvulus and dwarf morning glory, blue daze is a true workhorse in the summer garden. Its most outstanding feature is the profusion of stunning, true blue flowers that offer a striking contrast against the fuzzy, silvery-green foliage.
‘Once established, blue daze is heat and drought-tolerant, making it a perfect choice for hot, sunny locations where other plants might struggle,’ says Amy. ‘It blooms continuously from late spring until the first frost with no deadheading required.’
Blue daze can act as a “spiller” in container gardens, beautifully cascading over the edges of pots and hanging baskets. ‘A great alternative for trailing petunias and calibrachoa, blue daze is more tolerant of intense heat and less susceptible to late-season bug damage,’ says Amy. It also functions as a fantastic, weed-suppressing ground cover plant in flower beds.
Hardy in zones 9-11, elsewhere blue daze is grown as an annual. They prefer well-drained soil and dislike wet feet. Full sun gives the most prolific blooming. Once established, it’s quite drought-tolerant, but will look its best with consistent moisture.
3. Zinnia
(Image credit: Getty Images/glennimage)
‘Often passed over as a basic annual, zinnias are actually one of the most rewarding bedding plants you can grow,’ says landscape architect Laura Janney, CEO of The Inspired Garden masterclass. ‘Their electric blooms transform even the smallest garden into a vibrant, pollinator-friendly space.’
The joy of zinnias is that you can opt for many different colors if you want something different for bedding plant ideas. They also come in a mix of flowers, from daisy-like to disc and button shapes.
Tall varieties of zinnia are underrated bedding plants that will give height at the back of the border, while the shorter more compact ones are good for edging or planting up in containers.
‘Zinnias are great alternatives for anyone who wants the height of a coneflower but a more vibrant color,’ says Laura. ‘Also, with varieties ranging from compact to tall, you can use the different varieties to fill in middle and back-layer beds for a full and layered look. What’s more, they make excellent cut flowers too.’
Thriving in zones 2-11, zinnias like a position in full sun with well-draining soil. The seeds can be planted straight into the ground once the soil has warmed up. Find heirloom zinnia seeds at Amazon.
Laura Janney
Laura Janney is the CEO of The Inspired Garden Masterclass. She has left her mark on the cottage garden landscape design scene, winning the 2023 Houzz Best in Design award for her work in the New York area. Driven by the belief that “flowers feed the soul”, Laura sees gardens as living, breathing sanctuaries that awaken the senses.
4. Angelonia
(Image credit: Jerry Taylor via Alamy)
‘These beauties bring upright structure and cottage garden charm to any yard without the maintenance that many upright bloomers require,’ says Laura Janney. ‘Angelonia is tolerant of extreme heat, humidity and drought, making it a go-to plant for hot climates. It’s a good replacement for foxgloves, which look very similar’.
Angelonia is one of the most underrated bedding plants for warm season container gardens and mixed borders. The easiest way to grow angelonia is to buy the plants from nurseries and garden centers in spring. This is preferable to planting seeds, as they are very fine and fiddly to handle.
These plants need warm temperatures and lots of sun to prosper, and can be planted in any garden bed or container with rich, well-draining soil and full sun if you want to get continuous blooms. Another plus is that this variety of flower doesn’t need deadheading.
Angelonia is a tender perennial that only survives winters in warm to hot climates. It thrives in zones 9-11, so if you live in a cooler climate you will need to overwinter container plants indoors and move them outside again when temperatures warm up, or alternatively grow them as an annual.
5. Astilbe
(Image credit: Getty Images/Tunatura)
‘Astilbe are often one of the most underrated bedding plants in landscaping despite their many standout qualities,’ says gardening expert Jennifer Hoytema of Earthworks Landscaping. ‘These hardy perennials thrive in shade, offer feathery, colorful blooms from early to late summer, and require minimal maintenance once established.’
Ranging in height from 1-4 feet their fern-like foliage adds texture and interest even after flowering. They’re deer-resistant and adaptable to a variety of soil conditions. Astilbe can brighten up difficult, shady spots where many other plants struggle, making them a versatile and reliable choice. Astilbe are one of the best full-shade perennials too. ‘They are my favorite choice for moist and shaded soil conditions,’ says Jennifer.
Astilbe thrive in zones 3-8, and they can survive winter temperatures as low as -40°F. They are best planted in swathes in garden beds or layered with other perennials, where they will add color, texture and movement.
Find an extensive choice of Astilbe varieties at Nature Hills.
Jennifer Hoytema
With nearly two decades of experience in the landscaping industry, Jennifer Hoytema is the business manager at Earthworks Landscaping & Pools, the award-winning company she co-founded in 2006. Jennifer is passionate about helping homeowners create beautiful, functional outdoor spaces using locally sourced materials and sustainable practices.
6. Water hyssop
(Image credit: Wirestock Inc/Alamy Stock Photos)
‘One of my favorite underrated bedding plants is the water hyssop,’ says gardening expert Lydia Beaumont. ‘It’s perfect for wet climates and thrives in zones 8-11. A stunning perennial, it has delicate white blooms and lush green leaves that make for a great ground cover plant that’s hardy and easy to grow.’
Also known as herb-of-grace, in warmer climates this creeping perennial blooms in spring right round to fall.
The pretty pinkish-white flowers are bell-shaped with a violet center. It’s related to lemon bacopa (Bacopa caroliniana), and they look very similar. The way to tell them apart is to crush a leaf and see if it smells of lemon or not.
As well as being a good ground cover, water hyssop works well in a container or hanging pot. It does best when given plenty of sun and water as it’s one of the best plants for wet soil. It will generally die back in winter, although in warmer climates it can be evergreen.
Lydia Beaumont
Lydia Beaumont is a gardening expert for Gardeners Yards, a trusted online resource for gardeners to grow, inspire and discover. When transforming a garden into a personal oasis, Lydia’s creative touch brings a fresh and vibrant feel to every project she works on.
7. Salvia ‘Rose Marvel’
Chosen for its long-flowering habit from May to October and gorgeous rose pink blooms, Salvia ‘Rose Marvel’ is one of the best underrated bedding plants you can add to your planting scheme.
When other bedding plants are fading fast, this compact perennial (typically growing to around 12 inches tall) will carry on, perfect for edging borders and filling container gardens.
‘A cold-hardy, reblooming perennial with vibrant rose-pink blooms on compact, sturdy spikes from summer into fall, ‘Rose Marvel’ thrives in zone 4 and up, tolerates drought, and attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds,’ says Laura Root, senior merchant, Live Plants & Garden Accessories at J&P Park Acquisitions, Inc. ‘Its dense, upright habit makes it ideal for borders, beds, or containers.’
It’s effortless to grow too, thriving in sunny, well-drained locations. It tolerates heat and drought once established, and returns reliably year after year. It’s deer- and rabbit-resistant too, as well as being one of the best pollinator-friendly plants.
Find Salvia ‘Rose Marvel’ at Nature Hills.
Laura Root
Laura Root is senior product manager for Wayside Gardens, Jackson & Perkins, and Park Seed. She holds a degree in environmental horticulture from Virginia Tech. She blends her deep understanding of plant science and sustainable gardening with her professional expertise to lead the selection and development of high-quality plants and garden accessories. Laura also provides reliable, scientifically informed advice for gardeners.
8. Creeping thyme
(Image credit: Getty Images/ hsvrs)
‘As a garden-to-table expert, I am always looking for everything I plant to not only look beautiful but to serve a purpose,’ says expert gardener Jackie Johnson McBride. ‘An option most people don’t think of for bedding plants is creeping thyme, which is commonly referred to as wild thyme.’
Creeping thyme fits into the current edimentals trend of ornamental plants that also happen to be edible, as you can eat both the flowers and the leaves. ‘It can be used in cooking as it has a slightly milder taste than regular thyme.
Part of the mint family, this plant is not only absolutely gorgeous, as it flowers in shades of lavender, pink (such as this lovely Thymus praecox ‘Coccineus’ variety from Nature Hills), white and even red, it’s soft to walk on, non-toxic to pets and attracts pollinators. It also produces a fragrant aroma.’
Creeping thyme is one of the best ground cover plants too, and will even thrive in poor soil. It’s also a great spiller plant for pots, especially if you add a little grit to the soil. Creeping thyme plants are readily available at most nurseries. It’s very hardy, loves the sun but can tolerate some shade, and does best in zones 4-9.
Jackie Johnson McBride
Jackie Johnson McBride is a meteorologist turned expert gardener and chef. She is known for her garden-to-table style cooking that is influenced by the weather. Jackie is an Emmy award winner and has been recently been featured in Forbes.
Finally, in addition to our selection of the best underrated bedding plants, Laura Root has the following two suggestions.
‘Try Lantana ‘Summer Popsicle’, a vibrant, sun-loving bloomer with rose and mauve flowers that shift to yellow-orange in fall, paired with sculpted deep green foliage. ‘Summer Popsicle’ is drought-tolerant and a great choice for xeriscaping.
‘Verbena ‘Lolipop’ is compact and free-flowering, with clouds of soft lavender-violet blooms from early summer to fall. ‘Lollipop’ is drought-tolerant, heat-loving, and low-maintenance, thriving in full sun with minimal care. Its airy blooms attract butterflies and hummingbirds, making it a standout in borders and containers.’
Beyond their odd appearance and ancient history, there is another thing that makes horseshoe crabs stand out from the crowd: their bright blue blood.
The blue colour is caused by the protein haemocyanin, which is their equivalent of haemoglobin (the molecule that carries oxygen in human blood). Rather than being iron-based, as haemoglobin is, haemocyanin is copper-based.
When the blood is oxygenated, the copper means it takes on a blue appearance – but little or no colour when it’s not exposed to oxygen.
Horseshoe crabs aren’t the only animals with blue blood. Molluscs including octopuses, squids and snails, and arthropods such as scorpions, lobsters and crabs are blue-blooded for the same reason.
But there’s something else special about horseshoe crab blood: it contains cells that clot in the presence of toxic bacteria. A protein extracted from these cells is used to check that vaccines aren’t contaminated, meaning that horseshoe crabs have likely saved millions of humans from illness.
A synthetic molecule that does the same job was created by researchers in the late 1990s and is now starting to take over these vaccine safety tests.
More amazing stories from around the world
Top image: a gathering of horseshoe crabs on a beach. Credit: Getty
They could not look less alike in the supermarket aisle, but a Chinese-led research team has uncovered an ancient link that makes a forerunner of the tomato a genetic parent of the potato.
By examining genomes and data sets from cultivated and wild potato species, the scientists traced the tuberous plant’s evolution back about nine million years to a moment when a tomato ancestor created a hybrid with a group of potato-like – but tuberless – plants called etuberosum. They published their findings in the journal Cell on Thursday.
All varieties of potato have underground tubers, but until now it has not been clear how they developed them and diversified.
The researchers concluded that hybridisation was a key driver of the development of tubers – the part of the potato that makes it a staple crop today.
“We not only show that the cultivated potato and its 107 wild relatives are derived from an ancient hybrid speciation event, but also that tuber formation itself, a key innovative trait, has a hybrid ancestry,” the team said in the paper.
The potato is the third most widely consumed food crop globally, after rice and wheat, and is eaten by over 1 billion people, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.
I think one of the most interesting things happening in astrophysics at the minute is the rapid development of new ways to study black holes.
Whether it’s the virtuoso display of the Event Horizon Telescope showing us the shadow around the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole or the gravitational wave physicists detecting the effects of far-off mergers between stellar-mass black holes, these cosmic enigmas are being scrutinised like never before.
Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ. of Chicago/S.C. Mackey et al.; Radio: NRF/SARAO/MeerKAT; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/N. Wolk
Both of these methods tell us about individual black holes.
Really, though, we want to know about the whole population: when they formed, how they grow and what effect they have on the galaxies that host them.
One paper shows how the shiny new JWST might be able to help.
A view of the black hole at the centre of our Galaxy, seen by the Event Horizon Telescope. Credit: EHT Collaboration
How we find and study black holes
With black holes being black, spotting the glow from hot material in the accretion disc that surrounds them is how we usually detect them.
Sometimes that means looking for X-rays, but only the most massive black holes with the hottest discs reliably shine in the highest-energy parts of the spectrum.
Though sometimes emission from the accretion disc is seen in visible light – and it can outshine the entire rest of the galaxy, appearing as a quasar – dust surrounding the nucleus can often obscure it at these wavelengths.
Using infrared enables us to punch through any obscuration, and JWST’s giant golden mirrors allow the detection of actively growing black holes that are eight times fainter than any seen with the previous generation of infrared space telescopes.
It’s also sensitive to a broader range of wavelengths than prior missions, allowing it to spot emission from galaxies at higher redshift, revealing the state of black holes as they were back when the Universe was much younger than it is today.
An image of the supermassive black hole at the centre of the Milky Way, captured by the MeerKAT radio telescope. Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, SARAO, Samuel Crowe (UVA), John Bally (CU), Ruben Fedriani (IAA-CSIC), Ian Heywood (Oxford)
Studying multiple black holes in distant galaxies
The research paper uses data from the CEERS survey, one of the first sets of deep images taken by JWST.
Combing through it, the team found 41 galaxies that harbour clearly growing black holes.
By measuring their brightness at different wavelengths, the researchers were able to work out how much material they’re consuming.
They then did some fancy statistical footwork to convert this to what’s called a luminosity function – a model that gives us the total amount that the entire population of black holes is growing by as a function of cosmic time.
A bright flare coming from the supermassive black hole at the centre of our Galaxy, as seen by the James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: Farhad Yusef-Zadeh/Northwestern University
Based only on one survey, and on just 41 galaxies, this is more of a preliminary study than the last word on the subject.
But the overall story is clear: black hole activity grew from the Universe’s early days, until a period roughly four billion years after the Big Bang, since when it has been declining.
Intriguingly, this is around the time that astronomers think that star formation peaked in the Universe, so the process of star formation and black hole growth seems to have been evolving together.
Future surveys will tell us whether that’s because one controls the other – or whether some other factor is driving both.
Chris Lintott was reading Inferring Obscured Cosmic Black Hole Accretion History from AGN Found by JWST/MIRI CEERS Survey by C-A Hsieh et al. Read it online at arxiv.org/abs/2505.24308.
This article appeared in the August 2025 issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine
Consistent effort over time toward a clear goal can yield truly transformational results. We hear this all the time, but it’s something else entirely to see it with our own eyes.
One homeowner shared their journey on the subreddit r/f***lawns, revealing a jaw-dropping transformation from a plain, monoculture grass lawn in 2018 to a thriving, certified wildlife habitat in 2025.
Photo Credit: Reddit Photo Credit: Reddit
The before-and-after photos are almost unrecognizable, proof of what patience, vision, and a little rebellion against conventional landscaping can achieve.
The homeowner shared, “It’s been a labor of love involving a lot of literal blood, sweat, and tears…and so worth it.”
Transforming a traditional monoculture grass lawn into a native or resource-saving alternative offers significant personal benefits, notably, saving money by drastically reducing water usage and the need for expensive fertilizers or pesticides.
Homeowners also save valuable time and energy since native plants typically require less mowing and general upkeep than conventional lawns.
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Beyond these personal advantages, such transformations contribute positively to the environment by supporting local biodiversity, improving soil health, and reducing chemical runoff, making them a win-win for both people and the planet.
Native lawns create a healthier ecosystem for pollinators, which are essential allies in protecting our food supply. Homeowners have their pick of eco-friendly, low-maintenance alternatives to monoculture grass lawns, like native plants, clover, buffalo grass, and xeriscaping.
Even just replacing part of a traditional lawn with these options allows them to enjoy these environmental and personal benefits.
The homeowner shared how they began their yard transformation, demonstrating how a few simple steps can get you started.
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They explained, “It’s pretty simple … I laid the cardboard over the grass … then spread a layer of compost/dirt … then put a layer of mulch.”
From there, the homeowner continued to detail the rest of their process.
The comments were overwhelmingly positive.
One said, “This makes me feel optimistic.”
Another echoed the sentiment: “This is amazing — I know how much work that would have been, and I salute you.”
Another commenter gushed, “That’s absolutely gorgeous!”
While some commenters brought up the presence of non-native oxeye daisies, the homeowner acknowledged that they are aware of the concern and are keeping a close eye on their yard to ensure the daisies don’t spread.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Look west after sunset to spot the Red Planet forming a wide double with Virgo’s 4th-magnitude beta star, Zavijava.
Mars passes close to Beta Virginis in the evening sky on August 2. Credit: Stellarium
Mars is currently visible in the western sky after sunset, at its faintest apparent magnitude (1.6) for the year, due to its approaching solar conjunction.
On this particular night, Mars is situated approximately 8 arcminutes southeast of Beta Virginis (Zavijava), offering a close visual pairing observable with binoculars or a telescope.
The distance to Mars is approximately 197 million miles, contrasting with Zavijava’s distance of 36 light-years.
Zavijava, described as a Sun-like star, possesses roughly 25% more mass, is slightly less than twice the width, and exhibits about 3.5 times the brightness of our Sun.
Mars is now moving through Virgo, sitting low in the western sky after sunset. Shining at magnitude 1.6, the planet is at its faintest for the year; in the coming months, it will slowly start brightening again, but with a price. It’s now closing in on the Sun from our point of view, heading for solar conjunction early next year. It will remain visible only until about mid-November before it drops entirely from view.
Tonight, though, the Red Planet is still some 10° high an hour after sunset. It is passing close to 4th-magnitude Beta (β) Virginis, also called Zavijava, and today Mars stands just 8′ southeast of this star. They are readily visible together in binoculars or a telescope, presenting a nice contrast between the star’s pinpoint white glow and the planet’s ruddy, 4”-wide disk. Mars is too far from us to really see surface features, as it is now some 197 million miles (317 million km) away. But compare that with Zavijava, a relatively nearby star, which sits 36 light-years distant.
According to stellar expert Jim Kaler, Zavijava is a relatively Sun-like star with about a quarter more mass than our Sun. It is a little less than twice as wide and about 3.5 times as bright as our star.
Sunrise: 6:00 A.M. Sunset: 8:12 P.M. Moonrise: 3:06 P.M. Moonset: — Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (61%) *Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. local time from the same location.
For a look ahead at more upcoming sky events, check out our full Sky This Week column.
