Science in 2026: what to expect this year
Summary
By Nick Petrić Howe and Miryam Naddaf. This Nature Podcast episode and companion piece outlines the major science stories likely to shape 2026: the rise of more refined, small-scale AI models that could outcompete large models on reasoning tasks; clinical advances and trials in human gene editing, including personalised CRISPR therapies; an anticipated sample-collection mission from Phobos that could return new material from Mars’s moon; and the ongoing impacts of policy shifts in the United States under the Trump team, which may affect funding, hiring and international collaborations.
Key Points
- Smaller, task-focused AI models may gain ground over large language models for complex reasoning and specialised applications.
- Human gene-editing clinical trials are progressing, with personalised therapies moving from case studies toward broader testing for rare disorders.
- A Phobos sample-collection mission is expected to provide valuable planetary-material returns that could inform Mars science.
- US policy changes are likely to continue affecting research funding, institutional stability and international scientific partnerships.
- These developments intersect with debates on AI safety, clinical regulation and global cooperation in science.
Why should I read this?
Quick, no-nonsense roundup of the science headlines that might actually matter this year. If you want to stay on top of AI shifts, gene-editing trials, space missions or how politics will shape research — this saves you the legwork and points you to the essentials.
Context and relevance
The article is important because each highlighted item could change where money, talent and regulation flow across science. Advances in smaller AI models affect industry and research strategy; gene-editing trials mark clinical and ethical milestones; a Phobos mission would offer new planetary data; and US policy shifts could reshape international collaboration and funding landscapes. For readers tracking research priorities, technology trends or science policy, these are high-impact themes to watch.
Author style
Punchy — the authors provide a brisk, accessible tour of forthcoming events rather than deep technical analysis. It’s aimed at readers who need the big-picture signals quickly.