Unveiling Hidden Past: Michelangelo, Space Repairs, and Congo's Colonial Maps

Recent science news features Russia completing repairs at Baikonur's space launch pad, a re-attributed Michelangelo sculpture in Italy, and a conflict between a Belgian museum and a U.S. mining firm over Congo's colonial-era maps.

Russia's space endeavor strides forward as repair work concludes on the Baikonur launch pad, previously damaged during a Soyuz spacecraft launch. This crucial facility has been restored, ensuring continuous support for Moscow's space missions.

In Rome, a historic reattribution has seen a marble bust in a basilica identified as the work of Michelangelo. After years of obscurity, this Christ the Saviour sculpture once again shines a spotlight on the renowned artist's legacy.

Contention brews between a Belgian museum and the U.S. company KoBold Metals over the digitization of Congo's colonial maps. The archive, significant for its insights into Congo's resource exploitation, remains at the center of this transatlantic dispute.