NASA Veteran and International Crew Make Historic Return from ISS

Peggy Whitson, a retired NASA astronaut, returned from her fifth ISS mission with crewmates from India, Poland, and Hungary, marking their countries' first mission. They landed safely in the Pacific Ocean. Separately, research from Israel suggests plants emit ultrasonic distress signals, which insects use to make decisions.

NASA retiree Peggy Whitson and an international team of astronauts splashed down safely in the Pacific, marking a historic return from the International Space Station (ISS). Joining Whitson were astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary, each representing their country's debut ISS mission.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, carrying the four-member team, parachuted into the calm waters off the Southern California coast. This marked the culmination of a fiery reentry and a 22-hour descent from orbit that ended around 2:30 a.m. PDT.

In another significant development, Tel Aviv University researchers have revealed that plants may communicate acoustically with insects. Their study found that dehydrated tomato plants emit ultrasonic signals that female moths can detect, influencing their egg-laying decisions.

(With inputs from agencies.)