The Trump administration is calling for the destruction of two satellite missions that have been crucial in global climate and ecological monitoring in the past decade. And it's part of a larger NASA shift away from climate research.

How is climate research affected?
The satellite missions are collectively known as the Orbiting Carbon Observatories (OCO) and can "precisely show where carbon dioxide is being emitted and absorbed and how well crops are growing," said The Associated Press. They have been operating for more than 10 years and have produced data of "exceptionally high quality," said a 2023 NASA review. 

"Together, the OCO-2, a free-flying satellite, and OCO-3, which is mounted on the International Space Station, measure the composition of the Earth's atmosphere, specifically sniffing out climate pollution," said CNN. The instruments are also "critical for farmers and the researchers studying forest loss." 

The process of decommissioning the satellites is not simple. OCO-3 could be "switched off and remain attached to the ISS, perhaps to be turned on again in the future," said CNN. However, OCO-2 would have to be "moved into a much lower orbit and exist there as space junk for years until it burns up in the Earth's atmosphere."

Can it be saved?
The Trump administration has decided to put climate change data on the back burner or perhaps off the stove altogether. "All the climate science and all of the other priorities that the last administration had at NASA, we're going to move aside," said Sean Duffy, the acting administrator of NASA, to Fox Business. NASA is meant to "explore, not to do all of these Earth sciences." But destroying the OCO will "hamstring climate research for decades," said Michael Hiltzik at the Los Angeles Times. 

The president's 2026 budget request includes no money for the OCO. Congress could potentially come to the rescue and "reject Trump's proposal and offer NASA the budget it needs to maintain U.S. climate and Earth science status quo," said CNN. However, Trump would also have to sign the bill. NASA has also said it would "consider proposals from private companies and universities that are willing to take on the cost," said NPR. 

Just a year ago, chains like TGI Fridays and Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy. Now, Chili's has "become the poster child" for the resurgence of casual dining restaurants, said The Wall Street Journal. The company reported a 24% annual increase in same-store sales last quarter from a year earlier. While eating out has "become more expensive everywhere," the price increases have been less steep and noticeable at sit-down restaurants, allowing them to "play offense" in the race to attract diners. 

The restaurant is also "enjoying a TikTok-fueled renaissance" thanks to Gen Z customers, said Texas Monthly. Chili's "regularly partners with content creators" for viral videos designed to appeal to young consumers. 

What did the commentators say?
The restaurant industry this year is the "most competitive I have ever seen," Jonathan Maze said at Restaurant Business. Americans are "demanding higher quality" from restaurant chains, "ignoring pure price for what they consider value." When Chili's was struggling, CEO Kevin Hochman "fixed the products, then used innovative marketing to get people in the door." Restaurants that choose instead to "cut corners" will "lose in an environment like this."

Chili's may "not be the best restaurant in America, but it's the exact restaurant America needs right now," Dan Kois said at Slate. It will not compete with non-chain restaurants for "trendy foods or challenging flavors" or healthiness, for that matter. But the "key to the revolution at Chili's has been embracing what Chili's actually is," which is "America's most middlebrow casual restaurant."

What next?
Chili's is not the only casual-dining chain on the upswing. In April, Texas Roadhouse surpassed Olive Garden as "America's No. 1 dining location," said Yahoo Finance. But there are also struggles within the sector. The Florida parent company of Bravo! Italian Kitchen and Brio Italian Grille filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, said Nation's Restaurant News.

Expansion is the next step for Chili's. The chain wants to expand to regions with "few or no Chili's, such as parts of the Northeast and Pacific Northwest," said Bloomberg. Hochman's other goal is to upgrade the menu. "The next frontier is steak."

A brown bear carries her cubs back to shore in Alaska's Katmai National Park after the family fell asleep at low tide and woke up surrounded by water. The photograph, "Lifeboat" by Casey Cooper, is among donated works on sale for Prints for Wildlife, a fundraiser for Conservation International.
Casey Cooper / Prints for Wildlife

Budapest's springs have been soothing souls for centuries. The city is home to more than 120 thermal baths, where the water comes "bubbling up" from a vast network of underground caves, said Lonely Planet. These springs can melt away stress, provide muscle relief and improve circulation.

Bathing benefits
The spring water in a thermal bath is "rich in minerals" like sulfate, calcium, zinc and magnesium and has long been used to treat ailments, said the BBC. Some doctors give "bath prescriptions" to their older patients, as the thermal water can help with skin issues like psoriasis, eczema, arthritis and other joint troubles, said Afar. 

Best of the bunch
Visiting the Rudas Bath is like traveling back in time to the 16th century. That's when this majestic complex was built, and it remains "resplendent with decorative elements like Ottoman domes and an octagonal pool," said the BBC. 

The neo-baroque Széchenyi Bath is Europe's largest medicinal bath, with 15 indoor and three outdoor pools. During the dead of winter, it feels like a "special treat" to hit up an outdoor bath and "bask" in the hot water while your "breath plumes the cold air," said Condé Nast Traveler.

The Gellért Thermal Bath is a feast for the eyes, with "intricate tiling," dozens of fountains and statues, "curved ceilings" and "gorgeously ornate" thermal pools, said Condé Nast Traveler. Gellért dates back to 1918, and its outdoor pool made history when it opened in the 1920s with the world's first-ever artificial wave machine.