New Scientist Predictions 2026: Artemis II and Moon to Mars Missions, GLP-1 Drugs, LSD Trials, and EU Carbon Border Tax

Overview

This podcast episode from New Scientist surveys big science news predictions for 2026 across space exploration, pharmacology, psychedelic research, and climate policy. It highlights Artemis II and Artemis III timelines, plans for a commercial space station, SpaceX and in orbit refueling, lunar and Martian ambitions, the looming availability of cheaper GLP-1 weight loss drugs including oral forms, upcoming LSD anxiety trials, and the European carbon border adjustment mechanism with UK alignment implications.

• Space focus includes Artemis II a crewed lunar flyby, Artemis III potential lunar landing, Starship refueling debates, and a new commercial space station Haven One.
• Medical and pharmaceutical themes cover GLP-1 weight loss drugs moving toward cheaper, pill-form options, and the LSD anxiety trials slated for 2026.
• Climate policy discusses the EU carbon border tax and anticipated global adoption patterns including UK timing and possible adaptations by other countries.

Readers will find a cohesive snapshot of what to watch in 2026, with caveats about timelines and technological hurdles as discussed by New Scientist reporters.

Space Missions and Space Industry in 2026

The episode kicks off with a space forecast centered on Artemis programs and Mars missions. Artemis II is slated for April 2026 and will launch four astronauts on a lunar loop lasting about 10 days. The mission will test life support and perform a figure eight around the Moon, with a closest approach around 7,400 kilometers from the lunar surface before returning to Earth. It is not a landing, but it is a crucial step toward a sustained presence on the Moon and a potential pathway to Mars. Artemis III is discussed as a future milestone, likely in 2027, contingent on the Starship lander and extensive in-orbit refueling logistics that SpaceX and NASA are pursuing. The crewed lunar landing depends onラSpaceX refueling two Starships in Earth orbit to enable a heavy-lift mission. The program’s trajectory is described as a potential snowballing effect for funding and policy, pushing toward permanent lunar activity and eventually Mars.

The discussion also covers the broader spaceflight ecosystem: the Space Launch System (SLS) is viewed through a critical lens given its high costs and limited reuse, with questions about how many future SLS launches will occur after Artemis II. SpaceX’s ethos of repeated launches and occasional failures contrasts with the more traditional, cautious approach of SLS. A major part of the 2026 space outlook is the rise of commercial space stations. Vast’s Haven One is described as a small 45 cubic meter habitat designed for a four-person crew to stay for a couple of weeks, leveraging the Crew Dragon for life support. If Haven One succeeds, it could lay the groundwork for Haven Two and a broader shift toward private sector-led orbital infrastructure, potentially replacing or supplementing the ISS by around 2030. In addition, a Phobos sample return mission from Japan is planned in 2026, with a longer horizon for sample return by 2031, signaling a diversification of space science targets beyond Earth’s orbit.

Space policy and timelines are paired with an eye on Mars missions. The transcript notes a Hohmann transfer window every ~26 months, which SpaceX plans to exploit for uncrewed Starship missions to Mars. The panelists caution that in-orbit refueling remains a significant technical hurdle and timeline risk, but even if Mars missions slip, the Artemis program is positioned to catalyze funding and momentum for a long-term human presence beyond low Earth orbit.

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GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs: From Injections to Pills

The conversation moves to medicine and weight management, focusing on GLP-1 class drugs including semaglutide and the prospect of cheaper, more accessible formulations. The UK/World Obesity Federation data underscore the scale of overweight and obesity and the need for affordable therapies. The leading predicted development is Orful glypron, a small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist that can be taken orally. If approved, it would be easier to administer and cheaper to manufacture than peptide-based GLP-1 drugs, potentially expanding access to hundreds of millions more people worldwide. Trials suggest weight loss of around 10% over 72 weeks, which would be somewhat less than semaglutide’s roughly 14% in head-to-head data, but cost and convenience could drive broad adoption. The discussion also covers ribosys, an oral formulation designed to enable gut absorption of semaglutide, and the practical restrictions around dosing and meal timing inherent to peptide therapies that demand complex administration protocols.

Beyond Orful glypron, the host team discusses patent expirations in certain markets that could open generic GLP-1 options, and a wave of more than 100 GLP-1 type drugs in development, including retaituride, a triple-hormone mimic that has shown dramatic early weight loss in high-dose trials. The overall tone is cautiously optimistic: cheaper, pill-based GLP-1 therapies could increase adherence and long-term use, potentially reducing obesity and associated diseases. Side effects remain a critical consideration, and researchers emphasize that real-world tolerability and long-term safety will determine final impact.

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LSD in Medicine: Anxiety Trials on the Horizon

The LSD segment highlights a renewed research interest in psychedelic-assisted therapy, particularly for anxiety. Alexandra Thompson explains that two major phase 3 trials are anticipated in 2026, with 100 microgram doses delivered in a supervised setting and a second phase exploring lower doses (50 micrograms) to disentangle placebo effects from drug effects. Previous 2025 work suggests a single LSD dose can relieve moderate to severe anxiety for at least three months, supported by rat studies showing rewiring of brain circuitry after a dose. The trials include careful controls of dosage, setting, and support, acknowledging the risk of adverse experiences or distress during the psychedelic experience. A third arm with 50 microgram dosing aims to calibrate dose-response and improve the interpretability of placebo outcomes.

Key questions revolve around safety, long-term outcomes, integration with psychotherapy, and whether these experiences translate into lasting anxiety reduction. The panel agrees that LSD will not replace standard talk therapy but may become a complementary option for those who do not respond to conventional treatments. The discussion also touches on the broader historical context of LSD, its regulation, and the potential for psychedelic medicine to reframe mental health treatment.

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Climate Policy: The European Carbon Border Tariff

The closing segment addresses climate policy, focusing on the European Union’s carbon border adjustment mechanism, commonly described as a carbon border tariff. The aim is to prevent “carbon leakage” by imposing a border tax on imports from regions with weak carbon pricing, creating an incentive for global decarbonization. The EU CBAM currently targets steel and other carbon-intensive sectors such as iron, aluminum, cement, fertilizers, hydrogen, and even electricity, with a carbon price around €80 per ton noted in December. The policy is framed as a strategic tool to level the playing field and push more countries to adopt robust carbon pricing. The UK plans a CBAM in 2027 aligned with the EU system, while other countries such as Australia, Canada, and Taiwan are considering similar approaches, raising concerns about a patchwork of different schemes and potential trade frictions. The transcript also notes that some nations, including Turkey and Brazil, are discussing their own carbon pricing systems to avoid the tariff, signaling that CBAM is already influencing policy conversations. Debates about carbon pricing scale and effectiveness are acknowledged, with the emphasis that higher carbon prices tend to yield stronger decarbonization signals.

Overall, the climate segment frames CBAM as a lever to accelerate climate action by making carbon pricing a global norm, while recognizing political and economic pushback and the need for careful design to avoid unintended consequences in trade and domestic industries.

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Conclusion: The Year Ahead

The episode closes with a forward-looking caveat: predictions are uncertain, timelines shift, and political cycles can redraw the landscape. Yet the speakers agree that Artemis II represents a pivotal moment for spaceflight, GLP-1 therapies promise greater access to obesity treatments, LSD trials could redefine psychedelic medicine, and carbon border adjustments may recalibrate global climate policy. Taken together, these threads sketch a year in which science, policy, and industry intersect in ways that could redefine human exploration, health, and environmental stewardship.