Dalí's 'sublime' amber medium may explain unusual aging in a museum masterpiece As part of the FED-tWIN Face-to-Face project, a multidisciplinary team bringing together the European Centre of Archaeometry (University of Liège, ULiège), the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (RMFAB), CNRS-Sorbonne University and Ca' Foscari University of Venice has published a study on the conservation condition of "The Temptation of St Anthony" (1946) by Salvador Dalí, a major work held by the RMFAB since 1965. ⌘ Read more

Deep mantle deformation is linked to subducted slabs, global map shows Slow roiling convection currents deep within Earth's mantle, which are associated with the movements of tectonic plates, also deform the material of the mantle itself. Now, a new study in The Seismic Record confirms that much of this deformation in the lowest level of the mantle occurs where researchers think there may be deeply subducted tectonic slabs. ⌘ Read more

Watering smarter, not more: A modern-day robotic divining rod Advanced technology can help farmers get to the root of a growing problem—overwatering in an era of increasing drought and water scarcity. A new UC Riverside system can map soil moisture tree by tree, so growers water only where and when it's needed. ⌘ Read more

Governments, beware: Why it's so hard to invest in risk prevention Governments cutting hundreds of millions of euros in pandemic funding, just a few years after a pandemic. Billions spent on compensation after a flood, rather than on prevention beforehand. Governments find it difficult to deal effectively with major, but not acute, risks. Why is this such a challenge? This was researched by Bas Heerma van Voss, who will be defending his Ph.D. thesis at Radboud University on April 13. ⌘ Read more

NASA's Artemis II mission launches on first crewed lunar flyby in 50 years Four astronauts blasted off aboard a massive NASA rocket Wednesday on a long-anticipated journey around the moon, the first crewed lunar flyby in more than 50 years. ⌘ Read more

New miniature marsupial frog found in Peru carries eggs in a back pouch Scientists have discovered a new species of miniature marsupial frog in the Peruvian Amazon that carries its young in a natural pouch on its back, a research institute reported Wednesday. ⌘ Read more

AI uptake across Italian firms remains patchy, study suggests, despite generative AI buzz Research in the International Journal of Business Information Systems suggests that the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is remarkably uneven across Italian firms. While some may have made a deliberate choice not to use AI, of the many that are planning to use it, some still lack the organizational structures needed to deploy the technology effectively. ⌘ Read more

How a seabird native to Hawaii has adapted to life in Honolulu's concrete jungle Kaʻiulani Murphy is quick to spot white terns flapping their wings when she's guiding Polynesian voyaging canoes across the Pacific. ⌘ Read more

Earthquake off Indonesia topples buildings, kills 1 person and sets off small tsunami An undersea magnitude -7.4 earthquake toppled buildings in parts of northern Indonesia, sent people fleeing from their homes, killed at least one person and generated a small tsunami Thursday. ⌘ Read more

Mercury scout mission concept with solar sail propulsion The planet Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, and also the most difficult for spacecraft to visit and explore. This is because as spacecraft get closer to Mercury, the sun's enormous gravity pulls in the spacecraft, greatly increasing its speed and making it hard to slow down without large amounts of fuel. But what if a spacecraft could both travel to and explore Mercury without fuel? This could drastically reduce mission costs while ... ⌘ Read more

Queen bumblebees can breathe underwater for days. We discovered how In most bumblebee species, the queens spend their winters buried underground in a tiny cavity the size of a grape. For six to nine months, they enter a deep sleep-like state called diapause, waiting for spring. ⌘ Read more

Atomic-level simulations reveal rotational mechanism behind a critical biomolecular motor The way a key cellular motor works at an atomic level has been uncovered by simulations conducted by RIKEN biophysicists. This finding, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provides important insights into how mechanical force is generated in cells. ⌘ Read more

Gravitational waves as possible candidates for the origin of dark matter Gravitational waves could be responsible for the production of dark matter during the early phases of our universe's formation, according to results of a new study by Professor Joachim Kopp from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the PRISMA Cluster of Excellence in cooperation with Dr. Azadeh Maleknejad from Swansea University. Their work, published in Physical Review Letters, presents new calculations that explore a nov ... ⌘ Read more

Two trillion gallons of water trigger historic flooding in Hawaiʻi More than 2 trillion gallons of water—enough to fill 3 million Olympic-sized swimming pools—inundated Hawaiʻi in March. The accumulated rainfall over 14 days reached as high as 3,000% of normal historical levels for this time of year, culminating in a destructive "rain bomb" over Oʻahu. Through the University of Hawaiʻi's Hawaiʻi Mesonet and the Hawaiʻi Climate Data Portal, researchers captured the scale of these back-to-back ... ⌘ Read more

Moon rocket and weather are on NASA's side for the first astronaut launch in decades After weeks of fuel leaks and other issues, NASA faced a trouble-free countdown Tuesday on the eve of astronauts' first trip to the moon in more than half a century. ⌘ Read more

Why has it taken so long to return to the moon? At 13:24:59 Central Standard Time on December 19, 1972, the Apollo 17 command module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, about 350 nautical miles southeast of Samoa, concluding the last mission to the moon. ⌘ Read more

Great hammerheads maintain peak hunting across wide temperature swings, biologging data suggest Most predators slow down when ocean temperatures shift. Great hammerhead sharks don't—not significantly anyway. These ocean predators are masters of the "thermal hustle," maintaining peak hunting performance across a surprisingly wide range of ocean temperatures between winter and summer months, according to new research published this week in Journal of Experimental Biology. ⌘ Read more

How medieval chess created a space in which players, regardless of race, could engage as equals In the medieval European imagination, racial difference was often highly polarized. Black people were perceived either as exotic status symbols—including saints and wealthy rulers such as the Queen of Sheba—or as subjugated figures, considered inferior to white Christians. ⌘ Read more

Canada's ocean economy is at risk as climate change hits ecosystems Communities dependent on Canada's blue economy will face growing challenges to their livelihoods as climate change fundamentally alters the country's marine environment, according to new Simon Fraser University research. The four-year study published in Regional Studies in Marine Science suggests that some parts of the country could see a 50% drop in marine resources, hitting sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture and ecotouri ... ⌘ Read more

Impacts from meteors may have helped start life on Earth by creating hydrothermal vents Meteor impacts may have helped spark life on Earth, creating hot, chemical-rich environments where the first living cells could take shape, according to research integrated by a recent Rutgers University graduate. Shea Cinquemani, who earned her bachelor's degree from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences in May 2025, has published a paper based on research she started during the spring of her ... ⌘ Read more

Viruses 'eavesdrop' on each other—but it can backfire University of Exeter scientists studied chemical communication by phages (viruses that infect bacteria). The phages assessed in the study have two choices when they enter a cell: lie dormant or kill the cell and release new virus particles to infect other cells nearby. It was recently discovered that some phages use chemical communication systems to optimize this decision. ⌘ Read more

How Europe can use emissions trading to also manage carbon removals The emissions trading system launched by the European Union in 2005 could one day also be used to capture CO₂ on a large scale. A new model study quantifies the potential, and outlines that phased integration of removals into the trading system can avoid misguided incentives, while providing industry with planning security for residual emissions that are hard-to-abate. ⌘ Read more

Can planes evacuate in 90 seconds? New simulations show the safest cabin layout In case of an emergency, the Federal Aviation Administration requires aircraft to be able to evacuate within 90 seconds. However, as the median age of the global population increases, the growing number of elderly airline passengers poses new challenges during emergency situations. ⌘ Read more

De-alcoholization tech can help fix bushfire faults in wine New research has found technology that removes alcohol from wine can be combined with traditional remediation techniques to mitigate smoke taint, minimizing its impact on wine's sensory elements. ⌘ Read more

Food safety, soils and manure: How a systemic approach can prevent health risks In many parts of the world, including China, soil acidification is reducing agricultural yields. Recycling animal manure can help counteract this acidification and is therefore a key component of circular agriculture. However, this approach also has a downside. ⌘ Read more

Your post-gym protein shake may get a taste upgrade: Manufacturing can improve whey protein drink palatability The taste and texture profile of protein shakes could be improved by tweaking the way whey protein is made, new research has found. An ongoing collaboration among the University of Reading, Aberystwyth University and Arla Foods Ingredients has resulted in the production of whey protein (a dairy-derived ingredient found in gym shakes and sports supplements) with improved texture characteristics. ... ⌘ Read more

Portable unit can quickly detect deadly whale and dolphin diseases Novel marine mammal health surveillance can now detect deadly diseases in whales and dolphins in oceans, beaches and remote locations, thanks to new research from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. The portable unit delivers results in about an hour, leading to faster decision-making during mass stranding events. The study is published in Transboundary and Emerging Diseases. ⌘ Read more

Finding the 'quantum needle' in a haystack: New filtering method can isolate photons In quantum technologies, everything depends on the ability to detect the properties carried by a single photon. But in the real world, that photon of interest is often buried in a sea of unwanted light—a true "needle in a haystack" challenge that currently limits the deployment of many applications, including secure quantum communication, quantum sensors used in telescope networks, as well as the interconnect ... ⌘ Read more

'Toad-proofing' farms could help stop the march of invasive pest Curtin University research has found farmers making small changes to how they give water to cattle in semi-arid regions could halt the spread of one of Australia's most damaging invasive species—all without disrupting farming operations. Published in Global Ecology and Conservation, the paper reveals straightforward, low-cost changes to cattle troughs and fencing could prevent invasive cane toads from accessing the water they need to s ... ⌘ Read more

One man, his dog, and ChatGPT: Australia's AI vaccine saga Desperate to help his sick dog, one Australian man went down the ultimate ChatGPT research hole, using artificial intelligence to design a personalized experimental treatment and finding top scientists to administer it. ⌘ Read more

Apollo vs. Artemis: What to know about NASA's return to the moon NASA's Apollo moonshots are a tough act to follow, even after all this time. ⌘ Read more

In world first, antimatter taken on test drive at CERN CERN scientists on Tuesday pulled off the unprecedented feat of transporting antiprotons by road, successfully test-driving the world's first antimatter delivery system, with an eye to one day supplying research labs across Europe. ⌘ Read more

Embryo-like fossils from Southern China offer new clues about ancient life Some of the most ancient fossils collected to date were traced back to the Ediacaran period. This is the time interval ranging from around 635 to 541 million years ago, shortly before the time when scientists predict that a wide range of animals started appearing. ⌘ Read more

Researchers examine how AI chatbots are shaping government operations As artificial intelligence (AI) tools become more common across government, new research from the University at Albany's Center for Technology in Government (CTG UAlbany) examines how agencies are using chatbots and what those tools are actually changing in practice. ⌘ Read more

How internal waves transport energy thousands of miles across the ocean Both winds and tides inject energy into the ocean. Much of that energy is then transported up to thousands of miles by internal waves: large-scale underwater waves that can travel between ocean basins. Quantifying the amount of energy transported by internal waves and assessing their dynamics are difficult given their location and scale. Still, the question is important because internal wave dynamics interact with the global ... ⌘ Read more

Scientists detect magnetic waves deep within the sun, helping predict solar activity Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have discovered new large-scale waves moving deep inside the sun, driven by magnetic fields far below the surface. These waves provide a window into parts of the sun that are otherwise inaccessible, giving scientists a new tool to study how its magnetic field is formed and evolves over time. ⌘ Read more

Scandinavia's largest 'burial mound' may be a monument to catastrophe, not a king New LiDAR analysis suggests Raknehaugen may have been built in response to a devastating landslide, not to honor a high-status individual. The study by Dr. Lars Gustavsen, published in the European Journal of Archaeology, challenges the long-held assumption that Scandinavia's largest prehistoric mound was built as a burial mound for a high-status individual. ⌘ Read more

Ancient DNA finds 15,800-year-old dogs in Anatolia, buried like humans Evidence of some of the earliest dogs has been identified at two University of Liverpool/British Institute at Ankara archaeological excavation projects in central Anatolia, Turkey. Shedding new light on the development and spread of early domestic dogs, the findings are documented in two papers published in Nature. ⌘ Read more

Chemists harness electricity to create biomass-based building blocks Chemists at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and Utrecht University have developed a new method to produce a promising chemical building block from biomass. This compound can serve as a precursor for useful products such as plastics, pharmaceuticals, and flavor and fragrance ingredients. Conventionally, its production requires hazardous chemicals. The Dutch research team now demonstrates that the process can instead ... ⌘ Read more

Artemis II astronauts arrive at Florida launch site for first moon trip in 53 years The astronauts set to become the first lunar visitors in more than half a century arrived at their launch site Friday, joining the towering rocket that stands poised to blast off next week and send them around the moon. ⌘ Read more

Why use living cells? Researchers are making chemicals with enzymes alone Today's nearly $70 billion U.S. biofuels economy is powered by two technology toolboxes. Biochemical technologies—used to produce around 17 billion gallons of ethanol annually—leverage microorganisms to convert plant biomass sugars into alcohols, other biofuels, or chemicals. Chemical technologies, the second toolbox, use catalysts to turn biomass and wastes into similar target products. ⌘ Read more

Ultrafast microscopy sheds light on metallic nanoframe behavior Argonne and Northwestern University scientists teamed up to understand how light interacts with metallic nanoframes, with implications for biosensing, quantum information science and beyond. ⌘ Read more

Foreign direct investment is no silver bullet for growth, research shows Foreign direct investment (FDI) has long been seen as a reliable engine of economic growth, bringing jobs, productivity gains and new technologies into host economies. But new research suggests the reality is far more complex, and far less predictable. ⌘ Read more

The northern lights' dark twin is a wild card for the power grid Scientists are working to understand how magnetic currents from the sun spread beneath Earth's crust when the northern lights dance across the sky. Their goal is to tame its "dark twin" and prevent damage to our power grid. ⌘ Read more

Why student samples can mislead: Higher education may shift values toward Western norms A new study published in Nature Communications finds that worldwide, people with higher levels of education are more culturally similar to those in Canada, the U.S., U.K., and other Anglo, industrialized countries and countries in Western Europe. ⌘ Read more

Gabon battles for baby sea turtles' survival Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, newly hatched sea turtles emerged on a Gabonese beach to embark on the treacherous 10-meter (33-foot) scramble across the sand to the ocean. ⌘ Read more

Birds of prey act as sentinels to warn of forever chemicals A new paper investigates how raptors, or birds of prey like hawks and eagles, act as a sentinel species that can reveal the level of forever chemicals in the local environment. The forever chemicals, or PFAS, are especially high in species that eat fish. The review titled, "Raptors as Sentinels: Unveiling the Environmental and Health Risks of Pfas Contamination," published in Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods, provides a comprehensive analysis ... ⌘ Read more

Beyond lipid nanoparticles: How custom polymers and AI may reshape gene therapies Nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA play a central role in gene therapies and vaccines. They store and transmit biological information. In order for them to work in the body, they must enter the cells using chemical carrier systems. Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon are now proposing a new strategy for developing such systems: instead of using the same carrier material for different nucleic acids, the carr ... ⌘ Read more

Scientists uncover the secret behind perfectly 3D preserved 'sea reptile' fossils Scientists at Curtin University have solved a long-standing mystery about how some of the world's best-preserved fossils formed in ancient oxygen-free ocean floor settings. The research, published in Communications Earth & Environment, focuses on a 183-million-year-old ichthyosaur—a dolphin-like marine reptile, preserved three dimensionally inside a carbonate concretion from Germany's Posidonia Shale. ⌘ Read more

Galactic warming: The 'car engine-like' effect heating our Milky Way Our Milky Way's halo of hot gas is warmer to the "south" than the "north" because of an internal combustion engine-like effect that is compressing the gas like a piston, a new study has found. Computer simulations reveal that the Large Magellanic Cloud—a satellite galaxy below, or on the south side, of our own—attracts the Milky Way, causing gas in the southern half of the halo to compress and heat up. ⌘ Read more

'Ghost forests' could be key to understanding coastal resilience to climate change Rising sea levels are contributing to a phenomenon called "ghost forests," which are groups of dead and dying standing trees that have been drowned by intruding saltwater. And all along the eastern U.S. where there used to be vibrant green trees, clusters of bare gray trunks appear. Now, researchers say studying how water cycles through ghost forests may hold the key to understanding how coastal forest ecosystems r ... ⌘ Read more

Nitrile and latex gloves may cause overestimation of microplastics in the lab Nitrile and latex gloves that scientists wear while they are measuring microplastics may lead to a potential overestimation of the tiny pollutants, according to a University of Michigan study, published in Analytical Methods. ⌘ Read more

Community music education a key youth well-being strategy Improving the well-being of young people is an international priority. The World Health Organization has reported that suicide is now the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 29-years-old globally, and is strongly correlated to youth mental illness. ⌘ Read more

Finding order in disorder: New mechanism amplifies transverse electron transport For decades, it has been widely believed that electrons move most efficiently in materials that are clean and highly ordered. Much like water flowing more easily through a smooth pipe, conventional wisdom has held that electrical transport improves as a material's internal structure becomes more perfectly arranged. However, a recent study shows that the opposite can also be true. A research team at POSTEC ... ⌘ Read more

Low-cost sensor system could warn farmers of salt stress in plants Soil salinity is a critical concern in agriculture when excessive soluble salts restrict a plant's water uptake, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, hindering crop growth and reducing yields on roughly 30% of U.S. irrigated land. Caused by irrigation, poor drainage or saltwater intrusion, soil salinity impacts soil structure, reduces fertility and causes economic losses. To help growers identify and mitigate salt stress, in a p ... ⌘ Read more

Low snow water content tied to higher wildfire burn severity, analysis finds Across much of the Rocky Mountain West, a winter of record-breaking high temperatures and historically low snowfall has forced people to think about having less water this spring. But it could also mean more severe wildfires this summer, according to new research from Western Colorado University. In a paper published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, researchers from Western's Clark School of Environmen ... ⌘ Read more

Does a company's political power affect its success in obtaining federal contracts? A study published in Contemporary Economic Policy investigated the extent to which a company's political investments influence their success in the competition for federal contracts. ⌘ Read more

Eight amino acids may explain salamanders' reduced cold sensitivity The ability to sense environmental temperature, which helps animals move away from suboptimal locations and find those with ideal temperatures, involves various channels on sensory neurons that open at specific temperature ranges. ⌘ Read more

Are mercury levels elevated across US conservation lands? A study published in The Journal of Wildlife Management found varying risks to species due to mercury pollution across the United States' National Wildlife Refuge System, the world's largest network of lands and waters conserved specifically for fish, wildlife, and their habitats. ⌘ Read more

Social media and monetization in the Ukraine-Russia war The internet has become a battleground, writes the author of a new article in the Journal of Anthropological Research, and particularly so in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which has been called the first "TikTok war." In "Social Media Warfare: Monetization and Materiality in the Ukrainian Armed Forces Since February 24, 2022," Marcello Fantoni uses ethnographic interviews with former and current members of the Ukrainian milita ... ⌘ Read more

Volunteers need training and support to deal with disclosures of child abuse in community sport A new study by Victoria University (VU) reveals volunteers involved in community sport need more support when recognizing and responding to disclosures of abuse in sport (psychological, physical, sexual and neglect). The study, titled "The Capabilities, Opportunities and Motivations of Sport Volunteers to Respond to Child Abuse: Results From a National Survey in Australia," led by VU's Dr. Mary ... ⌘ Read more

Catchment planning boosts impact of small water retention measures Flooding, drought, and the loss of soil and nutrients are well-known challenges in agricultural catchments. Climate change is making these problems more pronounced. More intense rainfall leads to more runoff and erosion in fields, while longer dry periods increase the need to retain water in soils and across the wider landscape. ⌘ Read more

Boys ditch books when schools close—girls keep reading: Study When holidays or pandemics shut down schools, gender differences in children's reading habits widen; boys stop reading, while girls continue, according to a new study from the University of Copenhagen. The researchers say their findings suggest that boys are more dependent on school routines and expectations than girls. ⌘ Read more

The truth of timekeeping lies within: Key developments in understanding circadian rhythms Almost all living things have an internal 24-hour clock that remains accurate regardless of temperature or other environmental changes. This clock is a highly sophisticated yet simple timekeeping mechanism that is critically important to many functions, including metabolism and survival. Until now, the influences keeping the internal clock ticking reliably were unknown. ⌘ Read more

XRISM identifies gamma Cas X-ray origin, solving a 50-year-old stellar mystery Visible to the naked eye in the constellation Cassiopeia, the star γ Cas has puzzled astrophysicists for half a century. It emits X-rays of an intensity and temperature incompatible with what one would expect from an ordinary massive star. Observations, carried out using the Resolve instrument aboard the Japanese XRISM telescope, now allow us to attribute this emission to the white dwarf orbiting γ Cas. This also confirms the exis ... ⌘ Read more

Nanoparticles enable large-scale production of advanced cell therapies Researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in China have developed a streamlined process that makes it easier to produce tiny therapeutic particles released by cells, called exosomes, which are being explored as a new type of medical treatment. Using a nanoparticle-based system, the researchers were able to overcome a major barrier that has slowed the medical and industrial deployment of these therapie ... ⌘ Read more

When NASA's experimental technology detects a tsunami, it may help save lives A new data visualization illustrates how an experimental NASA technology can provide extra lead time to communities in the path of a tsunami. Called GUARDIAN (GNSS Upper Atmospheric Real-time Disaster Information and Alert Network), the software detects slight distortions in satellite navigation signals to spot hazards on the move. ⌘ Read more

Single-cell sequencing reveals unexpected protist diversity Researchers from the Earlham Institute, in collaboration with the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford, have discovered three previously unrecognized lineages of the protist Bodo, each with its own bacterial endosymbiont (a symbiotic organism living within the body of its host). ⌘ Read more

Why cultivating drought-resistant plants disappoints: Soil physics may be the real bottleneck Plants need water, light, and air to thrive. But when they transport water from the soil up to their leaves, they defy gravity. Scientists describe this astonishing phenomenon as "negative water potential," a form of negative tension that enables herbs, shrubs, and trees to draw water from the soil. Nevertheless, plants do not constantly extract water from the soil. For decades, researchers hav ... ⌘ Read more

The 'private solution trap': Why richer countries may favor adaptation over public solutions, and who pays A new study, led by the University of Nottingham and conducted by a team of 72 economists and psychologists across the world, has identified a potential "private solution trap" in problems requiring international cooperation such as climate change. Dr. Eugene Malthouse, Research Fellow in the university's School of Economics, led the international team of researchers, who invited particip ... ⌘ Read more

Superconducting quantum processor performs well with significantly less wiring Quantum computers, computing systems that process information using quantum mechanical effects, could outperform classical computers on some computational tasks. These computers rely on qubits, the basic units of quantum information, which can exist in multiple states (0, 1 or both simultaneously), due to quantum effects known as superposition and entanglement. ⌘ Read more

An end to the battle between touchscreens and long fingernails is on the horizon Anybody who has tried to use a smartphone or tablet with long nails knows that there's a learning curve. Rather than effortlessly tapping with a fingertip, you must awkwardly lay the pads of your fingers onto the screen. Wouldn't it be easier if you could just type with your fingernails instead? To try and make this idea a reality, a group of researchers is formulating a clear nail polish that could turn long fingernails ... ⌘ Read more

Neutrality can speed up and stabilize collective decisions, new study shows Trying to persuade people to abandon deeply held views often backfires, leaving groups entrenched and unable to move forward. A new study by researchers at the University of Bath in the UK proposes a strategy that is both surprising and more effective: encourage neutrality. ⌘ Read more

Two-thirds of workers are burned out—here's what science says about how to tackle it Burnout is at an all-time high, with some studies saying two-thirds of employees now cite job burnout as a major challenge. Overwork and chronic stress do not just drain energy, they can erode health, contributing to a wide range of psychological and physical problems, including depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease and even increased stroke risk. Shaina Siber offers solutions rooted in science in her new book, "U ... ⌘ Read more

All 5 fundamental units of life's genetic code were just discovered in an asteroid sample A new study reveals all five fundamental nucleobases—the molecular "letters" of life—have been detected in samples from the asteroid Ryugu. ⌘ Read more

Trying your best in a second language? Here's why native speakers seem so rude Rudeness, whether real or perceived, can deeply affect cooperation, trust, and workplace culture. But judgments of what we consider rude aren't confined to specific disrespectful words or phrases—they are shaped by the listener's emotional processing, attention to non-verbal cues, and underlying moral stance. ⌘ Read more

Hawaii tests asphalt made with recycled plastics and fishing nets for shedding Hawaii has a plastic problem. The island state faces economic and logistical challenges in recycling plastic waste, including marine debris that lingers in its ocean waters. Researchers in Hawaii are pioneering a method to recycle the islands' derelict fishing nets and residential plastic trash into asphalt roads. Early demonstrations show that these recycled materials may provide a viable end-of-life fate for the ... ⌘ Read more

Gender conformity starts young, and boys and girls fall in line in different ways Many people have felt the subtle pressure to be "man enough" or "woman enough" in the eyes of others. And research has shown this pressure can have personal and social consequences. ⌘ Read more

Where did the ancient Greeks and Romans think lightning came from? Hint: not just the gods Is it any wonder ancient people thought lightning came from the gods? Even today, a close lightning strike feels like a terrifying brush with the supernatural. ⌘ Read more

Scientists create wheat-only gel from bran fiber and gluten protein Scientists in Sweden have for the first time created a fully wheat-based gel made entirely from wheat bran fiber and wheat gluten protein—an advance that could turn one of the grain industry's least valued by-products into a nutritious, sustainable ingredient for future food products. ⌘ Read more

Predicting RNA activity expands therapeutic possibilities With AI, it's now possible for researchers to predict the three-dimensional structures of proteins directly from their amino-acid sequences. But what biologists really want to predict, says Columbia biophysicist Hashim Al-Hashimi, is how RNA and DNA-encoded molecules behave inside their natural cellular environments. ⌘ Read more

March heat surges past 100 in California and Arizona, smashing records A burst of unusual March heat is hitting the United States this week and into next, busting previous monthly heat records by wide margins. While heat is most acutely felt by people exposed to it, graphics and charts convey the scale of this extreme event. Temperatures in the West remain far above what's typical for March, a sign the early season heat is not letting up. Compared with the average highs for March between 1991 and 2020, temp ... ⌘ Read more

You probably agree with animals on which bird calls, frog noises and cricket chirps are most attractive—new study Animals do all sorts of things to attract each other as potential mates. Many birds, for example, produce feathers with elaborate color patterns—from the iridescent plumage of many hummingbirds to the famously brilliant tail of a peacock. Charles Darwin, an early pioneer in the theory of evolution, saw these colors and concluded that they exist because other birds find them attractive. ⌘ Read more

Moss-associated nitrogen fixation helps sustain plant growth in warming permafrost ecosystems Climate warming can increase plant growth in permafrost regions by lengthening the growing season, speeding up plant metabolic processes, and allowing deeper root penetration as permafrost thaws. However, the capacity for additional vegetation to offset the carbon released during permafrost thawing depends on nitrogen supply. ⌘ Read more

Innovative recycling method can convert waste PET into high-quality raw materials and clean hydrogen Despite polyethylene terephthalate (PET) being one of the most widely recycled plastics, only about 20% of used PET bottles are actually recovered as high-quality raw materials. The majority are transformed into lower-grade fibers or fillers before eventually being discarded. Addressing this gap, researchers at UNIST have developed a novel chemical recycling process that not only restores PET to its ... ⌘ Read more

The next mountain tourism boom? Via Ferrata's global rise prompts call for industry collaboration As interest in structured mountain adventure continues to surge across Europe and North America, a new study led by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland and Lakehead University provides the first comprehensive scoping review and research agenda dedicated specifically to Via Ferrata tourism and recreation. ⌘ Read more

Unexpected discovery leads to potential pollination control mechanism for baby corn Baby corn, essentially unfertilized young ears of corn, is a specialty food gaining interest for its high nutrition and low calorie count. It also has significant economic value as a quick-turnaround cash crop with a global market. Currently, Thailand is the largest producer of baby corn, with an estimated annual value of $64 million. ⌘ Read more

Meteorite hunters scour Ohio for fragments of 7-ton space rock that crashed into Earth Meteorite hunters fanned out across a wide swath of Ohio on Thursday, hoping to collect fragments of an estimated 7-ton (6,350 kilograms) space rock that crashed into Earth this week after a dazzling fireball that was seen from hundreds of miles away. ⌘ Read more

Newly identified disease of corn and sorghum may be mistaken for iron deficiency A newly identified disease affecting corn and sorghum can closely resemble iron deficiency, potentially leading farmers to apply costly nutrient treatments that do not address the underlying problem. New research published in Plant Health Progress documents the discovery and identification of a bacterial pathogen responsible for the symptoms. ⌘ Read more

How a tryptophan-rich allosteric communication network helps activate a major drug target receptor A multinational research team led by researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo, RIKEN, and the University of Toronto has revealed how a tryptophan-rich allosteric communication network regulates receptor dynamics and activation of the human adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR), a major G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) drug target. The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Acade ... ⌘ Read more

The Yamna reused sacred spaces in the north Pontic Steppe, study suggests According to an article published in Antiquity by Dr. Svitlana Ivanova and her colleagues, the Yamna culture's repurposing of older ritual spaces reflects a deliberate appropriation and continuation of sacred spaces. A case study of the Revova Kurgan 3, located in the northern Pontic Steppe, reflects its conceptualization. ⌘ Read more

Mystery fish deaths in Papua New Guinea prompt health warning Villagers on a remote island in Papua New Guinea have been warned not to eat fish until scientists can identify the cause of thousands of deaths of marine creatures and hundreds of cases of illness. ⌘ Read more

World Happiness Report highlights social media's negative impact, ranks Finland as happiest country Heavy social media use contributes to a stark decline in well-being among young people, with the effects particularly worrying in teenage girls in English-speaking countries and Western Europe, according to the World Happiness Report 2026 published Thursday. ⌘ Read more

Changing shower and toilet habits could help close England's five billion-liter water gap, research finds Changing how people shower, report leaks and flush toilets could help close England's projected five billion liter daily water shortfall—but only if the water sector builds the evidence base to make it work, according to a new report led by the University of Surrey. The report is published to coincide with World Water Day on Sunday, March 22. ⌘ Read more

Clearing circular RNA from cells extends lifespan, C. elegans study reveals Cells in our bodies produce RNA based on genetic information stored in DNA, and RNA serves as a blueprint for making proteins. Researchers at KAIST have discovered a new phenomenon: Removing "circular RNA" that accumulates in cells as we age can slow down aging and extend lifespan. This study provides crucial clues for uncovering the principles of aging and developing treatment strategies for related diseases. ⌘ Read more

Finding Easter eggs in entertainment boosts enjoyment and fan behavior, study finds If you've watched popular movies or television shows in the last decade, there's a good chance you've found an Easter egg or two: not an actual brightly colored egg but a subtle reference to another movie or story in the form of a character in the background or object that also appears in other stories. While fan discussions abound online about what such clues might represent, little research has examined which types ... ⌘ Read more

A world‑first quantum battery charges faster when it gets bigger—but it's tiny and only lasts nanoseconds You're late for an important appointment. Just as you are leaving your house, you realize your phone is flat. Imagine you could charge it almost instantly by exploiting the strange rules of quantum physics. That's the promise of quantum batteries. ⌘ Read more

Rapid melting of Antarctic sea ice is largely driven by ocean warming, research reveals Sea ice around Antarctica expanded for several decades until a dramatic decline in 2015. The reasons behind this are revealed by research led by the University of Gothenburg, which is published in Nature Climate Change. ⌘ Read more

Prodrug lipid nanoparticle could unlock universal immunotherapy for solid cancers Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a new type of lipid nanoparticle (LNP) that could one day serve as a universal immunotherapy for cancers that form solid tumors, including common variants such as cancers of the breast, liver, and colon. ⌘ Read more

Protein sequencing advance offers new insights into life's foundations Proteins, one of the smallest building blocks of life on Earth, hold promise for answering some of biology's biggest questions. Consisting of amino acids strung together into peptide chains, these molecules perform much of the work inside living cells. While they execute life's most essential functions with apparent ease, decoding their precise sequence and structure has long been one of biology's hardest challenges. ⌘ Read more

A 'consortium' of bacteria cooperates to eat phthalate plasticizers that single microbes can't stomach Plastic trash has reached the world's most remote locations, from the bottom of the Mariana Trench to the summit of Everest. Hundreds of plastic-eating microbes that could help us clean up have been discovered over the past quarter of a century, but there is a long way to go before they can be put to work in natural environments: Microbial digestion of plastic is still slow, req ... ⌘ Read more

Using cow dung for sustainable carbon dioxide capture Climate change is one of the most pressing global challenges in the present times. Increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in the atmosphere are a major factor contributing to this phenomenon. Activities such as the burning of fossil fuels for daily use, like electricity and transportation, and industrial applications, release significant amounts of CO2, trapping the heat at excessive levels and contributing to global warming. ⌘ Read more

Decline in Japanese chum salmon linked to climate change Today, most of the salmon consumed in Japan is imported from countries like Chile and Norway, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. But just two decades ago, Japanese chum salmon made up a much larger share of domestic salmon consumption. Their numbers have declined sharply in recent years, and new research from Hokkaido University suggests that this decline may be linked to the loss of their natural habitats alon ... ⌘ Read more

3D structure reveals how tuberculosis bacteria power themselves Researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) have uncovered how the bacteria that causes tuberculosis fuels itself during infection, providing new insights into one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases. The study, published in The EMBO Journal, provides the first detailed 3D structure of a protein called EtfD, which the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis uses to extract energy from lipids (fats), along with th ... ⌘ Read more

Warmer, wetter cyclone weather made Peru's dengue outbreak 10 times larger, study finds Diseases historically absent from the United States have been showing up in Florida, Texas, California and other U.S. states in recent years. To understand why, look to Peru. That's where researchers from Stanford and other institutions analyzed the connection between a cyclone and a massive outbreak of dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease that can cause fever, rash, and life-threatening symptoms like he ... ⌘ Read more

Computational bio tool automates and standardizes genome sequencing analysis In a single experiment, scientists can decipher the entire genomes of many patient samples, animal models, or cultured cells. To fully realize the potential to study biology at this unprecedented scale, researchers must be equipped to analyze the titanic troves of data generated by these new methods. ⌘ Read more

Engineered lipid nanoparticles reprogram immune metabolism for better mRNA vaccines The most common side effects of mRNA vaccines like the COVID-19 shot are well known: soreness, mild fever, and general malaise. Those symptoms, which typically resolve within days, are the natural result of the immune system activating. But what if they could be avoided? ⌘ Read more

Dinos hatched eggs less efficiently than modern birds, researchers show What do we really know about how oviraptors—bird-like but flightless dinosaurs—hatched their eggs? Did they use environmental heat, like crocodiles, or body heat from an adult, like birds? In a new Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution study, researchers in Taiwan examined the brooding behavior and hatching patterns of oviraptors. They also modeled heat transfer simulations of oviraptor clutches and compared hatching efficiency ... ⌘ Read more

A clear roadmap for engineering combs of light Optical frequency combs—laser sources that emit evenly spaced colors of light—are foundational, ubiquitous tools for precision measurement, found in optical clocks, gas-sensing spectrometers, and instruments that detect the light signatures of exoplanets. Traditionally, frequency combs are produced by large, fiber-laser systems ranging from the size of a shoebox to a refrigerator. ⌘ Read more

JWST maps Europa's CO₂ beyond Tara Regio, hinting at subsurface exchange Europa is not supposed to look the way it does. Jupiter's icy moon is scarred by a chaotic patchwork of fractured terrain, crisscrossed ridges, and disrupted surface regions that suggest something dynamic is happening beneath its frozen shell. Scientists have long suspected that a vast liquid ocean, kept warm by the gravitational kneading of Jupiter's enormous gravity, lies hidden beneath that ice. Now, a new study using the James ... ⌘ Read more

Ryugu asteroid samples contain all DNA and RNA building blocks, bolstering origin-of-life theories All the essential ingredients to make the DNA and RNA underpinning life on Earth have been discovered in samples collected from the asteroid Ryugu, scientists said Monday. ⌘ Read more

Managed retreat in Europe more widespread than previously assumed When floods, coastal erosion or sea-level rise threaten settlements or infrastructure, European countries turn to managed retreat more often than previously assumed. Managed retreat refers to the planned, government-supported relocation of people, homes or infrastructure away from areas exposed to flooding and other climate-related hazards. A new German–Dutch study led by Kiel University in collaboration with the Dutch rese ... ⌘ Read more

Oldest known whale recording could unlock mysteries of the ocean A haunting whale song discovered on decades-old audio equipment could open up a new understanding of how the huge animals communicate, according to researchers who say it's the oldest such recording known. ⌘ Read more

Plastic bottles transformed into Parkinson's drug using bacteria A drug to treat Parkinson's disease can be made from waste plastic bottles using a pioneering method, a study shows. The approach harnesses the power of bacteria to transform post-consumer plastic into L-DOPA, a frontline medication for the neurological disorder. It is the first time a natural, biological process has been engineered to turn plastic waste into a therapeutic for a neurological disease, researchers say. ⌘ Read more

A new class of molten planet stores abundant sulfur in a perpetual magma ocean A study led by the University of Oxford has identified a new type of planet beyond our solar system—one that stores large amounts of sulfur deep within a permanent ocean of magma. The findings have been published in Nature Astronomy. ⌘ Read more

Could reduced air pollution from climate mitigation boost crop yields and lower hunger risk? An international research team used multiple global agroeconomic models and found that climate mitigation consistent with the 1.5 °C target could raise global hunger risk in 2050 by 17% (56 million people) compared with a baseline scenario that assumes today's climate and air pollution conditions persist. However, the concurrent reduction in ozone offsets approximately 15% (8.4 million people) of this i ... ⌘ Read more

Archaeologists untangle how Bronze Age textiles were made Analysis and reconstruction of a warp-weighted loom from the second millennium BC site of Cabezo Redondo, Spain, provides an unprecedented glimpse into the development of textile technology in the Bronze Age western Mediterranean. ⌘ Read more

Rising seas threaten barrier islands, but seabird guano could speed recovery Birds that live and breed in vegetated coastal areas, such as dunes and small islands, not only build nests but also—unintentionally—shape their own surroundings. This was discovered by Utrecht-based Earth scientist Floris van Rees. He studied five uninhabited islands in the Dutch Wadden Sea region, comparable to the barrier islands off North Carolina and in the Chesapeake Bay, and observed how seabirds have a major imp ... ⌘ Read more

New microscope offers sharper view into momentum space Electrons are tiny and constantly in motion. How they behave in a crystal lattice determines key material properties: electrical conductivity, magnetism, or novel quantum effects. Anyone aiming to develop the information technologies of tomorrow must understand what electrons do. At Forschungszentrum Jülich, a new tool is now available for this purpose: a momentum microscope that was fully developed and built on site. "Internationally, we a ... ⌘ Read more

Notions of 'Christendom' often miss the mark: Medieval Europe's ideas about faith and power were not so simple During the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 5, 2026, Paula White-Cain, senior adviser to the White House Office of Faith, introduced President Donald Trump as "the greatest champion of faith that we have ever had in the executive branch." Taking the podium after her, Trump declared, "I've done more for religion than any other president." ⌘ Read more

ATCA observations probe peculiar pulsar wind nebula Vela X Astronomers have employed the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) to investigate a peculiar pulsar wind nebula known as Vela X. Results of the new observations, published March 2 on the arXiv pre-print server, provide more hints about the properties and nature of this nebula. ⌘ Read more

Thorny issue plaguing lithium-ion batteries laid bare in new study Lithium dendrites, i.e. tiny crystalline thorns that grow off of lithium-ion battery anodes during charging, have been a persistent challenge for the world's most widely used form of energy storage. "Dendrites can penetrate the battery's separator, causing catastrophic short circuits and safety hazards," said Qing Ai, a former research scientist at Rice University who is a first author on a new study published in Science that reports ... ⌘ Read more

Eaton fire sent a pollution wave across Los Angeles, study shows The 2025 Eaton fire's smoke did more than darken the sky: It generated a carbon monoxide and particulate matter surge that far exceeded Los Angeles County's average daily human-caused emissions, according to a new study led by researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. The findings are published in the journal ACS ES&T Air. ⌘ Read more

NMR reveals site-specific structural signatures of therapeutic antibodies without isotope labeling Monoclonal antibodies are widely used to treat diseases ranging from cancer to autoimmune disorders. The safety and efficacy of these biologic drugs depend on maintaining their correct three-dimensional organization, known as their higher-order structure (HOS). ⌘ Read more

Pi Day: From rockets to cancer research, here's how the number pi is embedded in our lives Math nerds and dessert enthusiasts unite to celebrate Pi Day every March 14, the date that represents the first three digits of the mathematical constant pi. ⌘ Read more

Researchers realize room-temperature two-dimensional multiferroic metal Multiferroic metals are materials that exhibit both electric polarization and magnetic order in the same crystal—a state known as multiferroicity. Because these properties coexist, they can interact through magnetoelectric (ME) coupling, allowing electric fields to influence magnetism. ⌘ Read more

How an unlikely all-female clonal fish species copied and pasted itself free from extinction The tiny Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa) has always fascinated researchers because, according to the rules of evolution, it shouldn't have survived as a species, let alone thrive as a species for over 100,000 years. Using advanced genetic mapping and comparison techniques to track how the Amazon molly's DNA has changed over time, a new study set out to uncover the genetic secrets behind this apparent rebellion ... ⌘ Read more

Decades-old problem in classical geometry solved: First compact pair of bonnets found For over 150 years, a rule of thumb dating back to the French mathematician Pierre Ossian Bonnet has been accepted in surface theory: If the metric and mean curvature of a compact surface are known at every point, then the surface can be uniquely determined. However, a team of three mathematicians from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the Technical University of Berlin and North Carolina State Uni ... ⌘ Read more

Spotted a bear lately? You're not alone—why sightings are on the rise By the time Kim Ring arrived at her neighbors' yard that spring afternoon in 2022, their chicken coop was a flattened pile of lumber surrounded by feathers. The poultry had been raided by a bear. At the neighbor's request, Ring and her husband headed into the woods abutting their home in the rural Massachusetts town of Ware, in the hopes of finding any fluffy survivors. What they encountered instead was a bear with her two cubs in a tree—the mother ... ⌘ Read more

US weather to go nuts with blizzard, polar vortex, heat dome, atmospheric river all at once Nearly every part of the United States is getting walloped by wild weather or just about to be. ⌘ Read more

Harnessing eDNA to help conserve Australia's oceans As we move through the world, we leave behind invisible traces of ourselves encased in the hair, skin, and other bodily matter we shed. These tiny pieces of DNA—known as environmental DNA or eDNA—have major conservation potential. Now, West Australian research hopes to push the boundaries of the technique. ⌘ Read more

Researcher creates more accurate method to study proteins that drive Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease affects millions of people around the world. To study this condition, researchers must peer inside the distinctive environment of the human brain. but for scientists to get the most accurate picture of the proteins that drive this disease, they must extract them without altering their environment. ⌘ Read more

Wood surface treatment fights harmful bacteria A University of Helsinki study has investigated bacterial adhesion, survival and transmission on untreated and treated wood surfaces under both laboratory and field conditions. The laboratory work focused on Staphylococcus epidermidis, a bacterium that forms part of the skin's normal microbiota; and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a potential pathogen. ⌘ Read more

The power of twins: Decoding the unseen biological information flow The natural world is a rich source of inspiration for developing sophisticated computational systems, and the opposite is also true, with bioinformatics approaches providing keen insight into biological processes. However, to gain an accurate understanding of the instructions that guide biological systems, input quantities are required. This is not always possible, as these systems are quantified by a variety of attributes. ⌘ Read more

Gen Z holds companies to account for greenwashing Companies increasingly want to talk about sustainability, but not everyone believes equally in their commitments. The focus of corporate communication has shifted towards sustainability in response to increasingly serious environmental issues, international campaigns such as the UN's 2030 Agenda, regulatory pressures in certain markets, interest in more environmentally friendly investments, and a growing number of environmentally aware consumers. As ... ⌘ Read more

Researcher uncovers Zoroastrian 'ripples' in Jewish documents from ancient Egypt In a study published in the journal Iran, researcher Gad Barnea has uncovered new evidence suggesting that Zoroastrian religious practices were more prevalent and left a deeper imprint on surrounding communities than previously recognized. The study complements the current body of knowledge on Achaemenid-era Zoroastrianism (AZ) with data gathered from Jewish sources outside Iran. These include documents refe ... ⌘ Read more

We are not alone: Our sun escaped together with stellar 'twins' from galaxy center Researchers have uncovered evidence for our sun joining a mass migration of similar "twins" leaving the core regions of our galaxy, 4 to 6 billion years ago. The team created and studied an unprecedentedly accurate catalog of stars and their properties using data from the European Space Agency's Gaia satellite. Their discovery sheds light on the evolution of our galaxy, particularly the development of the rotating bar-l ... ⌘ Read more

Your cat is likely to live longer if you don't let them roam—new study We all know cats represent a major threat to native animals and birds. Australia's 5.3 million domestic cats kill a total of 546 million animals each year in Australia. What's less well known is allowing your domestic cat to roam outside exposes them to considerable danger—and the risk of a short life. ⌘ Read more

Uncovering the hidden bacteria often mistaken for cholera Scientists have created a genomic blueprint for Aeromonas bacteria, which can cause antibiotic-resistant diarrheal disease—with symptoms often misidentified as cholera—in humans and animals. ⌘ Read more

North American heat wave hit wildlife hard, but a few surprising species thrived Mussels baked by the billions. Insect larvae cooked inside scorched cherries. Baby birds plummeted to their deaths from their overheating nests. But some species did just fine during the 2021 North American heat wave, according to a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. ⌘ Read more

Researchers mix X-rays and optical light to track speedy electrons in materials To unlock materials of the future, including better photocatalysts or light-switchable superconductors, researchers need to understand how the valence electrons within materials respond to light at the atomic scale. Materials are made of atoms, and an atom's outer electrons, or valence electrons, are responsible for chemical bonding as well as a material's thermal, magnetic, and electronic properties. ⌘ Read more

New research shows path to affordable water in fast-growing cities By 2050, up to half the world's urban population will face water scarcity. A new model of water supply, demand, and policies in a drought-prone city of 7 million in India shows how policies could prevent the poor from bearing the heaviest burden. ⌘ Read more

Oval orbit casts new light on black hole–neutron star mergers Scientists have uncovered the first robust evidence of a black hole and neutron star crashing together but orbiting in an oval path rather than a perfect circle just before they merged. This discovery challenges long-standing assumptions about how these cosmic pairs form and evolve. ⌘ Read more

New African species confirms evolutionary origin of magic mushrooms A long-standing debate about the evolutionary origin of the world's most widely cultivated "magic mushroom"—Psilocybe cubensis—may now have been settled by scientists from southern Africa and the United States. ⌘ Read more

Thermal drones boost detection of entangled seals New research from Monash University and Phillip Island Nature Parks is using thermal and infrared drone technology to spot marine debris entanglements in Australian fur seals. Entanglement is an escalating threat to marine wildlife such as seals and fur seals with well-documented impacts including injury, restricted movement, and increased energy expenditure. ⌘ Read more

Bacteria have a secret engineering trick to keep themselves in shape Blow up a long balloon and two things happen: it gets longer and it gets wider. Now imagine a living cell that inflates itself under enormous pressure and yet only grows longer, never adding width. That is exactly what rod-shaped bacteria do, every time they divide, with a precision that has baffled scientists for decades. ⌘ Read more

Japanese scientists discover how falling cats almost always make perfect landings When cats fall, they usually land on their feet. This uncanny ability to right themselves before hitting the ground has long puzzled scientists. Now, a team from Yamaguchi University in Japan has the answer, and it's all down to the thoracic spine being more flexible than the lumbar spine, as they detail in a study published in the journal The Anatomical Record. ⌘ Read more

A new protein timeline explains plasma membrane repair In the evolutionary history of life, the ability of a cell to separate its inner world from the external environment was an important turning point. The so-called plasma membrane lets cells control what gets in and out and allows them to communicate and cooperate with one another, creating the conditions for complex, multicellular life. ⌘ Read more

Student serves up fresh solutions to the pancake problem David Cutler is in the spotlight for his work on a tasty-sounding mathematics problem. In January, the New York Times featured a research paper authored by Cutler and Neil Sloane, the founder of The On-line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences. Titled "Cutting a Pancake with an Exotic Knife," the paper explores the "lazy caterer problem," or how to cut a pancake or other circular object into the most pieces with the fewest cuts. ⌘ Read more

Modernization can increase differences between cultures Does modernization—economic growth, technological advancement, globalization, increased education, and urbanization—reduce cultural differences? Conventional wisdom suggests that as nations get richer and more educated, a globalized, modern culture emerges featuring low birth rates, high divorce rates, and an overall focus on the individual. ⌘ Read more

Subway systems are uncomfortably hot—and worsening, study finds For millions of commuters, the workday doesn't just begin with a train ride. It also begins with a blast of heat. In one of the largest studies ever conducted on thermal comfort in metro systems, Northwestern University scientists found that subway riders consistently report feeling uncomfortably hot while underground. ⌘ Read more

How to make farms tree-friendly and boost food production Farmers could turn more of the UK's farmland into productive agroforestry systems if they had access to trusted advice and real farm examples, according to new research from the University of Reading. Dr. Amelia Hood, from the Department of Sustainable Land Management at the University of Reading, worked with 220 stakeholders including farmers, policymakers and NGOs to identify why agroforestry is still rare in the UK, despite strong interest fr ... ⌘ Read more

Terraforming Mars isn't a climate problem—it's an industrial nightmare Even when the idea of terraforming Mars was originally put forward, the idea was daunting. Changing the environment of an entire planet is not something to do easily. Over the following decades, plenty of scientists and engineers have looked at the problem, and most have come to the same conclusion—we're not going to be able to make Mars anything like Earth anytime soon. A new paper available in pre-print on arXiv from Slava ... ⌘ Read more

A brighter future may not suit everyone: Polar cod face difficulties due to warming Under the Arctic sea ice, fish and plankton live in complete darkness, even in midsummer. Ice floes stop the sun's rays, especially if they are covered by snow. As the ocean heats up, the sea ice thaws, and new regions are exposed. A recent study warns that climate change will create trouble for cold water fish species in this century. Paired with higher temperatures, changes in the light conditions will make le ... ⌘ Read more

Silicone wristbands can help scientists track people's exposure to pollutants like 'forever chemicals' Every morning, people fasten their watch, slip on a bracelet and head out the door without thinking much about what they might encounter along the way. The air they breathe, the dust on their hands and the surfaces they touch all feel ordinary. Yet many chemical exposures happen quietly, without smell, taste or warning. ⌘ Read more

Cattle grazing boosts nature recovery in Yorkshire Dales Cattle grazing at a nature reserve in the Yorkshire Dales has increased plant diversity by more than 40%, according to research by the University of Leeds. Allowing native cattle breeds to roam large areas of the landscape at Ingleborough has also led to a five-fold increase in the number of butterflies. ⌘ Read more

Cornwall ocean study highlights value of low-cost eDNA tests Environmental DNA (eDNA) tests can identify genetic material left by organisms in the environment, such as cells and excrement, but surveys of ocean wildlife can be difficult and expensive, and standard eDNA tests are also costly. A new study carried out off Cornwall shows that low-cost DNA tests can reveal the range of wildlife living in our seas. ⌘ Read more

AI disclosure labels may do more harm than good, study warns The growing use of AI-generated scientific and science-related content, especially on social media, raises important concerns: these texts may contain false or highly persuasive information that is difficult for users to detect, potentially shaping public opinion and decision-making. ⌘ Read more

When silence isn't an option: Designing green spaces that still relax Local recreation areas play an important role in reducing stress. In two new publications, researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL show how visual impressions and sounds interact in this process—and how this knowledge can be used to increase the attractiveness of green spaces. ⌘ Read more

Quantum entanglement offers route to higher-resolution optical astronomy Researchers in the US have demonstrated how quantum entanglement could be used to detect optical signals from astronomical sources at the single-photon level. Published in Nature, a team led by Pieter-Jan Stas at Harvard University showed how extremely weak light signals could be detected across a fiber link spanning more than 1.5 km—possibly paving the way for optical telescopes with unprecedented resolution. ⌘ Read more

Heat-tolerant corals may help some reefs persist, but most still erode A recent report on global tipping points warned that coral reefs face widespread dieback and have reached a point from which they cannot recover. ⌘ Read more

Contraceptive vaccine reduces fertility in animals to address wildlife overpopulation A Purdue University contraceptive vaccine seeks to address animal overpopulation by markedly reducing fertility in feral horses, deer, swine and other animals. Dr. Harm HogenEsch, distinguished professor of immunopathology in Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine, and Dr. Raluca Ostafe, director of Purdue University's Molecular Evolution Protein Engineering and Production Facility, both ... ⌘ Read more

Twenty-nine years of warming linked to soil fungi shift in Colorado plots Long-term ecosystem warming changes not only plants but the fungi in the soil below, according to a new study including researchers from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. "Hidden mycorrhizal fungi below ground are much more vulnerable to warming winters than we expected before," said Associate Professor Stephanie Kivlin from UT's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, senior author on a new study published in the P ... ⌘ Read more

Large AI models can speed catalyst discovery by predicting performance before synthesis Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way scientists discover and design new materials. In a specially invited review published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Tohoku University researchers highlight how large AI models are redefining catalyst discovery and paving the way for faster, smarter innovation in clean energy and sustainable technologies. ⌘ Read more

'Superconducting dome' hints at high-temperature superconductivity in thin nickelate films Superconductivity is a quantum state of matter characterized by an electrical resistance of zero and the expulsion of magnetic fields at low temperatures below a critical point. Superconductors, materials in which this state occurs, have proved to be highly advantageous for the development of various technologies, including medical imaging devices, particle accelerators and quantum computers. ⌘ Read more

Analysis of 1,000 Tinder profiles reveals nine standard pose types Choosing a Tinder profile picture may feel like a free, personal and creative act. But how true is that? A new study from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) shows that, far from being unique, most users follow one of a small number of visual strategies. The research, led by Alejandro García Alamán, a member of the CIRCLE Lab and instructor at the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, identifies nine standar ... ⌘ Read more

Study finds water oversight failures at California dairies A Stanford Law report reveals California's inadequate monitoring of dairies and feedlots, highlighting the need for stronger regulatory enforcement to protect groundwater quality and community health. ⌘ Read more

NASA rules out asteroid smashup on the moon in 2032 Here's one less thing to worry about—or to look forward to: NASA has ruled out any chance that an asteroid called 2024 YR4 will hit the moon in 2032. Last year, the uncertainty surrounding the space rock's orbital path held out a slight chance of impact, but fresh observations from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope confirm that it'll be a miss. ⌘ Read more

X-raying rocks reveals their carbon-storing capacity To avoid the worst effects of climate change, many billions of metric tons of industrially generated carbon dioxide will have to be captured and stored away by the end of this century. One place to store such an enormous amount of greenhouse gas is in Earth itself. If carbon dioxide were pumped into the cracks and crevices of certain underground rocks, the fluid would react with the rocks and solidify carbon into minerals. In this way, carbon dioxide ... ⌘ Read more

Fluorescent imaging reveals how a global parasite develops, opening new paths for drug treatment It infects nearly one-third of the global population, yet its microscopic size makes the parasite difficult for scientists to study. That parasite is Toxoplasma gondii, a widespread organism that infects humans and animals. To better understand how it functions, infectious disease researchers at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine adapted a fluorescent imaging system typically used to st ... ⌘ Read more

Why Large Hadron Collider predictions can miss the mark, and a new way to fix it Estimating things that exist is generally easy, but when it comes to estimating things that do not exist, it's more difficult. This is something physicists from Poland and the UK are well aware of. To improve current simulations of high-energy particle collisions, they have developed a more accurate method for estimating the impact of calculations that are not performed. ⌘ Read more

Franconia's agriculture of the future: Olives and rice instead of barley and sugar beet? Due to climate change, agriculture is facing an unprecedented transformation. While Germany was hardly affected by massive crop failures for decades, the picture has changed drastically since 2015. Since then, heat waves and dry spells have been responsible for yield losses in half of all cases. ⌘ Read more

Pond-dwelling microalga exposes a parallel track for RNA processing Biology textbooks explain that cells follow a universal rule when processing gene transcripts to make proteins. Non-coding snippets of RNA are bracketed by a guanine-thymine (GT) nucleotide sequence on one end and an adenine-guanine (AG) sequence on the other—unmistakable signposts telling the cell exactly what sequences to leave out and what should stay in. ⌘ Read more

Too many deer in your area? Birth control could help Populations of suburban deer have been on the rise across the U.S. for the last 50 years. Suburban landscapes are like buffet tables with their plentiful lawns, shrubs, and gardens that tempt the animals into human territory. But in many places—like Tennessee, Ohio, Maryland, Iowa, North Carolina, and Delaware—deer have become problematic. They cause traffic accidents, disrupt yards and flora, damage crops, and contribute to the spread of Lyme disease by hosting th ... ⌘ Read more

Thermogenetics: How proteins are controllable by heat Protein activity can be precisely regulated via subtle changes in temperature using heat-sensitive switches. Underlying this capability is a novel modular design strategy developed by researchers at the Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology of Heidelberg University. The strategy allows the integration of sensory domains in various proteins regardless of function or spatial structure. ⌘ Read more

Less traffic, less noise: Green axes cut noise levels in cities The implementation of green axes and the reduction of motorized traffic in cities is effectively consolidating itself as a strategy to significantly lower environmental noise levels. A study conducted in the city of Barcelona shows that, one year after pedestrianizing several streets, the average daily sound level decreased by 3.1 decibels (dB). ⌘ Read more

The forest is our pantry: Alaska national forests support abundant wild foods Rural communities bordering the Tongass National Forest harvest more than 4.5 million pounds of wild food per year, including 100 different species that our public lands help support. Just how much food is this? An average quarter-pound cheeseburger might weigh around 6 oz, depending on your toppings of choice. Assuming a 6-oz weight, the wild food harvests in this region are equivalent to more than 12 million cheesebu ... ⌘ Read more

Creating sustainable supply of declining tree species can support floodplain habitat restoration A number of native black poplar whips—young unbranched trees—were planted at the campus near Southwell as part of a project involving NTU, the Environment Agency, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Trent Rivers Trust, Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Action Group and the Sherwood Forest Trust. Native black poplars thrive in wet floodplains and on riverbanks. They are flood tolerant and an ideal spec ... ⌘ Read more

New 4D-STEM method isolates atomic structures from clustered nanocrystals Scientists at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a new way to determine atomic structures from nanocrystals previously considered unusable, a breakthrough that could transform how researchers study materials too small or imperfect for conventional crystallography. ⌘ Read more

First field training officer may set use-of-force habits, study suggests A field training officer is a special kind of cop. They have to be both patrol officer and mentor, as they teach recruits who are fresh out of the police academy how to put their lessons into practice. Much like mentors in other fields, these training officers (FTOs) hold a tremendous amount of responsibility. But that responsibility takes on more meaning given the nature of the job, and new research reinforces just how influential these gu ... ⌘ Read more

The key to attacking 'undruggable' proteins: Transient clustering state reveals a moving target Intrinsically disordered proteins lack a fixed structure, which is why they have been considered "undruggable" targets for drug development for years. However, these proteins play a key role in numerous diseases—ranging from various types of cancer to neurodegenerative disorders—long limiting the therapeutic options available to treat them. ⌘ Read more

A 690-million-kilometer journey through space ends for Australia's SpIRIT mission After more than 25 months of successful operations in space, the SpIRIT mission has ended, marking a major milestone for Australia's growing space capability. Led by the University of Melbourne, in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency, the Space Industry Responsive Intelligent Thermal (SpIRIT) nanosatellite exceeded its original two-year design life. ⌘ Read more

Travel far, breed hard, and die young: Short-eared owls and why they should be studied This Journal of Raptor Research issue focuses on movement ecology—how and why raptors move. This can include classic movements like migration, as well as nomadism. ⌘ Read more

Tiny Purgatorius fossils in Denver Basin hint at early primate spread southward New minuscule fossils of Purgatorius, the earliest-known relative of all primates—including humans—have been unearthed in a more southern region of North America than ever before, and the breakthrough is providing paleontologists with fresh clues about evolution. The work appears in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. ⌘ Read more

Modern twist on wildfire management methods has a bonus feature that protects water supplies Wildfires are among the most economically costly natural disasters and are becoming more severe and frequent due to global warming. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction estimates that global damage from wildfires was on average $106 billion per year between 2014 and 2023. The US is especially prone: the 10 most costly wildfires since 1970 all happened there, with the 2025 wildfires aroun ... ⌘ Read more

Low fertility may not be an economic threat, researchers argue In their piece, published in Nature Human Behaviour, IIASA Distinguished Emeritus Research Scholar Wolfgang Lutz and IIASA Senior Researcher Guillaume Marois, who is also an associate professor at the Asian Demographic Research Institute of the Shanghai University, respond to political and public concern over declining birth rates in highly developed countries. While low fertility is increasingly framed as a crisis, associated with population ag ... ⌘ Read more

Oman ophiolite study suggests subduction zones can lock away CO₂ A research team led by a Keele scientist has shed new light on how a mysterious rock formation in Oman was created, which could reveal new details about Earth's ability to store carbon dioxide (CO2). The study, led by Dr. Elliot Carter in Keele's School of Life Sciences, in collaboration with the Universities of Ottawa and Manchester, looked at geological evidence from Oman to better understand processes that occur in subduction zones, w ... ⌘ Read more

Greenhouse gas fluxes in Everglades provide path for maximizing carbon capture via water management The Florida Everglades is a complicated climate actor. The 1.5-million-acre wetland system remains a carbon sink, removing an average of 13.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year, but the system also releases methane. In a new study, Yale School of the Environment scientists have analyzed the greenhouse gas fluxes in its mangroves and fresh-water marshes, providing a ... ⌘ Read more

ISS photo captures Atlantic sunglint 263 miles up, showing mirror-like ocean glare "Sunlight" beams off a partly cloudy Atlantic Ocean just after sunrise as the International Space Station orbited 263 miles above on March 5, 2025. This is an example of sunglint, an optical phenomenon that occurs when sunlight reflects off the surface of water at the same angle that a satellite sensor views it. The result is a mirror-like specular reflection of sunlight off the water and back at the satellite sensor or astrona ... ⌘ Read more

Study suggests fire ant baiting in Queensland may help invaders spread faster A provocative new international study published in Austral Ecology warns the massive "broadcast baiting" campaign currently used to combat Red Imported Fire Ants (RIFA) in south-east Queensland may be doing more harm than good. ⌘ Read more

NASA's MAVEN detects first evidence of lightning-like activity on Mars While sifting through the extensive data collected by NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft over the last decade, scientists discovered a familiar type of electromagnetic signal commonly caused by lightning. This rare find represents the first direct indication of lightning activity on Mars. The team recently published their findings in Science Advances, where they describe the event and why it's so di ... ⌘ Read more

Superfluids emerge in 2D moiré crystal formed from time, study predicts Conventional crystals are materials in which atoms arrange themselves in repeating spatial patterns. Time crystals, on the other hand, are phases of matter characterized by repeating motions over time without constantly heating up, breaking a physical rule known as time-translation symmetry. ⌘ Read more

El Nino may return in 2026 and make planet even hotter The warming El Niño weather phenomenon could form later this year, potentially pushing global temperatures to record heights. ⌘ Read more

Frictionless AI comes at a human cost to learning, growth and connection Artificial intelligence is rapidly making intellectual work and social interaction easier, but that ease may come at a substantial psychological cost, according to researchers from the University of Toronto. In an article published in Communications Psychology, the authors argue that AI's greatest strength, namely removing friction from work and relationships, is also a liability. ⌘ Read more

AI cracks Roman-era board game A smooth, white stone dating from the Roman era and unearthed in the Netherlands has long baffled researchers. ⌘ Read more

Nanoparticle system shows promise for delivering mRNA to prevent type 1 diabetes Research on preventing type 1 diabetes often focuses on limiting the autoimmune response that destroys the body's ability to produce its own insulin. A new technology developed by scientists at the University of Chicago takes a different approach, centered on preserving insulin-producing beta cells by giving them the ability to protect themselves. ⌘ Read more

The wonders of daisies: The buffet we walk on A yellow disk with rays of white—an icon of childhood drawings and a flower with healing properties. We have picnics on it, play football on it and make daisy chains out of it. ⌘ Read more

Q&A: Online degrees viewed more positively post-pandemic, research finds COVID-19 made remote work and remote learning a new norm for employees and students. But even as many have returned to offices and schools, one of the pandemic's quieter legacies is influencing both the workplace and the classroom: Online degrees are now held in higher regard by hiring professionals, according to new research from Virginia Commonwealth University. ⌘ Read more

Heavier hydrogen makes silicon T centers shine brighter for quantum networks Quantum technologies, computers or other devices that operate leveraging quantum mechanical effects, rely on the precise control of light and matter. Over the past decades, quantum physicists and material scientists have been trying to identify systems that can reliably generate photons (i.e., light particles) and could thus be used to create quantum technologies. ⌘ Read more

Mapping gene regulation to better control inflammation, immunity and cancer To further the quantitative understanding of cellular decision making, Dr. Gregory Reeves and his team in the chemical engineering department have worked to interpret how a transcription factor dictates the alteration of gene expression in cells. ⌘ Read more

How a common fungus outsmarts drugs and our immune system Our bodies are home to millions of fungi that, for the most part, are completely harmless. However, they can sometimes change from peaceful residents into dangerous invaders. One such is Candida parapsilosis, which normally lives on our skin or in our intestinal tract but can also be found on medical devices and hospital surfaces. If it gets into a wound or onto a catheter, it can cause a serious blood infection. ⌘ Read more

Using moon dirt with 3D printing to build future lunar colonies Simulated lunar dirt can be turned into extremely durable structures, potentially paving the way to more sustainable and cost-effective space missions, a new study suggests. Using a special laser 3D printing method, researchers melted fake lunar soil—a synthetic version of the fine dusty material on the moon surface, called regolith simulant—into layers and fused it with a base surface to manufacture small, heat-resistant objects. ⌘ Read more

Why wealth changes how we think about fair prices When it comes to the price of financial services such as loans, mortgages, and insurance, the perception of what is "fair" has a lot to do with how wealthy you are. In the study "Seeing Like a Company or a Customer: Selective Empathy in Pricing," appearing in American Sociological Review, authors Barbara Kiviat (Columbia University) and Carly R. Knight (New York University) examine how Americans evaluate the fairness of risk-based pricing—where consumers who are pr ... ⌘ Read more

Fossil amber reveals the secret lives of Cretaceous ants Tiny insects trapped in amber could tell us a great deal about their roles in past ecosystems: pollinators, parasites, predators, and prey. But how many of the insects preserved alongside each other reflect interactions during life, and how many are just unlucky coincidences? ⌘ Read more

Tracking wildlife trafficking in the age of online marketplaces Wildlife trafficking is one of the world's most widespread illegal trades, contributing to biodiversity loss, organized crime, and public health risks. Once concentrated in physical markets, much of this activity has moved online. Today, animals and animal products are advertised on large e-commerce platforms alongside ordinary consumer goods. This shift makes enforcement harder—but it also creates a valuable source of data. ⌘ Read more

Smart materials and drug delivery could exploit lipid molecules that reorganize at drying interfaces Minor changes in moisture level can promote lipid molecules to reorganize themselves in biomaterial or biomembranes. This can affect how the skin, lungs and tear film protect us from dehydration. This new discovery from Lund University in Sweden could be the inspiration for smart materials and new drug delivery techniques. ⌘ Read more

New study reveals why global IT strategies change shape on the ground—and what leaders can do about it A new academic study suggests that global IT strategies are often adapted at local level—and that understanding why requires paying close attention to culture, not just systems and structures. Published in the Qualitative Research Journal, the research by Dr. Godfried B Adaba of the Royal Docks School of Business and Law at the University of East London introduces a clearer, more structured ... ⌘ Read more

Why conspiracy theories can be so irresistible People who prefer structured, rule-based explanations may find conspiracy theories appealing because they offer a clear, ordered explanation for events that feel chaotic. New research led by Flinders University has found that understanding how someone processes information can be a strong predictor of whether they are drawn to conspiracy beliefs that can influence vaccine uptake, trust in institutions and responses to emergencies. ⌘ Read more

From the Late Bronze Age to today, the old Irish goat carries 3,000 years of Irish history New research has revealed that the old Irish goat shares a 3,000-year genetic link with goats living in Ireland during the Late Bronze Age. The findings suggest that the rare indigenous breed represents a continuous Irish lineage stretching back millennia. The work appears in the Journal of Archaeological Science. ⌘ Read more

Why plants may bloom earlier: Tiny dew droplets are triggering early flowering in plants Plants around the world are flowering earlier in the year, a trend attributed to climate change. But there could be another hitherto hidden trigger. Scientists led by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences suggest a cause may be morning dew drops, as explained in a paper in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ⌘ Read more

Collateral damage: Japanese beetle traps snare nature's helpers The Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) is one of the most dreaded insects to have invaded North America and parts of Europe. Accidentally introduced to the United States in the early twentieth century, it can now be found from Vancouver to the Alps and beyond. Japanese beetles aren't picky eaters; they will happily consume more than 300 species of plants and trees, devastating crops and gardens. ⌘ Read more

US childhood literacy rates are lagging. Pediatricians could be part of the solution For some young children in Columbus, Ohio, reading assessments don't start in the kindergarten classroom—they happen first in the doctor's office. ⌘ Read more

A protocol to realize near-perfect atom-photon entanglement Quantum technologies, devices and systems that operate leveraging quantum mechanical effects, could tackle some tasks more reliably and efficiently than any classical technology could. In recent years, some researchers have been trying to realize quantum networks to scale up the size of quantum computers, which essentially consist of several connected smaller quantum processors. ⌘ Read more

Celebrity dolphin of Venice doesn't need special protection—except from humans Bottlenose dolphins usually live in small to medium-sized groups in coastal and open-sea waters, but every once in a while, a dolphin might leave its pod behind, flock to coastal areas and approach human settlements. While this is a relatively rare occurrence, cases of dolphins entering coastal or urban areas are well documented. ⌘ Read more

AI model analyzes 52 factors to flag extinction risks for 10,000 fish species Whether it's redfin pickerel in the Kennebec River or sturgeon in the Great Lakes, nearly one-third of freshwater fish species are facing possible extinction, threatening food supplies, ecosystems and outdoor recreation. As conservationists work to preserve these species, the University of Maine assistant professor Christina Murphy asked herself if there was an easier way to identify threats to fish before they become endang ... ⌘ Read more

Mate choice: How social trends influence mate diversity Whether people follow a general trend when choosing a partner or consciously decide against it has a noticeable impact on the diversity of phenotypes to choose from. This is shown by a new study by the University of Würzburg. ⌘ Read more

Cannabis essential oils unlock how camphor repels mosquitoes From summer evenings to global disease prevention, mosquito repellents are a daily defense for billions of people, yet until now, scientists didn't fully understand how mosquitoes themselves perceive these "keep away" signals. A new study has pinpointed an odorant receptor that helps mosquitoes detect a repellent odor and steer away. The researchers found that activating this receptor switches on a dedicated neural pathway that can ov ... ⌘ Read more

Decision-making nudges can improve racial equity in tenure decisions After years of research, teaching, and service, a faculty member's tenure and future in academia hinge on the evaluations of their peers—senior faculty who serve on promotion and tenure committees. These evaluations can make or break a career—deciding whether a faculty member continues to grow in their field or faces an abrupt halt in their career. ⌘ Read more

Industrial research labs were invented in Europe but made the U.S. a tech superpower How did the United States overtake Europe to become the world's technological leader within just a few decades? A new study by researcher Frank Neffke from the Complexity Science Hub (CSH) and colleagues from the Growth Lab at Harvard University published in the journal Research Policy suggests that the answer lies not primarily in technological breakthroughs but in a fundamental shift in how innovation itself ... ⌘ Read more

For Northeast blizzard, everything was just right to roll up a monster snowfall The nor'easter smacking much of the Northeast with nearly 3 feet of snow in places is as classic and powerful a blizzard as you can get, the strongest in a decade and up there with the most intense in history, meteorologists said. ⌘ Read more

Hair-width LEDs could eventually replace lasers LEDs no wider than a human hair could soon take on work traditionally handled by lasers, from moving data inside server racks to powering next-generation displays. New research co-authored by UC Santa Barbara doctoral student Roark Chao points to a practical path forward. The study is published in the journal Optics Express. ⌘ Read more

Probability underlies much of the modern world—an engineering professor explains how it actually works Probability underpins AI, cryptography and statistics. However, as the philosopher Bertrand Russell said, "Probability is the most important concept in modern science, especially as nobody has the slightest notion what it means." ⌘ Read more

Jupiter's Galilean moons may have gained life's building blocks at birth Southwest Research Institute was part of an international team that demonstrated how complex organic molecules (COMs), key chemical precursors to life, could have been incorporated into Jupiter's Galilean moons during their formation. The team's findings have resulted in complementary studies published in The Planetary Science Journal and Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, offering new insights into the potenti ... ⌘ Read more

Alloy-engineered valleytronics: Microscopic mechanism gives scientists precise control over how excitons behave Scientists have observed a new microscopic mechanism enabling precise control of the magneto-optical properties of excitons in alloys of two-dimensional semiconductors. This discovery opens up tangible prospects for technological applications in devices exploiting valleytronics. The research findings were published in the journal Physical Review Letters. ⌘ Read more

How cells manage nitric oxide: Research uncovers dynamic 'gate' that tames powerful signaling molecule Cornell researchers have uncovered a built-in molecular "gate" that controls the production of the molecule nitric oxide, a crucial signaling molecule throughout biology that in humans helps regulate blood pressure, brain signaling, and immune defenses. But when levels go unchecked, it can damage cells and disrupt normal signaling. ⌘ Read more

Large dogs release two to four times more airborne microbes than humans Unseen but all around us, the air we breathe in enclosed spaces is crucial to our health and well-being. Indoor air is not simply outdoor air that has been run through a filter: it has its own chemical makeup and a unique combination of particles, gases and microorganisms. Because indoor air has many sources of its own, concentrations of many pollutants can be as high as—or higher than—outdoor levels, especially during everyda ... ⌘ Read more

Warming Antarctic waters come with a cost for the 'robust' rockcod About 10 million years ago, Antarctica's Southern Ocean started to get so cold that it scared away most fish in the region. Among the fish that stayed were what are now known as black rockcod, part of a famously sturdy family of Antarctic fish. But the black rockcod's future could also now be in jeopardy as Southern Ocean temperatures are projected to shift in the opposite direction due to climate change. ⌘ Read more

Can childhood obesity limit the American dream? Study links it to lifelong mobility penalties While the national conversation around childhood obesity often focuses on rising health care costs, new research co-authored by Ball State University economist Dr. Maoyong Fan suggests the crisis may also be limiting the "American Dream." The study finds that childhood obesity carries a lifelong "mobility penalty," reducing an individual's likelihood of moving up the economic ladder and living in highe ... ⌘ Read more

Cleaner hulls, safer seas? How eDNA checks could spot invasive species early Antarctic scientists have trialed a DNA "barcoding" technique that could improve biosecurity measures that help protect polar ecosystems from invasive marine species. The research, led by Australian Antarctic Program scientists, used environmental DNA (eDNA) in water samples to detect species known to hitchhike on ships' hulls. ⌘ Read more

New York orders citywide travel ban as major storm hits US New York ordered drivers off the road and shut down schools on Monday, while residents braced for a massive snowstorm hitting the United States northeast. ⌘ Read more

NASA will return its moon rocket to the hangar for more repairs before astronauts strap in Grounded until at least April, NASA's giant moon rocket is headed back to the hangar this week for more repairs before astronauts climb aboard. ⌘ Read more

Elevated E. coli, staph still detected in Potomac river 4 weeks after sewage spill Nearly a month after a wastewater pipe broke and spewed hundreds of millions of gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River just north of Washington, D.C., the latest water testing results from the University of Maryland School of Public Health continue to show high levels of E. coli and S. aureus — commonly called staph, including antibiotic-resistant MRSA. ⌘ Read more

Nuclear speckles play a key role in the progression of viral infection, research reveals Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection dramatically remodels the host cell's nuclear structures. Infection leads to the formation of viral replication compartments and to chromatin marginalization to the nuclear periphery. Joint research by the Universities of Jyväskylä (Finland) and Bar-Ilan (Israel) reveals that viral infection also alters the structure of nuclear speckles, which are essential for messenge ... ⌘ Read more

Carefree bachelor or incel: Men are judged for being single, too Reports of widespread "dating burnout" and a cultural shift toward heteropessimism—a feeling of disappointment or despair at the state of relations between men and women—have caused panic in the media and dating apps. ⌘ Read more

Five ways that AI could be reshaping your relationship with money The financial industry is entering a new era, with AI and new regulations on accessing data transforming how finance works. These changes are giving people more options to manage their money in new ways—taking us closer to totally cashless transactions. ⌘ Read more

NASA moon rocket hit by new problem, putting March launch with astronauts in jeopardy NASA's new moon rocket suffered another setback Saturday, putting next month's planned launch with astronauts in jeopardy. ⌘ Read more

Fish use more energy to stay still than previously thought Many fish appear to hang effortlessly in the water while they wait for prey, defend a nest or pause between bursts of activity. But our research shows that this quiet stillness is anything but effortless. Hovering, the behavior that allows a fish to remain suspended in one place, is far more energetically demanding than scientists once believed. ⌘ Read more

New microscopy technique lets scientists see cells in unprecedented detail and color Scientists have developed a new imaging technique that uses a novel contrast mechanism in bioimaging to merge the strengths of two powerful microscopy methods, allowing researchers to see both the intricate architecture of cells and the specific locations of proteins—all in vivid color and at nanometer resolution. ⌘ Read more

How your body senses cold—and why menthol feels cool When you step outside on a winter morning or pop a mint into your mouth, a tiny molecular sensor in your body springs into action, alerting your brain to the sensation of cold. Scientists have now captured the first detailed images of this sensor at work, revealing exactly how it detects both actual cold and the perceived cool of menthol, a compound derived from mint plants. ⌘ Read more

Sometimes less is more: Messier nanoparticles may actually deliver drugs more effectively than tightly packed ones The tiny fatty capsules that deliver COVID-19 mRNA vaccines into billions of arms may work better when they're a little disorganized. That's the surprising finding from researchers who developed a new way to examine these drug-delivery vehicles one particle at a time—revealing that cramming in more medicine doesn't always mean better results. ⌘ Read more

A low-cost microscope to study living cells in zero gravity As space agencies prepare for human missions to the moon and Mars, scientists need to understand how the absence of gravity affects living cells. Now, a team of researchers has built a rugged, affordable microscope that can image cells in real time during the chaotic conditions of zero-gravity flight—and they're making the design available to the broader scientific community. ⌘ Read more

How tuberculosis bacteria use a 'stealth' mechanism to evade the immune system Scientists have uncovered an elegant biophysical trick that tuberculosis-causing bacteria use to survive inside human cells, a discovery that could lead to new strategies for fighting one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases. ⌘ Read more

A hidden reason inner ear cells die—and what it means for preventing hearing loss Proteins long known to be essential for hearing have been hiding a talent: they also act as gatekeepers that shuffle fatty molecules across cell membranes. When this newly discovered function goes haywire—due to genetic mutations, noise-induced damage, or certain medications—it may be what kills the delicate sensory cells in our ears, causing permanent hearing loss. ⌘ Read more

1,100 dead or sick geese in NJ spark bird flu warning, prompt lake's closure At least 1,100 dead or sick birds, mostly Canada geese, have been reported across New Jersey in an outbreak that started on Valentine's Day, according to state officials. ⌘ Read more

SpaceX rocket left behind a plume of chemical pollution as it burnt up in the atmosphere Space junk returning to Earth is introducing metal pollution to the pristine upper atmosphere as it burns up on re-entry, a new study has found. ⌘ Read more

A survival strategy inside stressed cells: Ribosomes in pairs Ribosomes, the cell's protein-making factories, consume large amounts of energy as they build the proteins that keep cells alive and functioning. When cells experience stress—such as lack of nutrients or sudden drops in temperature—they quickly switch into survival mode. New research from the Schuman Lab at the Max Planck Institute for Brain Research in Frankfurt now reveals an unexpected way cells manage this transition: by pair ... ⌘ Read more

DNA analysis illuminates the lives of East Marshall Street Well individuals She had brown eyes and black hair. She was almost 5 feet, 7 inches tall and chewed tobacco. She was in her 20s, carried heavy loads with her left arm and had given birth. We don't know her name, but after her death in the 19th century, her body was stolen and used for anatomical and surgical training by students from the Medical College of Virginia. For more than 100 years, she lay among at least 46 others in a disused ... ⌘ Read more

Quantum trembling: Why there are no truly flat molecules Traditional chemistry textbooks present a tidy picture: Atoms in molecules occupy fixed positions, connected by rigid rods. A molecule such as formic acid (methanoic acid, HCOOH) is imagined as two-dimensional—flat as a sheet of paper. But quantum physics tells a different story. In reality, nature resists rigidity and forces even the simplest structures into the third dimension. ⌘ Read more

Why hikers need a backup for the maps on their phones Four of five Norwegians use digital maps when they are in the outdoors. In just a few years, our mobile phones have gone from being a practical navigation aid to a virtual compass in your backpack. The more we rely on digital navigational tools, the more important it is that technology actually points us in the right direction. ⌘ Read more

Pregnancy complications may have helped wipe out Neanderthals Neanderthals disappeared from the fossil record approximately 40,000 years ago. Their extinction was a gradual process over thousands of years, and theories as to why include competition with modern humans and rapid climate change. However, there may have been other contributory factors: preeclampsia and eclampsia. ⌘ Read more

New book explores links between disasters and development Disasters arise from the convergence of natural and social forces. Earthquakes, cyclones, floods, droughts, and other catastrophic events disproportionately affect the most vulnerable people, whether the poor in wealthy countries or the inhabitants of less developed countries. In a warming world, climate-related disasters threaten to become even more hazardous. ⌘ Read more

Atom-thin electronics withstand space radiation, potentially surviving for centuries in orbit Atom-thick layers of molybdenum disulfide are ideally suited for radiation-resistant spacecraft electronics, researchers in China have confirmed. In a study published in Nature, Peng Zhou and colleagues at Fudan University put a communications system composed of the material through a gauntlet of rigorous tests—including the transmission of their university's Anthem—confirming that its performance is ... ⌘ Read more

Fans flock to Japan zoo to see viral baby monkey Punch Dozens of fans flocked to a Japanese zoo on Friday to catch a glimpse of a baby macaque who shot to social media stardom months after being abandoned by his mother. ⌘ Read more

Trust in elections declines across party lines ahead of 2026 midterms, survey finds Americans are less confident in U.S. elections than they were a year ago—Democrats, Republicans and independents alike. In a national survey from the Center for Transparent and Trusted Elections (CTTE) at the University of California San Diego, produced in collaboration with the university's Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research, 60% of respondents said they are confident votes will be counted accurate ... ⌘ Read more

AI tool observes solar active regions to advance warnings of space weather New research by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and the National Science Foundation's National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF-NCAR) has developed a new tool providing a first step toward the ability to forecast space weather weeks in advance, instead of just hours. This advance warning could allow agencies and industries to mitigate impacts to GPS, power grids, astronaut safety and more. ⌘ Read more

Particles don't always go with the flow (and why that matters) It is commonly assumed that tiny particles just go with the flow as they make their way through soil, biological tissue, and other complex materials. But a team of Yale researchers led by Professor Amir Pahlavan shows that even gentle chemical gradients, such as a small change in salt concentration, can dramatically reshape how particles move through porous materials. Their results are published in Science Advances. ⌘ Read more

Hiding in plain sight: Discovery of cryptic species could double the number of vertebrates There may be twice as many vertebrates on the planet as previous estimates claimed, according to a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. That's not because of any errors or miscalculation, but because thousands of species have been hiding in plain sight. These are so-called cryptic species that appear identical to our eyes but are actually very differen ... ⌘ Read more

Sudan's historic acacia forest devastated as war fuels logging Vast stretches of a once-verdant acacia forest south of Sudan's capital Khartoum have been reduced to little more than fields of stumps as nearly three years of conflict have fueled deforestation. ⌘ Read more

What freezing plants in blocks of ice can tell us about the future of Svalbard's plant communities How will a warming Arctic affect plant growth on Svalbard? Researchers encased plant plots in a thick layer of ice during the winter and used little greenhouses to heat up those plots in the summer. The surprise? The plants that got the harshest treatment did just fine. ⌘ Read more

Hidden insect diversity in grass shoots threatened by mowing When it comes to biodiversity, researchers and the public tend to focus on large-scale patterns. This overlooks a hidden but precious diversity: small, inconspicuous wasps, midges, flies, beetles and other insects that live in plants. These tiny creatures are actually very common, as shown by a team of researchers at the University of Göttingen and the Hungarian HUN-REN Center for Ecological Research. ⌘ Read more

Simplifying quantum simulations—symmetry can cut computational effort by several orders of magnitude Quantum computer research is advancing at a rapid pace. Today's devices, however, still have significant limitations: For example, the length of a quantum computation is severely limited—that is, the number of possible interactions between quantum bits before a serious error occurs in the highly sensitive system. For this reason, it is important to keep computing operations as efficient a ... ⌘ Read more

Quantum-level effects in biology: Weak magnetic fields and isotopes can alter cell protein structures A novel method to manipulate the inner structure of cells connects several scientific fields and could represent a significant step in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Dr. Travis Craddock, a professor of biology at the University of Waterloo and Canada Research Chair in Quantum Neurobiology, led the research team that is the first to use w ... ⌘ Read more

Digital forestry team combines AI with satellite data to monitor urban trees A Purdue University digital forestry team has created a computational tool to obtain and analyze urban tree inventories on public and private lands with record-breaking speed at an unprecedented scale. The team accomplished the feat by developing a novel AI-enhanced visual computing method that accurately determines the locations of trees in over 330 U.S. cities with a population of 100,000 or more. The method so far has in ... ⌘ Read more

Simulations map how single-crystal battery materials could boost cycle life The performance of rechargeable batteries is governed by processes deep within their components. A fundamental understanding of electrochemistry, structure–property–performance relationships and the effects of processing and operating conditions is essential for accelerating the development of next-generation battery technologies capable of powering electric vehicles, portable electronic devices and grid-scale ener ... ⌘ Read more

Measuring chaos: Researchers quantify the quantum butterfly effect For the first time, researchers in China have accurately quantified how chaos increases in a quantum many-body system as it evolves over time. Combining experiments and theory, a team led by Yu-Chen Li at the University of Science and Technology of China showed that the level of chaos grows exponentially when time reversal is applied to these systems—matching predictions of their extreme sensitivity to errors. The research has ... ⌘ Read more

Man missing in floods as France hit by record 35 days of rain A man has gone missing in the Loire River in the flood-hit west of France, an official said, as the country on Wednesday marked a record-breaking streak of 35 consecutive days of rain. ⌘ Read more

Cracks in snow propagate faster than expected Since 10 January 2026, the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) has received reports of hundreds of "whumpfs" (i.e., sounds indicating a collapse in the snowpack) and of remote triggering events—unmistakable signs of a critical avalanche situation involving a weak snowpack. A whumpf is where snow sports enthusiasts cause a fracture in a weak layer of the snow, which within seconds propagates as a crack across the terrain. If the crack reaches steep terrain ... ⌘ Read more

First-ever shark recorded in Antarctic waters filmed at 490 meters in near‑freezing water An ungainly barrel of a shark cruising languidly over a barren seabed far too deep for the sun's rays to illuminate was an unexpected sight. ⌘ Read more

NASA hopes fuel leaks are fixed as it launches another countdown test for the Artemis II moonshot NASA began another practice launch countdown Tuesday for its first moonshot in decades with astronauts after making repairs to fix dangerous fuel leaks that already have bumped the flight into March. ⌘ Read more

Atrocities take place in democratic nations as well as autocratic ones—our database has logged them all Thousands of people were killed by Iranian security forces in days of protests in January 2026. Meanwhile, in the same month, the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis shone a light on the use of fatal force by American law enforcement—a phenomenon that in 2025 saw the deaths of more than 1,300 people in the U.S., according to data tracking such incidents. ⌘ Read more

Satellite imagery and AI reveal development needs hidden by national data For years, Iceland, Switzerland, and Norway have ranked near the top of the United Nations' annual index of countries based on indicators of well-being and quality of life. Countries with more poverty and less access to health care and education tend to rank lower on the list, known as the Human Development Index, or HDI. ⌘ Read more

Renewable biological catalyst carries the potential to transform wastewater into phosphorus resource Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plants and managing its availability is critical for growing crops to maintain the global food supply. In an effort to move toward a more sustainable bioeconomy, researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and collaborators have developed a new method to recycle phosphorus from the biorefinery waste stream. ⌘ Read more

Northern Europe's radiator: Volcanic eruptions in the past may have pushed ocean currents toward collapse New research from the University of Copenhagen suggests that volcanic eruptions during the Ice Age may have triggered sudden climate change by disrupting the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), causing temperatures to fluctuate between hot and cold for thousands of years. The study contributes missing pieces to our understanding of what could cause Northern Europe's radiat ... ⌘ Read more

AI model learns yeast DNA 'language' to boost protein drug output Industrial yeasts are a powerhouse of protein production, used to manufacture vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, and other useful compounds. In a new study, MIT chemical engineers have harnessed artificial intelligence to optimize the development of new protein manufacturing processes, which could reduce the overall costs of developing and manufacturing these drugs. ⌘ Read more

Songs and stories highlight role of saints in community-building "My Name is Oswald," a new song cycle telling the stories of St Oswald of Northumbria, premiered in a performance in the King's Chapel on 12 February. Based on research by Dr. Johanna Dale, Visiting Fellow in the Department of History, and Professor Sarah Bowden, Professor of German and Medieval Studies in the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures, the songs trace how Oswald's story spread from England to the German-speak ... ⌘ Read more

Laser-made surface repels nearly any liquid, even after fivefold stretching Researchers from North Carolina State University have used laser ablation to create ultra-stretchable, superomniphobic materials without the use of harsh chemical solvents. The materials—which are useful in applications ranging from soft robotics to artificial skin patches—retain their superomniphobic (i.e., super-repellent) properties when stretched up to five times their initial length and at over 5,000 stretch cycles. ⌘ Read more

New research shows how Londoners used death data to survive the plague New research by the University of Portsmouth reveals that during the Great Plague of 1665, Londoners used published death figures to make daily, life or death decisions, reshaping how governments managed public health and personal freedom for the first time. The study is published in the journal Accounting History. ⌘ Read more

White paper connects rural broadband gaps to organizational wellness and workforce stability University of Phoenix College of Doctoral Studies has published a new research white paper, "The Rural Digital Divide and Organizational Wellness," by Stella Smith, Ed.D. The paper analyzes how persistent disparities in digital access affect employee well-being, career development and organizational resilience in rural communities, and explores opportunities presented by the integration of AI technologies int ... ⌘ Read more

Study of 65,000 college students links 16 hours a week on social media to higher loneliness More than half of college students are lonely—and those who use social media the most are particularly likely to feel isolated, a study of tens of thousands of 18 to 24-year-olds in the US shows. Just 16 hours a week—two or so hours a day—on social media was linked with higher odds of loneliness, reports a paper in the Journal of American College Health. ⌘ Read more

Loneliness at work matters more than we think As loneliness reaches epidemic levels worldwide, work has become one of the main settings where connection is either strengthened or lost. In 2023, Vivek Murthy, the former surgeon general of the United States, labeled loneliness an "epidemic," warning that its consequences rival those of other major health risks. ⌘ Read more

What the economic impact of Hurricane Katrina means for businesses today When Hurricane Katrina struck the U.S. in 2005, nearly 2000 people lost their lives and the cost of the catastrophe exceeded $100 billion. Now, 21 years later, new research from The University of Manchester has found that Katrina left another, less visible legacy long after the storm clouds had cleared. ⌘ Read more

Field observations and computer modeling help predict the world's deadly scorpion hotspots An international team of scientists has identified how to pinpoint and predict hotspots for some of the most dangerous species of scorpion in the world. The researchers have established the key environmental conditions that determine where lethal, venomous arachnids thrive—findings that could help shine a light on flashpoints for scorpion stings in tropical regions across the globe. ⌘ Read more

What's in your wine? Using NMR to reveal its chemical profile New work from Georgia Tech is showing how a simple glass of wine can serve as a powerful gateway for understanding advanced research and technologies. The project, inspired by an Atlanta Science Festival event hosted by School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Assistant Professor Andrew McShan, develops an innovative outreach and teaching module around nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques, and is designed for easy adoption in introducto ... ⌘ Read more

First-of-its-kind automated root imaging platform speeds plant discoveries The Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory has launched a novel robotic platform to rapidly analyze plant root systems as they grow, yielding AI-ready data to accelerate the development of stress-tolerant crops for new fuels, chemicals and materials. ⌘ Read more

Antarctic ice melt can change global ocean circulation, sediment cores suggest A new study shows that during the last two deglaciations, i.e., the transition from an ice age to the warm interglacial periods, meltwater from the Antarctic ice sheet intensified stratification in the Southern Ocean. The results highlight the key role of the Antarctic ice sheet on ocean circulation and the regulation of the global climate. The study was led by François Fripiat, a researcher at the Max Planck Institu ... ⌘ Read more

Antipathy toward snakes? Your parents likely talked you into that at an early age A study of more than 100 kindergarten-age children suggests kids tend to think of snakes differently than they do other animals and that hearing negative or objectifying language about the slithery reptiles might contribute to that way of thinking. ⌘ Read more

Some glaciers can suddenly surge forward—with dangerous consequences It's difficult to forget standing in front of a glacier that is advancing toward you, towering ice pillars constantly cracking as they inch forward. The motion is too slow to see in real time but is obvious from one day to the next. ⌘ Read more

A microfluidic chip for one-step detection of PFAS and other pollutants Environmental pollutant analysis typically requires complex sample pretreatment steps such as filtration, separation, and preconcentration. When solid materials such as sand, soil, or food residues are present in water samples, analytical accuracy often decreases, and filtration can unintentionally remove trace-level target pollutants along with the solids. ⌘ Read more

NASA moon mission spacesuit nears milestone The next-generation spacesuit for NASA's Artemis III mission continues to advance by passing a contractor-led technical review, as the agency prepares to send humans to the moon's South Pole for the first time. Testing is also underway for the new suits, built by Axiom Space, with NASA astronauts and spacesuit engineers recently simulating surface operations and tasks underwater to demonstrate safety and mobility. ⌘ Read more

AI captures particle accelerator behavior to optimize machine performance Keeping high-power particle accelerators at peak performance requires advanced and precise control systems. For example, the primary research machine at the U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility features hundreds of fine-tuned components that accelerate electrons to 99.999% the speed of light. ⌘ Read more

NASA crew set for flight to ISS NASA is set to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station on Friday, replacing a crew that was evacuated early due to a medical issue. ⌘ Read more

New study assesses potential dust control options for Great Salt Lake A new collaborative study, led by University of Utah Professor of atmospheric sciences Kevin Perry, provides policymakers, agency leaders, and the public with the most comprehensive assessment to date of potential dust control options for the Great Salt Lake, as declining water levels continue to expose vast areas of lakebed to wind erosion. ⌘ Read more

Europe's most powerful rocket carries 32 satellites for Amazon Leo network into space The most powerful version of Europe's Ariane 6 rocket Thursday carried 32 satellites into space for the Amazon Leo network, which aims to rival Elon Musk's Starlink. ⌘ Read more

Thailand uses a birth control vaccine to curb its elephant population near expanding farms Thailand has begun using a birth control vaccine on elephants in the wild to try and curb a growing problem where human and animal populations encroach on each other—an issue in areas where farms spread into forests and elephants are squeezed out of their natural habitat. ⌘ Read more

Why phage contamination is hard to kill, and how charged nanoparticles could help Bacteriophages are viruses that can kill bacteria through highly specific interactions. While this property can be beneficial in selected applications, bacteriophages represent a serious threat to laboratories and industries that rely on bacterial cultures for production. Their selective inactivation remains a major challenge. Recently, researchers from the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Scienc ... ⌘ Read more

'It ain't no unicorn': Meet the researchers who've interviewed 130 Bigfoot hunters It was the image that launched a cultural icon. In 1967, in the northern Californian woods, a seven foot tall, ape-like creature covered in black fur and walking upright was captured on camera, at one point turning around to look straight down the lens. The image is endlessly copied in popular culture—it's even become an emoji. But what was it? A hoax? A bear? Or a real-life example of a mysterious species called the ... ⌘ Read more

Failed supernova provides clearest view yet of a star collapsing into a black hole Astronomers have watched a dying star fail to explode as a supernova, instead collapsing into a black hole. The remarkable sighting is the most complete observational record ever made of a star's transformation into a black hole, allowing astronomers to construct a comprehensive physical picture of the process. ⌘ Read more

How plants balance woody xylem and fleshy tissues: Thermospermine targets methylated ribosomes Scientists have identified a crucial mechanism that allows plants to shape their vascular systems, determining whether they grow soft edible storage organs or develop the rigid woody tissue characteristic of trees. Published in Science, research led by the University of Cambridge and University of Helsinki, reveals the regulatory dynamics that guide xylem formation, offering new insights into how p ... ⌘ Read more

Unique 'inside out' planetary system reveals rocky outer world A global team of astronomers, led by the University of Warwick, have used a European Space Agency (ESA) telescope to discover a planetary system that turns our understanding of planet formation upside down, with a distant rocky world. In our solar system, the inner planets (Mercury to Mars) are rocky, and the outer planets (Jupiter to Neptune) are gaseous. This planetary pattern—rock then gas—is consistently observed across the Milky ... ⌘ Read more

mRNA fragments reveal a hidden process that protects cells from harmful mutations Some genetic mutations that are expected to completely stop a gene from working surprisingly cause only mild or even no symptoms. Researchers in previous studies have discovered one reason why: cells can ramp up the activity of other genes that perform similar functions to make up for the loss of an important gene's function. A new study from the lab of Whitehead Institute Member Jonathan Weissman now reveals insights ... ⌘ Read more

Genomics offers a faster path to restoring the American chestnut For more than a century, the American chestnut, once a dominant tree across eastern North American forests, has been devastated by an invasive fungal disease that killed billions of trees in the early 1900s. A study published in Science shows that modern genomic tools can dramatically accelerate restoration while preserving the species' ecological identity. ⌘ Read more

Elephant trunk whiskers exhibit material intelligence, revealing the secret behind an amazing sense of touch A new study from an interdisciplinary German research collaboration, led by the Haptic Intelligence Department at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS), reveals the secret to the gentle dexterity of the elephant trunk. The 1,000 whiskers that cover an elephant's trunk have unusual material properties that highlight where contact happens along each whisker, givi ... ⌘ Read more

Reshaping the future of urban experimentation for lasting change Cities everywhere are running experiments to respond to climate change and sustainability challenges, such as new mobility trials, energy pilots, green space projects, circular economy approaches, and more. New research from the Monash Business School has found that many of these efforts stay small, stay siloed, or fade when funding ends. ⌘ Read more

Overcoming a barrier to projecting near-term climate evolution and risk The Earth is warming more rapidly than before, and extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more intense. While global warming is mainly driven by carbon dioxide emissions, it is also influenced by air pollution. But by how much? Europe's leading scientists on aerosol and clouds have now joined forces to uncover a dominant source of uncertainty in climate science. ⌘ Read more

Rocket science? 3D printing soft matter in zero gravity What happens to soft matter when gravity disappears? To answer this, UvA physicists launched a fluid dynamics experiment on a sounding rocket. The suborbital rocket reached an altitude of 267 km before falling back to Earth, providing six minutes of weightlessness. ⌘ Read more

New lithium-based green phosphors rival today's commercial LED standard Research results from Innsbruck, Schwabmünchen, and Düsseldorf demonstrate how the most widely used green phosphors in commercial LEDs can be replaced by representatives of an entirely new class of compounds. Green luminescence, as required for ubiquitous white-light LEDs, currently originates mainly from phosphors with the well-known garnet structure. In times of high energy prices and political tensions that may restrict acc ... ⌘ Read more

New research shows God-believing 'nones' align closely with religious Americans Nearly 1 in 3 Americans now identify as religious "nones," and new research from University of Nebraska–Lincoln sociologist Philip Schwadel suggests that this fast-growing group is far more ideologically diverse than commonly assumed. In a new study published in Sociology of Religion, Schwadel found that religious nones who believe in God are far more likely than other nones to have similar policy preferences to their ... ⌘ Read more

Study of tumor environment is first to show how vesicles are exchanged in tissue A new study may change the way scientists think about the distance traveled by tiny bubbles carrying signals between cells that are embedded in tissue. These particles, called extracellular vesicles, are known to safely carry signaling cargo as a communication method between cells in bodily fluids and within tissue, and to influence health and disease. Understanding how the properties of these vesicles differ ... ⌘ Read more

Trump EPA set to repeal scientific finding that serves as basis for US climate change policy The Trump administration on Thursday will revoke a scientific finding that long has been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change, the White House announced. ⌘ Read more

Online banking may shift household money control, making women five times likelier to manage Women in the UK who use online banking tools are nearly five times as likely to manage their household finances and about twice as likely to have the final say in major financial decisions, compared with women who don't bank online, a new UCL-led study has found. Using nationally representative data of heterosexual couples aged 20–64 from the United Kingdom Household Longitudinal Study, researchers show h ... ⌘ Read more

New nanoparticles remove melanoma tumors in mice with low-power near-infrared laser Researchers at Oregon State University have developed and tested in a mouse model a new type of nanoparticle that enables the removal of melanoma tumors with a low-power laser. After the systemically administered nanoparticles accumulate in cancerous tissue, exposure to near-infrared light causes them to heat up and destroy the melanoma cells, leaving healthy tissue unharmed. ⌘ Read more

Plants and worms harnessed to improve sustainable urban drainage systems A team of researchers has demonstrated how biological systems could transform the way sustainable urban drainage systems manage polluted soils, pointing to a future in which urban infrastructure is greener, cheaper and more resilient. The project, led by the University of Strathclyde with partners Phyona Ltd and Pictish Worms, is using plants and worms to regenerate contaminated soils. ⌘ Read more

The US has a new center in Texas to disperse sterile screwworm flies to block a parasite it spawns The first center for dispersing sterile screwworm flies from U.S. soil in decades opened Monday in Texas, part of a larger effort to keep the flesh-eating parasite they spawn from crossing the Mexican border and wreaking havoc on the American cattle industry. ⌘ Read more

Force-induced inter-protofilament gaps can pave the way for life in microtubule research Constructed with tubulin heterodimers connected into a hollow cylinder, the microtubule, an essential component of the cytoskeleton, plays a vital role in various intracellular processes. In a recent study, a cross-disciplinary research team led by Professor Yuan Lin from the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering, and Professor Jeff Ti from the School of Biomedical Sciences in the L ... ⌘ Read more

Chemically edited molecular glue in action: How 12-deoxyfusicoccin locks a repressor A novel study uncovers how a subtle chemical tweak transforms the naturally occurring phytotoxin into a powerful molecular glue, 12-deoxyfusicoccin (12-dFC), that locks 14-3-3 proteins onto the intrinsically disordered translational repressor GIGYF2 in human cells. Through integrated proteomic, biochemical, and functional analyses, the work reveals an AMPK-driven stress pathway that 12-dFC exploi ... ⌘ Read more

Ultra-clean MXenes deliver 160-fold higher conductivity An international team of researchers has developed a breakthrough method for producing MXenes—an important family of two-dimensional materials—with unprecedented purity and control. The new "gas–liquid–solid" process enables the synthesis of pure MXenes with uniformly distributed halogen atoms on the surface and a precisely tunable surface composition. The method dramatically boosts their electrical conductivity and opens the door to high-performance electro ... ⌘ Read more

How an ancient seafloor turned Arkansas into 'Sharkansas,' a shark fossil hotspot Most shark fossils are just teeth—their cartilage skeletons usually decay long before they can fossilize. But in northwestern Arkansas, a series of geological sites known as the Fayetteville Shale has preserved dozens of rare, three-dimensional shark skeletons dating back more than 300 million years. In a new study published in Geobios, researchers reveal why: These fossils formed on a low-oxygen, highly acidi ... ⌘ Read more

US astronaut to take her 3-year-old's cuddly rabbit into space When the next mission to the International Space Station blasts off from Florida next week, a special keepsake will be hitching a ride: a small stuffed rabbit. ⌘ Read more

Bunnings' backyard pods won't fix the housing crisis, but they signal a shift Australia is in a deep housing crisis. ⌘ Read more

Seattle's new minimum pay for app deliveries raised base pay, but tips fell On-demand delivery services facilitated through online platforms have grown significantly in the past decade, generating work opportunities for independent drivers who can self-schedule their work. In a new study, researchers examined how a new minimum pay requirement for app-based delivery workers in Seattle, Washington, affected workers' earnings and employment. ⌘ Read more

ChatGPT is in classrooms. How should educators now assess student learning? Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is now a reality in higher education, with students and professors integrating chatbots into teaching, learning and assessment. But this isn't just a technical shift; it's reshaping how students and educators learn and evaluate knowledge. ⌘ Read more

How to entice water guzzlers to conserve: Using the right incentives outperforms years of public messaging When Kristina Brecko arrived at Stanford University in the fall of 2012 to start her Ph.D., she was already scanning the weather forecast—not for rainfall, but for snow. An avid snowboarder, she and her graduate study advisor, Wesley Hartmann, a skier, were eager to get into the mountains. ⌘ Read more

Computer simulations reveal hurricane currents can knock down surface wave heights Using advanced computer simulations, researchers from the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography (GSO) have concluded how and why strong ocean currents modify surface waves. "Our primary finding is that hurricane-generated ocean currents can substantially reduce both the height and the dominant period of hurricane waves," said Isaac Ginis, URI professor of oceanography. "The magnitude ... ⌘ Read more

EU nations back chemical recycling for plastic bottles European nations voted Friday to allow for chemical recycling to play a larger role in the production of plastic bottles, overcoming reservations about the energy-intensive technology. ⌘ Read more

What to watch as fungal infections rise: Species that can quickly 'translate' fat-use proteins A new study by researchers at Kiel University and MPI-EvolBio describes how more efficient protein production drives the adaptation of fungi to the human body, potentially turning previously harmless species into emerging pathogens. In the wake of global change and the associated rise in temperatures, fungal infections are on the increase worldwide, threatening crops, wildlife and, also, human health. ... ⌘ Read more

Annual orchids show brings vivid color to Chicago winter A soft layer of white snow blankets the grounds of the Chicago Botanic Garden. The air is chilly, the sky gray. ⌘ Read more

Polarstern heads to the Weddell Sea to probe Antarctica's sharp sea ice drop With the departure of the research vessel Polarstern from Punta Arenas (Chile) scheduled for this weekend, the "Summer Weddell Sea Outflow Study" (SWOS) international expedition will commence. Up to early April, a multidisciplinary international research team will investigate the northwestern region of the Weddell Sea—an area of central importance for the global climate and ocean system, but one that can only be explo ... ⌘ Read more

Why rethinking wellness could help students and teachers thrive Teachers supervising students in school-sponsored work sites tend to prioritize emotional and social well-being in the workplace, according to research from Rutgers Health. The study, published in Occupational Health, examined how educators approach student wellness and the factors they prioritize when preparing students to enter the workforce. ⌘ Read more

Three-way quantum correlations fade exponentially with distance at any temperature, study shows The properties of a quantum material are driven by links between its electrons known as quantum correlations. A RIKEN researcher has shown mathematically that, at non-zero temperatures, these connections can only exist over very short distances when more than two particles are involved. This finding, now published in Physical Review X, sets a fundamental limit on just how "exotic" a quantum mater ... ⌘ Read more

When the interaction between fungi and bacteria becomes a dangerous alliance Rivals or allies—how do bacteria and fungi interact in our bodies? Until now, bacteria on our mucous membranes were primarily considered to be antagonists of fungi, as they can inhibit their growth. However, an international research team led by the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI) in Jena has now been able to show that the yeast Candida albicans and the bacteriu ... ⌘ Read more

The internet names a new deep-sea species of chiton The Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance (SOSA), in partnership with the scientific publisher Pensoft Publishers and science YouTuber Ze Frank, have let the internet name a newly discovered deep‑sea chiton (a type of marine mollusk). The formal description of the species is published in the Biodiversity Data Journal. ⌘ Read more

Large study shows scaling startups risk increasing gender gaps When startups scale quickly, founders often make hurried hiring decisions that unintentionally disadvantage women, according to new study from the Stockholm School of Economics in Sweden. The study shows how the pressures of rapid growth increase the likelihood that founders rely on mental shortcuts and make biased decisions. The study is published in the journal Human Resource Management. ⌘ Read more

High-entropy garnet crystal enables enhanced 2.8 μm mid-infrared laser performance Recently, a research team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences successfully grew a high-entropy garnet-structured oxide crystal and achieved enhanced laser performance at the 2.8 μm wavelength band. By introducing a high-entropy design into a garnet crystal system, the team obtained a wide emission band near 2.8 μm and continuous-wave laser output with improved average pow ... ⌘ Read more

When gigantism shapes the diet of a superpredator: The Japanese giant salamander's spectacular transition A study conducted by researchers at the University of Liège on a large population of Japanese giant salamanders—one of the largest amphibians in the world—reveals that above a certain size, a spectacular transition occurs in the diet of this species, propelling it to the top of the river food chain. The Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus)—an endemic and emblematic species of ... ⌘ Read more

Peppermint oil plasma coating could cut catheter infections without releasing drugs Australian researchers have developed a high‑performance coating made from peppermint essential oil that can be applied to the surfaces of many commonly used medical devices, offering a safer way to protect patients from infection and inflammation. ⌘ Read more

The coming end of ISS, symbol of an era of global cooperation When the International Space Station comes back to Earth in 2030, it will mark the end of three decades of peaceful international cooperation—and an era when space became central to our daily lives. ⌘ Read more

AI foundation model aims to make stem cell therapies more predictable One of the most enduring goals in regenerative medicine is deceptively simple: replace a person's damaged or dying cells with healthy new ones grown in the laboratory. ⌘ Read more

Nanocrystal biohybrids harvest light to reduce N₂ gas to ammonia Ammonia, a key part of nitrogen fertilizers, is central to sustaining global food production. However, its manufacture is also energy intensive: Ammonia production requires 2% of global energy to meet global demand. Approximately 170 million metric tons (50%) of the global supply of ammonia is produced by the Haber-Bosch process, a common industrial process. Biological nitrogen fixation produces the other 50% of the global amm ... ⌘ Read more

Analysis reveals interhemispheric thermal imbalance as key to Asian-Australian monsoon variability The Asian-Australian monsoon system (A-AuMS) is the world's most typical cross-equatorial coupled monsoon system. On a seasonal timescale, the summer monsoon in one hemisphere is usually linked to the winter monsoon in the other via outflows. However, robust evidence is lacking as to whether such cross-equatorial monsoon coupling persists during orbital-scale paleoclimate evolution. A ... ⌘ Read more

New briefing paper outlines concerns around TikTok moderation policies political influence, and election integrity A new briefing paper produced by the London Social Media Observatory (LSMO) at Royal Holloway and Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) details emerging risks to democratic participation on TikTok. The LSMO and WFD brought together 45 policymakers, academics, civil society representatives and strategic advisors at a roundtable discussion to explore what the risks are and ho ... ⌘ Read more

Genetic analysis of Deep Maniot Greeks reveals a unique lineage in the Balkans A new genetic study has revealed that the people of Deep Mani, who inhabit one of the remotest regions of mainland Greece, represent one of the most genetically distinctive populations in Europe, shaped by more than a millennium of isolation. The findings, published in Communications Biology, reveal that many lineages can be traced back to the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman period of Greece. ⌘ Read more

Engineered antibody targets bacteria-specific sugar, clears lethal drug-resistant infection in mice Australian researchers have developed a powerful new way to target deadly, drug-resistant bacteria by designing antibodies that recognize a sugar found only on bacterial cells—an advance that could underpin a new generation of immunotherapies for multidrug resistant hospital-acquired infections. ⌘ Read more

Medieval women used falconry to subvert gender norms Hawks are taking cinematic flight. In two recent literary adaptations, they are entwined with the lives and emotions of their respective protagonists – Agnes Shakespeare (née Hathaway) and Helen Macdonald. ⌘ Read more

Not an artifact, but an ancestor: Why a German university is returning a Māori taonga Restitution debates—the questions of whether a cultural object should be returned from a museum or other collection to a person or community—often begin with a deceptively simple question: Who owns an object? ⌘ Read more

Shrinking shellfish? Study uncovers acidic water risks in Indian River lagoon Florida's Indian River Lagoon (IRL), one of the state's most ecologically productive estuaries, is facing a growing but invisible threat that could reshape its marine ecosystems. Over the past decade, the lagoon has suffered severe degradation caused by nutrient pollution, excessive freshwater runoff, harmful algal blooms (HABs), and declining water quality. These changes have led to the loss of tens of thousands of a ... ⌘ Read more

Shared purpose outperforms specialization, study shows A new study published in the Strategic Management Journal challenges long-standing assumptions about managerial specialization by examining when organizations perform better by having leaders collectively pursue multiple objectives rather than dividing responsibilities among them. Addressing the growing complexity of modern organizations—where financial, social, environmental, and technological goals increasingly coexist—the research introduces ... ⌘ Read more

Angstrom-scale plasmonic gap boosts nonlinear light output by 2,000% per volt Researchers at the Institute for Molecular Science (NINS, Japan) and SOKENDAI have demonstrated a more than 2000% voltage-induced enhancement of near-field nonlinear optical responses. To achieve this giant modulation, they focused on an angstrom-scale gap formed between a metallic tip and substrate in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM), which can strongly confine and enhance light intensity through plasmon excitation ... ⌘ Read more

What are the warning signs of financial abuse? Financial abuse is a common and often hidden type of abuse within family and domestic violence, characterized by behaviors that control, restrict, or hide money and financial information, frequently involving a person's bank accounts, credit cards, tax filings, and business reporting systems. Financial abuse is a very particular subset of economic abuse. It's an effective form of coercive control that restricts a person's financial autonomy, decision-making capacity, and ... ⌘ Read more

Banning lead in gas worked: The proof is in our hair Prior to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970, Americans lived in communities awash with lead from industrial sources, paint, water supply pipes and, most significantly, tailpipe emissions. A dangerous neurotoxin that accumulates in human tissues and is linked to developmental deficits in children, environmental lead levels have come way down in the years since, and so have human exposures. ⌘ Read more

Some tropical land may heat up nearly twice as much as oceans under climate change, sediment record suggests Some tropical land regions may warm more dramatically than previously predicted, as climate change progresses, according to a new CU Boulder study that looks millions of years into Earth's past. Using lake sediments from the Colombian Andes, researchers reveal that when the planet warmed millions of years ago under carbon dioxide levels similar to today's, tropical land heated up nearly twice ... ⌘ Read more

Air pollution causes social instability in ant colonies, triggering attacks on returning nest mates A research team from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology has shown in a new study that ants returning from habitats affected by air pollution are attacked when they re-enter the colony. The cause: air pollution, especially ozone, changes the colony-specific odor profile of the animals. ⌘ Read more

As AI-generated music advances, humans still lead in creativity, research finds AI can write songs, but still has a way to go before matching the creativity of tunes made by people, according to Carnegie Mellon University research. ⌘ Read more

Japan says rare earth found in sediment retrieved on deep-sea mission Sediment containing rare earth was retrieved from ocean depths of 6,000 meters (about 20,000 feet) on a Japanese test mission, the government said Monday, as it seeks to curb dependence on China for the valuable minerals. ⌘ Read more

Single-cell microdevice isolates and profiles extracellular vesicles over weeks Extracellular vesicles and particles are central to how cells communicate, especially in cancer, where they help shape metastasis and treatment resistance. However, most existing methods analyze vesicles in bulk, masking differences between individual cells. Some single-vesicle techniques offer particle-level detail but lose information about the cell that produced them. Other single-cell platforms face pr ... ⌘ Read more

Satellite study reveals 24.2 billion ton annual groundwater loss in High Mountain Asia A recent satellite-based study has uncovered alarming declines in groundwater storage across High Mountain Asia (HMA), widely known as the "Asian Water Tower." This critical water source, which sustains agricultural irrigation, urban water supplies and ecological security for hundreds of millions of people in more than a dozen downstream countries, is depleting at a staggering rate of approximately 24.2 billion ... ⌘ Read more

Two rare 5th millennium BC fetal burials in Iran reveal variable prehistoric practices In a study conducted by Dr. Mahdi Alirezazadeh and Dr. Hanan Bahranipoor, published in Archaeological Research in Asia, two exceptionally well-preserved fetal burials from Chaparabad, Iran, dating to the mid-5th millennium BC, were analyzed including burial L522.1, one of the most complete prehistoric infant burials in the Iranian plateau. Despite being buried only meters apart, the two fetal burials exhibit distinct b ... ⌘ Read more

Plastic pollution promotes hazardous water conditions, new study finds Dangerous concentrations of algae such as "red tides" have been consistently emerging in locations around the world. A region in Southern Australia is experiencing a nine-month toxic algae bloom that spans thousands of miles and has caused thousands of deaths across marine species. Such harmful algal blooms (HABs) produce toxins that can force municipalities to close beaches and lakes due to public health risks. ⌘ Read more

First successful lab colony of polyphagous shot hole borer achieved in Western Australia A major breakthrough has been achieved in the fight against the invasive polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB), Euwallacea fornicatus in Western Australia. Researchers at Murdoch University have successfully established the first stable laboratory colony of PSHB in the state. ⌘ Read more

More than half of transgender youth live in states with restrictive laws or policies A report published today by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law shows that 53% of transgender youth between the ages of 13 and 17 in the U.S.—approximately 382,800 young people—live in 29 states with laws or policies that restrict their access to gender-affirming care, sports, bathrooms and facilities or restrict the use of gender-affirming pronouns in schools. ⌘ Read more

Light offers a non-invasive alternative to painkillers in veterinary medicine Turning on the light to turn off pain: This is the principle behind a new analgesic method called light-induced analgesia (LIA), discovered by scientists from the CNRS1 in rodents. Noninvasive and drug-free, LIA proves to be more effective and longer-lasting than commonly used analgesics such as ibuprofen. The study was published in Nature Communications on 26 January 2026. ⌘ Read more

New 3D map of the sun's magnetic interior could improve predictions of disruptive solar flares For the first time, scientists have used satellite data to create a 3D map of the sun's interior magnetic field, the fundamental driver of solar activity. The research, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, should enable more accurate predictions of solar cycles and space weather that affects satellites and power grids. ⌘ Read more

'Negative viscosity' helps propel groups of migrating cells, study finds The cells in our bodies move in groups during biological processes such as wound healing and tissue development—but because of resistance, or viscosity, those cells can't just neatly glide past each other. ⌘ Read more

How the 2024 presidential election may have changed behaviors around firearms Firearm purchasing patterns can shift in response to specific events, including presidential elections, according to Rutgers Health researchers. ⌘ Read more

Puzzling slow radio pulses are coming from space. A new study could finally explain them Cosmic radio pulses repeating every few minutes or hours, known as long-period transients, have puzzled astronomers since their discovery in 2022. Our new study, published in Nature Astronomy today, might finally add some clarity. ⌘ Read more

How a broken DNA repair tool accelerates aging Although DNA is tightly packed and protected within the cell nucleus, it is constantly threatened by damage from normal metabolic processes or external stressors such as radiation or chemical substances. To counteract this, cells rely on an elaborate network of repair mechanisms. When these systems fail, DNA damage can accumulate, impair cellular function, and contribute to cancer, aging, and degenerative diseases. ⌘ Read more

Overcoming the solubility crisis: A solvent-free method to enhance drug bioavailability A large share of medicines developed today may never reach patients for a surprisingly simple reason: they cannot dissolve well enough in water. For most treatments, the oral route remains the gold standard because it is convenient and familiar. However, for a pill to work, its active ingredients must first dissolve in the fluids of the gastrointestinal tract before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream. ⌘ Read more

Study shows insect farming byproduct boosts soil health, reduces crop damage With insect farming projected to produce millions of tons of insects in the coming years, Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station researchers offer evidence that the insect farming byproduct called "frass" can improve soil health and reduce insect damage in soybean crops. ⌘ Read more

Wolves and other predators present 'a crisis,' California's environment chief says On Jan. 27, California lawmakers took initial steps toward addressing the public safety concerns posed by the state's growing populations of wolves, mountain lions and other predators—issues the state's top environmental official called a crisis. ⌘ Read more

To reduce CO₂ emissions, policy on carbon pricing, taxation and investment in renewable energy is key A new study evaluating climate policies in 40 countries over a 32-year period finds that carbon pricing and taxation—combined with investments in renewable energy and research—are among the most effective tools governments can use to reduce CO₂ emissions. ⌘ Read more

Novel quantum refrigerator benefits from problematic noise For quantum computers to function, they must be kept at extremely low temperatures. However, today's cooling systems also generate noise that interferes with the fragile quantum information they are meant to protect. Now, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have developed an entirely new type of quantum refrigerator, which is partly driven by the noise itself. This refrigerator enables very precise contro ... ⌘ Read more

Hidden toxin risks during nutrient-starved algal blooms uncovered Harmful algal blooms continue to threaten coastal ecosystems and seafood safety worldwide. Among the organisms involved, the benthic dinoflagellate Prorocentrum lima is a known producer of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning toxins such as okadaic acid and dinophysistoxin 1. While earlier studies have linked low nutrient availability to increased toxin production, most have examined short-term stress responses. The effects of prolonged n ... ⌘ Read more

Biodegradable bark–plastic composite lets engineers predict product lifetime from tensile tests Old trees are learning new tricks with the advent of composite materials. A "green composite" made from biodegradable polymers and the waste bark of the Yakushima Jisugi tree was developed by a research team at Tohoku University. When assessing the material, they found that simply testing its mechanical strength—in this case, its tensile strength or ability to resist pulling—could relia ... ⌘ Read more

Empowering an AI foundation model to accelerate plant research Scientists at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory have created a new method that more than doubles computer processing speeds while using 75% less memory to analyze plant imaging data. The advance removes a major computational bottleneck and accelerates AI-guided discoveries for the development of high-performing crops. The new method is detailed in a paper that was presented at the International Conference for High-Performan ... ⌘ Read more

Research clarifies record-late monsoon onset, aiding northern Australian communities Every year, Australia experiences a summer monsoon characterized by the reversal of winds, heavy rainfall, and flooding. In 2024–2025, however, the Australian summer monsoon (ASM) was the latest on record since measurements began in 1957. The monsoon's timely arrival is critical for Northern Australia. It dictates water security for communities, drives pasture growth for the vital cattle industry, and signals the e ... ⌘ Read more

PFAS are turning up in the Great Lakes, putting fish and water supplies at risk. Here's how they get there No matter where you live in the United States, you have likely seen headlines about PFAS being detected in everything from drinking water to fish to milk to human bodies. ⌘ Read more

New fear unlocked: Runaway black holes Last year, astronomers were fascinated by a runaway asteroid passing through our solar system from somewhere far beyond. It was moving at around 68 kilometers per second, just over double Earth's speed around the sun. ⌘ Read more

Residents from strongly blue or red counties favor like-minded destinations for everyday travel, analysis finds A new analysis of 471 U.S. counties has found that, for everyday travel, people from counties with particularly strong political leanings—whether liberal or conservative—are more likely to visit like-minded destinations. Zhengyi Liang and Jaeho Cho of the University of California, Davis, U.S., present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One. ⌘ Read more

Microplastics found in a third of surveyed fish off the coasts of remote Pacific Islands A third of fish living in the remote coastal waters of the Pacific Island Countries and Territories are contaminated with microplastics, with especially high rates in Fiji, according to an analysis published in PLOS One by Jasha Dehm at the University of the South Pacific and colleagues. ⌘ Read more

How a superionic state enables long-term water storage in Earth's interior The cycling of water within Earth's interior regulates plate tectonics, volcanism, ocean volume, and climate stability, making it central to the planet's long-term evolution and habitability and a key scientific question. While subducting slabs are known to transport water into the mantle, scientists have long assumed that most hydrous minerals dehydrate at high temperatures, releasing fluids as they descend. ⌘ Read more

Hearing angry or happy human voices is linked to changes in dogs' balance In a small study, dogs experienced both stabilization and destabilization of their balance upon hearing angry or happy human voices, but angry voices were linked to the biggest destabilizing effects. Nadja Affenzeller and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria, present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One. ⌘ Read more

Atlantic nurse sharks show faster growth patterns in Biscayne Bay than nearby Bimini, Bahamas A new study from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science shows that juvenile Atlantic nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) grow more rapidly as juveniles and reach smaller maximum sizes than nurse sharks in Bimini, Bahamas—locations so close that these populations have historically been assumed to be the same. ⌘ Read more

Probing the jet base of M87's supermassive black hole Some galaxies eject powerful streams of charged particles—jets—from their centers into space. The prominent jet of Messier 87 (M87) in the constellation Virgo is visible over distances of 3,000 light-years and can be observed over the full electromagnetic spectrum. It is powered by the central engine, the supermassive black hole at the heart of the galaxy with a mass of around 6 billion times that of our sun. The exact location around the black h ... ⌘ Read more

How native and non-native plants affect endangered plant species in cities Research in the Journal of Applied Ecology has identified threats to endangered plants in an urban area, generating information that can be used to guide effective conservation strategies across major cities. Investigators in Germany analyzed data on 1,231 populations of 201 endangered plant species within Berlin's Flora Protection Program. Threats were categorized and their relative importance was quantified at both po ... ⌘ Read more

Government funding for AI jobs did not produce more jobs, research finds Artificial intelligence is reshaping how companies operate, but it may not translate into more job creation, according to new research. ⌘ Read more

A new route to synthesize multiple functionalized carbon nanohoops The field of nanomaterials is witnessing a transformative shift at the intersection of organic chemistry and molecular engineering. Among the most promising molecular structures are carbon nanohoops, of which [n]cycloparaphenylenes ([n]CPPs) are a representative example. ⌘ Read more

Learning how to destroy PFAS—down to the tiniest airborne particles Getting rid of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) is one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. This group of 15,000 human-made chemicals doesn't break down naturally, leaching into soils and waterways and accumulating in the environment. ⌘ Read more

New tool will help manage one of Nevada's most critical freshwater sources The Nature Conservancy in Nevada (TNC in Nevada), DRI, and the University of Wisconsin—Madison (UW-Madison) have developed the Nevada GDE Water Needs Explorer Tool. This new online resource helps land and water managers understand how groundwater supports groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) and how changes in water levels can affect them. ⌘ Read more

Q&A: Uncovering the low-temperature oxygen storage and release mechanism of Mn–CeO₂ nanoparticles The search for better oxygen carriers has long centered on one key question: how can we design metal oxides that can reversibly store and release lattice oxygen efficiently at lower temperatures? This reversible behavior underpins clean-energy technologies such as fuel conversion, CO2 capture, and chemical looping for hydrogen production, where reaction feasibility and efficiency depend directly ... ⌘ Read more

Moon-based observations capture Earth's 'radiation fingerprint' Earth's radiation budget is a core process of the Earth-atmosphere system, closely linked to global climate and environmental changes. While current satellite observations have greatly advanced our understanding of Earth's radiation budget, low-Earth orbit and geostationary satellites struggle to achieve both temporal continuity and spatial consistency. Accurately capturing the laws of Earth's outgoing radiation is key to studying th ... ⌘ Read more

Citizen science and the challenge of measuring urban sustainability Cities are expected to track sustainability progress with data that are often incomplete, outdated, or available only at national level. New research led by IIASA in collaboration with UN-Habitat finds that citizen science could address these gaps and support nearly 70% of global sustainability indicators, yet is currently used in only 4% of cases. ⌘ Read more

Feeling unprepared for the AI boom? You're not alone Journalist Ira Glass, who hosts the NPR show "This American Life," is not a computer scientist. He doesn't work at Google, Apple or Nvidia. But he does have a great ear for useful phrases, and in 2024 he organized an entire episode around one that might resonate with anyone who feels blindsided by the pace of AI development: "Unprepared for what has already happened." ⌘ Read more

Dealing with a difficult relationship? Here's how psychology says you can shift the dynamic Relationships can feel like both a blessing and the bane of your existence, a source of joy and a source of frustration or resentment. At some point, each of us is faced with a clingy child, a dramatic friend, a partner who recoils at the first hint of intimacy, a volatile parent or a controlling boss—in short, a difficult relationship. ⌘ Read more

Saltier seas in spring double the chance of extreme El Niño events, study finds Stronger El Niño events are more likely when springtime surface waters in the western Pacific Ocean become unusually salty, a new study in Geophysical Research Letters suggests. Traditionally, scientists have focused on temperature and wind patterns to understand El Niño—periodic shifts in the tropical Pacific between warmer and cooler conditions that influence weather patterns across the globe. But researchers now show tha ... ⌘ Read more

To reach net-zero, reverse current policy and protect the largest trees in the Amazon, say scientists At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015, countries around the world committed to striving towards net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of the 21st century. But achieving this goal is difficult, even for countries boasting extensive forests that could, in principle, act as important carbon sinks if deforestation were halted. ⌘ Read more

Period pain and heavy bleeding cost the Australian economy billions every year in lost productivity While period pain and heavy menstrual bleeding are common, they're often dealt with privately. Yet they take a profound toll on a person's health—and finances. ⌘ Read more

Novel biosensor enables real-time tracking of iron (II) in living cells Iron is an essential trace element in biological cells. The concentration of the element and its so-called redox state—it can exist either in a doubly ionized state as iron (II) (Fe2+) or a triply ionized state as iron (III) (Fe3+)—play a key role in metabolic processes such as cellular respiration and in microbial stress responses. ⌘ Read more

Researchers develop high-performance fluoroborate crystals for deep-ultraviolet lasers Deep-ultraviolet (DUV, λ < 200 nm) all-solid-state lasers, essential to modern scientific research and industrial manufacturing, are widely applied in fields from material analysis to lithography. Their commercialization depends heavily on high-performance nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals, but developing such crystals is hampered by strict requirements: They must simultaneously possess large second harmo ... ⌘ Read more

Cleaner air is (inadvertently) harming the Great Barrier Reef Air pollution is now recognized as one of the greatest threats to human health, contributing to an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths in 2019, according to the World Health Organization. ⌘ Read more

Humanity's oldest known cave art has been discovered in Sulawesi When we think of the world's oldest art, Europe usually comes to mind, with famous cave paintings in France and Spain often seen as evidence this was the birthplace of symbolic human culture. But new evidence from Indonesia dramatically reshapes this picture. ⌘ Read more

Radicalism, extremism, fundamentalism: International study finds numerous commonalities—and certain differences From a social sciences perspective, people with radical, extremist, or fundamentalist attitudes are similar in some respects: In most cases, they are younger and less educated men who feel that they are not taken seriously enough. This is one of the key findings of a research team led by professor Marc Helbling, sociologist at the University of Mannheim focusing on ... ⌘ Read more

Why does it feel like dangerous ocean creatures are ruining Australia's summer? In the same week that New South Wales experienced four shark attacks, Victorian beachgoers were warned about stinging jellyfish. ⌘ Read more

Q&A: Achieving a carbon neutral society through freshwater carbon research CO2 that has been absorbed and accumulated in fresh water areas like lakes and reservoirs—is receiving attention for its potential contributions to achieving a carbon neutral society. Kobe University is a hub for freshwater carbon research, with Graduate School of Engineering Professor Nakayama Keisuke, an expert in aquatic and environmental engineering, at the forefront. ⌘ Read more

Astrophysicists discover largest sulfur-containing molecular compound in space Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE), in collaboration with astrophysicists from the Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), CSIC-INTA, have identified the largest sulfur-bearing molecule ever found in space: 2,5-cyclohexadiene-1-thione (C₆H₆S). They made this breakthrough by combining laboratory experiments with astronomical observations. The molecule resides in the molecular ... ⌘ Read more

Discovery of PITTs shows platelets can switch from clotting to driving vessel inflammation A team from Würzburg has fundamentally changed our understanding of platelet biology. The researchers demonstrate that the surface protein integrin αIIbβ3 is not only a key molecule in blood clotting, but can also act as a pro-inflammatory effector during severe disease processes. Under these conditions, αIIbβ3 switches function and becomes a structural component of a previously unknown organelle: PITT ... ⌘ Read more

Arctic blast to wallop N. America—is climate change to blame? An unusually brutal winter storm is set to pummel more than 160 million Americans from Friday, as a stretched "polar vortex" sends a devastating blast of Arctic air, bringing heavy snows and freezing rains. ⌘ Read more

NASA head Isaacman tempers Artemis praise with ideas on the program's future Even as NASA celebrated the rollout of the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for Artemis II over the weekend, NASA's new administrator, Jared Isaacman, made sure to put an asterisk on the program's future. ⌘ Read more

When young adults can't afford independence, family expectations fill the gap I met Lufang Chen, a 30-year-old bank clerk based in the Fujian province of China, in 2016, after she had married a man she initially turned down years earlier. Although she preferred to remain single, and he was not her type anyway, she gave in to avoid the label "leftover woman." ⌘ Read more

'Expertise' shouldn't be a bad word. Expert consensus guides science and society A growing distrust of expertise is reshaping the terrain of science in the United States. ⌘ Read more

Sourdough starters reveal a recipe for predicting microbial species survival People have long said that "bread is life." Now, researchers at Tufts University are using the bubbling mixtures of flour and water known as sourdough starters to explore what shapes life at the microscopic level. Their findings, published in Ecology, demonstrate a simple way to predict how microbial species will live together, providing insights that could inform baking, food safety, and human health. ⌘ Read more

AI-induced cultural stagnation is no longer speculation. It's already happening Generative AI was trained on centuries of art and writing produced by humans. ⌘ Read more

Diversity of water striders emerged earlier than previously thought, researchers find The diversity of water strider species apparently developed as early as the Cretaceous period, much earlier than previously thought. SNSB researchers have succeeded in clarifying the phylogenetic history of this insect family, with molecular analyses providing comprehensive insights into their relationships and evolution. Their study has now been published in the journal Systematic Entomology. ⌘ Read more

Litter accumulation in tropical mangroves threatens biodiversity and local communities Mangroves, typical of tropical and subtropical latitudes, have become veritable natural traps for land- and sea-based waste. The roots of these trees, known as mangroves, have a great capacity to trap litter—from both land and sea—which gradually breaks down until it is buried in the muddy bottom. ⌘ Read more

Magnetic 'sweet spots' enable optimal operation of hole spin qubits Quantum computers, systems that process information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, could reliably tackle various computational problems that cannot be solved by classical computers. These systems process information in the form of qubits, units of information that can exist in two states at once (0 and 1). ⌘ Read more

Evidence of 'lightning-fast' evolution found after Chicxulub impact The asteroid that struck the Earth 66 million years ago devastated life across the planet, wiping out the dinosaurs and other organisms in a hail of fire and catastrophic climate change. But new research shows that it also set the stage for life to rebound astonishingly quickly. ⌘ Read more

New NASA Artemis payloads to study moon's terrain, radiation, history NASA announced Tuesday the selection of three new science investigations that will strengthen humanity's understanding and exploration of the moon. As part of the agency's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, American companies will deliver these research payloads to the lunar surface no earlier than 2028. ⌘ Read more

New method creates acinar cells involved in formation of pancreatic cancer Organoids are three-dimensional miniature models of organs, grown in a dish. They have become a valuable tool for studying human development, organ regeneration, function, and disease progression. Organoids derived from patient tissues or created through cell and genetic engineering allow researchers to investigate how specific proteins or their variants affect these processes. ⌘ Read more

Dredging sand and silt has consequences for the North Sea Through sand extraction and the disposal of dredged harbor silt, about 200 million tons of sediment are relocated every year in the coastal waters of the North Sea. The Wadden Sea is particularly strongly affected. This is the result of a new study by the Helmholtz Center Hereon, which for the first time evaluated comprehensive data on dredging activities along the North Sea coasts. ⌘ Read more

Looking deep into the eyes of insects Researchers from the University of Konstanz have studied how insect brains take in complex light stimuli and process them in parallel. They are the first to have found evidence that information is processed in different layers of the lamina. ⌘ Read more

Solar flares triggered by cascading magnetic avalanches, new observations reveal Just as avalanches on snowy mountains start with the movement of a small quantity of snow, the ESA-led Solar Orbiter spacecraft has discovered that a solar flare is triggered by initially weak disturbances that quickly become more violent. This rapidly evolving process creates a 'sky' of raining plasma blobs that continue to fall even after the flare subsides. ⌘ Read more

The way Earth's surface moves has a bigger impact on shifting the climate than we knew Our planet has experienced dramatic climate shifts throughout its history, oscillating between freezing "icehouse" periods and warm "greenhouse" states. ⌘ Read more

Seawater microbes offer new, non-invasive way to detect coral disease Researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), in collaboration with the University of the Virgin Islands have discovered that microorganisms in seawater surrounding corals provide a powerful indicator of coral disease, potentially transforming how reef health is monitored worldwide. ⌘ Read more

Tracer reveals how environmental DNA moves through lakes and rivers Forensics experts gather DNA to understand who was present at a crime scene. But what if the crime occurred in the middle of a lake, where DNA could be carried far and wide by wind and waves? That's the challenge faced by aquatic ecologists who study environmental DNA (eDNA) to monitor endangered animals, track invasive species, or monitor fish populations. ⌘ Read more

Seismic 'snapshot' reveals new insight into how the Rocky Mountains formed No one ever thought the birth of the Rocky Mountains was a simple process, but we now know it was far more complex than even geophysicists had assumed. ⌘ Read more

Surfer bitten in 4th shark attack off Australia's east coast in 3 days A surfer had minor injuries from being bitten by a shark Tuesday in the fourth attack off the coast of Australia's most populous state in three days. ⌘ Read more

Fast fashion: Why changes in return policies don't do enough to address environmental damage Online fashion retailer Asos recently introduced additional fees for customers who return lots of items, marking a significant shift in the fast fashion model that has relied on free, frictionless return policies as a key competitive advantage. ⌘ Read more

Physicists uncover hidden magnetic order in the mysterious pseudogap phase Physicists have uncovered a link between magnetism and a mysterious phase of matter called the pseudogap, which appears in certain quantum materials just above the temperature at which they become superconducting. The findings could help researchers design new materials with sought-after properties such as high-temperature superconductivity, in which electric current flows without resistance. ⌘ Read more

Socio-environmental movements emerge as key global guardians of biodiversity amid rising violence A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that organized civil society and social mobilization are key, yet often unrecognized, agents of global biodiversity conservation. By analyzing a global dataset of 2,801 socio-environmental mobilizations from the Environmental Justice Atlas (EJAtlas), the research identifies that local struggles against polluting ... ⌘ Read more

Polar weather on Jupiter and Saturn hints at the planets' interior details Over the years, passing spacecraft have observed mystifying weather patterns at the poles of Jupiter and Saturn. The two planets host very different types of polar vortices, which are huge atmospheric whirlpools that rotate over a planet's polar region. On Saturn, a single massive polar vortex appears to cap the north pole in a curiously hexagonal shape, while on Jupiter, a central polar vortex is surrounded by eight smaller ... ⌘ Read more

Ancient CO₂ surge triggered widespread forest fires and erosion 56 million years ago The climate warmed up almost as quickly 56 million years ago as it is doing now. When a huge amount of CO2 entered the atmosphere in a short period of time, it led to large-scale forest fires and erosion. Mei Nelissen, Ph.D. candidate at NIOZ and UU, and her colleagues were able to see this very clearly in the layers of sediment drilled off the Norwegian coast. The research was published in Proceedings of th ... ⌘ Read more

Spectacular ice blocks clog up Germany's Elbe river People in northern Germany flocked to the Elbe river Monday to marvel at giant Arctic-style ice floes that have clogged up a stretch of the waterway, creating a headache for shipping but delighting visitors. ⌘ Read more

Golden Gate method enables fully-synthetic engineering of therapeutically relevant bacteriophages Bacteriophages have been used therapeutically to treat infectious bacterial diseases for over a century. As antibiotic-resistant infections increasingly threaten public health, interest in bacteriophages as therapeutics has seen a resurgence. However, the field remains largely limited to naturally occurring strains, as laborious strain engineering techniques have limited the pace of discovery and the cre ... ⌘ Read more

Observing the positronium beam as a quantum matter wave for the first time One of the discoveries that fundamentally distinguished the emerging field of quantum physics from classical physics was the observation that matter behaves differently at the smallest scales. A key finding was wave-particle duality, the revelation that particles can exhibit wave-like properties. ⌘ Read more

South Africa declares national disaster as floods batter region South Africa on Sunday declared a national disaster after widespread flooding that destroyed homes and killed dozens, while thousands sought shelter in neighboring Mozambique. ⌘ Read more

German study examines why women are less likely to hold leadership positions in logistics The logistics industry is one of Germany's key economic sectors—yet women remain significantly underrepresented in its leadership ranks. To explore the reasons behind this imbalance, Prof. Dr. Fridtjof Langenhan and Prof. Dr. Friedwart Lender, together with students from the Master's degree program in Supply Chain Management and Logistics at Hof University of Applied Sciences, conducted an in-depth st ... ⌘ Read more

How to prevent charge buildup in a lunar rover As they roll across shadowed regions of the moon's surface, future lunar rovers could develop hazardous buildups of electric charge on their wheels. Through new analysis published in Advances in Space Research, Bill Farrell at the Space Science Institute in Colorado, together with Mike Zimmerman at Johns Hopkins University, outline realistic precautions for mitigating this risk—offering valuable guidance for engineers designing future lunar missions. ⌘ Read more

Millions of working horses and donkeys face health risks from poor harnessing These days, the mention of a carthorse or mule plowing a field would transport many people back in time to an era of horse-drawn carriages and pre-industrial agriculture. ⌘ Read more

One cure for sour feelings about politics: Getting people to love their hometowns Eileen Higgins won a historic victory in December. She became the first woman ever elected mayor of Miami, as well as its first Democratic mayor since 1997. ⌘ Read more

AI tools speed development of antibody probes to see activity inside living cells Researchers at Colorado State University have determined how to use artificial intelligence to modify antibodies so they act as lightbulbs, enabling scientists to better see inside living cells to track errors in gene expression that can lead to cancer and other disorders. ⌘ Read more

Study finds albumin, the most abundant blood protein, acts as a shield against deadly fungal infections Scientists at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (IMBB-FORTH) and the University of Crete, together with collaborators from Greece, Europe, the U.S., and India, have discovered a novel role of albumin, the most abundant protein in human blood, in protecting against a rare and often deadly fungal infection called mucormycosis. The study is published in Nature. ⌘ Read more

Molecule deposition on 2D materials promotes defect healing and quality restoration Researchers from the Institute of Physics in Zagreb have shown that depositing a thin layer of organic molecules on two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors can improve their optical properties and even repair defects. Their work, published in Surfaces and Interfaces, could help improve the performance of 2D materials in (opto)electronics and photonics. ⌘ Read more

Tiger sharks gather to mate during Maui's whale season, finds research A team of shark researchers from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has solved a long-standing mystery, identifying the first-ever documented mating hub for tiger sharks. ⌘ Read more

Tiny titans of recovery: Fossil burrows reveal resilient micro-ecosystem after global mass extinction An international team of scientists from South Africa, Canada, France and the UK has uncovered fossil evidence of a tiny ecosystem that helped kick-start the recovery of Earth's oceans after a global mass extinction. ⌘ Read more

X-ray four-wave mixing captures elusive electron interactions inside atoms and molecules Scientists at the X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL have realized a long-pursued experimental goal in physics: to show how electrons dance together. The technique, known as X-ray four-wave mixing, opens a new way to see how energy and information flow within atoms and molecules. In the future, it could illuminate how quantum information is stored and lost, eventually aiding the design of more error-tol ... ⌘ Read more

From freezer to fork: New thawing method could deliver 'dock-fresh' fish anywhere A small revolution is happening in the fishing industry. Freshly frozen fish can now be thawed in a new way, and that means you will have access to super-fresh food from the sea—even if you live thousands of miles away. ⌘ Read more

Historic ocean treaty to safeguard and sustainably use the high seas to take effect on Jan. 17 Oregon State University research into marine protected areas plays a crucial role in the historic High Seas Treaty that goes into effect Jan. 17. ⌘ Read more

Do-it-yourself ammonia production: Renewable-powered system uses calcium to reduce emissions and scale for farmers The last time you scrubbed a streaky window or polished a porcelain appliance, you probably used a chemical called ammonia. ⌘ Read more

Senegal's spear-wielding savannah chimps yield clues on humanity's past A shriek broke the dawn on the savanna, followed by more screeches and the rustle of branches: The wild Fongoli chimps were bidding each other good morning in the dry, scraggly Sahel. ⌘ Read more

Reporting workplace sexual harassment 'not worth it,' say victims Despite recent legal reforms and increased emphasis on upholding workplace conduct policies, most people who experience sexual harassment at work still do not report it. ⌘ Read more

Mosquitoes' thirst for human blood has increased as biodiversity loss worsens Stretching along the Brazilian coastline, the Atlantic Forest is home to hundreds of species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and fishes. However, due to human expansion, only about a third of the forest's original area remains intact. ⌘ Read more

Study shows how kidnapping of athlete's father influenced society, president across continents Sports are often viewed as an escape from the problems of the real world. But when a Colombian soccer star's father was kidnapped, the resulting media coverage helped move the story from the field of play to front-page news that united a country, cast doubt on peace negotiations and influenced how people viewed a president on multiple continents. ⌘ Read more

How prolonged maternal care in horses builds better brains and improves social skills As with humans, the maternal bond in nature is important for animals to find their way in the world. In mammals, a mother does not just provide milk; she also teaches her offspring survival skills and how to play well with others. But according to new research into domestic horses published in the journal Nature Communications, staying with mom fundamentally changes the developing brain and body of foals. ⌘ Read more

Peering below Callisto's icy crust with ALMA What exists beneath the surface of Jupiter's icy moon, Callisto? This is what a recent study accepted by The Planetary Science Journal hopes to address as a team of researchers investigated the subsurface composition of Callisto, which is Jupiter's outermost Galilean satellite. This study has the potential to help scientists better understand the interior composition of Callisto, which is hypothesized to possess a subsurface liquid water ocean, and develop ... ⌘ Read more

Ground-breaking study evidences flapper skate recovery in Scotland A ground-breaking study reinforces that flapper skates are beginning to recover in Scotland. The study—led by Rosie Ashworth, a Research Assistant at The Lyell Center for Earth and marine sciences—involved interviews with commercial fishers about their interactions with flapper skate and their perceptions of changes in numbers in recent years. ⌘ Read more

New method allows scientists to 3D-print structures within cells Researchers have developed a way to 3D print custom micrometer-sized structures directly into the interior of living cells. ⌘ Read more

How news language and social networks affect the spread of immigration attitudes A study in Economic Inquiry reveals how changes in immigration attitudes in an area spread to other localities and highlights the role of media language and social networks in shaping political attitudes. ⌘ Read more

Indoor air pollution is a global health issue, not just a domestic heating one When indoor air pollution makes the news in western countries, it often feels like a local issue. One week it focuses on wood-burning stoves. Another it is gas cookers or the question of whether people should open their windows more often in winter. ⌘ Read more

How a soft coral moves its tentacles in perfect synchronization without a brain A joint study by Tel Aviv University and the University of Haifa set out to solve a scientific mystery: how a soft coral is able to perform the rhythmic, pulsating movements of its tentacles without a central nervous system. The study's findings are striking, and may even change the way we understand movement in the animal kingdom in general, and in the corals studied in particular. ⌘ Read more

Open-source robotic system cuts manual cell culture time by 61% while boosting seeding consistency An automated cell culture system reduces hands-on time and improves seeding consistency in 96-well microplates. The research is published in the journal PNAS Nexus. ⌘ Read more

Kleptocratic networks should be treated as transnational enterprises and national security threats, new report warns Kleptocratic "ecosystems" should be seen as transnational enterprises and national security threats, with the recovery of assets legally linked not only to the individual criminal acts but to the systemic harm caused to national security and democracy, experts have warned. ⌘ Read more

Recovering tropical forests grow back nearly twice as fast with nitrogen Young tropical forests play a crucial role in slowing climate change. Growing trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air, using photosynthesis to build it into their roots, trunks, and branches, where they can store carbon for decades or even centuries. But, according to a new study, this CO2 absorption may be slowed down by the lack of a crucial element that trees need to grow: nitrogen. ⌘ Read more

Open-sourcing the future of food: New cell bank makes cultivated-meat tech public For the last two years, the cultivated meat industry has been experiencing growing pains. Many startups have shrunk, shut down, or pivoted. Their advances aren't going to waste, though. ⌘ Read more

Oak-killing beetle significantly expanding range in SoCal A tiny beetle responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of oak trees in Southern California has reached Ventura County, marking a troubling expansion. ⌘ Read more

Happiness, autonomy and wealth: Worldwide analysis reveals a nuanced relationship Happiness and well-being depend on how much volition, choice and control people feel they have over their life—their sense of autonomy. Researchers have acknowledged this connection, but there's been disagreement about whether it's universal or simply a reflection of the situation in wealthier, more individualistic countries. Understanding this nuance would help policymakers focus efforts to boost well-being ... ⌘ Read more

Monkeys are on the loose in St. Louis and AI is complicate efforts to capture them Multiple monkeys are on the loose in St. Louis, and AI-generated images are complicating the effort to find them. ⌘ Read more

Meet the springtails: Little-known fantastic beasts that live everywhere on Earth In virtually every piece of land on Earth—from near the summit of Mount Everest to Antarctica to caves nearly 2,000 meters underground—live tiny critters that have shaped the health of our planet for hundreds of millions of years. ⌘ Read more

SpaceX launches 2nd Space Coast mission of 2026 SpaceX knocked out Friday the first of a series of afternoon launches in the coming week with another Starlink mission from Florida's Cape Canaveral. ⌘ Read more

Wildfires spread to 15,000 hectares in Argentine Patagonia Forest fires in southern Argentina have scorched more than 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres) this week, authorities said, though rain began falling in parts of Patagonia on Sunday to the relief of residents. ⌘ Read more

Evidence shows cross-regional marine plastic pollution in green sea turtles Researchers examined the diet and plastic ingestion of green sea turtles inhabiting waters around the Ogasawara Islands, Japan, and detected plastics in 7 of the 10 individuals studied. By integrating genetic, isotopic, and plastic analyses, they estimated that the ingested plastics originated from areas beyond the turtles' migratory range, indicating the influence of transboundary marine pollution. The paper is pub ... ⌘ Read more

Organic crystals self-heal at cryogenic temperatures via zipping action At temperatures where most molecular movement ceases, certain organic crystals begin their self-healing journey. ⌘ Read more

Radio waves enable energy-efficient AI on edge devices without heavy hardware As drones survey forests, robots navigate warehouses and sensors monitor city streets, more of the world's decision-making is occurring autonomously on the edge—on the small devices that gather information at the ends of much larger networks. ⌘ Read more

Loss functions and constraints improve sea surface height prediction In order to understand currents, tides and other ocean dynamics, scientists need to accurately capture sea surface height, or a snapshot of the ocean's surface, including peaks and valleys due to changes in wind, currents and temperature, at any given moment. In order to more accurately forecast ocean circulation and other processes, climate variability, air-sea interactions and extreme weather events, researchers need to be a ... ⌘ Read more

What past global warming reveals about future rainfall To understand how global warming could influence future climate, scientists look to the Paleogene Period that began 66 million years ago, covering a time when Earth's atmospheric carbon dioxide levels were two to four times higher than they are today. ⌘ Read more

Ocean temperatures hit another record high in 2025 A new international analysis published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences on 9 January finds that Earth's oceans stored more heat in 2025 than in any year since modern measurements began. ⌘ Read more

Roads can become more dangerous on hot days—especially for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists During heat waves, everyday life tends to feel more difficult than on an average day. Travel and daily movement are no exception. ⌘ Read more

Scientists solve longstanding mystery about diseases driven by uncontrolled cell growth For the first time, scientists have answered a longstanding question in cell biology about a partnership of proteins called the "KICSTOR–GATOR1 complex" which operates as a control system inside our cells, telling them when to grow and when to stop based on nutrient availability (especially amino acids). ⌘ Read more

Sensor lights up to reveal scopolamine, a common substance used for sexual assault A team from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has led the development of a new sensor capable of quickly and easily detecting scopolamine, one of the substances most commonly used in crimes of chemical submission, especially in sexual assaults. The sensor detects the presence of this drug in less than five minutes with high sensitivity. The research is published in the journal Angewandte Chemie In ... ⌘ Read more

Frequent Arctic wildfires could cut snow cover by 18 days, impacting global climate and ecology The correlation between Arctic wildfires and abnormal snow cover under global warming is of growing concern. A comprehensive quantitative assessment by researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has shown that increasingly frequent seasonal wildland fires across the Arctic in recent years have delayed snow cover formation by at least five days and could lead to a future 18-day redu ... ⌘ Read more

Searching for the centromere: Diversity in pathways key for cell division Despite the immense amount of genetic material present in each cell, around 3 billion base pairs in humans, this material needs to be accurately divided in two and allocated in equal quantities. The centromere, located in the middle of each chromosome, is known as the site where cellular equipment attaches to divide chromosomes successfully, but the specific mechanisms behind this remain unknown. ⌘ Read more

Global study reveals widespread burning of plastic for heating and cooking A new Curtin University-led study has shed new light on the widespread number of households in developing countries burning plastic as an everyday energy source, uncovering serious international health, social equality and environmental concerns. ⌘ Read more

Combining ecological restoration with climate-resilient agriculture to tackle desertification Desertification threatens 24% of the world's land area spanning 126 countries and impacts 35% of the global population. Yet mainstream global efforts to tackle desertification prioritize short-term vegetation greening over addressing resource constraints and local livelihoods, creating hidden barriers to achieving the United Nations' long-term Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ⌘ Read more

Unearthing experimental materials data buried in scientific papers using LLMs Technologies that underpin modern society, such as smartphones and automobiles, rely on a diverse range of functional materials. Materials scientists are therefore working to develop and improve new materials, but predicting material properties is no simple task. Data science is key to transforming this field, and new tools powered by artificial intelligence are expected to accelerate the exploration, col ... ⌘ Read more

You've heard of climate change. What is the climate debt doom loop? Municipal bonds are a time-honored way to fund roads, schools, bridges and other public projects while paying investors interest, usually at tax-free rates. ⌘ Read more

A dead whale found on the bow of a ship in New Jersey sparks an investigation After a dead whale was found on the bow of a container ship docked in New Jersey, authorities were working Tuesday to remove the carcass and determine the endangered animal's cause of death. ⌘ Read more

The 5 stages of the 'enshittification' of academic publishing When writer Cory Doctorow introduced the term "enshittification" in 2023, he captured a pattern many users had already noticed in their personal lives. ⌘ Read more

Cracking sleep's evolutionary code: Neuron protection traced back to jellyfish and sea anemones A new study from Bar-Ilan University shows that one of sleep's core functions originated hundreds of millions of years ago in jellyfish and sea anemones, among the earliest creatures with nervous systems. By tracing this mechanism back to these ancient animals, the research demonstrates that protecting neurons from DNA damage and cellular stress is a basic, ancient function of sleep that began long b ... ⌘ Read more

Ticking time bomb: Some northeastern US farmers report as many as 70 tick encounters over a 6-month period Finding one tick on your body is scary enough—tick-borne diseases are serious—but what if you found more than 10 on yourself in just one month? That's the plight of some farmers as the threat of ticks and tick-borne diseases grows, according to new research featuring experts at Binghamton University, State University of New York. ⌘ Read more

ALMA devours cosmic 'hamburger,' reveals potential for giant planet formation Have you ever found something unexpected in your hamburger? Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) were surprised to discover the very earliest phases of giant planet formation between the dense layers of gas and dust in the "Gomez's Hamburger" system, referred to as GoHam. This research, currently in preparation for publication, was presented at a press conference at the American Ast ... ⌘ Read more

A rare whale is having an encouraging season for births. Scientists warn it might still go extinct One of the world's rarest whale species is having more babies this year than in some recent seasons, but experts say many more young are needed to help stave off the possibility of extinction. ⌘ Read more

LA fires: Chemicals from the smoke lingered inside homes long after the wildfires were out. Studies tracked the harm When wildfires began racing through the Los Angeles area on Jan. 7, 2025, the scope of the disaster caught residents by surprise. Forecasters had warned about high winds and exceptionally dry conditions, but few people expected to see smoke and fires for weeks in one of America's largest metro areas. ⌘ Read more

Ancient Antarctica reveals a 'one–two punch' behind ice sheet collapse When we think of global warming, what first comes to mind is the air: crushing heat waves that are felt rather than seen, except through the haziness of humid air. But when it comes to melting ice sheets, rising ocean temperatures may play more of a role—with the worst effects experienced on the other side of the globe. ⌘ Read more

Why astronomy needs a giant in the Canary Islands Size matters when it comes to telescopes. The bigger they are, the farther they can see. Prioritizing constructing large ones is therefore high on the priority list for many observational organizations. But doing so comes at a cost, and not just in terms of money. Finding a suitable site can be a challenge, and that has been particularly true for the effort to build a 30-meter telescope in the Northern Hemisphere. ⌘ Read more

Sediments of the Ahr river show recurring high-magnitude flood events Recurring high-energy flood events are not the exception but the rule in the Ahr Valley in western Germany—and this occurs over periods of centuries to millennia. This is shown in a study recently published in the journal Earth Surface Processes and Landforms and led by Leipzig University. Researchers from the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe ... ⌘ Read more

Fault-tolerant quantum computing: Novel protocol efficiently reduces resource cost Quantum computers, systems that process information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, could soon outperform classical computers on some complex computational problems. These computers rely on qubits, units of quantum information that share states with each other via a quantum mechanical effect known as entanglement. ⌘ Read more

Rapid on-site detection of food fraud Counterfeit or low-quality products—such as olive oil made from dyed rapeseed oil—are often difficult or impossible to identify at a glance. A mobile gas chromatography sensor system is now being developed to help detect falsely labeled products directly on site. Three Fraunhofer institutes are working together to create an affordable, easy-to-use device that enables even non-experts to perform rapid, on-the-spot assessments. ⌘ Read more

Geometry shapes life: Embryo curvature acts as instruction manual for coordinated cell division Life begins with a single fertilized cell that gradually transforms into a multicellular organism. This process requires precise coordination; otherwise, the embryo could develop serious complications. Scientists at ISTA have now demonstrated that the zebrafish eggs, in particular their curvature, might be the instruction manual that keeps cell division on schedule and activates the appropriate genes ... ⌘ Read more

Coral reef fish recovery could boost sustainable seafood servings by up to 50 percent With a human population of 8.3 billion people worldwide and millions facing malnutrition, food security is something to think about. But imagine if the ocean could help with that. ⌘ Read more

Galactic globular cluster loses stars through tidal stripping, observations reveal Using the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT), astronomers have observed a nearby galactic globular cluster known as NGC 6569. Results of the observational campaign, published December 22 on the arXiv preprint server, indicate that this galaxy is actively losing stars through tidal stripping. ⌘ Read more

The interstellar comet that's spilling its secrets When 3I/ATLAS swept past the sun in late October 2025, it became only the third confirmed visitor from interstellar space ever detected. Unlike the mysterious 'Oumuamua, which revealed almost nothing about itself during its brief flyby in 2017, or even 2I/Borisov which appeared in 2019, this latest interstellar traveler arrived with perfect timing for detailed study. ⌘ Read more

Quantum spins team up to create stable, long-lived microwave signals When quantum particles work together, they can produce signals far stronger than any one particle could generate alone. This collective phenomenon, called superradiance, is a powerful example of cooperation at the quantum level. Until now, superradiance was mostly known for making quantum systems lose their energy too quickly, posing challenges for quantum technologies. ⌘ Read more

Experiment nixes 'sterile' neutrino explanation of previous unexpected measurements Experimental particle physicists working at the MicroBooNE experiment at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory have found evidence against the existence of a "sterile" type of neutrino hypothesized to be responsible for previous experiments' anomalous results, as detailed in a paper published in Nature. ⌘ Read more

Real-life experiment shows Niels Bohr was right in a theoretical debate with Einstein Scientists in China have performed an experiment first proposed by Albert Einstein almost a century ago when he sought to disprove the quantum mechanical principle of complementarity put forth by Niels Bohr and his school of physicists. Bohr claimed there are properties of particles that cannot simultaneously be measured. The new result backs up the Copenhagen school yet again, with the potential to shed light on ot ... ⌘ Read more

Regional temperature records broken across the world in 2025 Central Asia, the Sahel region and northern Europe experienced their hottest year on record in 2025, according to AFP analysis based on data from the European Copernicus program. ⌘ Read more

Eco-friendly palladium recovery technology to safeguard resource security Palladium is widely used in various industries and everyday products, including smartphones, semiconductor manufacturing processes, and hydrogen fuel cells. It is an essential metal that acts as an excellent catalyst even in minute quantities, reducing pollutants and enhancing energy efficiency. However, palladium production is concentrated in a few countries, leading to an unstable supply. South Korea generates signi ... ⌘ Read more

Image: Ball bearings as tools for studying physics in microgravity In this Oct. 20, 2025, photo, tiny ball bearings surround a larger central bearing during the Fluid Particles experiment, conducted inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) aboard the International Space Station's Destiny laboratory module. ⌘ Read more

Mathematicians crack cellular noise puzzle, paving path for better cancer treatment Why does cancer sometimes recur even after successful treatment, or why do some bacteria survive despite the use of powerful antibiotics? One of the key culprits identified is "biological noise"—random fluctuations occurring inside cells. ⌘ Read more

NASA's Chandra rings in the new year with the Champagne Cluster Celebrate the New Year with the "Champagne Cluster," a galaxy cluster seen in this new image from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and optical telescopes. ⌘ Read more

Nanozigzags, a new biomaterial, can enhance cancer immunotherapy efficacy by nearly 70% Immunotherapy has emerged in recent years as a new cancer treatment that is gentler than traditional chemotherapy and causes milder side effects in patients. However, conventional dendritic cell (DC) immunotherapy shows inconsistent clinical outcomes, and the cell culture process remains complex and costly. ⌘ Read more

Encoding adaptive intelligence in molecular matter by design For more than 50 years, scientists have sought alternatives to silicon for building molecular electronics. The vision was elegant; the reality proved far more complex. Within a device, molecules behave not as orderly textbook entities but as densely interacting systems where electrons flow, ions redistribute, interfaces evolve, and even subtle structural variations can induce strongly nonlinear responses. The promise was compelling, yet pred ... ⌘ Read more

Bison return to Illinois' Kane County after 200 years, a crucial step for conservation and Indigenous connection From their cozy homes in suburban Burlington, children curiously watch their new neighbors through windows and brainstorm nicknames. ⌘ Read more

Suspected shark attack at California occurred in time and place where large sharks come to feed It's peak bulking-up season for white sharks in Monterey Bay, and over the past week, two animals previously tagged by scientists passed through the waters near Lovers Point—the same area where swimmer Erica Fox vanished after witnesses reported seeing a shark nearby, experts said. ⌘ Read more

Rethinking how we end a satellite's mission At the end of their lives, most satellites fall to their death. Many of the smaller ones, including most of those going up as part of the "mega-constellations" currently under construction, are intended to burn up in the atmosphere. This Design for Demise (D4D) principle has unintended consequences, according to a paper published in Acta Astronautica by Antoinette Ott and Christophe Bonnal, both of whom work for MaiaSpace, a company designing reusable launch ve ... ⌘ Read more

Archaeology team uncovers lost mission site of Espiritu Santo An archaeology team from Texas Tech University in collaboration with Texas Historical Commission archaeologists Kay Hindes, Jim Bruseth, Tiffany Osburn and Brad Jones found the lost site of Mission Nuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo in early December. The site is located in Jackson County, Texas, on a private ranch near the Presidio la Bahía and Fort St. Louis. ⌘ Read more

Novel model to reveal deep-sea black coral symbiotic system A research team has achieved a significant breakthrough in understanding the adaptive strategies of the deep-sea black coral Bathypathes pseudoalternata (B. pseudoalternata) and its symbiotic microbiome. The study has been published in Cell Host & Microbe. ⌘ Read more

Progress persists for low-baseline sustainable development goals, while high-baseline goals stagnate or reverse With only five years until the 2030 deadline for achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a new international study reveals uneven progress in achieving the goals since their adoption in 2015. ⌘ Read more

Aluminum cans are a viable alternative to bottles for red muscadine wine, new study finds One of the main reasons wine traditionally comes in bottles is to protect its quality. Glass is nonreactive, and the cork or screw cap provides an airtight seal that prevents oxygen from spoiling the liquid. In recent years, a new rival has appeared on the scene—aluminum cans. But there are concerns that the metal may interact with the wine, altering its unique flavor. ⌘ Read more

A new way to map how cells choose their fate Researchers from Kyushu University have developed an innovative computational method, called ddHodge, that can reconstruct the complex dynamics of how cells decide their fate. ⌘ Read more

Glacier loss to accelerate, with up to 4,000 disappearing each year by 2050s Thousands of glaciers will vanish each year in the coming decades, leaving only a fraction standing by the end of the century unless global warming is curbed, a study showed on Monday. ⌘ Read more

Iraqis cover soil with clay to curb sandstorms Deep in Iraq's southern desert, bulldozers and earthmovers spread layers of moist clay over sand dunes as part of a broader effort to fight increasingly frequent sandstorms. ⌘ Read more

Why we may be misreading our dogs' emotions Humans and dogs have been living together side by side for thousands of years, so you would think we know everything about our four-legged friends by now. But we may not understand them as well as we think we do. ⌘ Read more

Cypriot fishermen battle invasive lionfish and turn them into a tavern delicacy Photis Gaitanos' rough fingers adroitly untangle the venomous spikes of a lionfish from a net, throwing the exotic-looking creature into an ice-filled rubber bin along with other fish from the day's catch. ⌘ Read more

Detecting the hidden magnetism of altermagnets Altermagnets are a newly recognized class of antiferromagnets whose magnetic structure behaves very differently from what is found in conventional systems. In conventional antiferromagnets, the sublattices are linked by simple inversion or translation, resulting in spin-degenerate electronic bands. In altermagnets, however, they are connected by unconventional symmetries such as rotations or screw axes. This shift in symmetry breaks the spin degeneracy, all ... ⌘ Read more

Astronomers explore the double nucleus of galaxy NGC 4486B Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an international team of astronomers has observed an elliptical galaxy known as NGC 4486B. Results of the observational campaign, published Dec. 16 on the arXiv preprint server, deliver important insights into the properties of the double nucleus of this galaxy. ⌘ Read more

Supernova from the dawn of the universe captured by James Webb Space Telescope An international team of astronomers has achieved a first in probing the early universe, using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), detecting a supernova—the explosive death of a massive star—at an unprecedented cosmic distance. ⌘ Read more

How can Canada become a global AI powerhouse? By investing in mathematics Artificial intelligence is everywhere. In fact, each reader of this article could have multiple AI apps operating on the very device displaying this piece. ⌘ Read more

Research uncovers the telltale tail of black hole collisions When black holes collide, the impact radiates into space like the sound of a bell in the form of gravitational waves. But after the waves, there comes a second reverberation—a murmur that physicists have theorized but never observed. ⌘ Read more

More than 16,000 dinosaur tracks discovered at a site in Bolivia Scientists have discovered the single largest dinosaur track site in the world in Carreras Pampa, Torotoro National Park, Bolivia. The tracks were made about 70 million years ago, in the late Cretaceous Period, by theropods—bipedal three-toed dinosaurs—with bird tracks also present in this ancient beach scene. ⌘ Read more

Mechanism for twisted growth of plant organs discovered From morning glories spiraling up fence posts to grape vines corkscrewing through arbors, twisted growth is a problem-solving tool found throughout the plant kingdom. Roots "do the twist" all the time, skewing hard right or left to avoid rocks and other debris. ⌘ Read more

Saturn's icy moon Enceladus is an attractive target in the search for life—new research A small, icy moon of Saturn called Enceladus is one of the prime targets in the search for life elsewhere in the solar system. A new study strengthens the case for Enceladus being a habitable world. ⌘ Read more

Why California's milk cartons may lose their coveted recycling symbol California milk cartons may lose their coveted recycling symbol, the one with the chasing arrows, potentially threatening the existence of the ubiquitous beverage containers. ⌘ Read more

India space agency launches its heaviest satellite India's space agency launched its heaviest ever payload on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling the deployment "a significant stride" for the space sector. ⌘ Read more

It's been 25 years since America decided to save the Everglades: Where do we stand? The 20th century was horrible for the Everglades. The broad shallow river, one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet, was labeled wasteland and ruthlessly dammed, carved into parcels, dried out and diverted into near oblivion. ⌘ Read more

Suspension of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act generated record gains for companies involved in overseas corruption cases When, on 10 February 2025, United States President Donald Trump signed the executive order suspending the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), companies previously involved in overseas corruption cases collectively gained around USD 39 billion. On average, on that day, each individual company that had been subject to investigations or sanctions under the ... ⌘ Read more

New species are being discovered faster than ever before, study suggests About 300 years ago, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus set out on a bold quest: to identify and name every living organism on Earth. Now celebrated as the father of modern taxonomy, he developed the binomial naming system and described more than 10,000 species of plants and animals. Since his time, scientists have continued to describe new species in the quest to uncover Earth's biodiversity. ⌘ Read more

Locals sound alarm as Bijagos Islands slowly swallowed by sea Turquoise waves splash against the white sand beaches of the Bijagos archipelago, where locals fear rising sea levels will swallow their islands whole. ⌘ Read more

Getting support for opening the 'Pandora's box' of DNA testing In the last decade, the drive to understand who we are and where we've come from has been accelerated by DNA testing. ⌘ Read more

Providing AI training leads to more critical and ethical use by university students No longer a technological novelty, generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has become a common tool for everyday academic tasks among the university community. In view of this, the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) has carried out a research project to establish the extent to which GenAI-specific training can help ensure more responsible and critical use by students. ⌘ Read more

Stardust study resets how life's atoms spread through space Starlight and stardust are not enough to drive the powerful winds of giant stars, transporting the building blocks of life through our galaxy. That's the conclusion of a new study from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, of red giant star R Doradus. The result overturns a long-held idea about how the atoms needed for life are spread. ⌘ Read more

Scientists and data explain why Kenya's lakes are rising as thousands face an uncertain future When Dickson Ngome first leased his farm at Lake Naivasha in Kenya's Rift Valley in 2008, it was over 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from shore. The farm was on 1.5 acres (0.6 hectares) of fertile land where he grew vegetables to sell at local markets. ⌘ Read more

Cosmic rays from a nearby supernova may help explain Earth-like planets How common are Earth-like planets in the universe? When I started working on supernova explosions, I never imagined that my research would eventually lead me to ask a question about the origin of Earth-like planets. Yet that is exactly where it brought me. ⌘ Read more

Scientists who use AI tools are publishing more papers than ever before Science is entering a massive publishing boom, in large part due to artificial intelligence. New research published in the journal Science has revealed that scientists who use large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are producing significantly more papers across many fields. The technology is also helping to level the playing field for researchers whose first language isn't English. ⌘ Read more

Hot, humid weather during pregnancy poses far greater risks to child health than heat alone The dangers of heat and humidity are so well known it's become cliché to mention them. But the impacts can extend farther than even scientists and doctors realized. ⌘ Read more

Scientists urge governments not to wait for global plastics treaty as pollution continues to grow Scientists are urging governments to act immediately on plastic pollution, warning that waiting for a binding Global Plastics Treaty could mean years of damaging delay while plastic waste continues to accelerate worldwide. ⌘ Read more

First beta-delayed neutron emission observed in rare fluorine-25 isotope A research team at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is the first ever to observe a beta-delayed neutron emission from fluorine-25, a rare, unstable nuclide. Using the FRIB Decay Station Initiator (FDSi), the team found contradictions in prior experimental findings. The results led to a new line of inquiry into how particles in exotic, unstable isotopes remain bound under extreme conditions. Led by Robert Grzywacz, pr ... ⌘ Read more

Early motherhood carries wage penalty, while delaying pays off A woman's early career pregnancy decision may shape her financial future for decades, according to new research co-led by Eden King, the Lynette S. Autrey Professor of Psychology at Rice University, and Nicola Lawrence-Thomas, a lecturer in work psychology at the University of Sheffield. The study, one of the first to examine long-term earnings across different early reproductive paths, found that women who became mothers early in l ... ⌘ Read more

Lapland's next hotspot after Santa? Torne Valley seeks sustainable tourism In Finland, Lapland's tourism has grown so rapidly that Rovaniemi, the region's capital and number‑one destination, where Santa Claus has his office, is already operating at full capacity. There is very little room left to welcome more tourists to the city located in the Arctic Circle. Attention has therefore turned to the next rising destinations in Lapland—one of which has been found along the Swedish border in Torne Valle ... ⌘ Read more

Q&A: Environmental protection benefits the American economy and public health The benefits of environmental protection, measured in terms of advancing public health and the economy, outweigh the costs associated with implementing and enforcing environmental regulations, according to researchers at Penn State who published a new perspective piece in the journal Nature Water. ⌘ Read more

What does the November jobs report mean for workers and the economy? Q&A with professor of economics The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its November jobs report on Dec. 16, which details economic indicators like payroll numbers and the unemployment rate. The Federal Reserve uses the report to help set monetary policy, like influencing interest rates, while industry uses the report to inform business decisions like strategic planning, capital equipment spending, and hiring and layoffs. ⌘ Read more

Rising seas put Florida's state tree at risk: New research offers hope As sea levels rise and soils grow saltier, even the iconic Sabal palmetto—the official state tree of Florida also known as the cabbage palm—may be in danger. But a new study in HortScience suggests a simple, widely available amendment could help young palms survive in salty conditions. ⌘ Read more

Candida auris: Genetic process offers new treatment target for deadly fungal disease Scientists have discovered a genetic process which could unlock new ways to treat a mysterious and deadly fungal infection which has shut down multiple hospital intensive care units. ⌘ Read more

Early testing of schoolchildren has absolutely zero effect, researchers say Early testing of schoolchildren has no impact on their educational attainment down the line. Nor do the tests have any effect on pupils' mental health or how happy they are at school. ⌘ Read more

Citizens have greater trust in parliaments with higher female representation, new research finds New research from the University of St Andrews has found that increases in women's parliamentary representation within a country are related to enhanced public trust in the national parliament. ⌘ Read more

Call your pop-pop: Unlocking conversations between generations Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are investigating the conversations that happen between grandparents and grandchildren in the St. Louis area. ⌘ Read more

Common virus 'rewires' intracellular mechanisms to promote infection Investigators from the laboratory of Derek Walsh, Ph.D., professor of Microbiology-Immunology, have discovered how human cytomegalovirus rewires intracellular mechanisms to control the movement of the cell nucleus, promoting infection and mediating cell migration, according to a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. ⌘ Read more

Deep ocean earthquakes drive Southern Ocean's massive phytoplankton blooms, study finds Stanford researchers have uncovered evidence that deep underwater earthquakes can spur the growth of massive phytoplankton blooms at the ocean surface. ⌘ Read more

A simple spin swap reveals exotic anyons Researchers from the University of Innsbruck, the Collège de France, and the Université Libre de Bruxelles have developed a simple yet powerful method to reveal anyons—exotic quantum particles that are neither bosons nor fermions—in one-dimensional systems. Their paper is published in Physical Review Letters. ⌘ Read more

Why you should be pleased we run trials on nudges, even if you don't like nudges (or trials) Last year, we ran a randomized controlled trial working with frontline workers in the homelessness sector, which aimed to increase their well-being. The project, which began at the What Works Center for Well-being (before it closed down), was conducted in partnership with the Center for Homelessness Impact, and found that an intervention that had previously been shown to work well at improving well-being and reducing burno ... ⌘ Read more

Shaping the conversation means offering context to extreme ideas, not just a platform The Oct. 27, 2025, interview between former Fox News host Tucker Carlson and political streamer Nick Fuentes created a rare public divide inside the MAGA movement. ⌘ Read more

How can we effectively regulate international trade in wild species? Overexploitation (harvesting at a rate that exceeds the ability of populations to recover) is a major driver of biodiversity loss. Globally, tens of thousands of animal, plant and fungi species are used and traded at different scales for purposes including food, fashion, medicine, pets, and building materials, among many others. Some of this use and trade is legal and sustainable and some not. Research I have led demonstrates ... ⌘ Read more

Prehistoric elephant footprints documented for first time in Murcia's fossil dunes An international team, involving researchers from the University of Seville, the Andalusian Institute of Earth Sciences in Granada and the University of Huelva, has identified the first fossilized vertebrate footprints from the Quaternary period in fossil dune deposits in Murcia, attributed to the elephant Palaeoloxodon antiquus, known as the straight-tusked elephant. ⌘ Read more

The first alien civilization we encounter will be extremely loud For decades, science fiction writers have tried their best to prepare us for eventual contact with aliens. Their efforts are dominated by several recurrent tropes. There's the invasion by a warlike species, there's the highly-evolved species trying to communicate with our primitive species, there's the benevolent aliens come to save us from ourselves, and there's the mischievous anal-probers and medical experimenters. ⌘ Read more

California wildlife officials quietly shift on killing a high-profile predator In a move that reverses nearly a decade of practice, California wildlife officials have quietly begun to allow killing mountain lions in order to protect another iconic native—bighorn sheep. ⌘ Read more

Five family Christmas games that reveal how we think, communicate and connect For many families at Christmas, the one time of year when everyone finally ends up in the same room, suggesting a game is often the best strategic move for a fun evening. At its best, this sparks an hour of genuine connection. At its worst, it revives old rivalries faster than you can say "draw four" or break into your favorite victory dance. ⌘ Read more

Ecosystem interactions shape spread of wasting disease The expansive, dense eelgrass beds that line much of the U.S. coastline provide invaluable habitat and other services to support rich coastal ecosystems. ⌘ Read more

Young shark species more vulnerable to extinction, fossil record reveals Whether a species has just freshly emerged, or it has been around for millions of years does not dictate its vulnerability. This has been the assumption of an old debate on whether species' age plays a role in extinction risk. ⌘ Read more

Can an electronic nose detect indoor mold? Researchers have developed an electronic nose that can reliably sense and identify mold, which causes various health issues for humans and animals, as well as damage to homes and other buildings and structures. ⌘ Read more

Slop, vibe coding and glazing: AI dominates 2025's words of the year For us linguists, the flurry of "word of the year" announcements from dictionaries and publishers is a holiday tradition as anticipated as mince pies. The words of the year aren't just a fun peek into new slang and language changes, they also tell us quite a bit about the worries, trends and obsessions of the English-speaking world. ⌘ Read more

Legal sports betting linked to sharp increases in violent crime, study finds Legalized sports betting comes with a hidden public safety cost: a measurable rise in violent and impulsive crime on game days––even in states without gambling, according to new research led by the University of Michigan. ⌘ Read more

For certain life-essential proteins in E. coli, repair is more likely Proteins need to fold into specific shapes to perform their functions in cells, but they occasionally misfold, which can prevent them from properly functioning and even lead to disease. ⌘ Read more

Elusive December sun leaves Stockholm in the dark The Swedish capital has recorded just a half-hour of sunlight in the first half of December, putting it on track for the darkest December since 1934 if the trend continues, meteorologists said. ⌘ Read more

As reefs vanish, assisted coral fertilization offers hope in the Dominican Republic Oxygen tank strapped to his back, Michael del Rosario moves his fins delicately as he glides along an underwater nursery just off the Dominican Republic coast, proudly showing off the "coral babies" growing on metal structures that look like large spiders. The conservationist enthusiastically points a finger to trace around the largest corals, just starting to reveal their vibrant colors. ⌘ Read more