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Science advances by proposing ideas and then trying to prove them wrong. This process becomes especially challenging when dealing with the Universe on its largest scales. Dark energy and dark matter are among the most difficult concepts to test. Observations across vast regions of space clearly suggest that something is…
When very massive stars reach the ends of their lives, they explode as supernovae, scattering elements like carbon and iron across space. Another, rarer type of explosion happens when two neutron stars, the dense remnants of dead stars, collide. This event, known as a kilonova, produces even heavier elements such…
With its bright yellow, cushion-like caps, the golden oyster mushroom has become a favorite among home growers and food lovers. It is widely available in grow-your-own kits and sold in grocery stores, farmers markets, and specialty shops. However, a University of Florida researcher warns that this appealing mushroom is quietly…
The atmosphere plays a major role in spreading microplastics across the planet, carrying these tiny particles to even the most remote regions. People and animals can inhale them, raising concerns about potential health effects. Once airborne, microplastics can also fall back to Earth, adding to pollution in oceans and soils…
Scientists studying ancient Antarctic ice are uncovering new details about how Earth’s climate has changed over the past 3 million years. By analyzing both the ice and the tiny pockets of air trapped inside it, researchers are building a longer and more complete record of past climate conditions. Two new…
Southern Africa is famous for its rich record of prehistoric life, including dinosaurs. But around 182 million years ago, massive volcanic eruptions spread lava across much of the inland Karoo Basin, where many dinosaurs once lived. After this event, the fossil record in the region becomes surprisingly quiet during the…
A remarkably preserved fossil from Argentina is helping scientists sharpen the picture of how snakes evolved. The specimen belongs to Najash rionegrina, an ancient rear-limbed snake that lived nearly 100 million years ago. Its skull shows that these early snakes still had a cheekbone, also called the jugal bone, a…
Researchers from Cairo University and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), working within the ScanPyramids research project, have uncovered two concealed air-filled anomalies inside the third-largest pyramid at Giza. For years, scientists have suspected there might be an undiscovered entrance along the eastern side of the Menkaure pyramid. New investigations…
“A plague is upon us” may have been a familiar cry in ancient Jordan, where a mysterious disease killed large numbers of people and left a lasting mark on society and history. Today, researchers are uncovering new details about that crisis. An interdisciplinary team from the University of South Florida…
Physicists have used a machine learning approach to reveal unexpected details about how particles interact in complex systems. Their work focuses on non-reciprocal forces, where one particle influences another differently than it is influenced in return. The findings, published in PNAS, come from a collaboration between experimental and theoretical physicists…
For more than 25 years, researchers at Northwestern Medicine have been studying people age 80 and older known as “SuperAgers” to understand how some individuals maintain exceptional mental sharpness late in life. These individuals consistently perform on memory tests at levels similar to people at least 30 years younger, challenging…
Researchers at McGill University and the Douglas Institute have discovered that two distinct types of brain cells function differently in people with depression. The findings, published in Nature Genetics, offer important clues that could lead to new treatments designed to target these specific cells. They also provide a clearer understanding…
Beneath farmland in the central tablelands of New South Wales lies one of Australia’s most remarkable fossil locations, known as McGraths Flat. This site dates back between 11 million and 16 million years to the Miocene epoch, a period when many modern plants and animals first appeared. Researchers from the…
A minimally invasive outpatient procedure may help people avoid regaining weight after stopping popular medications like Ozempic and semaglutide, according to research being presented at Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2026. About 70% of people who stop these drugs eventually regain much of the weight they lost, often within 18 months.…
Scientists have created a new type of nanoelectronic device that could significantly reduce how much energy artificial intelligence systems consume. The innovation works by copying how the human brain processes information, offering a more efficient alternative to today’s power-hungry AI hardware. The research team, led by the University of Cambridge,…
Far beneath Earth’s surface, slow-moving convection currents churn within the mantle. These currents are closely tied to the movement of tectonic plates, and they do more than just shift the plates above. They also stretch and distort the mantle material itself. A new study published in The Seismic Record shows…
A newly described prehistoric reptile is giving scientists a surprising look at how some ancient animals may have changed the way they moved as they grew. Researchers say this “peculiar” crocodile relative likely began life walking on four legs, only to adopt a two-legged stance as it reached adulthood. The…
Every breath you take is part of a very ancient story. The steady movement of your chest, the muscles between your ribs pulling outward, and the air filling your lungs feel completely routine. Yet this familiar process traces back hundreds of millions of years. A remarkably preserved reptile that died…
Scientists have created a thin plastic film that can physically destroy viruses the moment they land on its surface. The breakthrough could help reduce the spread of disease from frequently touched items like smartphones, keyboards, and hospital equipment. Beyond its effectiveness, the material is also designed to be practical for…
Changes in eyesight are one of the most common signs of aging. Sit in a dimly lit restaurant with someone over 60, and you will likely hear them say, “Hold on — let me pull out my cell phone. I need more light to read the menu!” But what if…
Colorectal cancer is among the most common cancers in Western countries and remains a major cause of cancer-related deaths. While factors like age, diet, and lifestyle are known to influence risk, the exact triggers behind the disease are still not fully understood. In recent years, scientists have increasingly focused on…
Neutrophils, a type of white blood cell circulating in the bloodstream, act as some of the body’s first responders to infection and inflammation. When the immune system is activated, their numbers can rise quickly, altering the balance between neutrophils and other immune cells. Doctors can measure this balance using a…
A new study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution examines the remains of 132 individuals buried in a large megalithic tomb near Bury, about 50 kilometers north of Paris. The site was used during two separate time periods, with a significant population decline occurring around 3000 BC between them. Genetic…
Astronomers have identified something surprising on a distant gas giant: water ice clouds. The discovery was made by a team led by Elisabeth Matthews at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA), and it challenges many existing models of how exoplanet atmospheres behave. The planet, known as Epsilon Indi Ab,…
A striking new pitviper with a vivid grass-green body and amber-like eyes has been discovered in the misty mountains of western Sichuan, China. Blending seamlessly into its lush surroundings, this snake had gone unnoticed for years, hiding in one of the world’s richest biodiversity regions. Researchers from the Chengdu Institute…
Scientists have introduced a new way to track ocean surface currents across vast areas with far greater detail than before. The technique, known as GOFLOW (Geostationary Ocean Flow), uses deep learning to analyze thermal images captured by weather satellites that are already in orbit. Because it relies on existing satellites,…
Magnetic materials believed to host a quantum spin liquid have drawn strong interest because of their potential to reveal exotic states of matter and advance quantum computing. However, appearances in the quantum world can be misleading. A new study published in Science Advances and co-led by Rice University’s Pengcheng Dai…
For more than 150 years, a guiding idea in geometry has shaped how mathematicians think about surfaces. Originating with the French mathematician Pierre Ossian Bonnet, the principle states that if you know two key properties of a compact surface at every point, its metric and its mean curvature, then you…
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease is now the most common liver condition worldwide, affecting about one in three adults. It develops when excess fat builds up inside liver cells, which can lead to serious liver damage and also increases the risk of dying from heart and blood vessel disease. A…
A new international study published in Current Biology reports the analysis of ancient mitochondrial DNA extracted from eight Neanderthal teeth found in Stajnia Cave in Poland. Using this material, researchers were able to reconstruct the genetic profile of a small group of Neanderthals who lived at the same location, north…
