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June offers plenty for skywatchers, including a close meeting between Venus and Jupiter, a rare event where the Moon passes in front of Venus, the arrival of astronomical summer, and the return of some favorite deep-sky targets. Skywatching Highlights June 9: Venus and Jupiter conjunction June 11-15: Mercury joins Venus…
When a nuclear weapon detonates or a serious reactor accident occurs, an immense burst of energy is released in less than a millionth of a second. The extreme heat instantly vaporizes nearby air and materials, creating a brilliant, expanding cloud of gas and plasma. As this nuclear fireball grows, it…
Popular GLP-1 drugs including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound have already transformed the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Now, new research suggests these medications may also help prevent and treat addiction across a broad range of substances. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found…
A newly developed pill could offer a fresh approach to treating type 2 diabetes and obesity. Early research suggests it may help lower blood sugar and increase fat burning without reducing appetite or causing muscle loss, two common concerns associated with some current weight loss medications. The findings, published in…
Scientists have identified a specific brain circuit that appears to play a major role in anxiety, depression-like behaviors, and social withdrawal. Even more striking, they found that restoring balance within this circuit was enough to reverse several of these behaviors in mice. The research was led by Juan Lerma and…
For anyone who has watched ocean waves or fast moving water, turbulence can seem like pure chaos. Powerful currents twist and churn, creating swirling eddies that split into smaller and smaller vortices until their energy eventually fades away. For decades, scientists have believed this process follows a predictable pattern. In…
A large, slow-moving storm system tracked north-northwest across the Philippine Sea toward southern Japan from late May into early June 2026. As Typhoon Jangmi advanced, its sprawling rainbands delivered intense rainfall across a broad area, prompting concerns about flooding in several locations. A nighttime image captured by the VIIRS (Visible…
One of the Pacific Ocean’s most powerful early season storms did more than bring destructive weather. As Super Typhoon Sinlaku rapidly intensified in April 2026, it also generated enormous atmospheric ripples that stretched high above Earth, offering scientists a rare glimpse into how tropical cyclones can influence everything from weather…
High in the eastern Pyrenees, archaeologists have uncovered evidence that could transform our understanding of how prehistoric people used mountain landscapes. A cave perched more than 7,300 feet (2,235 meters) above sea level contains dozens of ancient hearths filled with fragments of green mineral that may point to early copper…
French fries have long been criticized as an unhealthy food choice, and new research suggests they may deserve that reputation more than other potato dishes. A large study published in The BMJ found that eating three servings of French fries per week was associated with a 20% higher risk of…
Nearly half a century ago, a small earthquake beneath northern Utah left seismologists puzzled. The event seemed to originate far deeper than earthquakes were thought capable of occurring beneath a continent. Now, new research from the University of Utah has confirmed that the unusual quake was real and part of…
An international team of scientists has found evidence that autism may include at least two distinct biological subtypes, each defined by a different pattern of communication across the brain. One subtype is marked by unusually high levels of connectivity between brain regions, while the other shows reduced connectivity. The discovery…
Researchers from Columbia University and University Hospital Tübingen have discovered a protein that appears to play a major role in weakening CAR T cells over time. By disabling the protein, known as NFIL3, the scientists found that these engineered immune cells remained active longer and were better able to attack…
Scientists have uncovered a surprising connection between a baby’s earliest biological programming, the gut microbiome, and later brain development. The findings, published in Cell Press Blue, suggest that epigenetic changes present at birth can influence how gut bacteria develop during infancy. The study also found links between specific epigenetic patterns,…
For centuries, forests have followed a remarkably consistent rhythm. Beneath the trees, roots and microscopic organisms steadily release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as they break down organic material and fuel plant growth. Scientists call this process soil respiration, and it represents one of the largest carbon flows on Earth.…
Every year, millions of people visiting Grand Canyon National Park stop at one of the park’s water stations. Some are standing on the rim, seeing the canyon for the first time and topping off a water bottle before continuing their trip. Others are far below, hiking through extreme heat, refilling…
A strange blood-feeding fly appears to reduce its visual sensitivity after locating a host and giving up flight for good, according to new research. Known as deer keds, these biting flies are found throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. As adults, they use both flight and vision to search…
Astronomers have traced a mysterious type of repeating cosmic signal to an unusual pair of stars, providing the strongest evidence yet for the source of one of astronomy’s most puzzling phenomena. The discovery was made by an international research team led by scientists at the University of Sydney using CSIRO’s…
Why do we decide to approach other people? According to new research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the answer may begin unfolding in the brain several seconds before any movement takes place. The study found that social behavior is preceded by a distinctive pattern of activity that spreads across…
For years, the common assumption has been simple: eating less fat may help lower cancer risk. New research suggests the picture is much more complicated. Scientists report that when it comes to pancreatic cancer, the specific type of fat in the diet may be more important than the total amount…
Researchers at the University of Birmingham have developed a new low-temperature approach to hydrogen production that could make the clean fuel cheaper and more practical to generate. The technique could be used both in large centralized facilities and in smaller local systems that take advantage of waste heat from major…
Scientists at Monash University have created a tiny new circuit that can generate, direct, and read information carried by light, all within a single chip. The advance marks a significant milestone for a growing area of research known as “valleytronics,” which could help drive future breakthroughs in faster computing, lower…
Kitchen sponges are a staple in most homes, but they may also be an overlooked source of microplastic pollution. A new study led by researchers at the University of Bonn examined how many tiny plastic particles are released from sponges during everyday dishwashing and what impact those particles have on…
A minor injury, a serious infection, or even the flu can send the body down very different paths. Some people recover quickly, while others become severely ill or die. Scientists call this path a disease trajectory, and it can be shaped by many factors, including age, sex, health history, and…
People at high risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be able to postpone the disease for years with early treatment, according to new research from King’s College London. The study found that a one year course of the biologic drug abatacept significantly delayed the onset of rheumatoid arthritis, with…
For more than a century, biology has been guided by the principles of inheritance first described by Gregor Mendel through his famous pea plant experiments. While those rules explain how many genetic traits are passed from parents to offspring, scientists have also known that DNA sequences are not the whole…
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft is approaching one of the most important stages of its development. The experimental X-plane is set to begin a new series of test flights that will include its first trip beyond the speed of sound, along with several other key objectives for the mission.…
A striking new image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope highlights Messier 88 (M88), a spiral galaxy embarking on a journey that will unfold over hundreds of millions of years. Also known as NGC 4501, M88 lies about 63 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Coma Berenices (Berenice’s Hair).…
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is expected to dramatically expand the search for planets beyond our solar system, known as exoplanets. Scientists estimate the mission could uncover about 100,000 previously unknown worlds, a remarkable increase compared to the nearly 6,300 exoplanets discovered so far through NASA missions and other…
Researchers at Mass General Brigham have uncovered evidence that the thymus, a small immune system organ long thought to lose its importance after childhood, may play a major role in adult health. Two new studies found that adults with healthier thymuses were more likely to live longer and less likely…
