Reporting world updates to you
Your daily cup of coffee may be doing more than helping you wake up in the morning. A long-running study of U.S. adults suggests that drinking caffeinated coffee regularly is associated with a substantially lower risk of dementia and better cognitive health as people age. Researchers found that adults who…
Every human body produces carbon dioxide simply by converting food into energy. Although the amount released by one person may seem small, the combined output of billions of people adds up to an enormous quantity. A new study led by the University of Bath estimates that carbon dioxide production from…
Picture the wilderness of central Europe 100,000 years ago, or even a million years ago. You might imagine an endless expanse of towering trees, with thick canopies blocking sunlight from reaching the ground. But according to a major new study, that familiar image of Europe’s ancient forests is probably misleading.…
The powerful new Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile has already uncovered two previously unknown companions of the Milky Way, offering an early glimpse of what could become a much larger wave of discoveries. Astronomers believe hundreds of faint galaxies may still be hiding around our galaxy, and the observatory…
Scientists have discovered remarkably preserved traces of dinosaur blood inside 115-million-year-old bones, revealing that delicate biological molecules can survive far longer than previously believed. The breakthrough could transform how researchers study prehistoric animals and even influence the search for ancient life beyond Earth. An international team led by Curtin University…
A major clinical trial has raised new questions about how doctors decide who should take statins to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Researchers found that using heart scans to guide treatment decisions produced the same observed rate of major cardiovascular events as traditional risk assessments, even though the scans led…
North Carolina’s blueberry growers are facing an emerging threat from a destructive beetle whose larvae feed underground, damaging plant roots and potentially killing blueberry bushes. Scientists have now identified the insect responsible, providing an important first step toward protecting crops from the pest. A research team at North Carolina State…
November 2026 is packed with celestial events worth watching, from brilliant meteors streaking across the sky to a striking encounter between Mars and Jupiter. NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft is also approaching an extraordinary milestone, while a dazzling supermoon will close out the month. Three meteor showers offer multiple opportunities to…
NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has returned to Earth after spending nearly 22 years in space, bringing an extraordinary era of astronomical discovery to a close. The spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere on Wednesday, ending a mission that lasted more than ten times longer than originally planned. Launched in 2004, Swift…
For years, people have been encouraged to choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products to protect their hearts and manage their weight. But growing scientific evidence suggests that full-fat dairy may not carry the health risks many have come to expect. A new Canadian study led by University of Toronto professor…
Some of the universe’s dead stars may be capable of growing far more massive than a famous limit in physics was thought to allow. New computer simulations suggest that powerful magnetic fields hidden inside these stellar remnants could help them withstand crushing gravity and reach extraordinary masses. The discovery challenges…
A drug commonly used to prevent organ transplant rejection may offer an unexpected new approach to protecting people at increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers at the University of Missouri have discovered that rapamycin, a medication also studied for its effects on aging, can improve blood flow in the brains…
Researchers have developed a surprisingly simple way to separate crude oil without heating it, potentially transforming one of the world’s most energy-intensive industrial processes. The breakthrough uses an inexpensive membrane that could significantly reduce the energy required for oil refining while lowering operating costs and carbon emissions. The international research…
Scientists have developed a new way to change the internal structure of glass while it is being made, giving them greater control over properties such as magnetism and the way the material interacts with light. The discovery could open the door to advanced glasses with capabilities that were previously difficult…
For most of the 20th century, the model of human origins was a tree: with the trunk dividing into branches, and then twigs. Each species of human relative (hominin) was a neat, single branch. As an undergraduate, I was taught that Homo sapiens was one of these branches that emerged…
You walk out of the grocery store, ready to head home and make dinner. But as you scan the crowded parking lot, a frustrating question comes to mind. Where did you leave your car? You try to picture the spot, but the memory refuses to surface. Remembering personal experiences like…
Scientists have developed a new gel that could make it possible to regrow damaged tooth enamel, potentially overcoming one of the biggest limitations in dental care. Unlike bones and many other tissues in the body, tooth enamel cannot naturally regenerate once it has been lost. The new treatment offers a…
Scientists have solved a biological mystery that remained unanswered for more than three decades, uncovering an unexpected way the immune system protects the body from its own inflammatory response. The breakthrough reveals that a chemical signal responsible for attracting immune cells to fight infections also helps prevent those same defenses…
One of the biggest obstacles in quantum computing is surprisingly simple to describe: how do you read information without changing or destroying it? Unlike the bits used in ordinary computers, quantum bits, or qubits, are extraordinarily sensitive to measurement. Trying to determine their state can cause that state to collapse,…
Viruses are usually associated with causing infections, but some can actually help fight them. Scientists are now working to turn these bacteria-killing viruses into treatments for dangerous infections that no longer respond to conventional antibiotics. An international team of experts has taken an important step toward making this approach safer…
Muscles can begin losing their strength and ability to recover surprisingly early in the aging process. Over time, muscle tissue may develop scar tissue, accumulate fat, and lose some of the specialized fibers responsible for rapid, powerful movements. These changes can make everyday activities more difficult and gradually reduce mobility…
Why does the left side of the brain control the right side of the body, while the right side controls the left? This unusual arrangement is one of the most intriguing features of the nervous system, and scientists have proposed a new explanation that reaches back hundreds of millions of…
Keeping daylight saving time in effect all year could bring brighter evenings, but new research suggests the change would come with a troubling consequence for American children. A nationwide switch could result in at least 2 billion additional trips to school in darkness, potentially increasing safety risks while reducing children’s…
Scientists at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered that applying a small amount of pressure can dramatically alter the magnetic properties of a promising new class of materials called altermagnets. Using neutron experiments, the researchers uncovered how a simple mechanical squeeze can change the way these…
Scientists have spent decades trying to control how tiny particles connect to form advanced materials. Now, researchers at MIT and their collaborators have discovered that doing the exact opposite of what was previously believed necessary can produce remarkable results. Instead of relying on rigid molecular connections to hold nanoparticles in…
NASA is investigating whether private space companies could help extend the life of the Hubble Space Telescope, which has spent more than 35 years transforming our understanding of the universe. On October 29, the agency issued a Request for Information seeking details about commercial technologies that could be used to…
For nearly 90 years, physicists have divided magnetic materials into two main categories: ferromagnets and antiferromagnets. Now, scientists have confirmed that a third type exists, revealing a previously unrecognized form of magnetic behavior that could lead to major advances in computing and electronics. The breakthrough comes from a research team…
Scientists at Stanford Medicine have identified a naturally occurring molecule that could lead to a new generation of weight loss medications. Early animal experiments suggest that it can suppress appetite and promote fat loss much like semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, while potentially avoiding some of the drug’s troublesome…
Imagine receiving a single treatment that could keep your cholesterol under control for decades, potentially eliminating the need for daily medication. Advances in gene editing are bringing that possibility closer to reality. But scientists say the same technology that could revolutionize medicine also raises difficult questions about safety, permanent genetic…
Researchers in Japan have developed an innovative way to turn a chemical produced by cancer cells into a weapon against them. Instead of delivering toxic drugs throughout the body, their experimental approach uses carbon monoxide released by cancer cells to manufacture anticancer compounds directly inside the cells themselves. The research,…
