Reporting world updates to you
Most people have heard the advice to “sleep on it” when faced with a tough decision. New research suggests that guidance may be grounded in science. While many people report breakthrough ideas emerging from dreams, researchers have struggled to test this phenomenon because dreams are difficult to control in a…
Psychedelic substances act on the brain by binding to serotonin receptors. Scientists have identified at least 14 different receptors that respond to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Psychedelics are especially drawn to one known as the 2A receptor. This receptor not only affects learning but also dampens activity in parts of the…
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, responsible for about 20 million deaths each year and roughly a quarter of all deaths in the UK. Statins are widely prescribed medications that reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and are proven to lower the risk of heart attacks, strokes,…
Researchers at Michigan State University have identified a molecular “switch” that boosts sperm energy just before they attempt to fertilize an egg. The finding could improve infertility treatments and support the development of safe, nonhormonal male birth control options. “Sperm metabolism is special since it’s only focused on generating more…
Computers designed to mimic the structure of the human brain are showing an unexpected strength. They can solve some of the demanding mathematical equations that lie at the heart of major scientific and engineering problems. In a study published in Nature Machine Intelligence, Sandia National Laboratories computational neuroscientists Brad Theilman…
A study published in the journal PeerJ has identified an unexpected factor in the spread of an invasive flatworm in France. The research was carried out by a scientist from the Institute of Systematics, Evolution and Biodiversity (ISYEB) at the French National Museum of Natural History, working with a collaborator…
Couples who intentionally pause to appreciate the enjoyable experiences they share tend to be more satisfied in their relationships, argue less, and feel more confident that their partnership will endure, according to researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. “Savoring involves slowing down to become aware of and focus…
A prominent scientific session moderated by the Financial Times, titled “How the human exposome will unlock better health and medicine,” will bring together three leaders of the Global Exposome Forum from the United States and Europe. They will update members of the international research community on the progress made since…
A large international study led by researchers at the University of Cambridge has identified a little-known group of gut bacteria that appears far more often in healthy people. The group, called CAG-170, was consistently found at higher levels in individuals without chronic illness. CAG-170 is known only through its genetic…
An international group of astronomers has identified a faraway planetary system that calls into question one of the most widely accepted ideas about how planets take shape. In most planetary systems observed across the Milky Way, scientists see the same basic layout. Small, rocky planets circle close to their star,…
Astronomers have directly observed a massive dying star skip a supernova explosion and instead collapse into a black hole. This event provides the most detailed set of observations ever assembled of a star making that transition, giving researchers an unusually complete view of how stellar black holes form. By combining…
Encouraging two parts of the brain to fire in sync can make people act more generously, according to research published February 10th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology. The study was led by Jie Hu of East China Normal University in China, in collaboration with researchers from the University of…
Nearly 19 million adults in the United States take fish oil supplements. These products are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, mainly eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, commonly known as EPA and DHA. Many people use them in hopes of lowering inflammation and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. When it…
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai have identified a biological repair process that could eventually lead to new treatments for spinal cord injuries, stroke, and neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The findings, published in Nature, reveal an unexpected role for astrocytes, a major support cell in the central nervous system. “Astrocytes are…
A remarkable new image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope highlights a striking mix of brightness and shadow inside the Egg Nebula. This dramatic scene has been shaped by clouds of dust recently expelled by a dying star. About 1,000 light years away in the constellation Cygnus, the nebula surrounds a…
As the world generates more data than ever, scientists are searching for ways to store that information in smaller and more efficient formats. “As data volumes continue to grow, future magnetic storage media must be able to store information reliably at ever higher densities,” says Professor Jörg Wrachtrup, Head of…
Tiny plastic fragments known as microplastics and nanoplastics have spread across the planet. They have been found in deep ocean waters, farmland soils, wildlife, and even inside the human body. Despite their widespread presence, researchers still do not fully understand what happens after these particles enter living organisms. A new…
Researchers studying what has been called one of the most important mosaics ever found in the UK say it portrays a rarely told version of the Trojan War that had largely faded from history. A new investigation by the University of Leicester explains why the well known Ketton mosaic in…
A low-fat vegan diet that does not restrict calories or carbohydrates may help people with type 1 diabetes use less insulin and lower their insulin expenses. The findings come from new research by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, published in BMC Nutrition. Insulin is a hormone that moves glucose…
Scientists at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have reported a major advance in calcium-ion battery (CIB) research that could reshape how energy is stored and used in daily life. By incorporating quasi-solid-state electrolytes (QSSEs), the team developed a new type of CIB designed to improve both…
As artificial intelligence powered prosthetic arms become more common, understanding how people respond to them will be essential. Acceptance depends not only on how well these devices function, but also on how natural they feel. In this study, researchers used virtual reality to create the illusion that a participant’s own…
Achilles tendon pain, tennis elbow, swimmer’s shoulder, and jumper’s knee affect both young athletes and older adults. These painful conditions develop when tendons are pushed beyond their limits and repeatedly strained. “Tendons are fundamentally susceptible to overuse,” explains Jess Snedeker, a professor of orthopaedic biomechanics at ETH Zurich and Balgrist…
Scientists have detected traces of plant-based poison on Stone Age arrowheads from South Africa, marking the oldest confirmed use of arrow poison ever identified. The findings, published in Science Advances, show that people living in southern Africa 60,000 years ago already understood how to harness toxic plants to improve their…
When NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission returned material from asteroid Bennu in 2023, scientists confirmed that the 4.6 billion year old rocks contained amino acids, the essential molecules that make life possible. Amino acids are responsible for building proteins and peptides in DNA, and they are central to nearly every biological process.…
Volcanoes are not just an Earthly phenomenon. Scientists have already identified volcanic features, including lava tubes, on both Mars and the Moon. Now researchers from the University of Trento report strong evidence that Venus also contains an empty lava tube beneath its surface. The finding adds to growing evidence that…
Scientists at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore have identified a protein that may help restore the brain’s ability to produce new cells as it ages. Their findings, published in Science Advances, point to a transcription factor called cyclin D-binding myb-like transcription factor…
Picture Europe tens of thousands of years ago. Thick forests covered much of the land. Herds of elephants, bison, and aurochs roamed freely. Small bands of humans moved through this world carrying fire and spears. New research suggests those early people changed their surroundings far more than scientists once believed.…
A new peer reviewed study is challenging one of the most widely shared claims about Yellowstone’s wolves. In a formal comment published in Global Ecology and Conservation, scientists from Utah State University and Colorado State University argue that a 2025 paper by Ripple et al. overstated how much wolf recovery…
Astronomers have identified a possible Earth-like planet called HD 137010 b that may share many similarities with our world. However, there is one striking difference. It could be even colder than the permanently frozen surface of Mars. The discovery comes from continued analysis of data collected by NASA’s Kepler Space…
A new scientific analysis suggests that known non biological processes cannot fully explain the amount of organic material discovered in a rock collected on Mars by NASA’s Curiosity rover. Organic compounds are carbon containing molecules that form the chemical building blocks of life as we know it. They can be…
