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Scientists think one of the most important events in the early solar system was a colossal collision between the young Earth and a Mars-sized body known as Theia. The impact likely vaporized huge quantities of rock and hurled material into space. Some of that debris eventually came together to form…
Eating more sugar while taking antibiotics may intensify the disruption those drugs cause to beneficial gut bacteria, according to new research. The study focused on the intestinal microbiome, the vast community of bacteria that has evolved alongside humans and helps with digestion, immune function, and other essential processes. Antibiotics are…
A new Australian study suggests that zoo lions behave more like their wild counterparts when they are given whole animal carcasses as part of a feast and fast feeding schedule. Published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, the research was conducted by Adelaide University and Monarto Safari Park in South Australia.…
Physicists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engineering have uncovered evidence of an unusual form of superconducting behavior in uranium ditelluride. Their experiments show that Cooper pairs, the paired electrons that make superconductivity possible, can arrange themselves into uneven patterns even when the material is no longer…
Scientists may have found a new way to reduce harmful inflammation in the brain by targeting a receptor that can already be blocked with existing drugs. The research, published in Brain and led by Professor Nicholas Barnes at the University of Birmingham, identifies the P2X7 receptor as an important driver…
For scientists searching for life beyond Earth, rocky planets with atmospheres are among the most promising places to investigate. An atmosphere is essential for maintaining liquid water on a planet’s surface. Yet among the more than 6,300 exoplanets cataloged thus far, most are not rocky, and only a small number…
Earth’s center of mass does not stay perfectly still. As water, ice, and air move around the planet with the seasons, they redistribute enough weight to push the center of mass back and forth by fractions of an inch relative to Earth’s geometric center. NASA scientists carefully track this subtle…
CAR-T cell therapy has transformed the treatment of certain blood cancers, but getting the therapy to patients remains complicated, expensive, and slow. The standard process requires doctors to collect a patient’s immune cells and send them to a specialized facility, where the cells are genetically modified to recognize cancer. The…
Bacteria are remarkably good at adapting. That ability helps them survive changing conditions, but it can also create problems when harmful species become resistant to antibiotics and disinfectants. At the same time, bacteria are not simply enemies to eliminate. Many species play important roles in human health, including the hundreds…
New research from the University of Lincoln, UK, is questioning a long standing idea about the evolutionary roots of human violence. The findings suggest that everyday aggression does not necessarily build toward deadly conflict. Published in the international journal Evolution Letters, the study indicates that mild aggression and lethal violence…
New research suggests animals may have evolved up to 200 million years before they first appear clearly in the fossil record, challenging a key assumption scientists have used to estimate when animal life began. A study led by the University of Oxford suggests the earliest animals may have existed hundreds…
Northwestern scientists have identified, for the first time, a specific group of neurons — cells in the brain — that appear to contribute to anxiety caused by cannabinoid drugs, particularly when those drugs are combined with stressful conditions. Cannabinoids are a category of substances that includes THC, the main psychoactive…
New research suggests that advanced colorectal cancer is becoming more common in young patients, raising concerns that warning signs may be missed or recognized too late. The findings were presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2026 National Conference & Exhibition Oct. 2-6, 2026, at the San Diego Convention Center.…
Scientists have identified a way to restore cartilage in aging knee joints, at least in mice, by blocking a protein whose levels rise with age. The approach not only reversed naturally occurring cartilage loss in older animals, but also protected mice from developing arthritis after knee injuries similar to ACL…
About a century ago, archaeologists excavating pottery fragments around Tampa Bay encountered something puzzling. Some of the pieces carried decorations that looked strikingly similar to pottery found hundreds of miles farther north. On appearance alone, the fragments seemed connected to the Mississippian culture, which emerged more than 1,000 years ago…
Exercise is well known for supporting physical fitness and mental well being. New research from BYU suggests it may also offer benefits for marriage, particularly when spouses are active together. The study, recently published in Family Relations, found that couples who exercised together reported better communication, more effective conflict resolution…
In the universe’s earliest moments, temperatures reached trillions of degrees, creating an intensely hot mixture of quarks and gluons. These elementary particles raced around at nearly the speed of light in a state of matter known as quark-gluon plasma (QGP). This primordial material existed for only a few millionths of…
Becoming a mother can be difficult under any circumstances, but for some women, everyday obstacles can make getting medical care after childbirth especially challenging. Limited health literacy, unreliable transportation, difficulty navigating a complicated healthcare system, lack of childcare, and unstable housing can all determine whether a new mother receives needed…
Some of the most important reactions in nature depend on positively and negatively charged particles moving in a coordinated way. These reactions are essential to processes such as photosynthesis, catalysis and biological energy conversion, but they happen so quickly that they are extremely difficult to observe. A team led by…
Sleep difficulties are especially common during middle age, including among women in their 40s and 50s. New research suggests that an aromatic oil made from the roots of Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa), also known as Japanese cypress, could offer a simple way to support better sleep at home. In a study…
Scientists studying the tropical forests of Malaysian Borneo have discovered an unexpected shift in one of the region’s long-running ecological partnerships. An international team from Queen Mary University of London, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and other institutions found that predatory…
A ketogenic diet is high in fat and very low in carbohydrates. By sharply limiting carbohydrates, it shifts the body away from relying on sugar for energy and toward burning fat instead, an effect that can help some people lose weight. Scientists have increasingly studied whether this metabolic shift influences…
Going without food for several days does far more than force the body to burn stored fat. Research published in 2024 found that prolonged fasting produces widespread and coordinated biological changes across multiple organs, with some of the most notable effects appearing only after about three days without calories. The…
Why do some new skills seem to click almost instantly while others remain frustratingly difficult even after repeated practice? The difference may involve more than talent or effort. It may also depend on whether the brain is in the right condition to turn practice into lasting learning. Learning does not…
October offers several memorable sights for skywatchers, including Saturn at opposition, the Orionid meteor shower, and a close pairing of the Moon and the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters. Skywatching Highlights Oct. 4: Saturn reaches opposition, making the ringed planet visible for much of the night Oct. 6:…
The computers of the future may rely on more than the electrical charge carried by electrons. Researchers are increasingly interested in another fundamental electron property called spin, which could provide a new way to move and process information inside electronic devices. Conventional computers use the movement of electrical charge to…
Researchers at Oregon State University have developed an experimental treatment designed to tackle lung cancer and the severe muscle loss that can occur alongside it. The research, published in the Journal of Controlled Release, uses lipid nanoparticles to carry therapeutic genetic material directly to lung tumors. Nanoparticles Deliver mRNA to…
For the first time, scientists have identified a human gene that appears to serve an important biological role while still retaining the ability to move around the genome. Researchers at Cornell University made the discovery after finding a human genetic element inside a poxvirus. Their analysis showed that the element,…
Cancer immunotherapy can unleash T cells, the immune system’s specialized cancer killers, against tumors. But there is a major limitation: These cells can become worn down before the cancer is eliminated. This condition, known as T cell exhaustion, leaves the cells unable to maintain a strong attack or keep tumor…
NASA has chosen a proposal led by the Planetary Science Institute to determine whether a potentially large cave stretches underground from the opening of a pit on the Moon. If such a cavern exists, it could eventually offer astronauts natural protection from radiation and the dramatic temperature changes experienced on…