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For nearly two decades, scientists have known that a common gut bacterium can produce a toxin that damages the colon and helps drive the formation of tumors. What they could not explain was how the toxin first attaches to intestinal cells and begins its attack. Now, researchers have uncovered that…
In the hills of north-west Morocco, overlooking the river that gives the site its name, research at Oued Beht is bringing to light a previously unknown chapter of the region’s past. The discovery of a substantial built structure suggests that, during the second millennium BC, communities in north-west Africa were…
Scientists have uncovered an unexpected way certain metals can withstand extreme cold without becoming dangerously brittle. The discovery challenges long-standing ideas about how metals behave at extremely low temperatures and could help engineers develop tougher materials for some of the harshest environments imaginable. The findings, published October 14 in Nature,…
A small, circular hole in a 75,000-year-old Neanderthal shoulder blade may reveal one of the earliest known cases of deadly violence involving a wooden spear. The remarkable discovery, made in a cave in Iraqi Kurdistan, suggests that the individual was struck by a sharpened wooden weapon that passed through the…
Scientists at Gladstone Institutes have discovered an unusual bacterial immune system that operates in almost the opposite way of previously known defenses. The surprising mechanism allows bacteria to activate a deadly self-destruct process when viruses attack, potentially offering new ideas for developing medical treatments and gene-editing technologies. The findings, published…
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have uncovered a surprising role for a vitamin A derivative in the development of human vision. Their research reveals how this molecule works alongside thyroid hormones to help form the part of the eye responsible for our sharpest sight, challenging a scientific explanation that has…
New findings from the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) suggest that scientists can recreate an extraordinary form of matter from the earliest moments of the universe using surprisingly small atomic collisions. By smashing oxygen nuclei together at nearly the speed of light, researchers have uncovered strong…
A simple blood test could help identify people at increased risk of Alzheimer’s-related cognitive decline years before they experience any noticeable problems with memory or thinking. In a large international study, researchers found that older adults with very high levels of a particular blood biomarker faced a 38% chance of…
A carefully structured combination of diet and exercise may offer a powerful way to put type 2 diabetes into remission in younger adults. In a new clinical trial, more than half of participants who followed an intensive lifestyle program achieved remission within just six months, compared with only 4% of…
What if time is not a fundamental part of the universe, but something that emerges from the changes taking place inside it? A physicist at the University of Birmingham has created a miniature universe in the laboratory that offers a surprising new way to investigate this possibility. Using thousands of…
Why did crocodiles survive the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago? New research suggests that their preference for warm environments may have given them a crucial advantage during one of Earth’s greatest mass extinctions. Scientists led by UCL (University College London) found that crocodiles and…
Finding the shortest route between two locations is something navigation apps like Google Maps do every day. Behind the scenes, sophisticated algorithms analyze networks of roads and intersections to identify efficient paths. But what if a computer needed to calculate the shortest distance between every possible pair of locations in…
A surprising discovery made with NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope is challenging a leading explanation for how the early universe emerged from darkness. The findings suggest that powerful explosions from dying stars may have actually interfered with a process scientists once believed they helped drive. An international research team, including astronomers…
Not every snakebite injects venom. When venom enters the body, however, it can cause snake envenoming. This is a potentially fatal condition and it mostly affects poor rural communities across tropical and subtropical regions who don’t have easy access to medical care. As researchers with decades of combined experience in…
Scientists have identified a brain signal that may help explain why schizophrenia produces such a wide variety of symptoms, including difficulties with perception, movement, and speech. The discovery suggests that problems that appear unrelated could actually stem from a shared disruption in how the brain processes information. Schizophrenia is a…
Sugar substitutes are often promoted as a healthier way to enjoy sweet foods and drinks without consuming as much sugar. However, new research suggests that some of these widely used sweeteners may have an unexpected downside for long-term brain health. A study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the…
A single ancient elephant tooth is offering scientists a remarkable glimpse into a world that existed nearly 700,000 years ago. Found in northern Israel, the fossil has helped researchers reconstruct a surprisingly lush prehistoric landscape filled with forests, rivers, wetlands, and abundant vegetation. This ancient environment supported enormous elephants and…
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has uncovered remarkable new details about how Jupiter withstands the constant stream of high-energy particles flowing from the Sun. The findings reveal that the solar system’s largest planet relies on a much more complex system of plasma waves and shock regions than Earth does. Led by scientists…
Mathematicians are raising a major challenge to one of modern cosmology’s most widely accepted explanations: the idea that dark energy is driving the accelerating expansion of the universe. A study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society A presents mathematical findings that researchers at the University of California, Davis, say…
Could the amount of daylight you get each day offer clues about your risk of developing dementia? A large new study suggests that exposure to brighter daytime light is associated with a lower likelihood of developing the condition. The findings, published in General Psychiatry, point to daytime light exposure as…
Cranberry juice may offer an unexpected benefit for your teeth. New research suggests that pure, unsweetened cranberry juice can slow the growth of dental plaque and reduce the production of acids that contribute to tooth decay. Cranberries are a familiar part of holiday celebrations. They appear in sauces, salads, and…
Deep within an ice cap in northwestern Tibet, scientists have uncovered evidence of a remarkable frozen record that may stretch back more than 128,000 years. The discovery suggests that ice high in the mountains has survived since the last ice age and could provide an extraordinary window into Earth’s ancient…
Blood pressure readings are typically evaluated based on their average values, but growing evidence suggests that fluctuations throughout the day may be equally important. Rapid or excessive changes in blood pressure can independently increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and brain injury, even when average readings fall within the…
Scientists have pushed X-ray generation beyond a long-accepted limit in laser physics, revealing a surprising quantum effect that conventional theory does not account for. By directing powerful ultraviolet lasers at helium atoms, researchers produced X-rays with substantially higher energies than the standard model predicts. The breakthrough depends on an unusual…
Scientists have gained a clearer understanding of what happens when rocks from space plunge into Earth’s atmosphere and survive the journey to the ground. After examining video recordings and photographs of 75 meteorite falls, researchers identified seven stages that describe how these objects transform into meteorites. Their analysis reveals that…
Scientists have discovered that molten rock deep inside Earth can store far more oxygen than previously believed. The finding challenges long-standing assumptions about magma and raises an intriguing possibility: oxygen released from Earth’s interior may have helped transform the planet’s atmosphere billions of years ago. Through high-pressure experiments and advanced…
Muscles naturally become weaker as we get older, but scientists have discovered that some of the changes associated with aging may actually help protect muscle cells from damage. New research reveals why aging muscles shift toward a different type of muscle fiber and identifies a crucial molecule that could offer…
A single sauna session may trigger a surprising response in the immune system. Researchers in Finland have discovered that spending just 30 minutes in a sauna, with a brief cold shower halfway through, causes white blood cells to surge into the bloodstream. These cells are essential to the body’s defenses,…
Researchers in South Korea have developed a new technology that could lead to smaller, lighter electric vehicle (EV) batteries capable of delivering longer driving ranges on a single charge. Scientists at KAIST have found a way to address a major weakness of anode-free batteries, which eliminate conventional materials such as…
Fire salamanders are among Europe’s most recognizable amphibians, known for their striking black and yellow coloring and the poisonous substances they release to deter predators. Despite their familiar appearance, scientists are still uncovering surprising details about their biology. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the species as…
