Creatine doesn't just build muscle. It may also help fight cancer

Creatine is widely known as a supplement used by athletes and bodybuilders to improve strength and performance. Now, new research from UCLA suggests it may have another surprising role: helping the immune system mount a stronger attack against cancer. The study, published in iScience, found that creatine boosts the activity…

Ancient DNA reveals the mysterious collapse of Europe's megalith builders

A genetic study of 132 people buried in a large megalithic tomb near Bury, about 50 kilometers north of Paris, has uncovered evidence of a dramatic population collapse and replacement during the Stone Age. The findings, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, show that the burial site was used during…

New weight loss pill beats oral Ozempic in major trial

A new type of daily pill has proven more effective for weight loss and blood sugar control than its currently available counterparts, according to a recent trial. The drug, known as orforglipron, could be a game-changer in the rapidly expanding oral weight-loss drug market. The advent of the injectable weight-loss…

New AI model reveals how neutron star mergers forge heavy elements

Researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence powered simulation that could significantly improve our understanding of how the universe creates many of its heaviest elements. Created by an international team at GSI/FAIR, the machine learning model allows scientists to simulate the complex nuclear reactions that occur during neutron star mergers…

Incredible new material makes heat programmable

In most materials, the way heat is absorbed and the way it is emitted are inseparable. If a surface absorbs heat efficiently from a particular direction or wavelength, it also emits heat the same way. This long established principle, known as reciprocity, has made it difficult for scientists to independently…

Bumblebees collect up to 7 times more toxic metals than honeybees

Bumblebees can accumulate dramatically higher levels of toxic heavy metals than honeybees, even when both species forage in the same area, according to new research from the University of Cambridge. Scientists found that bumblebees collected up to seven times more heavy metals in their pollen, raising concerns about how hidden…

Takeaway meals contain more salt than advertised, study finds

New research suggests that many of the UK’s most popular takeout meals contain more salt than diners are led to believe. In some cases, a single meal provided well over the recommended daily limit, even though menu labels suggested otherwise. Researchers found that 47% of the takeout foods they tested…

The Neanderthal “love story” isn’t what the DNA actually shows

Within a few hours, a statistical analysis had been whipped up into a tale of desire. The “sex lives” of our ancestors were suddenly within clicking distance. This shift is not trivial. It turns an asymmetry in genetic transmission into a narrative based on feelings, attraction, and prehistoric romance. A…

AI just supercharged the race to find room temperature superconductors

Machine learning is giving scientists a powerful new way to search for superconductors, materials that conduct electricity with zero resistance. An international team has demonstrated that AI can rapidly narrow an almost limitless number of possible material combinations to identify the most promising candidates. According to Aalto University Professor Päivi…

Scientists solve a 30-year rye pollen mystery that could transform cancer research

Nearly 30 years ago, researchers discovered two unusual molecules in rye pollen that appeared to slow tumor growth in animal studies. Despite the promising findings, the research reached a dead end because scientists could not determine the molecules’ exact three dimensional structures. Now, chemists at Northwestern University have solved that…

Engineers solved an airflow mystery hidden nearly a mile underground

Running a facility deep beneath Earth’s surface requires constant control of two essential elements: air and water. Workers in underground tunnels and shafts depend on reliable ventilation to survive and work safely. At the same time, groundwater and rainwater that seep underground must be collected and pumped back to the…

Scientists want to quarantine alien life on the Moon before it reaches Earth

A new policy paper argues that a future NASA base on the moon should include a specialized biocontainment facility designed to keep Earth safe from any potentially hazardous biological material brought back from space. The proposal comes as scientists and space agencies prepare for more ambitious missions that could return…

Millions may be getting the wrong cholesterol test

Millions of Americans have a blood test every year to measure LDL, often called “bad” cholesterol. But new research from Northwestern Medicine suggests that another test may do a better job of identifying who needs more aggressive treatment to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The study, published…

Streetlights are trapping thousands of pill bugs in giant “death spirals”

Researchers have uncovered a surprising side effect of artificial lighting: ordinary streetlights can lure thousands of tiny land dwelling isopods into giant synchronized “death spirals.” The newly documented behavior, observed in Israel, is the first of its kind and suggests that human made lighting can dramatically disrupt the instincts of…

Astronomers witness the birth of a magnetar for the first time

Astronomers have, for the first time, observed the birth of a magnetar, an extremely magnetic, rapidly spinning type of neutron star. The breakthrough confirms that these exotic objects can power some of the brightest stellar explosions ever seen. The discovery also validates a theory first proposed 16 years ago by…

Scientists may have finally found how Alzheimer's kills brain cells

Scientists have identified evidence of a previously unknown process that may explain how brain cells die in Alzheimer’s disease and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The discovery, centered on a mechanism known as karyoptosis, could point researchers toward new ways to slow the progression of these devastating conditions. Many neurodegenerative diseases, including…

Record-breaking ocean drilling reveals why Japan's 2011 tsunami was so deadly

Researchers have uncovered a hidden feature beneath the Pacific Ocean that helps explain why Japan’s devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami became so destructive. The discovery also offers new clues that could improve forecasts of future megaquakes and tsunamis. A new study found that a thin layer of soft, clay-rich sediment…

Ancient bees turned tooth sockets into tiny nurseries 20,000 years ago

Around 20,000 years ago, a cave was home to generations of owls that regularly coughed up pellets containing the bones of their prey. Those discarded bones later became an unexpected resource for another group of animals. According to a new study published in Royal Society Open Science, ancient bees used…

Quantum mechanics once baffled scientists. Now it's changing the world

For much of the early 20th century, quantum mechanics was one of the most puzzling ideas in science. The theory challenged conventional thinking and left even leading physicists struggling to make sense of its implications. A century later, it has become the foundation of technologies that influence daily life, including…

NASA's Hubble spots a stellar sparkler for the Fourth of July

A brilliant field of red, white, and blue stars sparkles across a new image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, resembling a sparkler glowing against the night sky. NASA released the image to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States, celebrating the nation’s long history of exploration while showcasing one…

NASA's Hubble captures a crimson stellar nursery sparkling with blue and white stars

A spectacular new image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope offers a front row view of one of the universe’s busiest stellar nurseries. Brilliant blue and white stars sparkle against glowing crimson clouds of hydrogen gas, creating a breathtaking scene that resembles fireworks shining through drifting smoke. The image showcases LH…

NASA's Hubble captures a star-spangled sea of 500,000 stars

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has released a dazzling new image featuring more than 500,000 stars glowing in shades of red, white, and blue. The breathtaking view, shared in celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary, highlights Messier 3 (M3), one of the largest and most impressive globular clusters in the…

Scientists may have finally solved the black hole information paradox

For decades, physicists have wrestled with one of the deepest puzzles in modern science: the “black hole information paradox.” Now, a new theoretical study suggests a possible solution, one that could also shed light on another major mystery in physics, the origin of the mass of fundamental particles. The paradox…

The secret to healthy aging may be hidden in your blood

People who live to age 100 and beyond often owe their exceptional longevity to a mix of protective genes and healthy habits. Researchers estimate that genetics account for as much as 50% of the ability to reach extreme old age, while lifestyle factors such as eating a plant forward diet,…

A hidden weakness in deadly cancers could lead to powerful new treatments

Researchers at UCLA have identified a hidden weakness in some of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat cancers, raising hopes for a new way to attack tumors that have resisted treatment for decades. Small cell neuroendocrine cancers can develop in the lung, prostate, and ovary. These fast-growing tumors tend to spread…

NASA celebrates America's 250th birthday with incredible views of space

To mark the 250th anniversary of the United States, NASA has released four spectacular images of deep space from its Chandra X-ray Observatory, each presented in patriotic shades of red, white, and blue. Alongside the images, the agency also unveiled three new sonifications, which transform astronomical observations into sound, offering…