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Researchers in soil science, environmental engineering, and public health from the University of São Paulo (USP), the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES) in Brazil, and the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain investigated whether crops grown near the Doce River estuary are safe to eat. The area in…
An international team led by the University of Vienna and Liège University Hospital Centre has uncovered genetic changes linked to a rare inherited growth disorder in two people who lived more than 12,000 years ago. By combining ancient DNA testing with modern clinical genetics, the researchers diagnosed the condition in…
Scientists at Columbia University working with Breakthrough Listen, a research initiative focused on searching for signs of civilizations beyond Earth, have reported new findings from the Breakthrough Listen Galactic Center Survey. This project represents one of the most sensitive radio investigations ever carried out to search for pulsars in the…
Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Japan have identified two brain receptors that help regulate the breakdown of amyloid beta, the protein that builds up in Alzheimer’s disease. Their findings suggest it may be possible to develop future medications that are both…
The journey began with T3p, a small RNA molecule detected in breast cancer but not in normal tissue. When it was first described in 2018, it stood out as unusual. That initial finding launched a six-year effort to systematically identify similar orphan non-coding RNAs (oncRNAs) across major cancer types, determine…
Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a cutting edge method for protecting communications using the laws of quantum mechanics. It allows two parties to create a shared secret key even if someone is secretly monitoring the connection. The strength of QKD lies in the physics itself. Any attempt to intercept the…
A new study published in JACC, the flagship journal of the American College of Cardiology, suggests that the type of foods people choose on a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet may be more important than simply cutting carbs or fat. Researchers found that when these diets focused on nutrient-dense, wholesome foods,…
At the start of 2025, Santorini and nearby parts of the Aegean Sea were rattled by tens of thousands of earthquakes. Scientists have now determined what caused the intense shaking. In a study published in Nature, researchers from GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences and GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research…
Programs that give money directly to individuals are becoming more common across the United States. Still, they continue to draw criticism. Some skeptics argue that providing cash with no restrictions could encourage harmful behavior. They claim recipients might quickly spend the money on alcohol or drugs, potentially increasing the risk…
Scientists have designed a powerful light based sensor capable of detecting extremely small amounts of cancer biomarkers in blood. The innovation could eventually allow doctors to identify early warning signs of cancer and other diseases through a routine blood draw. Biomarkers such as proteins, fragments of DNA, and other molecules…
“This is a crucial advance,” says Ramón Aguado, a CSIC researcher at the Madrid Institute of Materials Science (ICMM) and co author of the study. He explains that the team has successfully retrieved information stored in Majorana qubits by applying a technique known as quantum capacitance. According to Aguado, this…
A parasite that may already be living in your brain has the ability to infect the very immune cells designed to eliminate it. New research from UVA Health explains how the body still manages to keep this infection under control. Toxoplasma gondii is a potentially dangerous parasite that infects warm…
An international team led by researchers at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment has found that Antarctica’s only native insect is already consuming microplastics, despite living in one of the most isolated places on Earth. The findings, published in Science of the Total Environment, mark…
Scientists at Northwestern University have created the most sophisticated lab grown model yet for studying human spinal cord injury. In the new research, the team worked with human spinal cord organoids — miniature organs derived from stem cells — to recreate different forms of spinal cord trauma and evaluate a…
For years, scientists have believed that compulsive behaviors happen when people become trapped in a “habit loop” that overrides self-control. But new research in rats from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) suggests the story may be more complicated. Compulsive behaviors appear in a range of mental health conditions, including…
Researchers at BESSY II have, for the first time, experimentally confirmed that a material can exhibit truly one-dimensional electronic properties. The team studied short chains of phosphorus atoms that naturally arrange themselves at specific angles on a silver surface. By applying advanced measurement and analysis techniques, they separated the signals…
A Cornell physicist has calculated that the universe may be nearing the halfway point of a total lifespan of about 33 billion years. Using newly released data from major dark energy observatories, he concludes that the cosmos will continue expanding for roughly another 11 billion years before reaching its largest…
Cardio activities such as running, swimming, and dancing appear to be especially effective at easing symptoms of depression and anxiety. That conclusion comes from a large scale (umbrella) review and data synthesis published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The analysis found that exercise done in supervised or…
Scientists at the University of California San Diego have identified the enzyme responsible for chromothripsis, a dramatic genetic event in which a chromosome breaks into many fragments and is stitched back together in the wrong order. This chaotic reshuffling allows cancer cells to evolve quickly and develop resistance to treatment.…
A fresh scientific investigation of the Hjortspring boat, an ancient wooden plank vessel displayed at the National Museum of Denmark, is shedding new light on where it may have come from. The boat’s origins have puzzled historians for more than a century. The new findings were published in the open-access…
New research from Aarhus University suggests that the updated Nordic dietary guidelines, created to support both personal health and environmental sustainability, may help people live longer. The recommendations encourage eating less meat and added sugar and increasing intake of whole grains, legumes, fish, and low fat dairy products. Introduced in…
Researchers at Stanford University led by Hyesang Chang set out to better understand why some children find math much harder than their classmates. Their findings were published in the journal JNeurosci, a peer reviewed neuroscience journal that focuses on how the brain supports thinking and behavior. Many people assume math…
Receiving an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine shortly before or at any point during pregnancy is not linked to autism or other developmental disorders in children, according to research presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 2026 Pregnancy Meeting. The findings provide new data on the long term health of children…
A team led by Min Zhang and Dabao Zhang at the University of California, Irvine’s Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health has developed the most comprehensive maps yet of how genes directly influence one another in brain cells affected by Alzheimer’s disease. These maps go beyond identifying…
Researchers at Northwestern Medicine explored whether timing an overnight fast to match a person’s natural sleep wake cycle could improve heart and metabolic health. The circadian rhythm plays a central role in regulating cardiovascular and metabolic function. Importantly, participants did not reduce calories. The focus was entirely on adjusting when…
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to diagnose early, and it often does not respond well to standard treatments. Because of this, scientists are searching for new ways to stop the disease before it advances. Researchers already understand that nerves can help cancer spread, but what happens…
Scientists can now follow the path of a single drop of water across the globe. Water is made of hydrogen and oxygen, and some of these atoms naturally exist in slightly heavier forms called isotopes. As water evaporates, forms clouds, and moves through the atmosphere, the proportion of these isotopes…
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,…
