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People who frequently use cannabis may begin the day with higher levels of cortisol than those who do not use it, according to research from Oregon State University. The finding points to a possible connection between regular cannabis use and changes in the body’s normal daily stress rhythm. The study,…
A new Canadian study led by University of Toronto professor Harvey Anderson adds to growing evidence that full-fat dairy can be part of a healthy diet. In the 12-week study, 74 adults consumed different amounts of dairy under varying dietary conditions. The researchers found that eating three servings of full-fat…
Archaeologists working at several sites in southern Africa have uncovered hundreds of unusual pieces of engraved ostrich eggshell. More than 60,000 years old, these fragments were created by groups of Homo sapiens living in the region. A new study led by researchers at the University of Bologna suggests that the…
Uranium, a radioactive heavy metal, is typically locked inside minerals in soil. However, mining and other environmental processes can change uranium into forms that dissolve in water. Once it becomes mobile in this way, it can spread through the environment and create problems because of its toxicity. Researchers at the…
Chemists depend on sophisticated molecules to develop life-saving drugs, produce advanced high-tech materials, and recreate processes found in living systems. One of the most useful tools for building these complicated structures is single-electron transfer, a technique that can activate molecules that would otherwise resist reacting and allow them to join…
Dinosaurs are often remembered for their enormous size. Tyrannosaurus rex was an imposing predator, while dinosaurs such as Apatosaurus reached truly massive proportions. Yet new research suggests that one of the most intriguing questions about dinosaur evolution lies at the opposite end of the size spectrum: Why did dinosaurs apparently…
Heavy alcohol use has consistently been tied to poorer health, no matter what type of alcohol a person drinks. At lower levels of consumption, however, the health effects may differ depending on the beverage, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26). The findings,…
For more than a decade, atomically thin semiconductors have stood out as a promising route beyond conventional silicon. These materials can be just a single atom thick while still offering impressive electrical properties. In principle, they could enable transistors that are smaller, faster, and more energy efficient than today’s devices.…
A week of intensive meditation and other mind and body practices may be capable of producing measurable changes far beyond simple relaxation. In a recent study, researchers at the University of California San Diego found that a seven-day retreat was associated with changes in brain activity, blood chemistry, immune signaling,…
A meteor streaked across the New York City area in broad daylight on July 16, 2024, producing a sonic boom as it passed just south of the Statue of Liberty. Not long afterward, a meteorite weighing more than two pounds punched through the roof of a home in Hillsborough, New…
The rapid expansion of data centers across the United States is putting growing pressure on the nation’s electricity supply. These facilities require enormous amounts of power not only to operate their computing equipment, but also to keep it cool. The Electric Power Research Institute estimates that data centers could account…
Adults may need far more weekly exercise than current guidelines recommend to achieve a major reduction in the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to findings from an observational study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The researchers found that substantial cardiovascular protection was associated with…
An immune molecule that appeared in evolution long before blood circulation may help improve cancer immunotherapy. Scientists at Nagoya University in Japan discovered that complement C3 can prevent immune-suppressing cells from building up inside tumors, but only when the protein is produced locally within the tumor. C3 traveling through the…
Quantum materials could reshape fields as varied as high-performance computing, secure communication, sensitive detection, and energy production. Yet one persistent limitation has kept most of them from becoming practical technologies. Almost every quantum material discovered so far works only when cooled to temperatures near absolute zero. At ordinary temperatures, heat…
Scientists have captured previously unseen plasma vortices swirling across the surface of the Sun, revealing tiny structures that could help explain how our star stores, moves, and releases magnetic energy. The discovery comes from researchers at the U.S. National Science Foundation National Solar Observatory (NSF NSO), the Max Planck Institute…
A new six-month trial suggests that changing how much sweet-tasting food people eat does not alter how much they enjoy sweetness. Researchers also found no meaningful differences in several measures related to heart disease and diabetes risk among people who ate diets with high, low, or average levels of sweetness.…
Many of today’s quantum technologies depend on powerful lasers that consume significant amounts of energy. As these systems grow larger and more widespread, their electricity requirements could become an increasing concern. Researchers have now demonstrated a striking alternative: sunlight itself can be used to generate quantum entanglement between photons. “Quantum…
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have found that teenagers who start using cannabis may develop memory and thinking abilities more slowly than teens who do not use it. The findings were published in Neuropsychopharmacology and were based on data from more than 11,000 participants in the Adolescent…
Linus Pauling was one of the most brilliant scientists of the 20th century. He won two Nobel prizes and transformed our understanding of chemical bonds and the structure of proteins. Late in his career, though, he became famous for something very different: a passionate belief that very high doses of…
Researchers have uncovered a potential new way to treat autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by restoring the function of an important brain receptor. The study, led by Director Eunjoon Kim of the IBS Center for Synaptic Brain Dysfunctions, focused on a glycine transporter known as Slc6a20a/SLC6A20. The team found that reducing…
Managing heat efficiently inside solid materials is essential for developing faster, more reliable electronics. Until now, a wave-based form of heat transport called phonon focusing had only been observed at extremely low cryogenic temperatures, which made it difficult to study and limited its potential applications. Researchers at the UCLA Samueli…
Long space missions can force small crews to endure isolation, cramped living conditions, and intense psychological pressure for months at a time. To better understand how those conditions shape teamwork, an international research group studied a ten-month overwintering mission at Concordia Station in Antarctica. The research was led by Jan…
Liquid iron in Earth’s outer core can behave in surprising ways. Scientists discovered that a large flow of molten material deep beneath the Pacific Ocean changed direction for reasons that remain unclear. Data from ESA satellites helped researchers trace the shift and build a more detailed picture of what is…
Researchers led by the University of Texas at Austin have created a soft wearable patch that improved REM sleep in real-world testing without medication or surgery. Known as NEUSLeeP, the device combines gentle ultrasound stimulation with electrodes that track brain activity as it happens. This allows the patch to influence…
I recently rewatched Armageddon, complete with Bruce Willis, oil drillers sent into space, and an asteroid the size of Texas racing toward Earth. Beneath all the Hollywood spectacle is a fascinating question: What could humanity actually do with an asteroid if we were able to reach and use one? The…
Researchers used multiple sampling techniques to determine which microorganisms lived inside Ötzi during his lifetime and which arrived after his death. The later microbes could have colonized the body while it remained frozen in the glacier or during more than 30 years of modern conservation. Genetic material recovered from internal…
Museums are supposed to be havens for the collective cultural and scientific heritage of the planet, but specimens sometimes go missing. Happily, they can also be rediscovered, as a new study shows, with the vertebrae of the legendary predatory shark known to the world under its old name of Megalodon…
A study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has uncovered a major shift in the immune environment of the hippocampus, the part of the brain that plays a central role in learning and memory. The findings suggest that this immune remodeling begins in midlife and may help explain…
A major new study provides strong reassurance about the use of acetaminophen (paracetamol) and ibuprofen (Advil) during a baby’s first year. Researchers found no evidence that either common pain reliever increases the risk of eczema or bronchiolitis, a respiratory illness that often affects young children. Earlier studies had raised concerns…
University of Maryland astronomers have identified a dormant supermassive black hole positioned far from the center of its host galaxy. The discovery marks the first time scientists have found an inactive black hole at such a great distance from a galactic core. Because the black hole was not actively consuming…
