Lasers just unlocked a hidden side of gold, copper, and aluminum

A team of scientists has developed a powerful new way to detect subtle magnetic signals in common metals like copper, gold, and aluminum—using nothing more than light and a clever technique. Their research, recently published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications, could pave the way for advances in everything from…

Dirty water, warm trucks, and the real reason romaine keeps making us sick

E. coli outbreaks in romaine lettuce have long been a public health concern. and now a new Cornell University paper suggests that a combination of efforts in the field, and even postharvest techniques, can minimize risk to human health. Co-authored by Renata Ivanek, a professor in the department of population…

18x more floods, 105% bigger storms — all from a single clear-cut

Clear-cutting can make catastrophic floods 18 times more frequent with effects lasting more than 40 years, according to a new UBC study. In one watershed, these extreme floods also became more than twice as large, turning a once-in-70-years event into something that now happens every nine. “This research challenges conventional…

11,000-year-old feast uncovered: Why hunters hauled wild boars across mountains

Magnets and shot glasses serve as fun holiday souvenirs, but certain foods synonymous with a country’s identity can make for extra meaningful gifts for friends and loved ones; think French cheese, Dutch Stroopwafels and Canadian maple syrup. According to new research, communities that lived in western Iran about 11,000 years…

Selfies, sugar, and death: How tourists are endangering elephants

A study led by a scientist at the University of California San Diego offers new warnings on the dangers of human interactions with wildlife. Assistant Professor Shermin de Silva of the School of Biological Sciences studies endangered Asian elephants and has reported on their shrinking habitats, a downturn that has…

Why Trump’s leg swelling could be a warning sign for millions

In light of reports from the White House that President Donald J. Trump has been diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI), the American Heart Association is sharing important information on the condition and its association with cardiovascular risk factors, disease and increased risk of death. According to the Association, the…

The silent threat: How hearing loss and loneliness are fueling memory decline

Isolation, communication difficulties, reduced alertness — hearing impairment or loss is a real challenge in daily life. Over time, it can also become a risk factor for cognitive decline. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) analysed data from 33,000 older adults across Europe to examine the combined impact…

Nature’s longevity hack: How human eggs stay fresh for 50 years

Human eggs are some of the most patient cells in the body, lying dormant for decades until needed. A study published on July 16 in The EMBO Journal shows that the cells deliberately slow the activity of their internal waste disposal systems as they mature, most likely an evolutionary design which…

This 10-minute ozone hack keeps mangoes fresh for 28 days

In good news for mango lovers, new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has identified a way to extend the storage life of the popular tropical fruit. The study, led by ECU School of Science Lecturer Dr Mekhala Vithana, found that dipping mangoes in ozonated water (aqueous ozonation) for 10…

Cognitive collapse and the nuclear codes: When leaders lose control

Many former leaders of the world’s nine nuclear-armed nations were impaired by health conditions while in office, raising concerns over their decision-making abilities while they had access to nuclear weapon launch codes, a study from the University of Otago, New Zealand, has found. The study analyzed the health information of…

This flat chip uses twisted light to reveal hidden images

Imagine trying to wear a left-handed glove on your right hand: it doesn’t fit because left and right hands are mirror images that can’t be superimposed on each other. This ‘handedness’ is what scientists call chirality, and it plays a fundamental role in biology, chemistry, and materials science. Most DNA…

Why broken crystals are stronger

Crystals are known far and wide for their beauty and elegance. But even though they may appear perfect on the outside, their microstructure can be quite complicated, making them difficult to model mathematically. But there are people rising to the challenge. In an article published this month in Royal Society…

Butchery clues reveal Neanderthals may have had “family recipes”

A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reveals that Neanderthals living in two nearby caves in northern Israel — butchered their food in noticeably different ways. Despite using the same tools and hunting the same prey, groups in Amud and Kebara caves left behind distinct patterns of cut-marks…

Tai chi, yoga, and jogging rival pills for beating insomnia

Yoga, Tai Chi, walking and jogging may be the best forms of exercise to improve sleep quality and ease insomnia, suggest the findings of a comparative pooled data analysis published in the online journal BMJ Evidence Based Medicine. The findings back the use of exercise as a primary treatment strategy…

Not just hot flashes: The hidden depression crisis in early menopause

Premature menopause has been described as a life-changing diagnosis with profound physical, psychological, and social consequences. Affected women not only experience the effects of estrogen deficiency, but they also experience the unanticipated loss of reproductive function. However, some women are more adversely affected by these changes than others. A new…

Corals in crisis: A hidden chemical shift is reshaping Hawaiian reefs

Across the globe, oceans are acidifying as they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, threatening coral reefs and many other marine organisms. A new study, led by oceanographers at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, revealed that unprecedented levels of ocean acidification are expected around the main Hawaiian Islands within…

Frozen for 12,000 years, this Alpine ice core captures the rise of civilization

Glaciers hold layers of history preserved in ice, offering unique insights into Earth’s past that can also help us interpret the future. Trapped amidst the frozen water are microscopic deposits of dust, pollen, and even pollutants that scientists can use to examine environmental changes through time. DRI’s Ice Core Lab…

They fled the flames—now jaguars rule a wetland refuge

Following a large-scale wildfire, more jaguars migrated to a study site in the Brazilian wetlands that already had the largest population density of jaguars in the world, a new study found. “Finding even more jaguars and other mammals in the study area following the 2020 wildfire and extreme drought suggests…

Dogs can detect Parkinson’s years before symptoms—with 98% accuracy

People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have an odour that can be reliably detected from skin swabs by trained dogs, a new study has shown. The research, in collaboration with Medical Detection Dogs and the Universities of Bristol and Manchester, was published on July 15 in The Journal of Parkinson’s Disease.…

This laser implosion just created a magnetic field like a neutron star

Researchers at The University of Osaka have developed a novel method for generating ultrahigh magnetic fields via laser-driven implosions of blade-structured microtubes. This method achieves field strengths approaching one megatesla—a breakthrough in compact, high-field plasma science. Ultrastrong magnetic fields approaching the megatesla regime—comparable to those found near strongly magnetized neutron…

1,000-year-old health hacks are trending—and backed by science

It turns out the Dark Ages weren’t all that dark! According to new research, medieval medicine was way more sophisticated than previously thought, and some of its remedies are trending today on TikTok. A new international research project featuring faculty at Binghamton University, State University of New York reveals that…