Reporting world updates to you
A new study in Communications Earth & Environment reports that a series of major droughts, each extending beyond 85 years, likely played a central role in the eventual decline of the Indus Valley Civilization. This interpretation offers fresh insight into why this influential ancient society, a contemporary of ancient Egypt…
Male bonobos are able to interpret female fertility signals that do not reliably reflect ovulation. This ability lets them direct their mating attempts toward the moments when conception is most likely, according to research led by Heungjin Ryu at Kyoto University, Japan. The work was published December 9th in the…
One potential strategy for treating a wide range of illnesses involves targeting senescent cells. These cells — also known as “zombie cells” — stop multiplying but fail to clear themselves from the body as healthy cells normally do. They appear in many conditions, including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and throughout the…
Forskolin, a plant-derived compound, may offer a meaningful improvement in therapies for a highly aggressive leukemia known as KMT2A-rearranged Acute Myeloid Leukemia (KMT2A-r AML). Researchers at the University of Surrey report that this natural molecule could play a valuable role in enhancing patient outcomes. According to findings published in the…
Researchers have used a deep learning artificial intelligence model to identify what they describe as the first biomarker of chronic stress that can be directly seen on standard medical images. The findings are being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Chronic…
When gas falls onto a compact object, such as a neutron star or black hole, due to its strong gravity (a process called accretion), it emits electromagnetic waves. High-sensitivity observations have discovered objects with extremely high X-ray luminosities. One possible explanation for the ultraluminosity is that an extraordinary amount of…
Researchers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have found the clearest sign so far that a rocky planet beyond our solar system is wrapped in an atmosphere. Their observations of the ultra-hot super-Earth TOI-561 b indicate that this exoplanet is likely enveloped in a thick layer of gases sitting above…
A research team from the Faculty of Physics and the Centre for Quantum Optical Technologies at the Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw has introduced a new way to measure hard-to-detect terahertz signals using a “quantum antenna.” In their work, the scientists applied an innovative radio wave detection setup…
Physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder have developed a new window insulation material that could significantly improve how buildings manage heat around the world. Their creation functions somewhat like a high-tech form of Bubble Wrap, but it is designed for energy performance rather than packaging. The material is called…
A recent investigation from Flinders University sheds new light on how two widely consumed drinks, coffee and tea, could play a role in bone health for women later in life. The study, published in the journal Nutrients, monitored nearly 10,000 women aged 65 and older for ten years to examine…
A previously unknown species of native bushland marsupial, closely related to the kangaroo, has been identified through new research. Scientists report that this animal was already likely extinct by the time its remains were studied. By analyzing fossils recovered from caves across the Nullarbor and southwest Australia, researchers from Curtin…
In a recent Genomic Press Interview published in Brain Medicine, Dr. Eric J. Nestler reflects on how an early fascination with brain chemistry helped shape a worldwide transformation in psychiatric research. As the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, he describes nearly…
GLP-1 medications, commonly used for type 2 diabetes, were linked to a possible reduction in epilepsy risk, offering an encouraging early signal for researchers. Participants who used GLP-1 drugs were 16 percent less likely to develop epilepsy compared with those who took DPP-4 inhibitors. Among the GLP-1 options studied, semaglutide…
Children who returned to in-person school during the COVID-19 pandemic were much less likely to receive mental health diagnoses than children whose schools stayed closed. Reductions were seen in anxiety, depression, and ADHD, and girls experienced the greatest improvements. Mental health care spending fell notably after schools reopened, reaching an…
Madagascar is widely recognized for its extraordinary variety of chameleons. More than 40% of all species known worldwide live on this island off the East African coast. Among them is the so called Pinocchio chameleon, a reptile described for nearly 150 years. This animal is part of the Calumma gallus…
With support from artificial intelligence, an international group of scientists has taken an important early step toward creating more effective defenses against the monkeypox virus (MPXV). This virus can cause intense pain and, in severe cases, death, with the greatest risk to children, pregnant women and people with compromised immune…
Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is an uncommon but very serious inherited condition. Symptoms usually appear in childhood or early adolescence, often between ages 5 and 15, and many affected individuals live only into their 30s or 40s. There is currently no broadly approved therapy that slows or alters the disease itself,…
A new study from the University of California San Diego identifies an unexpected influence on global crop stability: the original source of rainfall. Published in Nature Sustainability, the research follows atmospheric moisture back to the place where it first evaporated, whether from the ocean or from land surfaces such as…
New findings from investigators at Mass General Brigham indicate that taking a daily multivitamin over the long term may help lower blood pressure (BP) and reduce the risk of hypertension for certain groups of older adults. The team conducted a secondary analysis of data from the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin…
Medical cannabis is widely used for issues such as chronic pain, anxiety and insomnia, but a major analysis led by UCLA Health reports that the scientific support for these uses remains weak. A study published in JAMA examined more than 2,500 scientific papers released from January 2010 through September 2025,…
A natural chemical in dark chocolate may play a role in slowing certain signs of biological aging. Researchers at King’s College London have identified theobromine, a plant compound found in cocoa, as a possible contributor to this effect. The study, published on December 10 in Aging, analyzed how much theobromine was present…
Neutrinos are among the most puzzling particles known to science and are often called ‘ghost particles’ because they so rarely interact with matter. Trillions pass through each person every second without leaving any mark. These particles are created during nuclear reactions, including those inside the Sun’s core. Their extremely weak…
Of the seven Earth-sized planets circling the red dwarf star TRAPPIST-1, one world has become a special focus for astronomers. This planet, TRAPPIST-1e, orbits within the star’s “Goldilocks zone” — a region where temperatures could allow liquid water to exist on the surface — but only if the planet has…
Sea urchins play a crucial role in the ocean, acting as ecosystem engineers much like large grazers on land. As they feed on seaweed and seagrass, they trim back algae and help protect slow-growing species such as corals and certain calcifying algae. In turn, sea urchins are an important food…
Today the Arabian Gulf supports large numbers of dugongs, marine mammals related to manatees that feed on seagrass and leave trails in the sediment as they graze. Newly examined fossils from Qatar show that sea cows living more than 20 million years ago shaped their environments in much the same…
Preclinical research from McGill University suggests that nerve injuries can create long-term changes in the immune system, and these changes may not be the same for males and females. Nerve injuries are common and can occur from stretching, pressure or cuts. They often lead to persistent problems such as chronic…
Long COVID continues to disrupt millions of lives, especially through persistent neurological symptoms like fatigue, sleep problems, and brain fog. Researchers tested whether raising NAD+ levels with high-dose nicotinamide riboside could help restore energy metabolism and ease symptoms. While the randomized trial didn’t show major differences in cognitive scores between…
Rock samples that formed about 60 million years ago and were collected from far beneath the ocean surface have helped scientists understand how large amounts of carbon dioxide can remain locked away for extremely long periods. These samples show that CO2 becomes trapped within layers of lava rubble that build…
It isn’t just people — when given the chance rats may also use cannabis to cope with stress, according to a study by researchers at Washington State University. Published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, the study set out to investigate which animals would actively seek out cannabis and why. The researchers…
As Americans prepare for the holiday season, new research serves as a reminder to think carefully about the long-term health impact of raising a celebratory glass. Alcohol is already recognized as a cause of several cancers, even when consumed at moderate levels. Despite this, drinking remains common, and many uncertainties…
