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A new analysis led by researchers at University College London suggests that Alzheimer’s disease may depend far more on one gene than previously recognized. The study estimates that more than 90% of Alzheimer’s cases might not develop without the influence of a single gene called APOE. The researchers also found…
A new study led by Washington State University researchers in Guatemala found that drinking water sources widely believed to be clean and safe often contain harmful bacteria. The research focused on Guatemala’s Western Highlands, where scientists compared what people think about their drinking water with what laboratory testing actually revealed.…
A new study led by psychologists at UNSW Sydney offers the clearest evidence so far that hearing voices in schizophrenia may arise from a breakdown in how the brain recognizes its own inner voice. The research suggests that the brain may be misidentifying internally generated thoughts as sounds coming from…
A newly published study in Nature describes the discovery of the first known Paranthropus fossil from Ethiopia’s Afar region, uncovered about 1000 km north of where this ancient hominin had previously been found. The research team was led by University of Chicago paleoanthropologist Professor Zeresenay Alemseged. The find provides important…
Scientists studying rare rocks buried deep beneath central Australia have uncovered how one of the world’s most promising new sources of niobium came to be. Niobium is a critical metal used to strengthen steel and support clean energy technologies, and its origins are tied to dramatic geological events that unfolded…
A new study from geophysicists at Washington State University sheds light on how nutrients could travel from the surface of Europa into the moon’s hidden ocean. Europa, one of Jupiter’s largest moons, is considered one of the most promising places in the solar system to search for extraterrestrial life. For…
Organic chemistry relies on long established rules that describe how atoms connect, how chemical bonds form, and how molecules take shape. These principles guide how scientists understand reactions and predict molecular behavior. While many of these rules are treated as fixed truths, researchers at UCLA are showing that chemistry has…
Humans appear to be much closer to animals like meerkats and beavers than to most other primates when it comes to exclusive mating, according to new research from the University of Cambridge. The study presents a comparative ranking that measures levels of monogamy across a range of mammal species, including…
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is among the most aggressive forms of breast cancer and is especially difficult to treat. It grows rapidly, spreads early, and lacks the hormone receptors that allow many other breast cancers to be treated with targeted drugs. While some patients initially respond to therapy, the disease…
The risk of cardiovascular disease rises steadily the longer a person lives with type 2 diabetes. A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the journal Diabetes, suggests that changes in red blood cells may help explain this growing danger. The researchers also point to a specific molecule that could…
Researchers at Sinai Health have identified a blood test that can signal the risk of Crohn’s disease years before symptoms begin. The discovery points to the possibility of diagnosing the condition earlier than ever before and may eventually help doctors intervene before lasting damage occurs. The blood test focuses on…
Among the known genetic factors tied to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD), one gene variant stands out as the strongest risk factor. That variant is APOE-ε4. Another form of the same gene, APOE-ε2, has been associated with a lower likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s and is widely believed to offer some level…
When rhinovirus, the most common cause of the common cold, enters the nasal passages, the cells lining the nose immediately begin working together to fight the infection. These cells activate a wide range of antiviral defenses designed to limit the virus and stop it from spreading. In a study published…
Bowel habits may not be a popular topic, but they offer valuable insight into how efficiently the gut moves material through the digestive system. When this process becomes disrupted, people can develop constipation, diarrhea, or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Even though these conditions are widespread, the biological processes that regulate…
The Internet of Things (IoT) is steadily turning the idea of a fully connected world into reality. Billions of physical devices, from tiny sensors to self-driving vehicles and industrial machines, now collect and exchange data online. Keeping that information secure and unchanged is critical, which is why engineers are increasingly…
NASA astronaut Suni Williams has retired after a 27-year career with the agency, with her retirement taking effect on Dec. 27, 2025. Over that time, Williams flew three missions to the International Space Station and built one of the most accomplished records in human spaceflight. “Suni Williams has been a…
Two physicists at the University of Stuttgart have demonstrated that the Carnot principle, a foundational rule of thermodynamics, does not fully apply at the atomic scale when particles are physically linked (so-called correlated objects). Their findings suggest that this long-standing limit on efficiency breaks down for tiny systems governed by…
Fungal infections claim millions of lives every year, yet treatment options have failed to keep pace with the growing danger. Scientists at McMaster University now report a discovery that could shift that balance. They have identified a molecule called butyrolactol A that targets a highly dangerous disease-causing fungus known as…
Looking after your brain is something that happens over many years, and new findings from the AdventHealth Research Institute point to an encouraging option. Researchers report that sticking with a consistent aerobic exercise routine may help the brain remain biologically younger. This effect could support clearer thinking, better memory, and…
That idea may sound like fantasy, but it sits at the heart of an emerging area of physics known as Floquet engineering. Researchers in this field study how repeating influences, such as carefully tuned light, can temporarily reshape the way electrons behave inside a material. When this happens, a familiar…
In condensed matter physics, some of the most unusual behaviors appear only when many quantum particles interact as a group. A single quantum spin on its own behaves in relatively simple ways, but when spins influence each other across a material, entirely new effects can emerge. Explaining how these collective…
A difference between two widely used blood tests for kidney health may serve as an early warning sign for serious outcomes, including kidney failure, heart disease, and death, according to new research. For many years, doctors have relied on a blood marker called creatinine to estimate how well the kidneys…
Sourdough starter is a simple blend of flour and water that bakers rely on to make bread rise. For scientists, it is also a powerful way to study how living organisms change over time. The familiar chewy texture and tangy flavor of sourdough come from a complex mix of microorganisms…
Bacteriophages, viruses that infect bacteria, have been used as medical treatments for bacterial infections for more than 100 years. Interest in these viruses is rising again as antibiotic resistance becomes a growing global health threat. Despite this renewed attention, most phage-based research has remained focused on naturally occurring viruses, largely…
Scientists at Aarhus University have overturned a long-standing assumption about how life’s essential ingredients emerge. New experiments show that the basic components needed to build proteins can form naturally in space, a finding that increases the likelihood that life could exist elsewhere in the universe. The research was carried out…
Scientists at James Cook University have uncovered a striking biological surprise. Epaulette sharks can reproduce and lay eggs without showing any measurable increase in energy use. The finding challenges long-standing assumptions about how costly reproduction is for animals. The discovery comes from new research by JCU’s shark physiology team, led…
Much like a snow avalanche that starts with a small shift before cascading downhill, new observations show that solar flares begin with subtle magnetic disturbances that rapidly intensify. Scientists using the European Space Agency (ESA) led Solar Orbiter spacecraft discovered that these early changes can quickly grow into violent eruptions,…
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) have developed a new building material that removes more carbon from the atmosphere than it produces. The advance, reported in the high-impact journal Matter, describes a material called enzymatic structural material (ESM). It is designed to be strong, long-lasting, and recyclable, while requiring far…
A new study suggests that the human brain understands spoken language through a stepwise process that closely resembles how advanced AI language models operate. By recording brain activity from people listening to a spoken story, researchers found that later stages of brain responses match deeper layers of AI systems, especially…
New research from Texas Biomedical Research Institute suggests that long-term use of very small amounts of THC may reduce inflammation and ease several harmful effects linked to HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART). THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary active compound found in cannabis. In this preclinical research, scientists used…
