Reporting world updates to you
Foams appear in everyday life as soap suds, shaving cream, whipped toppings and food emulsions like mayonnaise. For many years, scientists believed foams behaved much like glass, with their tiny components locked into disordered but essentially fixed positions. New research now challenges that long-standing view. Engineers at the University of…
Using cutting-edge DNA sequencing and an advanced stem cell research model, an international group of scientists has identified a previously unknown form of diabetes that affects babies. The discovery sheds new light on how insulin-producing cells can fail early in life. The research was led by the University of Exeter…
Many people who are prescribed statins to lower cholesterol end up stopping the medication because of muscle pain, weakness, or ongoing fatigue. These symptoms are among the most common reasons patients abandon the drugs. New research from Columbia University suggests a possible explanation for why this happens in some individuals.…
Luo Han Guo (Siraitia grosvenorii), more commonly known as monk fruit, is a long living vine that belongs to the gourd family, the same plant group as cucumbers and squash. It is native to southern China, where it has been used for centuries in traditional foods and remedies. In recent…
An unprecedented international research effort combining brain imaging and memory testing from thousands of adults is offering a clearer picture of how age-related brain changes affect memory. By bringing together data from multiple long-running studies, scientists were able to examine how memory performance shifts alongside structural changes in the brain…
Clouds, smoke, and fog can block sunlight in the sky, but beneath the ocean surface, very different forces can plunge the seafloor into darkness. Sediment runoff, algae blooms, and organic debris can sharply reduce underwater light, sometimes transforming bright coastal waters into near night. To better understand these events, an…
Wildfires on Alaska’s North Slope were more intense during the past century than at any point in the last 3,000 years, according to new research published in the journal Biogeosciences. The research took place in Arctic Alaska and involved an international group of scientists from Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom,…
A large international research effort has found that Earth’s oceans absorbed more heat in 2025 than in any year since modern measurements began. The analysis, published on January 9 in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, shows that ocean heat storage continues to climb to new extremes. In 2025 alone, the ocean…
A study from Karolinska Institutet, published in Nature Communications, explains how rhythmic brain activity known as alpha oscillations helps the brain separate the body from the outside world. The research provides new insight into how the brain combines information from different senses to maintain a stable feeling of bodily self.…
Scientists have identified specific gut bacteria and biological pathways that cause alcohol to be produced inside the body in people with auto-brewery syndrome (ABS). This rare and frequently misunderstood condition causes individuals to experience intoxication even though they have not consumed alcohol. The research was conducted by a team at…
Even after years of medical guidelines advising caution, brain-altering medications linked to falls, confusion, and hospitalizations are still widely prescribed to people with dementia. New research published on January 12 in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA reports that about one in four Medicare beneficiaries with dementia receive these drugs. Across the…
A virus that harms cotton crops across the southern United States has been present in American fields for nearly two decades without being recognized. New research shows that cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV), once thought to be a recent arrival, was already infecting cotton plants in multiple growing regions as…
Natural sunscreens protect the skin from damaging radiation while reducing the risk of allergic reactions. In a recent study, researchers identified a previously unknown compound called β-glucose-bound hydroxy mycosporine-sarcosine. This substance is produced by heat-loving cyanobacteria when they are exposed to UV-A, UV-B, and salty conditions. Unlike other known mycosporine-like…
A new artificial intelligence system that examines the shape and structure of blood cells could significantly improve how diseases such as leukemia are diagnosed. Researchers say the tool can identify abnormal cells with greater accuracy and consistency than human specialists, potentially reducing missed or uncertain diagnoses. The system, known as…
Successful childbirth depends on the uterus producing steady, well-organized contractions that move the baby safely through delivery. Hormones such as progesterone and oxytocin play a major role in controlling this process. For years, however, researchers have also suspected that physical forces involved in pregnancy and birth, including stretching and pressure,…
The Sun completes one full rotation about every 28 days. Because of this slow spin, observers on Earth can only see any given active region on the Sun’s surface for about two weeks. Once that region rotates away from our line of sight, it disappears from view for another two…
When water is exposed to temperatures of several thousand degrees Celsius and pressures reaching millions of atmospheres, it undergoes a dramatic transformation. Under these extreme conditions, water enters a rare state known as superionic water.* In this form, the oxygen atoms lock into a rigid solid framework, while hydrogen ions…
Honey bees are known for their ability to carefully control the temperature inside their hives, but new research shows that extreme summer heat can overwhelm this natural cooling system. A study published in Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology found that prolonged heat waves can disrupt hive temperature control and lead to…
Droughts and floods can disrupt daily life, damage ecosystems, and strain local and global economies. Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin set out to better understand these water extremes by studying how they develop and spread across the planet. Their work points to a powerful climate force that…
For more than a century, scientists and food companies have been looking for ways to replicate the taste of sugar without its health drawbacks. From early sweeteners like saccharin in the 19th century to modern alternatives such as stevia and monk fruit, the goal has remained the same. The challenge…
MIT engineers have developed a new type of pill designed to confirm when a patient has actually swallowed their medication. The technology could help address a widespread problem in health care: people missing doses or stopping treatment early. The system can be built directly into existing pill capsules and uses…
Over the past 20 years, scientists have increasingly identified microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) as a growing form of environmental pollution. These tiny plastic particles have been detected throughout all major parts of the Earth system, including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. Their widespread distribution has made plastics a…
Antibiotics are often judged by how well they slow or stop bacterial growth in laboratory tests. What is even more important, though, is whether those drugs actually kill bacteria inside the human body. Researchers at the University of Basel have now introduced a new way to measure how effectively antibiotics…
Restaurants and dinner hosts could make meals more enjoyable and cut down on social discomfort by ensuring everyone at the table is served at the same time, according to new research. Most people recognize the familiar situation at a restaurant or dinner party when one plate arrives early and the…
Using a specially designed analysis tool, scientists at Brown University have identified a brain-based biomarker that may help predict whether mild cognitive impairment will progress into Alzheimer’s disease. The approach focuses on measuring electrical activity produced by neurons, offering a new way to spot early signs of the disease directly…
The next time you take a breath, it is worth remembering that much of that oxygen can be traced back to microscopic ocean algae. Their ability to produce oxygen through photosynthesis is supported by iron dust that settles into the sea. A new study from Rutgers University, published in the…
Scientists at Florida State University have developed a new type of crystalline material that displays rare and intricate magnetic behavior. The discovery could open new paths toward advanced data storage technologies and future quantum devices. The findings, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, show that blending two…
Light from stars and the dust it illuminates may not be enough to drive the powerful winds that carry life’s essential elements across the galaxy. That is the conclusion of a new study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, based on close observations of the red giant star R…
About a decade ago, scientists identified a small group of people who feel no enjoyment when listening to music, even though their hearing is normal and they experience pleasure from other activities. This phenomenon is known as “specific musical anhedonia.” It occurs when the brain regions responsible for hearing fail…
Scientists at the University of Adelaide’s Davies Livestock Research Centre (DLRC) have unveiled the most comprehensive cattle genome ever assembled, a breakthrough expected to improve Wagyu breeding and enhance beef marbling. The research delivers a clearer picture of cattle genetics than any previous reference. “We have presented a near complete…
