Reporting world updates to you
Around 445 million years ago, Earth underwent a dramatic transformation that reshaped the future of life. In a remarkably short geological period, massive glaciers spread across the southern supercontinent Gondwana. As ice locked up water, vast shallow seas dried out, triggering an “icehouse climate” and radically altering ocean chemistry. The…
Astronomers at the University of California, Irvine have identified what appears to be the largest stream of super-heated gas ever observed in the universe, flowing out of a nearby galaxy known as VV 340a. The findings were reported in the journal Science. Using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope,…
Scientists studying the Great Salt Lake have identified at least one species of nematode that is completely new to science, with evidence suggesting there may be a second. Researchers from the University of Utah recently published a paper describing the tiny roundworm and formally naming it in a way that…
A large international study has found that taking a daily fish oil supplement can sharply lower the risk of serious heart-related complications in people undergoing dialysis for kidney failure. The research was co-led in Australia by Monash Health and the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash University. The study, known…
Imaging tools have dramatically reshaped how scientists study the world, from charting faraway galaxies with radio telescope networks to revealing intricate structures inside living cells. Even with decades of progress, one major obstacle has remained. At optical wavelengths, it has been extremely difficult to capture images that are both highly…
Scientists studying tiny feldspar crystals inside Australia’s oldest volcanic rocks have uncovered new clues about the early history of Earth’s interior, the formation of continents, and the origins of the Moon. These minerals act like time capsules, preserving chemical signals from billions of years ago. The research was led by…
The human gut replaces its cells faster than any other tissue in the body. Every few days, fresh cells are produced by specialized stem cells that keep the intestinal lining healthy. Over time, however, these stem cells begin to accumulate epigenetic changes. These are chemical tags attached to DNA that…
Getting a full night of sleep may play a larger role in longevity than many people realize. New research from Oregon Health & Science University indicates that regularly getting too little sleep is linked to a shorter lifespan. The findings were recently published in the journal SLEEP Advances. Nationwide Data…
Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia worldwide and remains one of the most serious challenges facing public health systems. New findings published in the journal Aging-US suggest that substances circulating in the blood may influence how quickly the disease advances. In experiments with mice, researchers found that blood…
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is both the most common and the deadliest type of pancreatic cancer. Most treatment strategies focus on blocking a frequently mutated cancer gene known as KRAS. While this approach can work in some cases, many PDAC tumors eventually evade these therapies. Researchers believe that combining treatments…
Astronomers analyzing fresh observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and several ground-based observatories have uncovered clear signs that a recently identified companion star is shaping the environment around Betelgeuse. The study, led by researchers at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA), shows that the companion star, called…
Astronomers working with the Hubble Space Telescope have identified an entirely new type of cosmic object. It is a cloud rich in gas and dominated by dark matter, yet it contains no stars. Scientists consider it a relic left behind from the earliest stages of galaxy formation. The object, known…
When bacteria in the mouth break down sugars from food, they release acids that gradually erode tooth enamel and cause cavities. These bacteria do not live alone. They form dense, plaque-like structures known as “dental biofilms” that cling to the surface of teeth. Within these biofilms, acid production can accelerate…
Age-related macular degeneration is the most common cause of vision loss and blindness among Americans age 65 and older. The disease worsens over time and primarily damages central vision, making it difficult to see faces, read text or focus on objects directly ahead. As the condition progresses, people may experience…
A large scale genetic analysis of more than 900,000 people has revealed that specific regions of DNA become increasingly unstable over time. These regions are made up of very short sequences that repeat again and again, and the study shows that they tend to grow longer as people age. Researchers…
People who consume higher amounts of food preservatives may face a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a large new study. Preservatives are commonly added to processed foods and beverages to extend shelf life. The research was conducted by scientists from Inserm, INRAE, Sorbonne Paris Nord University,…
Scientists at the University of Southampton have developed a new strategy designed to strengthen how the immune system responds to cancer. The approach aims to help immune cells recognize and attack tumors more effectively. The findings were reported in the journal Nature Communications. In the study, researchers tested specially engineered…
Batteries play a critical role in everyday life, from powering smartphones to enabling electric vehicles. Despite their importance, today’s batteries still come with major drawbacks, including high costs and the risk of fires or explosions. All-solid-state batteries have long been viewed as a safer alternative, but progress has been slowed…
A restless night often leads to fatigue the next day, but it may also signal health problems that emerge much later. Scientists at Stanford Medicine and their collaborators have developed an artificial intelligence system that can examine body signals from a single night of sleep and estimate a person’s risk…
A recent study published in Rheumatology Advances in Practice by Oxford University Press suggests that many TikTok videos discussing gout contain misleading, inconsistent, or incorrect information. Gout is a painful form of inflammatory arthritis caused by excess urate in the blood. When urate levels rise too high, crystals can form…
Last year, researchers led by UCLA achieved a milestone that physicists had pursued for half a century. They succeeded in making radioactive thorium nuclei absorb and release photons in a controlled way, similar to how electrons behave inside atoms. The idea was first proposed by the team in 2008, and…
Scientists have created the most detailed maps yet of how human DNA folds, loops, and shifts inside living cells — revealing a hidden layer of genetic control. Offers a sweeping new look at how genes interact, fold, and shift position as cells grow, function, and divide May speed the discovery…
Long COVID is defined as symptoms that last at least two months after an initial SARS-CoV-2 infection, with no other clear medical explanation. An estimated 65 million people worldwide are now affected, yet there are still no approved, evidence-based treatments. Researchers are working to better understand what drives the condition…
Scientists have, for the first time, used NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarization Explorer) to investigate a white dwarf star. The mission’s ability to measure the polarization of X-rays allowed astronomers to closely examine EX Hydrae, a type of system known as an intermediate polar. These observations provided new insight into…
Scientists have learned a great deal about the universe, yet that knowledge represents only a small fraction of the full picture. Roughly 95% of the cosmos is made up of dark matter and dark energy, leaving just 5% as the familiar matter we can see around us. Dr. Rupak Mahapatra,…
A Viewpoint published on January 6 in Genomic Psychiatry by Dr. Mayana Zatz and colleagues at the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center at the University of São Paulo explores why Brazil may be one of the most important yet overlooked settings for studying extreme human longevity. The authors…
In 1887, a landmark experiment reshaped our understanding of the universe. American physicists Albert Michelson and Edward Morley attempted to detect Earth’s motion through space by comparing how fast light traveled along different directions. Their experiment found no difference at all. This unexpected null result became one of the most…
In everyday experience, applying repeated force almost always leads to heating. Rubbing your hands together warms your skin. Striking metal with a hammer makes it hot to the touch. Even without formal physics training, people quickly learn a basic rule: when you keep driving a system by stirring it, pressing…
As people return to gyms or start new fitness routines in the new year, new research suggests that even a short burst of intense exercise could play a role in protecting against cancer. Scientists report that as little as 10 minutes of hard physical activity may help slow cancer growth.…
Regular physical activity may ease symptoms of depression about as effectively as psychological therapy, according to an updated Cochrane review. When researchers compared exercise with antidepressant medication, they found similar benefits, although the certainty of that evidence was lower. Depression remains a major global health challenge, affecting more than 280…
