Reporting world updates to you
Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have created a compact device that can actively control the “handedness” of light as it passes through it, also known as optical chirality. This is achieved by slightly rotating two specially engineered photonic crystal layers. The…
Scientists at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, working with collaborators from Huzhou University, have uncovered a surprising feature in one of the most widely used tools in quantum optics. They found that standard methods for producing entangled photons can contain previously unseen topological structures. In their experiments,…
A newly identified crocodylomorph from about 215 million years ago has been discovered in Gloucester, UK, revealing a fast-moving, land-dwelling predator: The animal resembled a reptilian greyhound, with a slender build adapted for speed It has been named Galahadosuchus jonesi in honor of schoolteacher David Rhys Jones Fast Land-Dwelling Crocodile…
Earth’s history is recorded in its tectonic plates. Over billions of years, their movement has shaped continents, opened oceans, and created the climates and environments that allowed life to emerge and evolve. Yet one fundamental question has remained unresolved. When did these plates actually begin to move? Did Earth’s outer…
In a remarkable stroke of luck, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope observed a comet in the middle of breaking apart. The odds of witnessing such an event at exactly the right moment are extremely low. The findings were published in the journal Icarus. The comet K1, formally known as C/2025 K1…
Cancer affects millions of people worldwide each year, and treating it remains difficult because of how complex the disease can be. New findings published March 17th in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Tianyu Jiang of Shandong University in Qingdao, China, and colleagues highlight a possible new strategy. The researchers…
New research published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society suggests that exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) during early life could influence how children’s bones develop during adolescence. PFAS are man-made chemicals commonly found in water, food, and a wide range of everyday products. Often referred to as…
As men grow older, some of their cells gradually lose the Y chromosome. For a long time, scientists assumed this change would have little impact. The Y chromosome contains relatively few genes beyond those involved in male development, so its absence was not expected to affect overall health. That view…
A major paper published in The Lancet reports that medicinal cannabis does not effectively treat anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The analysis is the largest to date examining both the safety and effectiveness of cannabinoids across a wide range of mental health conditions. These findings arrive at a…
People living with heart disease who received a shingles vaccine experienced nearly half the rate of serious heart-related events within a year compared with those who were not vaccinated. These findings come from research being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26). The study reviewed data…
Researchers from Mass General Brigham and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute report that a single dose of an oncolytic virus, a genetically engineered virus designed to infect and kill cancer cells, can draw immune cells deep into brain tumors and keep them active there. Their findings, published in Cell, explain how this…
When people try to focus on a faint sound, many instinctively shut their eyes. The common belief is that removing visual distractions allows the brain to concentrate more fully on hearing, boosting sensitivity. However, this approach does not always work, especially in environments filled with background noise. A study published…
Deep within Greenland’s vast ice sheet, scientists have uncovered an unusual chemical signal that has sparked years of debate. At the center of the mystery is a sharp rise in platinum levels found in an ice core (a cylinder of ice drilled out of ice sheets and glaciers) dating back…
The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) is one of the Milky Way’s closest galactic neighbors, a compact, gas-rich galaxy that can be seen with the naked eye from the southern hemisphere. It orbits our galaxy along with its larger companion, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), and all three have been interacting…
Every chemical reaction must overcome an energy hurdle before it can occur. Substances need an initial input of energy to start reacting. Sometimes this barrier is small, like lighting a match. In many industrial processes, however, the required energy is much higher, which increases costs. To make reactions easier and…
Scientists at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Bloomberg~Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy have identified a surprising link between oral health and breast cancer. Their research shows that a bacterium commonly associated with gum disease may help initiate breast cancer, accelerate tumor growth, and promote its spread by…
As injectable GLP-1 medications become more widely used, many people wonder what happens when patients stop taking them outside of controlled clinical trials. A new analysis from Cleveland Clinic, involving nearly 8,000 patients, suggests that stopping drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide does not typically result in major weight regain in…
When a wolf pack brings down prey, ravens are often the first to show up. Even before wolves begin feeding, these birds gather nearby, ready to snatch any scraps that become available. Their timing has long seemed almost uncanny, leading many people to assume that ravens simply follow wolves to…
Eating large amounts of ultra-processed foods may significantly increase the risk of serious heart problems, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26). People who consumed more than nine servings per day were 67% more likely to experience major cardiac events compared with those…
New research presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI|Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2026 suggests that fat stored around the waist (central obesity or visceral fat) may raise the risk of heart failure, largely due to inflammation. The conference, held in Boston from March 17 to 20, highlights the latest findings in…
The first major update to resistance training recommendations in 17 years delivers a straightforward message. Even small amounts of resistance training can improve strength, increase muscle size, enhance power, and support overall physical function. The updated guidance, released by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) as a Position Stand,…
Scientists from The University of Manchester have played a key role in identifying a previously unknown subatomic particle at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The particle, called the Ξcc⁺ (Xi-cc-plus), is a heavy proton-like particle made up of two charm quarks and one down quark. This marks the first particle…
The malaria parasite is packed with tiny crystals that spin nonstop, a strange behavior that puzzled scientists for decades. Researchers have now discovered that these crystals are powered by the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide, a reaction similar to the one used in rocket engines. This constant spinning may help the…
A new clinical trial found that adjusting how sweet a person’s diet is does not affect how much they enjoy sweet foods. Whether people ate more or less sweet-tasting items, their preference for sweetness stayed the same. The study also found no meaningful differences in markers linked to heart disease…
For years, preventing diabetes has been closely tied to one main goal: losing weight. However, new research challenges that long-standing assumption. People diagnosed with prediabetes — a condition affecting up to one in three adults depending on age — have traditionally been advised to eat healthier and shed pounds to…
A new study has found a sharp and unusual rise in wildfires in tropical peatlands during the 20th century, marking a clear departure from long-term historical patterns. Peatlands are massive underground carbon reservoirs, storing more carbon than all of the world’s forests combined. When these areas burn, they release large…
How oviraptors, bird-like but flightless dinosaurs, hatched their eggs has long been unclear. Did they depend on heat from their surroundings like crocodiles, or did they warm their eggs directly like birds? A new study in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution explores this question by examining oviraptor nesting behavior and…
The first large-scale analysis of multiple cancer types in cats has uncovered genetic changes that may help guide new treatments for both animals and people. Researchers examined tumors from nearly 500 pet cats across five countries. The work involved scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Ontario Veterinary College in…
The first large-scale analysis of multiple cancer types in cats has uncovered genetic changes that may help guide new treatments for both animals and people. Researchers examined tumors from nearly 500 pet cats across five countries. The work involved scientists from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Ontario Veterinary College in…
In Japan, many older adults rely on bicycles for daily transportation, far more than seniors in Europe or the United States. Earlier research has shown that people who cycle tend to be more physically active and socially engaged. While cycling has long been viewed as a habit that can reduce…
