Reporting world updates to you
On Earth, finding the exact time is effortless. Our planet relies on a sophisticated global system that combines atomic clocks, GPS satellites, and ultra-fast communication networks to keep everything in sync. That precision does not extend naturally beyond Earth. Albert Einstein showed that time does not move at the same…
A new study published in Scientific Reports describes the discovery of an unusually large hydrothermal vent field on the shallow seafloor surrounding the Greek island of Milos. The vents were found during the METEOR expedition M192, when scientists carried out detailed surveys using multiple techniques. These included underwater mapping tools…
Researchers at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center report that magnesium plays a key role in regulating vitamin D levels in the body. In a randomized clinical trial, magnesium increased vitamin D in people who were deficient, while reducing levels in those who already had high amounts. The findings suggest magnesium helps keep…
As people get older, the immune system often becomes less effective. Populations of T cells shrink, and the remaining cells may respond more slowly to germs. That slowdown can leave older adults more vulnerable to many kinds of infections. To address this age related decline, scientists from MIT and the…
Earth’s climate is shifting worldwide, but the fastest changes are happening near the poles. New research from Penn State offers a detailed look at how chemical reactions in the Arctic atmosphere are unfolding, revealing that several distinct processes are interacting at the same time and reshaping the region’s climate. Scientists…
Scientists have developed a protein that can record the chemical messages brain cells receive, rather than focusing only on the signals they send out. These incoming signals are created when neurons release glutamate, a neurotransmitter that plays a vital role in brain communication. Although glutamate is essential for processes like…
Acetaldehyde is an essential chemical building block that plays a major role in modern manufacturing. It is commonly produced using the ethylene-based Wacker oxidation process, a method that is expensive and carries significant environmental drawbacks. Converting bioethanol into acetaldehyde through selective oxidation offers a more sustainable alternative, but most existing…
MIT engineers have created a new aluminum alloy that can be 3D printed, tolerates extreme heat, and reaches strength levels far beyond conventional aluminum. Tests show the material is five times stronger than aluminum made using standard manufacturing techniques. The alloy is produced by combining aluminum with several other elements,…
Mars is constantly swept by winds that lift fine dust into spinning whirlwinds known as dust devils. While studying two of these storms, the microphone on the SuperCam instrument aboard NASA’s Perseverance rover unexpectedly picked up unusually strong signals. This microphone was the first ever used on Mars. Scientists later…
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory and the UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (UChicago PME) have identified the source of a long-standing battery problem linked to fading capacity, shorter lifespans, and in some cases fires. The findings clarify why certain advanced lithium ion batteries break down faster than expected and…
Researchers have uncovered ancient wolf remains on a small, isolated island in the Baltic Sea, a location the animals could not have reached without human help. The findings point to a surprising possibility that prehistoric people deliberately brought grey wolves to the island and may have kept or managed them.…
Prescription stimulant drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall are commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including among children. In the United States, an estimated 3.5 million children ages 3 to 17 take medication for ADHD. That number has risen as diagnoses of the neurodevelopmental disorder have become…
The United States may already be producing most of the critical minerals it needs, but much of that material is currently going unused. A new statistical study led by Elizabeth Holley and her research team shows that valuable minerals could be recovered as byproducts from active U.S. metal mines, sharply…
Astronomers from around the world have reached a major milestone in studying the early universe. Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), they identified a supernova, the explosive death of a massive star, at a distance never observed before. The blast, known as SN in GRB 250314A, occurred when the…
Researchers have grown pea-sized brains in the lab that are offering an unprecedented look at how neurons behave differently in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These psychiatric conditions affect millions of people worldwide, yet they remain difficult to diagnose because scientists have not fully understood their underlying molecular causes. The findings…
Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have found that large sharks can spend hours far below the ocean surface in the mesopelagic zone, a layer stretching from 200 to 1,000 meters (650 to 3,300 feet) deep. This dim region contains more living biomass than any other part of…
A University of Cincinnati physicist and an international team of collaborators say they have worked out a theoretical method for producing axions inside fusion reactors. It is a challenge that even two well known fictional physicists could not solve on television. On the CBS sitcom “The Big Bang Theory,” characters…
Obesity remains one of the most serious health challenges worldwide, and weight loss is often encouraged as a way to lower the risks tied to excess weight. But growing research suggests that the effects of weight loss may change with age. During midlife, losing weight may not always produce the…
The most wide ranging quantitative analysis of research on complementary and alternative treatments for autism has found no strong evidence that these approaches are effective. The review also found that safety was often overlooked, with many treatments never properly evaluated for possible risks. The study was led by researchers from…
In horror films, the most frightening threats are often the ones you cannot see. In the deep ocean, scientists are now facing a similar kind of unease, driven by the unexplained absence of a crucial species. That species is the zombie worm, formally known as “the bone devourer” Osedax. Its…
A research team led by scientists at the University of Ottawa has produced a new set of detailed 3D models that map temperatures deep beneath Greenland and northeastern Canada. These models shed light on how the region formed over millions of years and help explain how Greenland’s massive ice sheet…
Scientists have now clarified how deuterons form under extreme conditions. Protons and neutrons needed to create these tiny nuclei are released when extremely short-lived, high-energy particle states decay (so-called resonances). Once freed, the particles can join together to form deuterons. The same process also explains how antideuterons, made of antimatter,…
Researchers at Stanford Medicine have identified the biological steps that explain how mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines can, in rare cases, lead to heart inflammation in some adolescent and young adult males. Their work also points to a potential strategy for lowering that risk. By combining modern laboratory techniques with previously published…
Researchers at UBC Okanagan have figured out how plants make mitraphylline, a rare natural substance that has drawn attention for its potential role in fighting cancer. Mitraphylline is part of a small and unusual family of plant chemicals known as spirooxindole alkaloids. These molecules are defined by their distinctive twisted…
Neutrinos are extraordinarily difficult to detect, yet they are among the most abundant matter particles in the Universe. According to the Standard Model of particle physics, there are three known kinds. That picture changed when scientists discovered neutrino oscillations, a phenomenon showing that neutrinos have mass and can switch between…
The DNA inside our cells is under constant attack. One of the most dangerous forms of damage is a double-strand break, which happens when both strands of the DNA helix are cut at the same time. Under normal conditions, healthy cells rely on highly accurate repair systems to fix this…
Before humans can make the long trip to another world, scientists must identify a safe and practical place to land. New research led by a University of Mississippi scientist suggests one region on Mars may meet many of the requirements for future human missions. Erica Luzzi, a planetary geologist and…
An international group of astronomers has uncovered strong evidence suggesting that the material surrounding supermassive black holes has not remained the same throughout the history of the universe. The findings indicate that the structure and behavior of this matter may have shifted over billions of years. Led by researchers at…
Scientists at the University of Otago, Faculty of Medicine — Christchurch Ōtautahi, have identified a direct connection between how much vitamin C people eat and how well their skin produces collagen and renews itself. The findings show that skin health responds measurably to dietary vitamin C, not just topical treatments.…
Something unexpected is happening inside a material called platinum-bismuth-two (PtBi2). According to a new study from researchers at IFW Dresden and the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat, this shiny gray crystal may look ordinary, but the electrons inside it behave in ways scientists have never observed before. In earlier work published…
