Reporting world updates to you
The newly established beetle genus Luffy was not given its name simply as a playful reference. Researchers selected it because the insects have distinctive physical features that closely resemble the unusual abilities of Luffy, the main character in One Piece. Compared with related beetles, members of this genus have exceptionally…
Taiwan, once widely known as Formosa, conceals a remarkable natural world within its steep and rugged interior. It is one of the few places on Earth capable of supporting truly giant trees, including specimens that rise more than 80 meters above the forest floor. Since 2014, our group, the ‘Taiwan…
Arginine is an amino acid that supports many essential functions throughout the body. It helps cells build proteins that carry out a wide range of biological processes. The body produces arginine naturally, and people also obtain it from many protein-rich foods. Abnormally low arginine levels have been linked to several…
The Arctic’s frozen ground contains enormous stores of organic carbon. As permafrost thaws and coastlines erode, some of that carbon is carried into the ocean. There, microorganisms can break it down and release greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Until now, scientists have had limited information about how much…
Water buried beneath the moon may be detectable by listening to how vibrations move through the lunar ground. Researchers from the University of Maryland, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of Hawaii have found that seismic waves, the same type of vibrations scientists measure during earthquakes, could help locate…
When atomic nuclei crash into one another at nearly the speed of light, they briefly produce quark-gluon plasma, an extraordinarily hot state of matter in which quarks and gluons can move freely. This exotic material behaves like an almost perfect fluid and offers scientists a way to study conditions similar…
Aging is the strongest known risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, yet researchers still do not fully understand which molecular changes associated with getting older cause these conditions to develop. Scientists have now identified a protein pathway that may help connect aging with the harmful protein buildup seen in disorders such…
Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia and currently affects more than seven million people in the United States. Some available treatments can slow the disease, but most primarily address symptoms, and none can cure it. “Alzheimer’s is a condition that remains recalcitrant to the scientific community’s attempts at…
Two plants capable of causing nerve damage and paralysis at extremely low doses may also contain compounds with valuable uses against pain, malaria, cancer, and agricultural pests. Researchers have now identified a way to reproduce part of this potent chemistry in a laboratory setting, creating a possible path toward more…
Researchers have developed a way to make twisted oxide materials over much larger areas while maintaining precise control over how their layers are rotated. The advance could help move twistronics closer to practical electronic devices by giving scientists greater control over both the scale and internal structure of these materials.…
The Sun continuously sends a fast stream of charged particles through space, a phenomenon known as the solar wind. Earth is largely protected from this flow by its global magnetic field, but Mars has no comparable shield. This leaves the planet’s upper atmosphere exposed, allowing the solar wind to knock…
Artificial intelligence has helped scientists produce the first comprehensive global assessment of floating algae, revealing that blooms are spreading across much of the world’s ocean. Researchers say the expansion is likely being influenced by changes in ocean temperatures, currents, and nutrient levels. The shift could bring major consequences for marine…
Coastal communities around the world face a growing flood threat from two directions. Ocean levels are increasing, while in many densely populated regions, the ground itself is also sinking. Researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Tulane University found that this downward movement of land is greatly increasing…
Dark matter is usually described as an invisible substance that responds only to gravity. But scientists are now exploring a more complex possibility: dark matter particles may also interact through a hidden force of their own. A new study in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (JCAP) examined what…
A protein traditionally associated with protecting chromosome ends also plays an unexpected role in helping muscle stem cells remain functional and rebuild injured tissue, according to researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The discovery could guide future research into muscular dystrophy treatments while also…
Mathematicians have concluded that a perfectly fair election system is impossible in a specific mathematical sense. No voting method can always ensure that local victories produce local seats, national seat totals accurately reflect overall vote shares, and the size of parliament remains fixed. Researchers from the University of Cambridge and…
Researchers at the School of Public Health at the LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), have found that completing brisk interval walking once per week can reduce body fat and improve cardiorespiratory fitness in adults with central obesity. The benefits were comparable to those seen in…
Protein-enriched products now fill grocery store shelves, appearing in everything from cereal and coffee to water. Yet a new review of more than 350 studies on protein restriction and aging suggests that many people may gain more from eating less protein, and that lower intake could sometimes contribute to a…
Cancer may be damaging its own genetic material by forcing critical genes to operate at extreme levels. New research suggests that powerful DNA control regions known as super-enhancers drive unusually intense activity in genes that support tumor growth. This relentless activity places strain on the DNA and can lead to…
Scientists have conclusively identified a source in the Milky Way that can accelerate protons to some of the highest energies known in our galaxy. The discovery could help researchers better understand cosmic rays, the extremely fast particles that travel through the space between stars and affect events throughout the galaxy.…
NASA’s Curiosity rover has encountered an extraordinary landscape while climbing through a Martian valley nicknamed “Valle Grande.” Images sent back by the rover show the ground covered with honeycomb-like patterns known as polygonal fractures, each measuring about 1.5 to 3 inches (4 to 8 centimeters) across. Curiosity has seen small…
An international research team has found that primordial black holes may trigger white dwarf stars to explode as Type Ia supernovae. These unusual explosions could also help explain a chemical abundance pattern observed among stars in the Milky Way, according to a recent study published in The Astrophysical Journal. Primordial…
Global warming has sped up since around 2015, according to a new analysis from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK). After removing the effects of natural temperature swings, researchers found the first statistically significant evidence that the planet’s long-term warming rate is accelerating. Over the past decade, global…
For much of evolutionary history, many animals reproduced and then left their offspring to survive alone. A study published in Nature now offers a possible explanation for how caregiving emerged from those distant, nonparental beginnings. By studying clonal raider ants, researchers found that evolution may not have created entirely new…
Tiny aerosol particles may be able to strengthen tropical convective clouds, but scientists have debated the idea for decades. Aerosols influence the formation and growth of cloud droplets, which can affect condensation and the release of latent heat. One proposed process, called condensational aerosol convective invigoration, depends on clouds developing…
Eating one avocado each day may modestly reduce heart disease risk in adults with obesity, according to new research led by scientists in the Penn State Department of Nutritional Sciences. The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology. The researchers found that daily avocado consumption was linked to…
Millions of people take statins to lower cholesterol and reduce their chances of having a heart attack or stroke. For some patients, however, the medications can cause muscle pain, weakness, and difficulty exercising, making it harder to stay on treatment. Researchers at McMaster University have now identified a biological pathway…
Sodium ion batteries could offer a more sustainable way to store large amounts of energy, and new research suggests they may eventually serve another valuable purpose: helping remove salt from seawater. Scientists at the University of Surrey have found that a sodium-based battery material performs much better when its natural…
Scientists have identified a heat-driven process inside magma that could help explain why volcanoes with similar characteristics sometimes erupt in very different ways. An international research team led by The University of Manchester analyzed magma from the 2021 Tajogaite eruption on La Palma, Spain. The scientists found that “superheating,” which…
Long-term tracking of chronic blood cancers has revealed major genetic differences between patients whose conditions remain stable and those whose diseases eventually become more severe. The findings suggest that DNA changes may help doctors improve diagnoses, monitor patients more accurately, assess how treatments are working, and identify signs of progression…
