Many scientific discoveries are serendipitous—the result of chance. Seeing evolution in action in a cheese cave turned out to be exactly that for Benjamin Wolfe, associate professor of biology, and his colleagues.
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have created a miniaturized microscope for real-time, high-resolution, noninvasive imaging of brain activity in mice. The device is a significant step toward revolutionizing how neuroscientists study the brain.
The United States moved on Friday to dismantle a "burdensome" federal program that tracks greenhouse gas emissions across the US economy, the latest step by President Donald Trump's administration to undercut efforts against climate change.
Children across Italy are returning to classrooms after a traditional three months off school—the longest summer holiday in Europe.
On a meadow in southeastern Austria near the border with Slovenia, Josef Hadler is working his tractor to mow several acres of land in a bid to better preserve the plot's biodiversity.
Johns Hopkins scientists, working with global partners, have unveiled a new way to build microchips so small they’re invisible to the eye. By developing special metal-organic materials that interact with powerful beams of light, they’ve cracked a major hurdle in creating
Quantum materials, defined by their photon-like electrons, are opening new frontiers in material science. Researchers have synthesized organic compounds that display a universal magnetic behavior tied to a distinctive feature in their band structures called linear band
Physicists have achieved a breakthrough by using a 58-qubit quantum computer to create and observe a long-theorized but never-before-seen quantum phase of matter: a Floquet topologically ordered state. By harnessing rhythmic driving in these quantum systems, the team imaged
For centuries, scientists have puzzled over globular clusters, the dense star systems that orbit galaxies without dark matter. Using ultra-detailed simulations, researchers recreated their origins and unexpectedly revealed a new class of cosmic object that bridges star clusters
Mars’ Jezero Crater holds signs of ancient water and strange mineral reactions, some linked with organic compounds. With Perseverance’s samples and AI-refined mineral maps, scientists are closing in on whether Mars once had the chemistry needed for life.
Scientists discovered that a gut bacteria molecule called corisin can travel to the kidneys, triggering inflammation and scarring that lead to diabetic kidney fibrosis. By attaching to albumin in the blood, corisin infiltrates kidney tissue and accelerates damage. In animal
Researchers identified microRNA-93 as a genetic driver of fatty liver disease and showed that vitamin B3 can effectively suppress it. This breakthrough suggests niacin could be repurposed as a powerful new treatment for millions worldwide.
Scientists have finally unlocked a way to identify the elusive W state of quantum entanglement, solving a decades-old problem and opening paths to quantum teleportation and advanced quantum technologies.
An ancient DNA analysis of the remains of several mastodons, including those which roamed along the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America, has revealed the Ice Age giants migrated vast distances in response to shifting climates and were far more genetically diverse than
The concept of quantum entanglement is emblematic of the gap between classical and quantum physics. Referring to a situation in which it is impossible to describe the physics of each photon separately, this key characteristic of quantum mechanics defies the classical
The story of the princess and the pea evokes an image of a highly sensitive young royal woman so refined, she can sense a pea under a stack of mattresses. When it comes to human biology, it also takes an abnormal individual to sense far beyond its surroundings, in this case, a
A 1.3-kilometre swim by a jaguar is the longest ever confirmed, but the cat's motives for making the journey are unclear
The world of quantum physics is already mysterious, but what happens when that strange realm of subatomic particles is put under immense pressure? Observing quantum effects under pressure has proven difficult for a simple reason: Designing sensors that can withstand extreme
A child in Los Angeles County has died from a rare but always fatal brain disorder that develops years after a measles infection. Experts underscore the need for vaccination to protect the most vulnerable
A novel strategy developed at Rice University allows scientists to zoom in on tiny segments of proteins inside living cells, revealing localized environmental changes that could indicate the earliest stages of diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and cancer. The study,
If you've ever accidentally sliced yourself on broken glass or a piece of paper, you may have noticed that the bleeding can be hard to stop. Scientists have long wondered how the cascade of events that leads to blood clotting is triggered, especially since the process has life
Navigating the extreme cold of deep space or handling super-chilled liquid fuels here on Earth requires materials that won't break. Most metals become brittle and fracture at such low temperatures. However, new research is pioneering an approach to build metal structures atom
A massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami off Russia in late July tested an experimental detection system that had deployed a critical component just the day before.
As summer comes to an end, and if you enjoyed Lake Michigan this summer, you might have noticed lower water levels. While you may wonder about lower water levels, the higher water levels in the past decade continue to have a major impact.
Ditches are all around: along roads, through neighborhoods, across fields and marshes. These human-made waterways are so common that they can be easy to miss. A new literature review published in Communications Earth & Environment calls on the public to pay more attention to
Neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease are characterized by the progressive loss of neurons. The resulting debilitating symptoms, such as loss of memory and cognition, and motor impairment, can significantly degrade patients' quality
Underwater cameras around the Isles of Scilly have given scientists a glimpse of how sea life can thrive in well-protected U.K. waters.
Deforestation is a well-known issue affecting biodiversity and carbon storage, but the fragmentation of forests is also a driving factor in the reduction of the world's biodiversity and carbon-storing abilities.
Childhood obesity rates have surpassed those of undernutrition for the first time, suggesting efforts to combat malnutrition will have to shift gears.
Electrons in a magnetic field can display striking behaviors, from the formation of discrete energy levels to the quantum Hall effect. These discoveries have shaped our understanding of quantum materials and topological phases of matter. Light, however, is made of neutral
Are nerds the caring ones? High school stereotypes suggest that athletes score more popularity points than marching band members, debaters or leaders in the student council, but research from Rutgers finds that so-called "geeky" activities may do more to cultivate compassion in
Coccolithophores are a type of single-celled microalgae that fix CO2 into organic matter and precipitate calcium carbonate, profoundly shaping ocean optics, carbon export, and long-term carbon storage. They are major contributors to ocean photosynthesis, especially in temperate
What happens when you hurl molecules faster than sound through a vacuum chamber nearly as cold as space itself? At the University of Missouri, researchers are finding out—and discovering new ways to detect molecules under extreme conditions.
The closest technological species to us in the Milky Way galaxy could be 33,000 light years away and their civilization would have to be at least 280,000 years, and possibly millions of years, old if they are to exist at the same time that we do, according to new research
Sand made from recycled glass can be mixed with sediment to make a medium for plants to grow in. That can help with coastal restoration projects.
Biologists have long known that amino acids can help stabilize proteins, for example as additives to pharmaceutical formulations. In trying to understand why this works, EPFL and MIT researchers have discovered a fundamental stabilizing effect of all small molecules, creating
On July 28, 170 researchers sent a letter to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Congress after NSF's 2026 budget request included plans to end its lease of a U.S. research vessel in the Southern Ocean near Antarctica.
Women with disabilities who are exposed to intimate partner violence are doubly affected—both by abuse and by the inadequacy of society's support system. This is shown in a new thesis at Umeå University with recommendations for structural changes.
Since the widespread release of ChatGPT in December of 2022, AI has taken over much of the world by storm—including academia. Most of this happened with very little pushback from politicians, policymakers and university boards, despite a myriad of issues related to AI
Comet 3I/ATLAS is the third ISO ever detected. It was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) station on 1 July 2025. It's traveling through the inner solar system at about 220,000 km/h and will make its closest approach to the sun in late October.
EU researchers are working across countries and sectors to boost organic farming, support farmers and shape policy to help meet the target of 25% organic farmland in Europe and a significant increase in organic aquaculture by 2030.
Researchers could use quantum effects to develop new types of medical imaging inside cells themselves.
A new study, published in Nature Climate Change, offers a comprehensive picture of public attitudes toward climate policies, such as carbon taxes, in seven large countries in the Global South: Chile, Colombia, India, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Vietnam.
In the late 1980s, scientists realized they could understand the interior properties of the sun by observing the sound waves that resonate inside it. This technique, called helioseismology, revealed a mysteriously thin dynamical layer in the interior of the sun that became
A recent column on hydrogen water brought a well-deserved slap on the wrist from two experts.
The James Webb Space Telescope has found a lonely black hole in the early universe that’s as heavy as 50 million suns. A major discovery, the object confounds theories of the young cosmos. The post A Single, ‘Naked’ Black Hole Rewrites the History of the Universe first appeared
Many people are familiar with lactate primarily from sports, where it is produced in muscle cells during physical exertion. However, the molecule could also play an important role in other cell types.
Climate change is driving more frequent and more intense wildfires around the world, including in the United States. These huge blazes cause a range of problems that affect health, the environment, property and the economy. However, a new study reveals a surprising paradox: the
For centuries, people believed ice was slippery because pressure and friction melted a thin film of water. But new research from Saarland University reveals that this long-standing explanation is wrong. Instead, the slipperiness comes from the subtle interaction of molecular
A new specimen holder gives scientists more control over ultra-cold temperatures, enabling the study of how materials acquire properties useful in quantum computers.
