Physicists have discovered a surprising new “Island of Inversion” in a place no one expected: among nuclei where the number of protons equals the number of neutrons. For decades, these strange regions—where atomic nuclei abandon their usual orderly structure and become strongly
Asteroids with tiny moons may be quietly trading material across space. Images from NASA’s DART mission revealed faint streaks on the moon Dimorphos—evidence of slow “cosmic snowballs” drifting from its parent asteroid, Didymos. The discovery provides the first direct visual
Scrolling on your phone while sitting on the toilet might be doing more harm than you think. A new study found that people who use smartphones during bathroom visits had a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids compared to those who don’t. Researchers discovered that phone users tend
A sweeping new study from Northwestern University reveals that scientific fraud is no longer just the work of a few rogue researchers—it has evolved into a global, organized enterprise. By analyzing massive datasets of publications, retractions, and editorial records,
Researchers have uncovered a surprising molecular chain reaction in the brain that may play a role in some forms of autism. The study suggests that nitric oxide, a tiny signaling molecule normally involved in fine-tuning communication between brain cells, can sometimes trigger
New research suggests seabird guano helped transform the Chincha Kingdom into one of the most prosperous societies in ancient Peru. Chemical clues in centuries-old maize show farmers fertilized their crops with guano gathered from nearby islands, dramatically boosting yields in
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way scientists discover and design new materials. In a specially invited review published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Tohoku University researchers highlight how large AI models are redefining catalyst discovery
Solid-state batteries could be safer and more energy-dense than today’s lithium-ion technology, but finding materials that allow ions to move quickly through solid electrolytes has been difficult. Researchers developed a machine learning pipeline that predicts Raman spectra and
Red dwarfs make up the vast majority of stars in the galaxy. Such ubiquity means they host the majority of rocky exoplanets we've found so far—which in turn makes them interesting for astrobiological surveys. However, there's a catch—astrobiologists aren't sure the light from
Scientists studying 1,300 golden retrievers have uncovered genetic clues explaining why some dogs are more anxious, energetic, or aggressive than others. Remarkably, several of the same genes linked to canine behavior are also tied to human traits like anxiety, depression, and
A new study from the University of Helsinki reveals how plant mitochondria draw molecular oxygen away from chloroplasts, an interaction not previously documented. The discovery sheds new light on how plants regulate oxygen inside their tissues, with implications for
The Environment Agency and the University of Stirling have published a new report on the links between phosphorus concentrations and ecology in English rivers. Phosphorus remains one of the most significant pollutants in England's rivers. In recent decades, the overall
About 15% of asteroids near Earth have small moons orbiting them, making binary asteroid systems common in our cosmic neighborhood.
Life's capacity to survive in simulated lunar and Martian soils has been explored in two papers published in Scientific Reports. Treating simulated lunar soil with both symbiotic fungi and worm-produced compost can significantly improve the likelihood of reproduction for
Leafy vegetables like lettuce are readily available in grocery stores and often seen as a healthy food choice. As researchers work to understand how emerging contaminants behave in plants, new research is shedding light on how lettuce responds to combined environmental stressors.
Superconductivity is a quantum state of matter characterized by an electrical resistance of zero and the expulsion of magnetic fields at low temperatures below a critical point. Superconductors, materials in which this state occurs, have proved to be highly advantageous for the
Ever since physicist Freeman Dyson first proposed the concept in 1960, the "Dyson sphere" has been the holy grail of techno-signature hunters. A highly advanced civilization could build a "sphere" (or, in our more modern understanding, a "swarm" of smaller components) around
Honeybees collecting nectar from a "buffet" of Australian native plants made honey with anti-microbial abilities that is more potent than "single origin" honey made from only one source of plant or flower, a University of Sydney-led study has found. The findings could help
A research team from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has developed an innovative model to accurately assess the carbon sequestration capacity of global salt marshes, addressing a long-standing gap in blue carbon accounting.
Italian astronomers have performed extensive spectroscopic monitoring of a recently discovered nova known as Vulpeculae 2024, also known as V615 Vul. Results of the new observations, presented in a paper published in the Astronomy & Astrophysics journal, shed more light on the
What we learned this week: Left-handed people may have a psychological edge in competition. Humanoid robots can now do creepy parkour through the uncanny valley. And if you've ever cared for an elderly cat, a new study highlights a biological quirk that could explain why
Advances in organ and computer models are raising the prospect that some animal experiments could be eliminated. But there are still huge hurdles to overcome
Every time we feel a gentle tap on the skin, specialized nerve cells convert that physical force into an electrical signal the brain can interpret as touch. While scientists have long known that a protein called PIEZO2 acts as a key sensor for touch, it remained unclear why
Millions of birds invisibly migrate through the night sky each autumn, most flying in near silence toward their wintering grounds. Now, scientists have developed a way to see and identify many of those birds for the first time.
Four years ago, NASA purposely smashed a spacecraft into a small asteroid to see if they could deflect it—a test to prove humanity could protect Earth from threatening space rocks.
Choosing a Tinder profile picture may feel like a free, personal and creative act. But how true is that? A new study from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) shows that, far from being unique, most users follow one of a small number of visual strategies. The research, led
You might have a love-hate relationship with daylight saving time, but research shows that urban wildlife may stand to benefit
Mainstream chatbots presented varying levels of resistance to deliberate requests for fabrication, study finds
Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a rare mutation in the MET gene that can directly cause metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease. The mutation disrupts the liver’s ability to process fat, leading to inflammation, scarring, and potentially cirrhosis. The
Researchers in Sweden have engineered a cell-free cartilage scaffold that can guide the body to rebuild damaged bone. By removing the cells but preserving the structure and natural growth signals, the material acts as a blueprint for the body’s own repair process. In animal
A newly identified protein may hold the key to preventing diabetic blindness. Researchers discovered that LRG1 triggers the earliest damage in diabetic retinopathy by constricting tiny retinal blood vessels and reducing oxygen supply. In mice, shutting down this protein stopped
A mysterious form of plague that spread across Eurasia thousands of years before the Black Death has finally revealed a crucial clue. Scientists analyzing ancient DNA discovered the bacterium Yersinia pestis in a 4,000-year-old domesticated sheep from a Bronze Age settlement in