Stanford scientists found that strontium titanate improves its performance when frozen to near absolute zero, showing extraordinary optical and mechanical behavior. Its nonlinear and piezoelectric properties make it ideal for cryogenic quantum technologies. Once overlooked,
Researchers have discovered quantum oscillations inside an insulating material, overturning long-held assumptions. Their work at the National Magnetic Field Laboratory suggests that the effect originates in the material’s bulk rather than its surface. The finding points toward
A team at the University of Stuttgart has engineered a compact short-pulse laser that achieves up to 80% efficiency—far surpassing current models. Their new multipass design reuses light within a small crystal, combining power and precision in a palm-sized system. It opens the
Scientists found that DNA’s phosphate groups can direct chemical reactions to make the correct mirror-image form of drug molecules. This breakthrough simplifies chiral drug production, reducing waste and energy use. Using a new “PS scanning” method, the team pinpointed which
Sertraline (Zoloft) may relieve emotional symptoms of depression and anxiety within two weeks, while physical side effects stabilize later. The research highlights how antidepressants can act on specific symptom networks rather than uniformly across all aspects of depression.
Children and bacteria—normally they're a parental nightmare, a cocktail of late-night pediatrician calls and ruined weekends.
New studies from Arizona State University reveal surprising ways bacteria can move without their flagella—the slender, whip-like propellers that usually drive them forward.
Global emissions need to peak this year to stay within 1.5°C of global temperature rise since pre-industrial levels. This means that starting now, countries need to emit less greenhouse gases. Emissions also need to be cut in half by 2030 to prevent the worst effects of climate
Conditions on Venus's surface have largely remained a mystery for decades. Carl Sagan famously pointed out that people were quick to jump to conclusions, such as that there are dinosaurs living there, from scant little evidence collected from the planet. But just because we
A new University of California San Diego study uncovers a hidden driver of global crop vulnerability: the origin of rainfall itself.
Earlier this year our Grantham Scholar, Eva Andriani, traveled to Indonesia to conduct some participatory research with a community of street vendors. We spoke to Eva to find out about her experience and the impact of her research.
Along with delegates from all over the world, I'll be heading to the United Nations COP30 climate summit in the Brazilian Amazon city of Belém. Like many others, I'm unsure what to expect.
A revolutionary eDNA test detects endangered hammerhead sharks using genetic traces left in seawater, eliminating the need to capture or even see them. This powerful tool could finally uncover where these elusive species still survive, and help protect them before they
New research shows that the superior colliculus, a primitive brain region, can independently interpret visual information. This challenges long-held beliefs that only the cortex handles such complex computations. The discovery highlights how ancient neural circuits guide
Researchers have identified special immune cells in the brain that help slow Alzheimer’s. These microglia work to reduce inflammation and block the spread of harmful proteins. They appear to protect memory and brain health, offering a promising new direction for therapy.
Tropical cyclones—also known as hurricanes, typhoons or storms, depending on their location and intensity—are among the world's most destructive and costly climate disasters.
Aalto University scientists have created a laser-based treatment that uses gentle heat to stop the progression of dry macular degeneration. The approach stimulates the eye’s natural cleanup and repair systems to protect against blindness.
A decade-long review by George Mason University researchers reveals growing evidence that neonicotinoid insecticides—the world’s most widely used class of pesticides—may harm male reproductive health. The findings, based on 21 animal studies, show consistent links between
A new study in Environmental Research Letters reports that cooling the planet by injecting sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere, a proposed climate intervention technique, could reduce the nutritional value of the world's crops.
This week, researchers reported finding a spider megacity in a sulfur cave on the Albania-Greece border, and experts say that you, personally, have to go live there. Economists are growing nervous about the collapse of the trillion-dollar AI bubble. And a new study links
During a severe drought and heat wave in 2023, Amazonian lakes reached their highest recorded temperatures. Water temperatures in some areas climbed to an astonishing 41 degrees Celsius (105.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and resulted in the deaths of thousands of aquatic animals,
The first image from the Vera C. Rubin telescope reveals a previously unnoticed feature of the galaxy M61 that may explain its mysterious properties
Placing materials under extremely strong magnetic fields can give rise to unusual and fascinating physical phenomena or behavior. Specifically, studies show that under magnetic fields above 100 tesla (T), spins (i.e., intrinsic magnetic orientations of electrons) and atoms
The sense of fear is palpable in parts of northern Japan, where some locals have fastened bells to their bags hoping the noise will keep bears away, while signs warn people to be on guard.
There are easier ways to cross an ocean, but few are as slick or stylish as the remora's whale-surfing joyride.
James D. Watson, whose co-discovery of the twisted-ladder structure of DNA in 1953 helped light the long fuse on a revolution in medicine, crimefighting, genealogy and ethics, has died. He was 97.
New research suggests the COVID-19 vaccine could help children with eczema stay healthier overall. Vaccinated kids had lower rates of infections and allergies, including asthma and rhinitis, compared with unvaccinated peers. Experts believe the vaccine may help prevent allergic
MIT scientists uncovered direct evidence of unconventional superconductivity in magic-angle graphene by observing a distinctive V-shaped energy gap. The discovery hints that electron pairing in this material may arise from strong electronic interactions instead of lattice
Researchers are using black hole shadows to challenge Einstein’s theory of relativity. With new simulations and future ultra-sharp telescope images, they may uncover signs that his famous equations don’t tell the whole story.
Scientists have discovered that deep-sea mining plumes can strip vital nutrition from the ocean’s twilight zone, replacing natural food with nutrient-poor sediment. The resulting “junk food” effect could starve life across entire marine ecosystems.