Top Science News

Mar. 24, 2025 — Maintaining a healthy diet rich in plant-based foods, with low to moderate intake of healthy animal-based foods and lower intake of ultra-processed foods, was linked to a higher likelihood of healthy aging -- defined as reaching age 70 free of major chronic diseases and with cognitive, physical, and mental health maintained, according to a new study. The study is among the first to examine ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — Investigators have developed a long-acting contraceptive implant that can be delivered through tiny needles to minimize patient discomfort and increase the likelihood of medication use. Their findings in preclinical models provide the technological basis to develop self-administrable contraceptive shots that could mimic the long-term drug release of surgically implanted ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — Scientists used light to control how a starfish egg cell jiggles and moves during its earliest stage of development. Their optical system could guide the design of synthetic, light-activated cells for wound healing or drug ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — Researchers have developed a new material that, by harnessing the power of sunlight, can clear water of dangerous ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — To mitigate global climate change, emissions of the primary culprit, carbon dioxide, must be drastically reduced. A newly developed process helps solve this problem: CO2 is directly split electrochemically into carbon and oxygen. Oxygen could also be produced in this way under water or in space -- without requiring stringent conditions such as pressure and ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Virginia Tech researchers say a true revolution in wireless technologies is only possible through endowing the system with the next generation of artificial intelligence (AI) that can think, imagine, and plan akin to humans. Doing so will allow networks to break free from traditional enablers, deliver unprecedented quality, and usher in a new phase of the AI ...

Mar. 20, 2025 — Researchers developed a hybrid AI approach that can generate realistic images with the same or better quality than state-of-the-art diffusion models, but that runs about nine times faster and uses fewer computational resources. The tool uses an autoregressive model to quickly capture the big picture and then a small diffusion model to refine the ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — New research is reshaping our understanding of one of nature's most stunning yet destructive phenomena -- massive locust swarms moving ...

Mar. 20, 2025 — Mitochondria are the powerhouses in our cells, producing the energy for all vital processes. Using cryo-electron tomography, researchers have now gained insight into the architecture of mitochondria at unprecedented resolution. They discovered that the proteins responsible for energy generation assemble into large 'supercomplexes', which play a ...

Mar. 21, 2025 — Who were our earliest ancestors? The answer could lie in a special group of single-celled organisms with a cytoskeleton similar to that of complex organisms, such as animals and ...

Mar. 12, 2025 — The discovery of a human facial fragment aged over one million years represents the oldest known face in western Europe and confirms the region was inhabited by two species of human during the early Pleistocene, finds a new ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — Antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a serious public health threat. Understanding the biology of these bacteria--such as how they synthesise their protective capsules--is essential for developing new strategies to counter antibiotic ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — A natural citrus oil from oranges, lemons, and limes is proving highly effective in relieving dry mouth, and when combined with a new lipid formulation, new research suggests it may be effective without significant side effects. This formulation uniquely combines limonene (a citrus essential oil) with a lipid-based drug delivery system to treat dry mouth (xerostomia), a common side effect of ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — Engineers devised a way to deliver drugs such as contraceptives by injecting them as suspended crystals. Once under the skin, the crystals assemble into a drug depot that can last for months or years, eliminating the need for frequent ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — Researchers describe a new brain circuit involved in motion sickness that also contributes to regulating body temperature and metabolic balance. The findings may provide unconventional strategies for the treatment of ...

Mar. 20, 2025 — New research on the hippocampus, a brain area essential for memory, suggests that new rules of synaptic plasticity best explain how brain activity continually reshapes the way memories are recorded in the ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — New research finds the brain's language-processing network also responds to artificial languages such as Esperanto and languages made for TV, such as Klingon on 'Star Trek' and High Valyrian and Dothraki on 'Game of ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Researchers conducted interviews with farmers in Missouri and Kansas about their thoughts on climate change. Even though they are on the front lines of the topic, the farmers reported they avoid discussing it, even with family, regardless of their opinions to avoid arguments, violence and damage to their livelihood. The findings show it is ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — When wildfires threaten communities, human health can be impacted as smoke distributes on the breeze, infiltrating various structures. To help people protect themselves and their families, researchers have developed a low-cost, durable, do-it-yourself air filtration system that works as well as more expensive HEPA filters to clear indoor air pollutants such as smoke -- or possibly limit the ...

Mar. 23, 2025 — Existing tax policies during the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources will lead to major energy injustices and skewed priorities, new research ...

Mar. 21, 2025 — If you've ever noticed how memories from the same day seem connected while events from weeks apart feel separate, a new study reveals the reason: Our brains physically link memories that occur close in time not in the cell bodies of neurons, but rather in their spiny extensions called ...

Mar. 21, 2025 — From laundry detergent to dishwasher tablets, cleaning products are an indispensable part of life. Yet the chemicals that make these products so effective can be difficult to break down or could even trigger ecosystem-altering algal blooms. Now, researchers have addressed those challenges with an environmentally compatible detergent made of tiny wood fibers and corn protein that removes stains on ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like wind and solar will require better ways to store energy for use when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing. A new study by researchers at Penn State found that taking advantage of natural geothermal heat in depleted oil and gas wells can improve the efficiency of one proposed energy storage solution: compressed-air energy ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Researchers decided to use a high-speed camera to capture what occurs while opening a swing-top bottle of beer. They found that the sound emitted by opening a pressurized bottle with a swing-top lid isn't a single shockwave, but rather a very quick 'ah' sound. Their high-speed video recordings captured condensation within the bottleneck that vibrated up and down in a standing wave. After opening ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Over the past two decades, Haiti has endured the devastation of two catastrophic earthquakes -- first in 2010 and again in 2021. Each disaster left behind widespread destruction: buildings reduced to rubble, entire communities displaced and an overwhelming loss of life. A major factor in the severity of these tragedies was the widespread structural failure of poorly designed buildings, many of ...

Mar. 5, 2025 — Satellite images from space are allowing scientists to delve deeper into the individual functions of different tropical forest canopies with new and surprising results. Understanding tree traits and functional diversity in the tropics is crucial for biodiversity, ecosystem modelling, and ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Physicists have measured a nuclear reaction that can occur in neutron star collisions, providing direct experimental data for a process that had previously only been theorised. The study provides new insight into how the universe's heaviest elements are forged -- and could even drive advancements in nuclear reactor ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Where do meteorites of different type come from? In a review paper, astronomers trace the impact orbit of observed meteorite falls to several previously unidentified source regions in the asteroid ...

Mar. 17, 2025 — The James Webb Space Telescope has captured its first direct images of carbon dioxide in a planet outside the solar system in HR 8799, a multiplanet system 130 light-years away that has long been a key target for planet formation ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — A team of researchers has developed a new tool designed to revolutionize hardware troubleshooting, with the help of 3D phone ...

Mar. 19, 2025 — Newly published research demonstrates a novel way of generating phonon-polaritons by making electrons collide with crystal lattice structures. The discovery paves the way for cheaper, smaller long-wave infrared light sources and more efficient device ...

Mar. 21, 2025 — Researchers developed a scalable interconnect that facilitates all-to-all communication among many quantum processor modules by enabling each to send and receive quantum information on demand in a user-specified direction. They used the interconnect to demonstrate remote entanglement, a type of correlation that is key to creating a powerful, distributed network of quantum ...

Mar. 21, 2025 — A study found that when people were told to imagine their virtual bodies in pain, their brains resisted the illusion of ownership. Their findings could provide insights into why some people may struggle with feeling connected to their own bodies, particularly in contexts involving depersonalization or negative physical ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — For successful cell division, chromosomal DNA needs to be packed into compact rod-shaped structures. Defects in this process can lead to cell death or diseases like cancer. A new study has shown how chromosomes change shape during cell division. Certain protein complexes help fold DNA into overlapping loops that repel each other, which then stack to create a rod-like structure. This is the first ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Insect predators found in the United States could help keep spotted lanternfly populations in check while potentially reducing reliance on chemical control methods, according to a new ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — In the microscopic world of bacteria, gene transfer is a powerful mechanism that can alter cellular function, drive antibiotic resistance and even shape entire ecosystems. Now an interdisciplinary group of researchers has developed an innovative RNA 'barcoding' method to track these genetic exchanges in microbial communities, providing new insights into how genes move across ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — A storm, even once it has passed, can leave traces in the ocean that last for thousands of years. These consist of sediment layers composed of coarse particles, which are different from the finer sediments associated with good weather. In the Caribbean, an international research team has now examined such sediments using a 30 m long core from a ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Brook trout may have a genetic trick up their scales when it comes to adapting, with limitations, to heatwaves that threaten their existence. Scientists have known for years that brook trout -- an iconic coldwater fish species native to streams and lakes in the eastern United States and Canada -- are extremely vulnerable to warming temperatures, ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Livestock agriculture is bearing the cost of extreme weather events. A new study explores how heat stress affects U.S. dairy production, finding that high heat and humidity lead to a 1% decline in annual milk yield. Small farms are hit harder than large farms, which may be able to mitigate some of the effects through management ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — It is commonly assumed that as forest ecosystems age, they accumulate and store, or 'sequester,' more ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Although fungi of the genus Piloderma are common, scientists have now discovered five previously unknown species. One of these is one of the most widely distributed species in Northern Europe, while another is found only in old-growth forests. The discoveries show that diversity in this genus is much greater than previously thought and that some of its species are at risk of disappearing as ...

Mar. 17, 2025 — Researchers have identified the economic and political borders separating El Argar, considered to be the first state-society in the Iberian Peninsula, from its La Mancha and Valencia Bronze Age neighbors some 4,000 years ago. These communities, with less centralized social structures, maintained complex relations with the Argaric culture. The study, based on an innovative analysis of pottery ...

Mar. 17, 2025 — A new analysis of 105-year-old data on the effectiveness of 'dazzle' camouflage on battleships in World War I has found that while dazzle had some effect, the 'horizon effect' had far more influence when it came to confusing the ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Humans' unique language capacity was present at least 135,000 years ago, according to a survey of genomic evidence. As such, language might have entered social use 100,000 years ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — Scientists worked to ensure fleet safety after a large crack was unexpectedly found near the cockpit of a T-38 Talon. A new study describes how risk and damage tolerance analyses helped determine a more effective inspection schedule, allowing the Air Force to find cracks before they grow to critical ...

Mar. 20, 2025 — Nearly 3 out of every 4 older Americans have experienced at least one extreme weather event in the last two years, a poll finds. And living through such an event appears to make a big difference in how they view the potential impact of climate change on their health. People over 50 who recently experienced an extreme weather event are far more likely to express concern about the effects of ...

Mar. 20, 2025 — Americans have long believed that sports are one area in society that offers kids from all backgrounds the chance to succeed to the best of their abilities. But new research suggests that this belief is largely a myth, and that success in high school and college athletics often is influenced by race and gender, as well as socioeconomic status, including family wealth and ...

Mar. 19, 2025 — By revealing for the first time what happens in the brain when an animal makes a mistake, researchers are shedding light on the holy grail of neuroscience: the mechanics of how we learn. The team pinpointed the exact moment mice learned a new skill by observing the activity of individual neurons, confirming earlier work that suggested animals are fast learners that purposely test the boundaries ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — A recent study has linked longevity specifically to verbal fluency, the measure of one's vocabulary and ability to use ...

Mar. 11, 2025 — A world first* study of more than 215,000 students, researchers found that while standardized tests measure academic skills, different dimensions of wellbeing -- emotional wellbeing, engagement, and learning readiness -- can play a crucial role in ...

Mar. 11, 2025 — Parenting skills can make a big difference in fostering a newborn's language acquisition and cognition, but there may be a limit to how far parenting can go to make up the challenges to developing this skill in those born in highly disadvantaged ...

Mar. 12, 2025 — Research finds people who learn the basics of debate are more likely to advance to leadership roles in U.S. organizations. A key reason seems to be that debate training makes employees more comfortable about being assertive in the ...

Mar. 12, 2025 — 'Fake it till you make it' might be common advice to climb the corporate ladder, but new research shows that this attitude could also adversely affect job satisfaction and mental ...

Mar. 10, 2025 — A study has determined that the widely used tools available to businesses for assessing their biodiversity impacts depend on broad assumptions and can have large uncertainties that are poorly understood or communicated. If used appropriately, they can be powerful tools to help guide effective action to address biodiversity loss -- but if not, they ...

Mar. 6, 2025 — Despite the popularity of augmented reality, AR wearable technologies haven't gained traction due to the weight and bulk associated with batteries and electronic components, and the suboptimal computational power, battery life and brightness of the devices. A team of researchers recently improved the practicality of light-receiving AR glasses by increasing the angle of incidence light capable of ...