Top Science News

Mar. 14, 2025 — A research team has developed a new system to estimate a person's biological age -- a measure of how well their body has aged, rather than just counting the years since birth. Using just five drops of blood, this new method analyzes 22 key steroids and their interactions to provide a more precise health assessment. The team's breakthrough study offers a potential step forward in personalized ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — As little as five minutes a day of eccentric exercise could offer significant health benefits to those living a stagnant ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — New research has found that employers and policymakers might want to start paying attention to how workers are feeling, because employee happiness contains critical economic ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Every year, millions of tires end up in landfills, creating an environmental crisis with far-reaching consequences. In the United States alone, over 274 million tires were scrapped in 2021, with nearly a fifth of them being discarded into landfills. A study has now pioneered a technique for breaking down this rubber waste and transforming it into ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Lithium-ion batteries, used in consumer devices and electric vehicles, typically last hours or days between charges. However, with repeated use, they degrade and need to be charged more frequently. Now, researchers are considering radiocarbon as a source for safe, small and affordable nuclear batteries that could last decades or longer without ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Quantum computers are able to solve complex calculations that would take traditional computers thousands of years in just a few minutes. What if that analytical power is turned inwards towards the computer ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Researchers have developed a method to destroy fluorine-containing PFAS (sometimes labelled 'forever chemicals') while recovering their fluorine content for future ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — New research sheds light on the earliest days of the earth's formation and potentially calls into question some earlier assumptions in planetary science about the early years of rocky planets. Establishing a direct link between the Earth's interior dynamics occurring within the first 100 million years of its history and its present-day structure, the work is one of the first in the field to ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — While sneaking up on prey, cuttlefish employ a dynamic skin display to avoid detection in last moments of approach, researchers have ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Proof-of-concept work uses unique, safe particles to remove microplastics in a single ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Many obese people report losing pleasure in eating rich foods -- something also seen in obese mice. Scientists have now discovered the reason. Long-term high-fat diets lower levels of neurotensin in the brain, disrupting the dopamine pleasure network and decreasing the desire to eat high-fat foods. Raising neurotensin levels in mice brings back the pleasure and aids weight loss. Bringing back the ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Scientists have created a smart insoles prototype that can accurately measure the body's interaction with the ground, which has the potential to help athletes avoid injuries, or even assist doctors in monitoring ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — A team has discovered a possible therapeutic approach to repair injured muscles either from aging or degenerative muscle ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Scientists used advanced data analysis and machine learning to identify the viral proteins that may trigger autoimmune disorders such as type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — People with autism are typically diagnosed by clinical observation and assessment. To deconstruct the clinical decision process, which is often subjective and difficult to describe, researchers used a large language model (LLM) to synthesize the behaviors and observations that are most indicative of an autism diagnosis. Their results show that ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — This research comes as many mosquito-borne viruses are spreading ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — A drug typically prescribed for arthritis halts brain-damaging seizures in mice that have a condition like epilepsy, according to researchers. If the drug proves viable for human patients, it would be the first to provide lasting relief from seizures even after they stopped taking ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Mothers experience major metabolic adaptations during pregnancy and lactation to support the development and growth of the new life. Although many metabolic changes have been studied, body temperature regulation and environmental temperature preference during and after pregnancy remain poorly understood. Researchers show that postpartum female ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — A study finds that factors beyond a person's control, like socioeconomic status and whether their mom smoked or was obese, can influence whether they are overweight or obese as teenagers or ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — In 2010, a researcher was pouring over research data when he discovered something he thought was odd: His data showed that at 6 months of age, formula-fed babies born of mothers who were categorized as medically obese weighed about 5% units less fat than breastfed babies in the same dataset. That discovery struck him as unusual and led him on a research journey to better understand breast milk. ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Whether it's an early morning jog, or a touch of Tai Chi, groundbreaking research shows that any form of exercise can significantly boost brain function and memory across children, adults, and older ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Crashes on electric scooters are mostly due to the behavior of the riders, with one-handed steering and riding in a group being some of the largest risk factors. The researchers are also concerned about riders who deliberately crash or cause dangerous situations when riding, a phenomenon that seems to be specific to electric ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Researchers have developed a molecular system for controlled release of iron. They integrated ferrocene, a molecular sandwich that encloses an iron atom, with a carbon 'nanohoop'. As a result, the system allows for the release of Fe2+ ions upon activation with benign green ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Interferometers, devices that can modulate aspects of light, play the important role of modulating and switching light signals in fiber-optic communications networks and are frequently used for gas sensing and optical computing. Now, applied physicists have invented a new type of interferometer that allows precise control of light's frequency, intensity and mode in one compact ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Even with significant expansion in the global market for antibodies used in clinical care and research, scientists recognize that there is still untapped potential for finding new antibodies. Many proteins group together in what are called protein complexes to carry out biological functions. The traditional method of generating antibodies by immunizing animals struggles to make antibodies related ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Deep below the Earth's surface, rock and mineral formations lay hidden with a secret brilliance. Under a black light, the chemicals fossilized within shine in brilliant hues of pink, blue and green. Scientists are using these fluorescent features to understand how the caves formed and the conditions for supporting life in extreme, and even ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — The longest organic molecules identified to date on Mars have recently been detected. These long carbon chains, containing up to 12 consecutive carbon atoms, could exhibit features similar to the fatty acids produced on Earth by biological activity. The lack of geological activity and the cold, arid climate on Mars have helped preserve this invaluable organic matter in a clay-rich sample for the ...

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. 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. 25, 2025 — A flower-shaped structure only a few micrometres in size made of a nickel-iron alloy can concentrate and locally enhance magnetic fields. The size of the effect can be controlled by varying the geometry and number of 'petals'. This magnetic metamaterial developed by Dr Anna Palau's group at the Institut de Ciencia de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB) in collaboration with her partners of the ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Researchers presented advances shaping the world of forensics, from research that could improve how forensic scientists estimate a person's age at death, to technology demos of CSIxR -- a virtual reality (VR) application that simulates crime scenes scenarios to train crime scene investigators ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — The study of elementary particles and forces is of central importance to our understanding of the universe. Now a team of physicists shows how an unconventional type of quantum computer opens a new door to the world of elementary ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Delayed and disorderly energy transitions will threaten economic and financial stability whilst also increasing the economic risks from climate change, according to a new study. Conversely, transitions that are started sooner are likely to be more orderly and economically ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Los Angeles has some of the strictest tree planting rules in the nation. These policies limit tree growth, worsen shade disparities and don't improve safety, researchers found. When researchers modeled looser planting restrictions in a lower-income neighborhood, potential tree space increased by nearly 26%. But narrow sidewalks and dense infrastructure still limited where larger, shade trees ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Evolving roughly 27 different times in the long history of fish, bioluminescence -- the biological production of light -- is one of the flashier survival tools used for luring prey, communication, and recognizing potential mates among various species. In a new study a team of researchers studied the organs that produce light in Vinciguerria ...

Mar. 24, 2025 — The introduction of exotic species can pose significant challenges in the sustainable management of coastal ecosystems, yet researchers have found that Pacific oysters introduced to the Port River in Adelaide have influenced surprising ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — A new study uncovers a critical challenge in accurately classifying precipitation as rain or snow using surface weather data. Accurately identifying precipitation phase is critical for weather forecasting, hydrologic modeling, and climate research, with significant implications for transportation. At temperatures near freezing, however, all ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — A new study has revealed that African Elephants have an extraordinary ability to meet their colossal food requirements as efficiently as possible. Data from over 150 elephants demonstrated that these giants plan their journeys based on energy costs and resource ...

Mar. 26, 2025 — Humans are having a highly detrimental impact on biodiversity worldwide. Not only is the number of species declining, but the composition of species communities is also changing. This is one of the largest studies ever conducted on this ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Fossil-fuel plants are increasingly being forced to stop and start production in response to changes in output from renewables. In a new study, researchers developed a dynamic competitive benchmark that accounts for start-up costs and other unit-level operating constraints. They apply their framework to Western Australia, a setting where rooftop ...

Mar. 18, 2025 — An analysis of a 30,000-year-old fossil vulture from Central Italy has revealed for the first time that volcanic rock can preserve microscopic details in feathers -- the first ever record of such a preservation. An international team discovered a new mode of preservation of soft tissues that can occur when animals are buried in ash-rich volcanic ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Life needs sufficient phosphorus. However, the element is scarce, not only today but also at the time of the origin of life. So where was there sufficient phosphorus four billion years ago for life to emerge? A team of origin-of-life researchers has an ...

Mar. 25, 2025 — Enzymes originally evolved in high-temperature environments and later adapted to lower temperatures as Earth cooled. Scientists discovered that a key shift in enzyme function occurred over evolutionary time due to amino acid changes distant from the active site. These mutations lowered activation energy, enhancing catalytic efficiency at low temperatures. Their findings highlight how global ...

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 — 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. 20, 2025 — Scientists will warn policymakers that the shrinking glaciers of the Andes threaten the water supply of 90 million people on the South American continent at the first-ever World Day for Glaciers hosted by UNESCO in ...

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. 24, 2025 — Pro-environmental behavior increases among school students who participate in insect-related citizen science projects, according to new ...

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. 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. 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 ...