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For decades, scientists have believed that complex life began when two very different microbes joined forces, eventually giving rise to plants, animals, and fungi. But one major puzzle remained: how could these organisms have met if one depended on oxygen and the other supposedly lived without it? New research suggests the answer lies in ancient microbes called Asgard archaea.

A sweeping new study has uncovered a troubling mix of hazardous chemicals in popular hair extensions, including products made from human hair. Researchers detected dozens of substances linked to cancer, hormone disruption, reproductive harm, and immune system effects in nearly every sample tested. Some products contained flame retardants, organotins, and chemicals associated with increased breast cancer risk, and several exceeded European safety thresholds.

A new human study has uncovered how the body naturally turns off inflammation. Researchers found that fat-derived molecules called epoxy-oxylipins rein in immune cells that can otherwise drive chronic disease. Using a drug to boost these molecules reduced pain faster and lowered harmful inflammatory cells. The discovery could pave the way for safer treatments for arthritis, heart disease, and other inflammation-related conditions.

A giant virus discovered in Japan is adding fuel to the provocative idea that viruses helped create complex life. Named ushikuvirus, it infects amoebae and shows unique traits that connect different families of giant DNA viruses. Its unusual way of hijacking and disrupting the host cell’s nucleus offers fresh insight into how viruses may have influenced the evolution of the cell nucleus itself. The finding deepens the mystery of viruses—and their possible role in life’s biggest leap.

Scientists have taken a major step toward mimicking nature’s tiniest gateways by creating ultra-small pores that rival the dimensions of biological ion channels—just a few atoms wide. The breakthrough opens new possibilities for single-molecule sensing, neuromorphic computing, and studying how matter behaves in spaces barely larger than atoms.

A major breakthrough could help save the world’s bananas from a devastating disease. Scientists have discovered the exact genetic region in a wild banana that provides resistance to Fusarium wilt Subtropical Race 4 — a destructive strain that threatens Cavendish bananas worldwide. While this wild banana isn’t edible, the discovery gives breeders a powerful genetic roadmap to develop future bananas that are both delicious and naturally protected from this deadly pathogen.

A newly discovered bacterial duo may be the hidden cause of chronic constipation. The two microbes break down the colon’s protective mucus layer, leaving stool dry and hard — a problem traditional laxatives don’t fix. Parkinson’s patients, who often struggle with constipation years before tremors appear, have higher levels of these bacteria. Blocking the bacteria’s mucus-destroying enzyme prevented constipation in mice, hinting at a new treatment strategy.

Scientists have developed a powerful new way to forecast where some of the world’s most dangerous scorpions are likely to be found. By combining fieldwork in Africa with advanced computer modeling, the team discovered that soil type is the strongest factor shaping where many lethal species live, while temperature patterns also play a key role.

Sugary drinks may be linked to more than just physical health problems in teens. A new review of multiple studies found a consistent association between high consumption of beverages like soda, energy drinks, sweetened juices, and flavored milks and increased anxiety symptoms in adolescents.

Intermittent fasting has become one of the most talked-about weight loss trends in recent years, promising dramatic results with simple changes to when you eat. But a major Cochrane review suggests the reality may be far less exciting. After analyzing 22 clinical trials involving nearly 2,000 adults, researchers found that intermittent fasting did not produce significantly more weight loss than standard diet advice or even no structured plan at all.

Scientists at the University of New Hampshire have unleashed artificial intelligence to dramatically speed up the hunt for next-generation magnetic materials. By building a massive, searchable database of 67,573 magnetic compounds — including 25 newly recognized materials that stay magnetic even at high temperatures — the team is opening the door to cheaper, more sustainable technologies.

Life on Earth may have learned to breathe oxygen long before oxygen filled the skies. MIT researchers traced a key oxygen-processing enzyme back hundreds of millions of years before the Great Oxidation Event. Early microbes living near oxygen-producing cyanobacteria may have quickly used up the gas as it formed, slowing its rise in the atmosphere. The results suggest life was adapting to oxygen far earlier — and far more creatively — than once thought.

That viral claim that your frontal lobe “isn’t fully developed until 25” turns out to be more myth than milestone. Early brain scans showed that gray matter changes dramatically through the teen years, and because studies stopped around age 20, scientists estimated development might wrap up in the mid-20s. But newer, massive brain-imaging research paints a different picture: key wiring and network efficiency in the brain continue evolving into the early 30s.

A surprising breakthrough could help sodium-ion batteries rival lithium—and even turn seawater into drinking water. Scientists discovered that keeping water inside a key battery material, instead of removing it as traditionally done, dramatically boosts performance. The “wet” version stores nearly twice as much charge, charges faster, and remains stable for hundreds of cycles, placing it among the top-performing sodium battery materials ever reported.

A massive, centuries-long drought may have driven the extinction of the “hobbits” of Flores. Climate records preserved in cave formations show rainfall plummeted just as the small human species disappeared. At the same time, pygmy elephants they depended on declined sharply as rivers dried up. With food and water vanishing, the hobbits may have been pushed out—and into their final chapter.

Ancient DNA from a Stone Age burial site in Sweden shows that families 5,500 years ago were more complex than expected. Many individuals buried together were not immediate family, but second- or third-degree relatives. One grave held a young woman alongside two children who were siblings—yet she wasn’t their mother. The discoveries hint at tight-knit communities where extended kin mattered deeply.

Myopia is skyrocketing around the world, often blamed on endless screen time — but new research suggests the real culprit may be something more subtle. Scientists at SUNY College of Optometry propose that it’s not just devices, but the combination of prolonged close-up focus and dim indoor lighting that may quietly strain the eyes. When we concentrate on nearby objects in low light, our pupils constrict in a way that may reduce how much light reaches the retina, potentially triggering changes that lead to nearsightedness.

Ocean waves are a vast and steady source of renewable energy, but capturing their power efficiently has long frustrated engineers. A researcher at The University of Osaka has now explored a bold new approach: a gyroscopic wave energy converter that uses a spinning flywheel inside a floating structure to turn wave motion into electricity. By harnessing gyroscopic precession—the subtle wobble of a spinning object under force—the system can be tuned to absorb energy across a wide range of wave conditions.

Researchers have uncovered more than a thousand previously unknown tectonic ridges across the Moon’s dark plains, showing the Moon is still contracting and reshaping itself. These features are among the youngest geological structures on the lunar surface. Because they form through the same forces linked to past moonquakes, they could signal new seismic hotspots.

A new University at Buffalo study suggests cannabis-infused beverages could help some people cut back on alcohol. In a survey of cannabis users, those who drank cannabis beverages reported cutting their weekly alcohol intake roughly in half and binge drinking less often. Nearly two-thirds said they reduced or stopped drinking alcohol after starting cannabis drinks.

For years, satellite data suggested that autumn snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere was actually increasing — a surprising twist in a warming world. But a new analysis reveals that this apparent growth was an illusion caused by improving satellite technology that became better at detecting thin snow over time. In reality, snow cover has been shrinking by about half a million square kilometers per decade.

A major new study has spotlighted three familiar medicines that could take on an unexpected new role in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease — with a shingles vaccine emerging as the front-runner. After reviewing 80 existing drugs, an international panel of experts identified Zostavax, Viagra (sildenafil), and riluzole as the most promising candidates for repurposing.

Researchers investigating crops grown in soil contaminated by the 2015 mining disaster in Brazil discovered that toxic metals are moving from the earth into edible plants. Bananas, cassava, and cocoa were found to absorb elements like lead and cadmium, with bananas showing a potential health risk for children under six. Although adults face lower immediate danger, scientists warn that long-term exposure could carry cumulative health consequences.

An Ice Age double burial in Italy has yielded a stunning genetic revelation. DNA from a mother and daughter who lived over 12,000 years ago shows that the younger had a rare inherited growth disorder, confirmed through mutations in a key bone-growth gene. Her mother carried a milder version of the same mutation. The finding not only solves a long-standing mystery but also proves that rare genetic diseases stretch far back into prehistory.

Scientists scanning the heart of the Milky Way have spotted a tantalizing signal: a possible ultra-fast pulsar spinning every 8.19 milliseconds near Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at our galaxy’s core. Pulsars act like incredibly precise cosmic clocks, and finding one in this extreme environment could open a rare window into how space-time behaves under intense gravity.

NASA has pulled off a high-flying aurora investigation, launching three rockets into the glowing northern lights over Alaska. One mission targeted mysterious dark patches called black auroras, while the twin GNEISS rockets created a 3D scan of the aurora’s electrical currents. All rockets reached their planned altitudes and returned strong data. The result: an unprecedented look at how these dazzling light shows are wired from space to sky.

A 125-million-year-old dinosaur just rewrote what we thought we knew about prehistoric life. Scientists in China have uncovered an exceptionally preserved juvenile iguanodontian with fossilized skin so detailed that individual cells are still visible. Even more astonishing, the plant-eating dinosaur was covered in hollow, porcupine-like spikes—structures never before documented in any dinosaur.

Antibiotic resistance is racing toward a global crisis, with “superbugs” projected to cause over 10 million deaths annually by 2050. Now, scientists at UC San Diego have unveiled a powerful new CRISPR-based tool that doesn’t just fight resistant bacteria—it can actively strip away their drug resistance. Inspired by gene drives used in insects, the technology spreads a genetic “fix” through bacterial populations, even inside stubborn biofilms that shield microbes from antibiotics.

As the planet warms, many expected ecosystems to change faster and faster. Instead, a massive global study shows that species turnover has slowed by about one-third since the 1970s. Nature’s constant reshuffling appears to be driven more by internal ecological dynamics than by climate alone. The slowdown may signal something alarming: ecosystems losing the biodiversity needed to keep their engines running.

A mysterious RNA found in breast cancer led scientists to uncover an entire hidden class of cancer-specific RNAs across dozens of tumor types. These molecules form unique molecular signatures that identify cancer type and subtype with remarkable accuracy. Some even drive tumor growth and metastasis. Because many are released into the bloodstream, a simple blood test can track how patients respond to treatment and predict survival.

Scientists have developed a new way to read the hidden states of Majorana qubits, which store information in paired quantum modes that resist noise. The results confirm their protected nature and show millisecond scale coherence, bringing robust quantum computers closer to reality.

A decades-long study of nearly 200,000 adults challenges the low-carb versus low-fat debate. Both eating patterns were tied to lower heart disease risk when they emphasized whole grains, plant-based foods, and healthy fats. Versions filled with refined carbs and animal fats increased risk instead. Quality, not just quantity, appears to make the difference.

Northwestern researchers have shown that when it comes to cancer vaccines, arrangement can be just as important as ingredients. By repositioning a small fragment of an HPV protein on a DNA-based nanovaccine, the team dramatically strengthened the immune system’s attack on HPV-driven tumors. One specific design slowed tumor growth, extended survival in animal models, and unleashed far more cancer-killing T cells than other versions made with the exact same components.

Researchers have built a realistic human mini spinal cord in the lab and used it to simulate traumatic injury. The model reproduced key damage seen in real spinal cord injuries, including inflammation and scar formation. After treatment with fast moving “dancing molecules,” nerve fibers began growing again and scar tissue shrank. The results suggest the therapy could eventually help repair spinal cord damage.

A new light-based sensor can spot incredibly tiny amounts of cancer biomarkers in blood, raising the possibility of earlier and simpler cancer detection. The technology merges DNA nanotechnology, CRISPR, and quantum dots to generate a clear signal from just a few molecules. In lung cancer tests, it worked even in real patient serum samples. Researchers hope it could eventually power portable blood tests for cancer and other diseases.

Quantum key distribution promises ultra-secure communication by using the strange rules of quantum physics to detect eavesdroppers instantly. But even the most secure quantum link can falter if the transmitter and receiver aren’t perfectly aligned. Researchers have now taken a deep dive into this often-overlooked issue, building a powerful new analytical framework to understand how tiny beam misalignments—caused by vibrations, turbulence, or mechanical flaws—disrupt secure key generation.

For years, compulsive behaviors have been viewed as bad habits stuck on autopilot. But new research in rats found the opposite: inflammation in a key decision-making brain region actually made behavior more deliberate, not more automatic. The change was linked to astrocytes, brain support cells that multiplied and disrupted nearby circuits. The discovery hints that some compulsive behaviors may arise from excessive, misdirected control rather than a loss of it.

A parasite that may already be hiding in your brain has a shocking survival trick: it can infect the very immune cells sent to destroy it. Yet most people never get sick, and new research from UVA Health reveals why. Scientists discovered that when Toxoplasma gondii invades CD8+ T cells — key defenders of the immune system — those cells can trigger a self-destruct mechanism powered by an enzyme called caspase-8. By sacrificing themselves, the infected cells also wipe out the parasite inside them.

Scientists in China have unveiled a breakthrough way to mass-produce powerful cancer-fighting immune cells in the lab. By engineering early-stage stem cells from cord blood—rather than trying to modify mature natural killer (NK) cells—they created a streamlined process that generates enormous numbers of highly potent NK cells, including CAR-equipped versions designed to hunt specific cancers.

Researchers have identified two brain receptors that help the brain clear away amyloid beta, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. By stimulating these receptors in mice, scientists increased levels of a natural amyloid-breaking enzyme, reduced buildup in the brain, and improved memory-related behavior. Because these receptors are common drug targets, the findings could open the door to affordable pill-based treatments with fewer side effects.

More than a century after its discovery, Scandinavia’s oldest plank boat is finally giving up new secrets. By analyzing ancient caulking and cords from the Hjortspring boat, researchers uncovered traces of pine pitch and animal fat — materials that likely came from pine-rich regions east of Denmark along the Baltic Sea. This suggests the vessel, used by a band of Iron Age warriors who attacked the island of Als over 2,000 years ago, may have sailed across open waters on a long, carefully planned mission.

Researchers have uncovered the enzyme behind chromothripsis, a chaotic chromosome-shattering event seen in about one in four cancers. The enzyme, N4BP2, breaks apart DNA trapped in tiny cellular structures, unleashing a burst of genetic changes that can help tumors rapidly adapt and resist therapy. Blocking the enzyme dramatically reduced this genomic destruction in cancer cells.

For the first time, researchers have shown that self-assembled phosphorus chains can host genuinely one-dimensional electron behavior. Using advanced imaging and spectroscopy techniques, they separated the signals from chains aligned in different directions to reveal their true nature. The findings suggest that squeezing the chains closer together could trigger a dramatic shift from semiconductor to metal. That means simply adjusting density could unlock entirely new electronic states.

New data from major dark-energy observatories suggest the universe may not expand forever after all. A Cornell physicist calculates that the cosmos is heading toward a dramatic reversal: after reaching its maximum size in about 11 billion years, it could begin collapsing, ultimately ending in a “big crunch” roughly 20 billion years from now.

When tens of thousands of earthquakes shook Santorini, the cause wasn’t just shifting tectonic plates—it was rising magma. Scientists tracked about 300 million cubic meters of molten rock pushing up through the crust, triggering intense seismic swarms as it fractured the surrounding rock. Advanced AI analysis and seafloor instruments revealed the magma’s path in remarkable detail.

Researchers tracked more than 400 toddlers to see whether mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during or just before pregnancy was linked to autism or developmental delays. After detailed assessments of speech, motor skills, behavior, and social development, they found no meaningful differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Experts say the results provide strong reassurance about vaccine safety in pregnancy.

A simple shift in your evening routine may give your heart a measurable boost. In a new study, adults who stopped eating and dimmed the lights three hours before bed and extended their overnight fast by about two hours saw improvements in blood pressure, heart rate, and blood-sugar control — without cutting calories.

Scientists have created the most detailed maps yet of how genes control one another inside the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. Using a powerful new AI-based system called SIGNET, the team uncovered cause-and-effect relationships between genes across six major brain cell types, revealing which genes are truly driving harmful changes. The most dramatic disruptions were found in excitatory neurons, where thousands of genetic interactions appear to be extensively rewired as the disease progresses.

Sleeping on a problem might be more powerful than we ever imagined. Neuroscientists at Northwestern University have shown that dreams can actually be nudged in specific directions — and those dream tweaks may boost creativity. By playing subtle sound cues during REM sleep, researchers prompted people to dream about unsolved brain teasers they had struggled with earlier. An astonishing 75% of participants dreamed about the cued puzzles, and those puzzles were solved far more often the next day.

Neuromorphic computers modeled after the human brain can now solve the complex equations behind physics simulations — something once thought possible only with energy-hungry supercomputers. The breakthrough could lead to powerful, low-energy supercomputers while revealing new secrets about how our brains process information.

A major new study suggests that eating the Nordic way could help you live significantly longer—while also helping the planet. Researchers from Aarhus University found that people who closely followed the 2023 Nordic dietary guidelines had a 23% lower risk of death compared to those who didn’t.

Scientists at Michigan State University have uncovered the molecular “switch” that powers sperm for their final, high-speed dash toward an egg. By tracking how sperm use glucose as fuel, the team discovered how dormant cells suddenly flip into overdrive, burning energy in a carefully controlled, multi-step process. A key enzyme, aldolase, helps convert sugar into the burst of power needed for fertilization, while other enzymes act like traffic controllers directing the flow of fuel.

Psychedelics can quiet the brain’s visual input system, pushing it to replace missing details with vivid fragments from memory. Scientists found that slow, rhythmic brain waves help shift perception away from the outside world and toward internal recall — almost like dreaming while awake. By imaging glowing brain cells in mice, researchers watched this process unfold in real time.

Couples who intentionally slow down and soak in their happy moments together may be building a powerful shield for their relationship. Researchers at the University of Illinois found that partners who regularly savor shared experiences—whether reminiscing about a favorite memory, enjoying a dinner together, or looking forward to something exciting—report greater relationship satisfaction, less conflict, and stronger confidence in their future.

Scientists are launching an ambitious global effort to map the “human exposome” — the lifelong mix of environmental and chemical exposures that drive most diseases. Backed by new partnerships with governments, UNESCO, and international science advisory bodies, the initiative is rapidly expanding across continents. Powered by AI and advanced data tools, the movement seeks to shift medicine beyond genetics and toward the real-world factors shaping human health.

Astronomers have uncovered a distant planetary system that flips a long-standing rule of planet formation on its head. Around the small red dwarf star LHS 1903, scientists expected to find rocky planets close in and gas giants farther out — the same pattern seen in our own Solar System and hundreds of others. And at first, that’s exactly what they saw. But new observations revealed a surprise: the outermost planet appears to be rocky, not gaseous.

A massive star 2.5 million light-years away simply vanished — and astronomers now know why. Instead of exploding in a supernova, it quietly collapsed into a black hole, shedding its outer layers in a slow-motion cosmic fade-out. The leftover debris continues to glow in infrared light, offering a long-lasting signal of the black hole’s birth. The finding reshapes our understanding of how some of the universe’s biggest stars meet their end.

A new Stanford study suggests math struggles may be about more than numbers. Children who had difficulty with math were less likely to adjust their thinking after making mistakes during number comparison tasks. Brain imaging showed weaker activity in regions that help monitor errors and guide behavioral changes. These brain patterns could predict which children were more likely to struggle.

A sweeping review of global research suggests that exercise—especially aerobic activities like running, swimming, and dancing—can be one of the most powerful ways to ease depression and anxiety. Across tens of thousands of people aged 10 to 90, exercise consistently reduced symptoms, often matching or even outperforming medication and talk therapy.

A new study suggests that generosity may be more than a moral lesson—it could be shaped by how different parts of the brain work together. By gently stimulating two brain regions and syncing their activity, researchers found that people became more willing to share money with others, even when it meant earning less themselves.