Today's Science Pulse
UK-led study reveals hidden massive star clusters deep within nearby galaxies
Astronomers using the VLA and ALMA uncovered previously unseen giant star clusters embedded deep inside nearby galaxies. The findings show that young stellar activity drives the evolution of these galaxies, reshaping their interstellar environments. Multiple observations confirm the clusters act as hidden “ring factories” of star formation.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Foundation Alloy raises $22M Series A
Two‑Week Elemental Diet Cuts IBS Symptoms by 30% in 82% of Patients
Researchers at Cedars‑Sinai presented data showing that a 2‑week exclusive elemental diet lowered abdominal pain, bloating and discomfort by 30% or more in 82% of IBS patients. The improvement persisted after participants returned to their regular diets, offering a concrete, short‑term therapeutic option.
Aspen Neuroscience Begins First Personalized Brain‑Repair Trial for Parkinson’s
Aspen Neuroscience announced the start of its ASPIRO Phase 1/2a trial, the first personalized brain‑repair therapy for Parkinson’s disease. Eight patients received autologous dopamine‑producing cells, reporting roughly two extra hours of “Good ON” time per day. The trial marks a...
Twist Bioscience Q2 2026 Loss Widens as Synthetic DNA Demand Slows
Twist Bioscience Corp posted a second‑quarter 2026 net loss of $44.0 million, or $0.71 per share, compared with a $39.3 million loss a year ago. Revenue rose 19.3% to $110.7 million, but the widening loss highlights pressure on the synthetic‑DNA market as demand...
RMIT Turns Waste Eucalyptus Bark Into Low‑Cost Pollution‑Fighting Carbon
Scientists at Australia’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology have developed a simple process that transforms waste eucalyptus bark into a highly porous carbon adsorbent. The material promises low‑cost, energy‑efficient production for water filters, air purifiers and carbon‑capture systems, opening a...
Multivitamins Show No Overall BP Benefit, Help Low‑Diet Individuals
Long-Term Effect of Multivitamin Supplementation on Incident Self-Reported Hypertension and Blood Pressure Changes in the COSMOS Trial "MVM supplementation versus placebo did not reduce hypertension incidence or lower BP overall. Exploratory analyses showed greater reduction in hypertension risk and BP changes...
Insulet Launches Pivotal Trial of Fully Closed‑Loop Insulin System for Type 2 Diabetes
Insulet Corp. has begun a pivotal clinical trial, called Evolve, enrolling up to 350 adults with Type 2 diabetes across 40 U.S. sites. The study tests the company’s first fully closed‑loop insulin delivery system, a move intended to broaden automated insulin...
Metalenz Unveils Invisible Face ID Sensor for 2027 Smartphones
Boston‑based optics startup Metalenz announced that its Polar ID facial authentication system, built on metasurface lenses, is ready for mass production and will be deployed in smartphones and laptops in 2027. The under‑display sensor promises mask‑proof security and could remove...
Phase 3 FUZION Data Show Guselkumab Benefit in Perianal Fistulizing Crohn Disease
Late‑breaking Phase 3 FUZION data presented at DDW 2026 show that guselkumab significantly improves combined fistula remission in adults with perianal fistulizing Crohn disease. At 24 weeks, remission rates were 28.3% with 100 mg every eight weeks and 27.0% with 200 mg every four weeks,...
NASA’s X‑59 Quiet Supersonic Transport Executes Near‑Supersonic Maneuver Test Over Mojave
NASA conducted a high‑speed maneuver test of its X‑59 Quiet Supersonic Transport on April 14, pushing the aircraft to near‑supersonic speeds and performing envelope‑expansion maneuvers over the Mojave desert. The flight, part of a broader data‑gathering campaign, aims to validate...
NASA and NOAA Find Organic Nanoparticles Dominate Lower Stratosphere Aerosols
NASA and NOAA announced that ultrafine organic‑rich nanoparticles, some as small as three nanometers, account for roughly 90% of the aerosol surface area in the lower stratosphere. The finding, based on the February 2023 SABRE mission and published in Science,...
Racing Yachts Double As Floating Labs For Ocean Research
New Zealand charity Citizens of the Sea is turning high‑performance racing yachts into floating laboratories by equipping them with user‑friendly environmental DNA (eDNA) kits. Backed by the Vendée Globe Foundation and partners such as Illumina and the Minderoo Foundation, sailors...
Do GLP-1 Drugs Like Ozempic Prevent Cancer?
GLP‑1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and the newly approved oral drug Foundayo have shown mixed evidence regarding cancer prevention. Some observational studies link them to lower obesity‑related cancer risk and improved survival, while other data show no association...
Scientists Discovered Wave Wakes Where They Shouldn’t Be—Upending a 140-Year-Old Theory
Harvard researchers have shown that ultra‑soft solids such as gels generate Kelvin‑like wakes while simultaneously undergoing Rayleigh‑type deformation, merging two wave phenomena thought distinct for 140 years. The study, published in Physical Review Letters, identifies a relationship between disturbance speed...
May 5, 1961: The First American in Space
On May 5, 1961 Alan Shepard piloted the Freedom 7 capsule, becoming the first American to reach space. Launched from Cape Canaveral on an Army Redstone missile, the suborbital flight peaked at 116.5 miles (187.5 km) altitude and 5,180 mph (8,336 km/h). The 15‑minute mission was broadcast live,...
Japan’s Organoid Farm Scales Up Cultivated Meat Production & Teases New Facility
Japan’s Organoid Farm, a JGC Holdings subsidiary, completed a 200‑litre bioreactor demonstration that produced scaffold‑free cultivated beef using a patented bovine cell line capable of continuous division. The scaffold‑free suspension culture simplifies processing and cuts raw‑material and cleaning costs, providing...
GLP-1s May Not Raise DKA, Pancreatitis Risk in Type 1 Diabetes
A single‑center study of 7,377 adults with type 1 diabetes found that none of the 255 patients using GLP‑1 receptor agonists were hospitalized for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or pancreatitis over a one‑year period. Overall hospital admission rates were significantly lower for...
Doug Sheridan: IPCC Elimination Of Its Most Extreme Scenarios Is Science Self-Correcting
The IPCC’s new CMIP7 ScenarioMIP framework has removed the most extreme climate pathways—RCP8.5, SSP5-8.5 and SSP3-7.0—replacing them with seven scenarios ranging from very low to high radiative forcing. This shift marks a formal acknowledgment that the upper‑end scenarios used for...
Genetic Variant Determines Individual GLP‑1 Drug Response
As a medical school professor, I get asked why GLP-1 drugs work miracles for some and barely budge for others. A new Nature paper from 23andMe gives part of the answer: your genes. Researchers ran a genome-wide association study in 27,885...
Startup's Squeezable Solid Could Upend Cooling and Refrigeration
Barocal, a Cambridge‑spun startup, has secured $10 million to advance its solid‑state refrigerant based on plastic crystals that absorb heat at rest and release it when compressed. The material exploits the barocaloric effect, shifting temperature up to 90 °F (50 °C) under pressure,...
RAGE Gene Therapy Cuts Inflammation, Not Lifespan
It's a gene therapy that targets the RAGE pathway (Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-Products) that mediates inflammation and oxidative stress signaling. So far, the mice data doesn't show significant longevity benefits and mostly reduced inflammation and vascular stiffness and kidney damage. On...
Superintelligent AI Not Required to Improve Cancer Outcomes
Big tech companies claim superintelligent AI could one day cure cancer. But do we really need smarter AI to change cancer outcomes? https://spectrum.ieee.org/can-ai-cure-cancer-javorsky?share_id=9456123
Music and the Brain (and Medicine)
At a recent neuroscience conference, Harvard professor Dr. Pearl showcased how live piano excerpts of Bach and Beethoven can instantly shift listeners' physiological and emotional states. He explained that music does not engage a single brain region but simultaneously activates...
Pointed Ironies: SERD Wars, ADC Hype, and What Really Works in Breast Cancer
The FDA rejected camizestrant at the ODAC meeting, while approving vepdegestrant a day later. AstraZeneca’s vepdegestrant leverages ctDNA to detect ESR1 mutations early, allowing a treatment switch while patients remain on a CDK4/6 inhibitor backbone. In contrast, Arvinas pursued a...
Could Bovine Leukemia Virus Be a Cause of Breast Cancer?
Recent research suggests that exposure to bovine leukemia virus (BLV) may account for up to 37% of breast cancer cases. The virus, now present in more than 94% of U.S. dairy herds—a rise from roughly 10% several decades ago—has been...
Scientists Found a Surprising State of Matter That's Breaking Dimensional Rules
Scientists at Nanjing University have reported a new form of the Hall effect, dubbed the transdimensional anomalous Hall effect (TDAHE), in a nanometer‑scale carbon lattice. The ultra‑thin (2‑5 nm) rhombus‑shaped array caused electrons to move in both horizontal and vertical loops,...
What the Harvard ER Study Says About O1 Beating Doctors at Diagnosis, Why It Means Differential Diagnosis Just Stopped Being...
A Harvard‑led Science paper pitted OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model against board‑certified physicians on 76 Boston emergency‑department cases. At the triage stage, o1 achieved roughly 67% diagnostic accuracy versus 50‑55% for doctors, and both groups climbed above 80% once full workup...
The Technology Behind the Story: 3D Skin Grafts and the World of Scarpetta
The article highlights how 3D‑printed skin grafts are transitioning from laboratory experiments to clinical tools for complex wounds. Researchers at Columbia University have demonstrated patient‑specific, three‑dimensional grafts that fit irregular body parts like a glove, reducing surgery time and improving...
Science Drafts the Brain’s First User Manual
Your brain didn’t come with a user manual, but science is finally writing one. 🧠 Credit: Tay SW, Ryan P, Ryan CA. Systems 1 and 2 thinking processes and cognitive reflection testing in medical students. Can Med Educ J. 2016 Oct...
Sleep Apnea, Neuropsychiatric Symptoms Linked in Football Players
A new analysis of the Football Players Health Study found that roughly 69% of former professional football players likely have obstructive sleep apnea, yet only about one‑third have a formal diagnosis. Those with diagnosed but untreated sleep apnea exhibited the...
Seaweed Integration Boosts Efficiency and Cuts Waste in Aquaculture, Study Finds
A University of Miami study demonstrated that integrating native seaweed species into marine finfish farms can virtually eliminate total ammonia nitrogen waste. Researchers ran a pilot‑scale IMTA system on Florida’s Virginia Key, testing four macroalgae varieties with yellowtail snapper effluent....
America’s Grid Watchdog Just Issued a Dire New Warning
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) issued a rare Level 3 alert on Monday, marking only the third such warning in its 58‑year history. The alert follows sudden data‑center outages in Virginia and Texas that raised fears of cascading blackouts....
Male‑dominant Dementia Risks Highlighted in 2024 Lancet Report
Broadening dementia risk models: building on the 2024 Lancet Commission report for a more inclusive global framework Your dementia risk profile may differ by sex. Which risk factors matter most for you? 🤔👇👨⚕️ "The 2024 report identifies 14 modifiable risk factors for...
Myqorzo ACACIA Study Achieves Dual Primary Endpoint Success
$CYTK Here we go! Myqorzo ACACIA study results in nHCM --> BOTH co-primary endpoints hit with statistical significance. There may be debate about magnitude of improvements for Myqorzo via KCCQ-CSS and peak V02. But, if you were dreaming for a...
STAT+: Cytokinetics Drug Myqorzo Meets Twin Efficacy Goals in Study of Genetic Heart Disease
Cytokinetics announced that its Phase 3 ACACIA trial met both primary efficacy endpoints for Myqorzo in patients with non‑obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, showing significant symptom relief and improved cardiovascular fitness. Myqorzo is already approved for the obstructive form of HCM, and this...
White House Reviews SEC Plan to Scrap Climate Disclosures
The White House is reviewing a proposal from the Securities and Exchange Commission to formally end Biden-era climate disclosure rules for publicly-traded companies. https://t.co/Xw3zksqcOJ
ReBASE Reveals Climate’s Impact on Extreme Events
How would observed extreme events differ in warmer or cooler climates? First results from the ReBASE (Reanalysis-Based Attribution and Storylines of Extremes) project are now available, with analysis by Rhidian Thomas & Vikki Thompson. #EGU26 Poster: https://t.co/L5JIubN8QW https://t.co/2guqTmSYQU
TESS Eclipse‑Timing Study Reveals Over Two Dozen New Exoplanet Candidates
A new analysis of NASA’s TESS data on eclipsing binary stars has identified more than two dozen candidate exoplanets, a method that sidesteps the need for direct transits. The discovery pushes the total count of binary‑star planets found by TESS...
Gallium Needle Softens at Body Heat, Boosts Injection Safety
KAIST Develops Gallium Needle That Softens at Body Temperature for Safer Injections by @tweetciiiim #MedTech #HealthTech #Tech #TechForGood https://t.co/g8iTdzNeF9
Experience a Starlink Satellite's Full Orbit Firsthand
Here you can follow a Starlink satellite through an entire orbit… …in a first person view. 🤩
New Handbook Review Positions Creatine as Brain‑Health Aid, Not a Steroid
Dr. Mehdi Boroujerdi’s upcoming Handbook of Creatine and Creatinine In Vivo Kinetics, releasing May 12, argues that creatine supports cognitive function and is not a steroid. The review cites anti‑inflammatory, antioxidant, and energy‑regeneration properties, prompting calls for broader dietary‑supplement guidance.
Singapore Launches Largest Parenting Trial to Test Sensitive Caregiving
Singapore has kicked off the LOVING study, the nation’s largest parenting randomised controlled trial, recruiting 624 families to evaluate video‑feedback coaching that strengthens sensitive caregiving. The trial, backed by NUS, A*STAR and KK Women’s Hospital, seeks to link parental responsiveness...
Slow Alzheimer’s Diagnoses ‘Mean UK Patients Missing Out on Experimental Treatments’
Alzheimer's Research UK warns that delayed or imprecise diagnoses are keeping UK patients out of a surge of experimental drug trials. While global trials hit a record 192 this year, fewer than 1,000 UK participants are enrolled in phase‑3 studies....
How Microplastics Are Likely Helping To Heat Up the Planet
A new Nature Climate Change study finds that airborne microplastics, especially dark‑colored particles, absorb sunlight and act as warming agents. Researchers at Fudan University measured light absorption across colors and sizes, showing black and colored plastics can absorb up to...
When It Comes to the Moon, We’ve only Scratched the Surface
Artemis II returned to Earth after a 10‑day mission that included a lunar flyby, marking the first time a woman and a non‑U.S. citizen have flown to the Moon. The flight demonstrated key Orion spacecraft systems and set the stage for...
Adaptive Structural Reconfiguration in Ether‐Incorporated Covalent Organic Frameworks Enables Efficient Iodine Capture
Researchers designed two ether‑embedded covalent organic frameworks (F‑TEA and F‑BEA) and compared them with a rigid, ether‑free counterpart (R‑TPA) to assess iodine adsorption. The flexible COFs showed superior vapor capture, with F‑TEA outperforming F‑BEA, which in turn exceeded R‑TPA. However,...
Boehringer’s Next‑Gen GLP‑1 Survodutide Cuts Weight 16% in Phase 3 Trial
Boehringer Ingelheim announced that its experimental GLP‑1/glucagon dual‑agonist survodutide produced an average 16.6% body‑weight reduction in a 725‑person Phase 3 study, far surpassing placebo. The result positions survodutide as a potential next‑generation tool for biohackers focused on metabolic optimization.
Fluorinated Amphiphilic Dendrimer to Improve PET Imaging of Cancer
Researchers engineered a fluorinated amphiphilic dendrimer nanocarrier radiolabeled with gallium‑68 to serve as a PET imaging agent. Fluorination lowered liver retention, accelerated renal clearance, and refined biodistribution, producing markedly higher tumor uptake in mouse models of glioblastoma and pancreatic adenocarcinoma....
Germany Launches €5 Bn Auction for Industrial Decarbonisation
Germany kicks off an auction to offer up to €5 billion to help heavy industries cut their carbon emissions https://t.co/2MKA0UuXtz
Molecular Design Opening Multiple Charge Transfer Pathways in Oxygen‐Bridged Boron Emitters for High‐Efficiency Pure Violet Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes
Researchers have engineered two oxygen‑bridged boron thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters—BOID‑Cz‑Si and BOBF‑Cz‑Si—by integrating indole and benzofuran donor units. The compounds deliver pure violet light near 400 nm with a narrow 25 nm full width at half‑maximum and photoluminescence quantum yields...
Vertex Q1 2026 Revenue Hits $2.99B, CF Sales Drive Growth and UAE Gene Therapy Deal
Vertex Pharmaceuticals posted Q1 2026 total product revenue of $2.99 billion, an 8% year‑over‑year rise led by its cystic fibrosis franchise. The company also highlighted a landmark collaboration with Abu Dhabi’s Stem Cells Centre to deliver the first CRISPR‑Cas9 gene therapy...