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
Re: Alzheimer’s Drugs Targeting Amyloid Do Not Produce Clinically Meaningful Effects, Concludes Cochrane Review
A recent Cochrane review concluded that amyloid‑targeting drugs for Alzheimer’s disease do not deliver clinically meaningful benefits, prompting disappointment among researchers, investors, and caregivers. In a BMJ rapid response, emeritus professors Elaine and Robert Perry argue that cholinergic therapy—available for three decades—remains a viable option, citing improvements in cognition, behavior, and disease‑specific response patterns. They highlight advances such as drug‑specific efficacy differences, combination regimens with memantine, novel delivery routes, and natural‑product cholinesterase inhibitors. The letter also notes emerging strategies like muscarinic M1 agonists and deep‑brain stimulation of basal forebrain nuclei as future avenues.
High‑Intensity Training Linked to Greater Brain Atrophy in Seniors
🤔This study followed older adults for 9 years and found that those assigned to long-term high‑intensity interval training (HIIT) actually had slightly more hippocampal and thalamic atrophy than controls who just followed national physical activity guidelines, while higher baseline fitness...
Merck, Eisai’s Keytruda Triplet Fails to Improve Survival in Kidney Cancer
Merck and Eisai announced that their Phase 3 LITESPARK‑012 trial of a three‑drug regimen—Keytruda, Welireg and Lenvima—failed to improve overall survival or progression‑free survival in first‑line renal cell carcinoma. The control arm received the approved Keytruda‑Lenvima doublet, which also did not...
Earth’s Day May Reach 25 Hours in 200 Million Years as Rotation Slows
Researchers calculate that Earth’s rotation is decelerating by about 2.3 milliseconds per century, a rate that could produce a 25‑hour day in roughly 200 million years. The slowdown stems from tidal friction with the Moon and is compounded by climate‑driven and...
CBS4's Medical Myth Busters Dispel Five Popular Metabolism Myths
CBS4's "Medical Myth Busters" aired a new segment that dismantled five widely held misconceptions about metabolism, referencing recent peer‑reviewed research. The piece aims to correct public misunderstanding and guide healthier dietary choices.
A Bizarre New State of Matter May Be Hiding Inside Uranus and Neptune
Carnegie researchers Cong Liu and Ronald Cohen used quantum simulations to predict a previously unknown quasi‑one‑dimensional superionic phase of carbon‑hydride deep inside Uranus and Neptune. The phase features a hexagonal carbon framework with hydrogen atoms spiraling through it, emerging under...
Study Finds Repetitive Diet Boosts Weight Loss for Biohackers
Researchers led by C. Hagerman published a study in Health Psychology showing that eating the same meals daily helped 112 participants lose weight more effectively. The findings give biohackers a data‑backed, low‑complexity tool for calorie control.
El Nino May Emerge Between May and July
Major climate models, including those from Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, indicate a warming tropical Pacific that could trigger El Nino between May and July 2026. The Nino3.4 index has risen to –0.27 °C, moving out of the neutral range, while subsurface heat...
AST SpaceMobile Loses $2 B Market Cap After BlueBird‑7 Fails Orbit
AST SpaceMobile’s stock fell about 5% on April 20, erasing roughly $2 billion in market value after BlueBird‑7 was placed into an off‑nominal orbit by Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket. The setback intensifies pressure on the company’s 2026 satellite‑deployment schedule and its...
Eli Lilly to Acquire Kelonia Therapeutics in $7 B Cash Deal
Eli Lilly agreed to acquire Cambridge‑based Kelonia Therapeutics for up to $7 billion in cash, including an undisclosed upfront payment. The deal adds Kelonia’s in‑vivo gene‑delivery platform and its lead candidate KLN‑1010 to Lilly’s oncology portfolio, and sent Lilly’s shares up 2.5%...
IBS News Flash. Anxiety & IBS Have a Reciprocal Relationship
A retrospective cohort study published in Cureus identified a strong two‑way relationship between anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Individuals with anxiety were more likely to develop IBS later, while those with IBS faced more than double the risk of...
Chinese Researchers Propose Saliva Test to Detect Stomach Cancer Early
Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine have pinpointed 20 bacterial species that appear in both the mouths and stomachs of gastric‑cancer patients. Their study, published in Cell Reports Medicine, proposes a non‑invasive saliva test that could identify...
LMU Researchers Stabilize Perovskite Quantum Dots and Achieve Sub‑Unit‑Cell Growth Control
A team at Ludwig‑Maximilians‑Universität München, led by Dr. Quinten Akkerman, has demonstrated a thin‑film Gemini‑ligand chemistry that stabilizes perovskite quantum dots in polar solvents and a multi‑step injection method that controls their growth with sub‑unit‑cell precision. The breakthroughs address long‑standing...
Scientists Load Complete Hepatitis‑D Genome Onto IBM’s 156‑Qubit Quantum Processor
Teams from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Oxford, Cambridge and Melbourne have encoded the entire 1,700‑base‑pair hepatitis‑D virus genome onto IBM’s 156‑qubit Heron quantum processor. The proof‑of‑concept demonstrates a pathway to quantum‑accelerated genomics, with researchers eyeing future speedups of up to...
NASA Powers Down Voyager 1’s LECP Instrument to Extend Mission
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory commanded Voyager 1 to power off its Low‑Energy Charged Particles (LECP) instrument on April 17 after an unexpected power dip, extending the spacecraft’s life by roughly a year. The move highlights the delicate balance of keeping the 49‑year‑old...
BBOT Secures FDA Fast Track for Pan-KRAS Inhibitor BBO-11818 in KRAS‑Mutant Pancreatic Cancer
BridgeBio Oncology Therapeutics (BBOT) announced that the FDA granted Fast Track designation to its pan‑KRAS inhibitor BBO-11818 for advanced KRAS‑mutant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The designation accelerates development of a drug that showed a confirmed partial response in early data and...
Neolaia Synthesizes New CD38 Inhibitors
Biohaven disclosed detailed preclinical data on BHV‑2100, a TRPM3 calcium‑channel modulator aimed at neuropathic pain. A new meta‑analysis concluded that anti‑amyloid therapies for Alzheimer’s have not demonstrated clinically meaningful benefits, intensifying debate over the approach. Jiangsu and Shanghai Hengrui patented...
April 21, 1994: The Discovery of Exoplanets
On April 21, 1994 astronomers Aleksander Wolszczan and Dale Frail announced the first unambiguous detection of planets beyond the Solar System. The objects, orbiting the pulsar PSR B1257+12, were roughly three and four Earth masses and completed orbits every 67 and 98 days....
What New Atopic Dermatitis Treatments Are in the Pipeline in 2026?
The atopic dermatitis pipeline in 2026 is dominated by next‑generation biologics and selective small molecules that aim to improve efficacy while reducing side‑effects. Connect Biopharma’s rademikibart achieved near‑complete skin clearance in a phase 3 trial, and Apogee’s extended‑half‑life zumilokibart showed durable...
Incyte Discloses New TYK2 And/Or JAK1 Inhibitors
Incyte announced the discovery of a new series of small‑molecule inhibitors that selectively target TYK2 and JAK1, two kinases central to cytokine signaling in autoimmune disorders. The compounds demonstrated sub‑nanomolar potency in cell‑based assays and favorable safety margins in early...
Curiosity Mars Rover: Life Associated Chemical Experiment Finding
NASA’s Curiosity rover has identified more than 20 distinct organic molecules within clay‑bearing sandstones at Glen Torridon in Gale crater. The detection was made using the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) suite, which performed a novel chemical experiment never before conducted...
First Light Fusion Completes £25m Funding Round
First Light Fusion, an Oxford spin‑out, closed a £25 million (~$31 million) funding round led by East X Ventures and its Starmaker One fusion fund. Strategic investment came from the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) alongside existing backers IP Group and Hostplus. The capital will accelerate...
Scientists Sculpt Einstein Onto a Crystal Using only Light
Researchers at XPANCEO, together with Nobel laureate Konstantin Novoselov, demonstrated that the van der Waals semiconductor arsenic trisulfide (As₂S₃) can be permanently reshaped using only continuous‑wave light. The crystal exhibits an unprecedented photorefractive index shift of up to Δn≈0.3 under low‑intensity UV exposure,...
Heart, Kidney, Diabetes: One Syndrome Affects 90%
In October 2023, the American Heart Association officially admitted something that changes everything: heart disease, kidney disease, and type 2 diabetes are not three separate conditions. They're one syndrome, driven by the same root cause. They called it CKM syndrome...
Inflammation, Not Cholesterol, Fuels Heart Disease
As a medical school professor, I have been saying this for years. Now Scientific American put it on the cover. "Your Heart In Flames" -- May 2026 issue. The argument: chronic inflammation, not cholesterol alone, is the real driver of cardiovascular disease. Up...
Our Efforts to Halt Global Forest Loss Aren’t Working: New Research
A new study shows the world lost roughly 300 million hectares of forest between 2013 and 2023, averaging 21‑32 million hectares per year. Protected areas expanded from 868 million to 990 million hectares, yet deforestation continued unabated. The research found no statistical link between...
Self‑Experiment Shows High‑Dose Statins May Reduce Exercise Performance
1/2) Given emerging literature I decided to test, in a randomized, placebo-controlled crossover experiment conducted on myself whether high-dose statins would impair my exercise performance.
War in Iran Spurs Surge in Green Investment
Is the Iran war accelerating the clean energy transition? Where are green investors putting their money? Bloomberg journalists answer your questions in a Live Q&A on April 22 at 10:30 a.m. EDT. Join the conversation: https://t.co/JOM34HDIhU https://t.co/6CyE8T6Knn
Laser Bursts Flip Nanoscale Magnetic Vortices at Blistering Speeds, Opening a Path to Brain-Like Spintronics
Researchers at Nankai University and collaborators have demonstrated coherent helicity switching of nanoscale magnetic vortices using femtosecond laser pulses combined with an out‑of‑plane magnetic field. The technique flips the vortex rotation within a few hundred picoseconds in a Ni‑Fe (80/20)...
2026 on Track for Second‑warmest Year, 1.47°C Above Pre‑industrial
Global temperatures in 2026 are on track to be the second warmest on record, at around 1.47C above preindustrial levels across the five different records assessed by Carbon Brief. Read more in our latest State of the Climate update for...
APOE Ε4 Predicts Early Cognitive Decline in Midlife Adults
APOE ε4 and Accelerated Cognitive Decline Among Cognitively Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults 🗣️” In this study, APOE ε4 carrier status was associated with early cognitive decline, highlighting midlife risk awareness and lifestyle interventions, while non-APOE polygenic risk may require longer...
Pressure-Tuned Quantum Spin Liquid-Like Behavior Observed in Material Y-Kapellasite
Researchers at University Paris‑Saclay‑CNRS and the University of Stuttgart applied hydrostatic pressure to Y‑kapellasite while monitoring it with muon spin spectroscopy (µSR). The pressure gradually suppressed the material’s static magnetic order, revealing persistent spin dynamics that resemble a quantum spin‑liquid...
Replacing Personal Care Products Cuts Plastic Chemical Excretion
A randomized trial to reduce plastic exposure in food and daily life shows marked impact for reducing plastic-associated chemical (PAC) excretion. Personal care product replacement lowered an important one, MBzP https://t.co/qGGTVqf952 https://t.co/yVR4YYLKkt
Biological Data Is Messy: Human Error Is Inevitable
1/ Biological data isn’t just messy. Humans generate it. And humans make mistakes. As a bioinformatician, this will be your reality 🧵 https://t.co/hjSOBVJvjM
Bugs in Hot Springs Could Clean up Industry…
Researchers at the University of Manchester have identified microbes from terrestrial hot springs that can survive the extreme heat, high CO₂ levels, and chemically harsh environments typical of heavy industry. These extremophiles not only capture CO₂ but also transform it...
AI Unlocks Molecular Nanotech, Ushering a New Diamond Age
20+yrs ago I studied flagellar motors, the awe of molecular machinery never left me. AI will help us understand and build true molecular nanotechnology so advanced it will look like magic to pre-molecular nanotech societies. Diamond age is just the start 💎
New Experiment Finds DNA‑like Precursor on Other World
Almost there 😍🧬👽 “The experiment also hinted at the presence of another organic compound that bears a structure similar to precursors to DNA, the molecule that carries genetic information in living organisms on our planet.” https://t.co/mma5kFewv9
PSMA PET and the Evolving Imaging Landscape in Prostate Cancer
In the 2026 prostate cancer guidelines, PSMA‑PET is elevated to an indispensable imaging tool, expanding beyond initial staging of unfavorable intermediate‑risk and higher‑risk disease to cover biochemical recurrence, including second recurrences. The modality now informs decisions on oligometastatic identification for...
Nicotinamide Riboside Blocks Lasting Mitochondrial Damage Post‑asphyxia
Long-term region-specific mitochondrial respiration impairment after perinatal asphyxia is prevented by the NAD⁺ donor nicotinamide riboside: A real-time organotypic metabolic profiling approach https://t.co/ZGyAxcnNAC https://t.co/w0VJkAmlHT
Possible BlueBird 7 Reentry Video, Timing Discrepancy Noted
The following video by @MvCrisis was reportedly taken in the Maldives at 0355-0400 UTC Apr 20. It's possible it shows the @AST_SpaceMobile BlueBird 7 reentry, although the SpaceForce TLE says this time was 25 min too early to be BB7,...
The Soviets Abandoned a Top-Secret Bioweapons Testing Ground. 34 Years Later, ‘Anthrax Island’ Is Waking Up.
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union built a massive bioweapons complex on Vozrozhdeniya Island, known as Aralsk‑7, where it stored up to 200 tons of anthrax slurry and conducted experiments on plague, smallpox and other pathogens. The remote island in...
NordSpace Nets Canadian Defense Funding for VLEO Satellite Development
NordSpace secured a one‑year, CAD $183,000 (≈ $133,000 USD) contract from Canada’s Department of National Defence to advance very low Earth orbit (VLEO) satellite technologies. The funding targets the Kestrel constellation, which aims to deliver 10‑centimeter resolution imaging from altitudes below traditional low‑Earth...
Tomb Feathers From Wild Parrots Reveal Extensive Ancient Trade Route
Researchers analyzing DNA, isotopes and spatial models identified four Amazonian parrot species among feathers recovered from a 1,000‑year‑old tomb at Pachacamac, Peru. The chemical signatures reveal the birds were kept alive for at least a year on the coastal side,...
Tortugas Neuroscience Launches to Develop Brain Disorder Drugs
Tortugas Neuroscience launches with hopes to develop drugs for brain disorders, other conditions https://t.co/zoM69VEQtV via @ADeAngelis_bio
Wildlife and Humans Thriving in Unesco-Protected Sites
A new UNESCO report finds that wildlife and human communities are thriving within the organization’s protected sites, even as global wildlife numbers have fallen by roughly 75% since 1970. Populations of iconic species such as elephants, tigers and pandas remain...
Patients Stay Cancer-Free Three Years After Clinical Trial
A phase II trial at UCL tested pembrolizumab as neoadjuvant therapy for 32 patients with stage II‑III MMR‑deficient/MSI‑high bowel cancer. After up to nine weeks of immunotherapy before surgery, 59% showed no detectable tumor and none experienced recurrence over a median...
STAT+: Tortugas Neuroscience Launches with Hopes to Develop Drugs for Brain Disorders, Other Conditions
Tortugas Neuroscience launched with a $106 million financing round led by Cure Ventures, The Column Group and AN Ventures. The startup has licensed two schizophrenia and tinnitus candidates from China’s Jiangsu Hansoh and two additional therapies for focal epilepsy and encephalopathies...
STAT+: BioAge Says Experimental Pill Aimed at Reducing Heart Risks Significantly Reduced Inflammation
BioAge Labs reported that its investigational cardiovascular‑risk pill BGE‑102 dramatically lowered inflammation in a Phase 1 trial. A 60‑mg dose cut high‑sensitivity C‑reactive protein (hs‑CRP) by 85% after one week, with the effect persisting through three weeks. The same reduction was...
Fluoride In Drinking Water Not Linked to Lower IQ
A new longitudinal study of 10,317 Wisconsinites spanning 1957‑2021 found no link between community water fluoridation and lower IQ or cognitive decline. The research directly challenges a 2025 paper that reported IQ reductions at fluoride concentrations far exceeding typical U.S....
Twin Study Links Childhood Trauma to Higher Risk of Treatment‑Resistant Depression
A new twin study from the Karolinska Institute shows that adverse childhood experiences significantly increase the likelihood of treatment‑resistant depression, with five percent of those reporting three or more traumas developing the condition versus 0.7 percent of trauma‑free peers. The...