Today's Science Pulse
Twisting 2D hBN layers unlocks unprecedented control of quantum light
Researchers demonstrated that rotating ultra‑thin hexagonal boron nitride sheets can reversibly shift the color and wavelength of embedded quantum emitters far beyond what traditional solid‑state hosts allow. By picking up, stacking, and twisting the layers, they achieved spectral tuning orders of magnitude larger, a breakthrough reported in Science Advances.
We Can Prove Which Twin Fathered the Child in This Paternity Dispute | Letter
A recent Court of Appeal ruling claimed it could not determine which monozygotic twin fathered a child, but Professor Michael Krawczak argues that molecular genetic techniques can reliably make that distinction. He cites research first proposed in 2012 and demonstrated in 2018 that germ‑cell differences between identical twins are detectable. The required testing, however, carries a five‑figure price tag, roughly $10,000‑$99,999. Krawczak urges courts to reconsider the cost‑benefit balance given the profound personal and legal stakes.
On the Bookshelf: 'Cancer Is a Parasite' Challenges Medical Orthodoxy and Offers Hope to Millions of Cancer Patients
William F. Supple Jr.’s 2026 book *Cancer Is a Parasite* argues that fenbendazole, an over‑the‑counter veterinary dewormer, can safely eradicate a wide range of cancers. The author, a Dartmouth‑trained neuroscientist, backs the claim with dozens of peer‑reviewed studies and more...
Science Enables Viable Alternative to Inefficient Meat Production
For 12,000 years, we've been cycling crops through animals to make meat. It's one of the least efficient production systems on Earth, and also one of the most consequential: climate, deforestation, antibiotic resistance, pandemic risk. @BruceGFriedrich has spent a decade building the...
Breath Carries Clues to Gut Health
Consumer‑grade breath analyzers such as the Trio‑Smart and FoodMarble AIRE now let users sample exhaled gases at home, promising insights into gut health. While clinicians rely on standardized breath tests—measuring hydrogen and methane after a sugar solution—to diagnose conditions like...
Climate Activists Stage Mock Funeral for Landmark Climate Rule
Climate activists staged a mock funeral outside EPA Region 9 in San Francisco to mourn the February 12 rescission of the agency’s 2009 endangerment finding, which had enabled greenhouse‑gas regulation under the Clean Air Act. The repeal, set to take effect...
CEOs Co‑author Quantum Verification Paper, Celebrate AQT Partnership
Delighted to be working with AQT. Fun fact: Horizon Quantum and AQT CEOs (along with many others) co-authored a paper back in 2021 using quantum computers to check each others work: https://t.co/GUKksFtBkV
DESI Telescope Completes Its Nominal Mission, Mapping More than 47 Million Galaxies
The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) on the Mayall 4‑meter telescope has finished its five‑year nominal mission, delivering a three‑dimensional map that includes more than 47 million galaxies. By charting galaxy clustering over 11 billion years, DESI enables researchers to probe dark...
Artemis II Quiz: Is Your Knowledge of NASA's Historic Moon Mission Out of This World?
NASA’s Artemis II mission marked humanity’s first crewed lunar flyby in over five decades, completing a ten‑day Orion flight that looped around the Moon and returned safely to Earth. The crew of four, including Canada’s Jeremy Hansen, tested critical life‑support, navigation...
New Study Confirms Lobsters Feel Pain, Driving Scientists to Call for a Ban on Boiling Them Alive
A new study published in Scientific Reports shows that Norway lobsters experience pain, as analgesics like aspirin and lidocaine reduced their escape tail‑flip response to electric shocks. Researchers interpret the tail flip as a pain reflex, not merely a stress...
What Can Space Lasers Do for Business Broadband?
NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) achieved a 1.2 Gbps laser link from the International Space Station, showcasing speeds ten times faster than typical broadband. The same laser technology later enabled the Artemis II mission to transmit 4K video at 260 Mbps from...
Rapid Melatonin Test Can Help Astronauts and Others Easily Monitor Their Biological Rhythm
Washington State University researchers have created a 15‑minute melatonin test that combines a paper‑strip assay with a 3D‑printed smartphone fluorescence reader. The lateral‑flow immunoassay uses europium nanoparticles to achieve laboratory‑grade sensitivity of 10 picograms per milliliter, pinpointing the onset of an...
SpaceX Launches Two Starlink Missions 19 Hours Apart
SpaceX conducted two Starlink missions on April 14, launching Falcon 9 rockets from Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg within a 19‑hour window. Both flights were successful, deploying dozens of broadband satellites into low‑Earth orbit. The back‑to‑back launches underscore SpaceX’s ability to...
Dietary Restriction Extends Lifespan via Conserved Molecular Pathways
Molecular mechanisms underlying the lifespan and healthspan benefits of dietary restriction across species https://t.co/JodR3q7w2z https://t.co/46npim9J0m
Weekly Psil
Big up Eric et al for driving this: Observing the mind under psychedelics: conceptual metaphors used following four once-weekly macrodoses of psilocybin https://t.co/gPYGMNkep0
Rare Einstein Cross Lens Reveals Ancient Stars in Young Galaxy, Challenging Evolution Models
An international team headed by Quirino D'Amato of Italy's INAF has identified a rare Einstein Cross gravitational lens, J1453g, that displays a young elliptical galaxy with unexpectedly old stars. The finding questions prevailing models of how galaxies grow and distribute...
Fasted Workouts Boost Fat Oxidation, New National Geographic Review Finds
National Geographic published an expert‑led piece that confirms fasted exercise raises fat oxidation during the session, citing recent studies. Researchers explain the hormonal shifts that drive the effect, while also warning that short‑term gains may not translate into lasting performance...
InSPECt™ MS – Global HCP Profiling and Quantification by Native Digestion and LC-MS Analysis
The inSPECt™ MS platform combines native digestion with high‑resolution LC‑MS to quantify host‑cell proteins (HCPs) relative to spiked‑in protein standards. Calibration using the Cygnus Protein Standard demonstrated a linear response from 10 to 500 ppm with coefficients of variation under 18 %...
Study of 10 Million Siblings Links Birth Order to Autism, Migraines and More
Researchers analyzing health records of more than 10 million siblings discovered that firstborn children are disproportionately likely to be diagnosed with autism and allergies, whereas younger siblings show higher rates of migraine, shingles and other conditions. The findings, published this week,...
Castle Howard Plants 60,978 Trees in Largest Reforestation Push in 50 Years
Castle Howard, the 18th‑century estate near York, planted 60,978 saplings this winter – the most extensive tree‑planting effort on the property in half a century. The initiative, led by Forestry Manager Duncan Leckie and backed by the Forestry Commission, is...
Stanford Scientists Unveil AI-Discovered Peptide That Replicates GLP-1 Benefits Without Side Effects
Stanford Medicine researchers have identified a naturally occurring 12‑amino‑acid peptide, BRP, that mimics the appetite‑suppressing effects of semaglutide (Ozempic) while sidestepping common side effects. The discovery, powered by an AI tool called Peptide Predictor, showed weight‑loss and glucose‑control benefits in...
Sand Dredging May Have Greater Impact on Lough Neagh
New research led by Queen’s University Belfast reveals that commercial sand dredging in Lough Neagh is causing far‑reaching sediment disturbance, with sonar showing the lake bed lowered by 10‑20 metres and satellite imagery indicating sediment spreading across half the lake. The study...
IDEAYA Biosciences Shows 58% Reduction in Disease Progression in Late‑Stage Uveal Melanoma Trial
IDEAYA Biosciences and Servier announced that their Phase II/III OptimUM‑02 trial of darovasertib combined with crizotinib reduced disease‑progression risk by 58% in first‑line HLA‑A*02:01‑negative metastatic uveal melanoma. The combination achieved a median progression‑free survival of 6.9 months versus 3.1 months...
Ancient Process that Created Rare Earth Elements Discovered — and It Could Help Us Locate Desperately Needed Deposits
Scientists have identified that most rare‑earth element (REE) deposits and their host alkaline or carbonatite magmas are situated above ancient subduction zones. By modeling plate‑tectonic history over the past two billion years, the study found 67% of alkaline magma blobs...
TOBY Gets FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for Urine-Based Multi-Cancer Test
TOBY, Inc., a Texas biotech firm, earned FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for its urine‑based multi‑cancer early detection (MCED) test. The designation accelerates clinical validation and could reshape non‑invasive cancer screening.
Microsoft Sets 2030 Carbon‑Negative Roadmap Amid AI‑Driven Emissions Surge
Microsoft unveiled a detailed roadmap to become carbon‑negative by 2030 while pausing new carbon‑removal credit purchases. The plan comes as AI‑driven data‑center emissions rose 23.4% in 2024, creating tension between growth ambitions and climate goals.
Vitamin C Alleviates Aging in Cynomolgus Monkeys
Researchers introduced the term “ferro‑aging” to describe iron‑driven lipid peroxidation that accelerates cellular senescence. They showed that excess iron elevates ACSL4, boosting reactive oxygen species and aging markers in cells, mice and cynomolgus monkeys. A high‑throughput screen identified vitamin C as...
Unveiling the Mystery of Protoplanetary Disk Formation Around Young Stars
Astronomers at the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Taiwan, have released new observations and simulations that clarify how protoplanetary disks form around nascent stars. Using high‑resolution ALMA imaging combined with magnetohydrodynamic models, the team identified a rapid infall‑driven mechanism that...
Cosmic‑Ray Data and AI Boost Mining Firms' Hunt for Critical Minerals
Rio Tinto and other mining companies are deploying cosmic‑ray imaging and AI‑driven analytics to map underground mineral deposits, a move driven by record‑high copper prices and looming supply shortfalls. The effort aims to improve subsurface intelligence for both new greenfield...
Graphene‑Oxide Nanoplatform Merges Proteasome Inhibition and Phototherapy for Oral Cancer
Scientists have introduced a graphene‑oxide‑based nanoplatform that simultaneously delivers proteasome inhibitors and phototherapy to oral cancer cells. Preclinical tests indicate the combined approach outperforms each modality alone, offering a potential route to more precise, less toxic treatment.
New Image Shows Ash Creeping Across Mars
The European Space Agency released a new high‑resolution image from its Mars Express orbiter that shows ash creeping across the Martian surface. The photo captures fine, dark deposits moving downstream of a suspected volcanic vent, suggesting either recent volcanic activity...
Digital Twin Process Could Slash Microbial Protein Costs
A consortium led by Novasign has built an end‑to‑end digital twin of the microbial protein production process, promising to cut experimental runs by roughly 70% compared with traditional design‑of‑experiments approaches. The model spans upstream to downstream steps, offering real‑time deviation...
Researchers Find DMT Provides Longer-Lasting Antidepressant Effects than S-Ketamine in Animal Models
A recent Neuropharmacology study shows that a single dose of the psychedelic N,N‑dimethyltryptamine (DMT) produces rapid antidepressant effects in mice that last up to eight days, outperforming S‑ketamine’s shorter‑lived impact. Both compounds reversed learned‑helplessness behavior within 24 hours, but only...
Ultra- and Diafiltration Clear Leachables Effectively
A new study from the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research demonstrates that ultrafiltration and diafiltration (UF/DF) consistently remove over 98% of 24 out of 28 tested leachable compounds across three distinct protein processes. The clearance is largely driven by the...
IPSC-Based Manufacture Vs. Autologous Model Production Costs Examined via Financial Analysis
A new Cellistic white paper quantifies the cost advantage of using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to manufacture NK cell therapies. The analysis shows cost of goods per dose can drop to roughly $5,000, a 95% reduction compared with $115,000...
Neanderthal Infants Were Enormous Compared with Modern Humans
A new study of the near‑complete Neanderthal infant skeleton Amud 7, dated 51,000‑56,000 years ago, shows the baby’s bone length and brain size correspond to a modern child aged 12‑14 months despite a dental age of about six months. The researchers found the...
Interstellar Invader 3I/ATLAS Is Spraying Tons of Water Into Space Every Second. Jupiter-Bound Spacecraft JUICE Discovers
The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) has measured the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS ejecting roughly two tons of water vapor each second—equivalent to 70 Olympic‑size swimming pools per day. The detection was made with JUICE’s MAJIS spectrometer and...
Can the Brain Survive Cryonic Sleep?
German researchers at Friedrich‑Alexander University have vitrified mouse brain slices, flash‑freezing them into a glass‑like state without ice crystals. After thawing, the neurons resumed action potentials, demonstrating that functional excitability survives complete molecular arrest. The study, published in PNAS, shows...
AI-Powered Surrogate Models Advance Real-Time Simulation for Composites Manufacturing
Researchers at IMDEA Materials and the Technical University of Madrid have unveiled a deep learning‑based surrogate model that simulates liquid composite molding (LCM) processes on unstructured 3D grids in milliseconds. The multi‑branch encoder‑decoder architecture overcomes traditional bottlenecks by delivering high...
This Pill May Help Pancreatic Cancer Patients Live Longer
Revolution Medicines announced that its RAS‑blocking pill daraxonrasib more than doubled median overall survival for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, extending it to 13.2 months versus 6.7 months on chemotherapy. The data will support an expedited FDA filing, and the...
Advanced Gamma-Ray Spectrometer Delivered for NASA’s Dragonfly Mission to Explore Titan
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has handed over an Advanced Gamma‑Ray Spectrometer to NASA for the Dragonfly mission, the first rotorcraft lander destined for Saturn’s moon Titan. The instrument, weighing less than 5 kg, is engineered to survive Titan’s extreme cold and...
The Neuroscience of the Self
Neuroscientists have long sought a neural locus for the self, using fMRI to compare self‑referential judgments with other tasks and identifying activity along the cortical midline and the default mode network. However, these regions also engage in many non‑self processes,...
Quantum Computers: Automated Error Correction Boosts Design
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have introduced KOVAL‑Q, an electronic design automation kernel that formulates surface‑code logical operations as satisfiability (SAT) problems. By exploiting SAT solvers, KOVAL‑Q identifies optimal sequences for CNOT gates and patch rotations, cutting execution time...
Researchers Adapt Torsion Balance Experiments to Detect Dark Matter
Researchers have modified classic torsion‑balance apparatuses—originally built to test gravity and the equivalence principle—to hunt for dark‑matter signals. By integrating cryogenic cooling, magnetic shielding, and high‑precision angular readouts, the new setups can sense forces as small as 10‑21 newtons, opening...
Cosmic Dust Identified as the Source of Venus's Enigmatic Lower Haze
Scientists have identified interplanetary cosmic dust as the primary source of the persistent lower atmospheric haze on Venus. Using data from Japan’s Akatsuki orbiter combined with ground‑based spectroscopy, researchers traced the haze to micron‑sized dust particles that descend to 45‑55 km...
Contaminants, Including Ink, Detected in Meteorites Suggest Sample Preparation Needs Improving
Scientists analyzing meteorite specimens have discovered unexpected contaminants, including ink particles, embedded in the samples. The findings stem from high‑resolution microscopy and spectroscopic tests that revealed foreign organic residues on surfaces previously assumed pristine. Researchers attribute the contamination to handling...
In Vivo Autoimmune CAR-T Race Grows as Two RNA Startups Enter the Clinic
Two RNA‑focused biotech firms have entered human trials of in vivo CAR‑T therapies targeting autoimmune diseases. China’s Immorna reported its first systemic sclerosis patient treated with an RNA‑delivered CAR‑T that reduced peripheral B‑cell activity. A U.S. startup, GeneCure, launched a...
Self-Interacting Dark Matter May Solve Three Cosmic Puzzles
A new study proposes that self‑interacting dark matter (SIDM) could resolve three longstanding cosmological tensions: the core‑cusp problem, the missing‑satellite discrepancy, and the too‑big‑to‑fail anomaly. Researchers argue that a modest self‑interaction cross‑section of roughly 1 cm² per gram aligns with observations...
Promolytics: Targeting Cancer‑Promoting Clones to Halt Progression
A new review on tumor promotion and the evolution of cancer with the concept of "promolytics" —drugs that could prevent potentially dangerous clones and/or their progression https://t.co/IFah5gi8ZK @Nature
How Ants Tell Friends From Foes
A study in Current Biology reveals that clonal raider ants can reshape their nestmate‑recognition system throughout adulthood by repeated exposure to foreign colony odors. Young ants placed in a foreign colony adopt the host’s chemical profile and cease aggression, yet...
Massive Ancient-DNA Study Reveals Natural Selection Has Accelerated in Recent Human Evolution
A new study of nearly 16,000 ancient genomes from West Eurasia spanning the last 10,000 years shows that natural selection has acted on hundreds of genes, not just a few as previously thought. Researchers identified 479 alleles under strong directional...