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
Influenza Frequently Missed in Winter Deaths, New Study Finds
A population‑based study of 857 Spanish deaths across four flu seasons found influenza in 11% of winter fatalities, yet only 17% were diagnosed before death and merely 1.4% appeared on death certificates. Post‑mortem PCR testing revealed that many infections, especially among older adults with chronic illnesses, go unnoticed in routine clinical care. The research also identified other respiratory viruses in over a third of the decedents, highlighting systemic gaps in mortality surveillance. Authors urge broader monitoring that captures out‑of‑hospital deaths to reflect the true disease burden.
Visiting Astronomer Travel Coordinator
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) is hiring a Visiting Astronomer Travel Coordinator in Garching, Germany. The role will organise travel for roughly 450 astronomer trips per year to ESO’s Chilean sites, manage the associated budget, and support logistics for meetings...
How to Watch the Artemis 2 Splashdown
NASA’s Artemis 2 crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen—will conclude their historic lunar flyby with a splashdown near San Diego at 8:07 p.m. EDT on Friday. The Orion capsule will re‑enter at roughly 23,864 mph,...
Bispecific ADCs and the Conditions Nobody Is Talking About
Sidewinder Therapeutics announced a $137 million Series B round to push precision bispecific antibody‑drug conjugates (BspADCs) into clinical trials. The funding follows a prior preview of the emerging bispecific ADC niche at AACR, highlighting a surge of early‑stage programs. While the concept...
April 9, 2026, Quick Space Links
The post curates a set of recent space‑industry highlights, from Stoke Space unveiling near‑complete photos of its Nova launch vehicle to Axiom marking four years since its inaugural private tourist flight to the ISS. It also shares a rehearsal image...
There Are No Good Ways to Avoid Childhood Eczema but Many Treatment Options, Say Researchers
The American Academy of Dermatology released its first pediatric eczema guidelines, concluding that prevention strategies such as special diets, probiotics, or altered bathing have no proven benefit. Moisturizers earned a conditional recommendation for reducing incidence in children aged six months...
White House Budget Puts 54 NASA Science Missions on the Chopping Block
The White House’s FY 2027 budget proposal slashes NASA’s science program by 46%, reducing the agency’s total allocation to $18.8 billion. An analysis by The Planetary Society flags 54 major missions—including the Juno Jupiter probe, Venus explorers DAVINCI and VERITAS, and several...
Water Molecules Eliminate Brute Force From MXene Nanosheet Production
Researchers have introduced a water‑mediated scission method that exfoliates MXene into defect‑free single‑layer nanosheets without mechanical force. By intercalating lithium and soaking the material in water for 12 hours, the process achieves an 84.7% yield and produces sheets averaging 10.46 µm in...
Indoor Testing Facilities Available at the NASA Unmanned Autonomy Research Complex (NUARC)
NASA’s Unmanned Autonomy Research Complex (NUARC) now offers the WindShaper, a 9‑by‑7‑foot indoor fan array comprising 1,134 fans (567 wind pixels) that can produce wind speeds up to 16 m/s (36 mph) and rapid acceleration profiles. Researchers can program steady winds, gusts,...
CAS Launches ‘Newton’ Agentic AI Built on Curated Scientific Data
The American Chemical Society’s CAS division unveiled CAS Newton, an agentic AI built on its 150‑year‑old, curated scientific literature. The platform delivers conversational, context‑aware answers that draw from the extensive CAS Content Collection, spanning chemistry, biology, materials science and patents....
Surprising Finding in the Eye May Explain How We See in Low Light
Yale School of Medicine researchers discovered that electrical synapses in the retina integrate the dozens of parallel visual channels traditionally thought to operate independently. The study identified a specific bipolar‑cell type, BC6, that orchestrates this hierarchical signaling, creating cloud‑like neurotransmitter...
CPR Goes High-Tech: Transesophageal Echocardiography Turns Blind Compressions Into Precision Hits
Researchers conducted the first randomized clinical trial testing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) to guide cardiopulmonary resuscitation. While overall survival rates were similar to standard care, TEE‑guided compressions produced significantly higher end‑tidal CO2, a proxy for blood flow quality. The study, published...
How to Observe Artemis 2’s Last Day in Space with a Telescope
Artemis 2’s Orion capsule will make its final Earth approach on Friday, April 10, with a splashdown scheduled for the evening. The spacecraft will be visible in the pre‑dawn sky across much of the United States, reaching a peak altitude of only...
Imaging Technique Captures More Information About Ultrafast Microscopic Processes
Researchers at East China Normal University unveiled a new ultrafast imaging method called compressed spectral‑temporal coherent modulation femtosecond imaging (CST‑CMFI). The technique captures both intensity and phase changes of a microscopic event in a single femtosecond‑scale exposure, producing a rapid...
AI Diffusion Models Tailor Drug Molecules to Custom-Fit Protein Targets, Speeding Drug Development and Evaluation
University of Virginia researchers unveiled YuelDesign, an AI diffusion‑model platform that simultaneously generates drug‑like molecules and their flexible protein binding pockets. Complementary tools YuelPocket and YuelBond locate precise binding sites and ensure chemically realistic bonds, respectively. Early validation on the...
How the Artemis Astronauts Are Protected From Dangerous Space Radiation
NASA is tackling the heightened radiation threat to Artemis 2 astronauts with a layered strategy that combines physical shielding, an on‑board “storm shelter,” and advanced space‑weather forecasting. Orion’s hull incorporates hydrogen‑rich materials such as water and plastics, while crew can reconfigure...
Lactate Signals Metabolic Balance, Not Just Fuel Shift
The original "Metabolic Map" I created in 2013 organized exercise metabolism around substrate utilization and muscle fiber recruitment, illustrating how the body transitions from fat to carbohydrate use as intensity increases. This model helped me and many others translate complex laboratory...
Missing Buzz Aldrin: Hoping He’s Watching Artemis II
I hope Buzz Aldrin is doing well these days and is following the progress of the Artemis II mission. The great moonwalker hasn't shown up on Twitter in quite a while...
AI Can Now Run Biology Labs, but Regulations Are Falling Behind
AI systems are now capable of autonomously designing and executing thousands of biological experiments, illustrated by OpenAI’s GPT‑5 and Ginkgo Bioworks completing 36,000 runs and cutting protein‑production costs by roughly 40%. This programmable biology accelerates protein engineering, drug discovery and...
Proto-Mammals Laid Eggs, Paleontologists Finally Confirm
Researchers published definitive proof that early mammal ancestors laid eggs, based on a 250‑million‑year‑old Lystrosaurus fossil from South Africa. Synchrotron X‑ray CT scanning revealed an unfused lower‑jaw symphysis, indicating the specimen was an embryo still inside a soft‑shell egg. The...
The Role of SpaceAg in the Emerging Lunar Economy
Artemis II marks humanity’s return to the Moon, shifting focus from pure exploration to a sustained presence that will underpin a burgeoning lunar economy. The World Economic Forum forecasts the overall space market to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, while the lunar...
Starstruck
On April 7 2026 the crew of NASA’s Artemis II mission captured a striking photograph of the Milky Way from Orion’s deep‑space trajectory. The image reveals the galaxy’s central bar and its two dominant spiral arms, spanning more than 100,000 light‑years. NASA released...
Low‑Voltage Artificial Muscles Power Untethered Soft Robotic Fish
Scientists have developed #dielectric elastomer actuators, or artificial “muscles,” that can operate at low voltages while still producing high output to drive #untethered, soft robotic fish movements. Learn more in Science #Robotics: https://t.co/zAb0uHec2c https://t.co/d7qaKanQr1
Carbon Nanotube Fiber Sensors Achieve Record Measurement Error Below 0.1%
Skoltech researchers, together with Chinese and Iranian collaborators, demonstrated carbon nanotube fiber (CNTF) sensors that achieve a record‑low measurement error of under 0.1%, far surpassing the typical 2% error of commercial sensors. The study, published in iScience, proves CNTFs can...
NASA Team Finds 22‑Meter Fresh Crater on Moon, First New Impact Seen in Years
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) team has identified a fresh 22‑meter‑wide crater on the Moon, visible as a bright scar with striking ejecta rays. The discovery, made by comparing images taken before December 2009 and after December 2012, offers a rare...
Daily Multivitamins May Slow Biological Aging by Four Months, Study Shows
Researchers analyzing data from the COSMOS trial reported that older adults who took a daily Centrum Silver multivitamin experienced a deceleration of biological aging equivalent to roughly four months over two years. The effect, measured via five epigenetic clocks, was...
French Doctors Challenge Glucose Goddess Pregnancy Diet Claims
Medical experts in France have publicly warned that Jessie Inchauspé’s new pregnancy‑nutrition program, promoted in her book *9 mois qui comptent pour la vie*, is not supported by solid science. Researchers at Inserm and senior obstetricians argue the diet’s rigid...
Meta-Analysis Shows Chronic Stress Reshapes Brain, New Book Proposes Reversal Blueprint
Neuroscientists Patrick K. Porter, PhD and Ruchika Sikri released the book "Brain Fitness Blueprint" alongside a meta‑analysis confirming that chronic stress causes measurable grey‑matter loss in the prefrontal cortex, a region critical for motivation and emotional regulation. The authors argue...
Seven-Day Meditation Retreat Triggers Measurable Brain and Immune Shifts, UC San Diego Study Shows
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego found that a seven‑day residential meditation retreat altered brain connectivity, metabolism and immune function in 20 healthy participants, suggesting rapid, quantifiable mind‑body effects.
Modest LLM Matches Specialized Aging Clocks Across Modalities
The End of Aging Clocks: Training Foundation Models to Reason in Aging and Longevity 🤔 “These results demonstrate that a single modestly sized LLM can match or replace purpose-built aging clocks across data modalities.” https://t.co/WkOvpxDBiU @biogerontology https://t.co/Knb0368KN4
ZEO ScientifiX Joins XPRIZE Healthspan Semi-Finals with Regenerative Biologics Platform
ZEO ScientifiX, a clinical‑stage biotech, was named a Qualified Team for the XPRIZE Healthspan semi‑finals, moving its extracellular‑vesicle therapeutics into the competition’s Finals Application phase. The $101 million global contest seeks therapies that can restore muscle, cognition and immune function by...
Blue Moon Mk1 Exits NASA Vacuum Chamber, No Issues Reported
Amit Kshatriya of NASA said Blue Moon Mk 1 has “just” come out of the vacuum chamber at Johnson Space Center and will soon be shipped back to Florida. No comment on how it performed but he did not indicate...
Gilead and Roche Bet on Protein Degraders for Their Cancer Drug Pipelines
Gilead exercised its option to license Kymera Therapeutics' CDK2 molecular‑glue degrader KT‑200, triggering a $45 million payment and opening a potential $665 million milestone path, with an IND target of 2027. Roche paid $20 million upfront to C4 Therapeutics to co‑develop degrader‑antibody drug...
Coherent Advances Silicon Carbide Thick Epitaxy Capabilities for High-Voltage AI Datacenter and Industrial Power Applications Up to 10kV
Coherent Corp announced new thick silicon‑carbide (SiC) epitaxy platforms on 150 mm and 200 mm wafers that support power devices up to 10 kV, with demonstrated capability beyond that threshold. The technology targets high‑efficiency, high‑power‑density converters for AI‑intensive datacenters and industrial electrification such...
Graphene Drum Sensor Detects Superbugs in Real Time
Researchers at TU Delft and its spin‑off SoundCell have demonstrated a graphene nanodrum that identifies antibiotic‑resistant bacteria by their acoustic signatures. The label‑free method can sense the motion of a single cell, offering a rapid alternative to conventional culture tests.
Children Are Less Likely to Use Deception After Being Given Permission to Deceive, Study Finds
Three experiments with Singaporean children aged 3‑6 showed that giving explicit permission to lie actually reduced their deceptive behavior in a competitive sticker‑under‑cup game. Across 279 participants, children who were told lying was allowed lied less often than controls, contrary...
The U.S. Forest Service Is Closing Down Research Stations Ahead of a Catastrophic Wildfire Season
The U.S. Forest Service announced a sweeping reorganization that will shutter 57 of its 77 research stations and relocate its headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City. The cuts come as the nation heads into a wildfire season already...
BBC Inside Science
NASA’s Artemis II mission marked the first crewed lunar flyby since Apollo, sending astronauts around the Moon and back to Earth. The 28‑minute BBC Inside Science episode examined whether this flyby is merely a test or a stepping stone toward a...
Drugs From a Text Prompt, Wegovy Pill Competition Dampens Lilly’s Surge
In this episode of Touching Base, the GEN editors discuss how AI agents are accelerating scientific discovery, highlighting startups like Latent Labs that can design therapeutic antibodies from a simple text prompt and LabOS, an extended‑reality platform that integrates AI,...
How Advances in Nuclear Medicine Are Changing Patient Care
Advances in nuclear medicine are reshaping patient care by delivering faster, lower‑dose imaging and highly personalized radiopharmaceutical therapies. Modern PET and SPECT scanners provide clearer images in half the time, while hybrid systems combine modalities for earlier disease detection. Theranostic...
New UNSW Study: Next‑Gen Solar Modules May Degrade Faster
Next-generation solar modules could degrade faster than expected, new UNSW research warns #energysky -- via pv-tech: https://t.co/9MN0k0o50k
SpaceX Starship 13 Should Be the First Orbital Flight
SpaceX’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses for Starship flights have been revised. Flight 12 retains a suborbital profile for both stages, with a launch window aimed at late April or early May. Flight 13’s license now authorizes a suborbital first stage followed...
Rain Key to Grassland Recovery Following Nebraska Wildfires
University of Nebraska rangeland ecologist Dirac Tidwell says recovery of sandhill grasslands burned by recent wildfires hinges on rainfall in the coming weeks. An inch of precipitation can trigger primary production, while ongoing drought could delay regrowth for years. Medium‑term...
Time Is an Illusion—Meaning the Past, Present, and Future Exist Simultaneously, Physicist Claims
Physicist Vlatko Vedral argues that time is not a fundamental entity but an emergent measurement derived from correlations between physical systems. He highlights the Page‑Wootters framework, which removes the time variable from quantum equations by entangling a system with a universal...
Vaccines Work, Are Safer; Learn to Read Science
Vaccines (a) work and (b) are safer than not getting the vaccines. Learn how to read scientific papers, deniers.
BBB Access Route via Proteomic Vascular Mapping
Researchers led by Jiefu Li at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute have unveiled an in‑vivo proteomic method that tags and isolates proteins on the luminal surface of blood vessels. By perfusing a lectin‑conjugated peroxidase, they biotinylate adjacent proteins, enabling mass‑spectrometry...
CTO PCI Reduces Symptoms, Improves Quality of Life: Meta-Analysis
A new meta‑analysis of the EUROCTO and DECISION‑CTO trials, encompassing 518 patients with a single chronic total occlusion, shows that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) markedly improves health status compared with optimal medical therapy (OMT). PCI achieved an 88.7% first‑attempt success...
Tirzepatide Outperforms Dulaglutide on Cardiorenal Outcomes in High-Risk Diabetes
A post‑hoc analysis of the SURPASS‑CVOT trial shows tirzepatide (Mounjaro) delivering superior cardiorenal protection compared with dulaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease. Over a median 47‑month follow‑up, the composite of mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization,...
DNA Uptake in Cholera May Increase Defense Mechanisms
Researchers at EPFL discovered that Vibrio cholerae can take up extracellular DNA when grown on chitin, inserting new gene cassettes into the first position of its sedentary chromosomal integron (SCI). About 10% of these cassettes encode antiviral defenses, instantly boosting...
Unexpected Celestial Glitch Becomes Artemis II’s Greatest Gift
It was an accident of celestial mechanics, but ended up becoming one of the "greatest gifts" of the Artemis II mission. https://t.co/Tg8VGfIpjl