Today's Science Pulse
UK-led study reveals hidden massive star clusters deep inside nearby galaxies
Astronomers using the VLA and ALMA uncovered previously unseen giant star clusters, described as "ring factories," embedded within nearby galaxies. A complementary analysis of roughly 18,000 star‑forming regions showed that the energetic activity of young stars plays a decisive role in shaping galaxy evolution.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Foundation Alloy raises $22M Series A
Scientists Develop AI Tool to Spot Heart Failure Risk Five Years Before It Strikes
Oxford researchers have created an AI algorithm that reads routine cardiac CT scans to flag patients at risk of heart failure up to five years before symptoms appear. In a study of 72,000 NHS patients followed for a decade, the tool achieved 86% accuracy, identifying a high‑risk group 20 times more likely to develop the disease. The model quantifies inflamed pericardial fat—an indicator invisible to human eyes—and generates an absolute risk score without clinician input. The team is now pursuing regulatory clearance to integrate the system into standard CT‑scan workflows across the NHS and other health systems.
'Pinprick of Light': Artemis Crew Witnesses Meteorite Impacts on Moon
During NASA's Artemis II mission, astronauts witnessed six brief meteorite impact flashes on the Moon’s surface, a phenomenon captured during a seven‑hour observation window. The flashes, described as white to bluish‑white pinpricks of light lasting only milliseconds, were most visible during...
Cancer Risk Is Significantly Higher for Adults Who Have Never Married, Finds Large Study
A new U.S. study of over four million cancer cases finds adults who have never married face a markedly higher risk of developing cancer than those who are or have been married. The elevated risk spans most major cancer types,...
What Does the Dark Side of the Moon Sound Like? Nasa’s Sonifications Are Helping Us Imagine
NASA’s Artemis II crew heard no mysterious sounds on the Moon’s far side, but the agency is turning spacecraft electromagnetic data into audible sonifications. The infamous whistling recorded by Apollo 10 was later traced to interference between two VHF transmitters, debunking decades‑old...
A New Way To Target Metastatic Cancer
Researchers have unveiled a protein‑based delivery platform that homes to lymph nodes and releases an immune‑activating antibody only in the presence of metastatic cancer. The two‑step system first accumulates in nodes after bloodstream injection, then opens in the tumor’s chemical...
Noninvasive Stool DNA Testing May Outperform Colonoscopy Long-Term in Real-World CRC Screening
A new microsimulation study published in the Journal of Medical Economics finds that three rounds of next‑generation multitarget stool DNA (mt‑sDNA) testing over ten years outperform a single colonoscopy in real‑world colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Higher patient adherence—72% versus 38%...
Voyager's 1970s Tech Outpaces AI Hype
Did you know the Voyager 1 spacecraft has been flying for 49 years and is now 15.5 billion miles from Earth—yet it still phones home with less computing power than your garage door opener? We're literally running humanity's farthest outpost...
Paediatric Neurology and Therapeutic Carbohydrate Restriction
The article reviews emerging evidence that ketogenic metabolic therapy may benefit neonatal brain injury, preterm infants with mitochondrial disease, and children with autism spectrum disorder linked to PTEN mutations. Case reports demonstrate rapid lactate reduction and metabolic stabilization in a...
Let There Be Light
NASA’s Artemis II mission delivered striking images of the Moon’s far side, a region the agency prefers to call the “far side” rather than the “dark side.” The agency’s language reflects a scientific precision that contrasts with popular myth. The article...
Psychedelic Study Maps Brain's Construction of the Self
Scientists reported that psychedelics temporarily loosen self‑related brain networks, enabling the first detailed mapping of how the brain constructs the sense of self. The finding, highlighted by The Hindu, could reshape spirituality research and therapeutic approaches to mental health.
Astronomers Identify Andromeda XXXVI, Ultra‑Faint Dwarf Satellite
A European research team led by Joanna D. Sakowska has confirmed Andromeda XXXVI as an ultra‑faint dwarf galaxy orbiting the Andromeda galaxy, located about 388,000 light‑years from M31 and 2.53 million light‑years from Earth. Its extreme faintness (visual magnitude ‑6.0) and compact size...
Integrated Cognitive‑Motor Exercise Cuts ADHD Symptoms, Boosts Self‑Control in Children
Researchers from Beijing Normal University and partner institutions reported that a 12‑week integrated cognitive‑motor exercise program significantly reduced core ADHD symptoms and improved executive functions in children aged 6‑10. The multicenter randomized trial, published Feb. 11, 2026, found the high‑load program...
Wim Hof Method Cuts Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis Trial
A randomized pilot study of 60 multiple sclerosis patients showed that a 12‑week Wim Hof Method program significantly reduced blood inflammatory markers, matching the effect of a structured lifestyle intervention. Researchers say the findings support the method as a safe...
Life Biosciences to Begin First Human Partial Reprogramming Trial in 2026
Life Biosciences, the Boston biotech co‑founded by David Sinclair, announced that its partial cellular reprogramming therapy will enter a first‑in‑human trial in 2026. The study will enroll 18 participants with glaucoma or non‑arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and will...
Researchers Develop Graphene Nanodrum and AI Platform for Rapid Single-Cell Bacterial ID and Antibiotic Testing
Researchers at TU Delft, its spin‑off SoundCell, and Reinier Haga MDC have created a graphene‑based nanodrum platform that reads the nanomotion of individual bacteria and feeds the data to AI models for rapid identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing. The label‑free...
NASA’s Artemis II Captures Rare ‘Earthset’ as Crew Endures Communication Blackout
NASA’s Artemis II crew observed Earth disappearing behind the Moon—known as “Earthset”—on flight day 6, while a short communications blackout prompted the astronaut to say a prayer. The visual and operational challenges underscore the complexities of returning humans to deep space.
Hermeus Corp Secures $350 Million Series C, Valuing Unmanned Supersonic Jet Maker at $1 Billion
Atlanta‑based Hermeus Corp closed a $350 million Series C financing led by Khosla Ventures, bringing its post‑money valuation above $1 billion. The cash will fund two new Quarterhorse supersonic prototypes and expand production as the startup races to close the U.S. hypersonic gap.
Quantum Computers Could Crack Bitcoin by 2030, Experts Warn
Google researchers and Nobel‑winning physicist John M. Martinis say a cryptographically‑relevant quantum computer could break Bitcoin's elliptic‑curve signatures within minutes, potentially as early as 2030. The findings revive a long‑standing debate over whether Bitcoin can upgrade to post‑quantum security before a...
Starfish Space Secures $110 Million Series B to Accelerate Satellite Servicing
Starfish Space announced a $110 million Series B round led by Point72 Ventures, aimed at scaling its Otter on‑orbit servicing platform. The financing brings the company's total capital raised to more than $150 million and underwrites contracts with the U.S. Space Force,...
Extracellular Vesicles: A Growing Pipeline Still Searching for Validation
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), once hailed as natural delivery vehicles, have generated a sizable pipeline but no approved therapeutics yet. More than 90 clinical studies are evaluating both native MSC‑derived vesicles and engineered platforms for regeneration, gene editing, and vaccines. Companies...
Entire Human Populations Vanished 3,000 Years Ago. Scientists Figured Out Where They Went.
Researchers analyzed DNA from 132 individuals in the 5,000‑year‑old Bury megalithic tomb north of Paris, uncovering two distinct burial phases separated by a 200‑year gap around 3100‑2900 BCE. The first phase shows diverse continental farming ancestry, while the second is over...
MRNA Pioneer Katalin Karikó to Give Johns Hopkins Commencement Address
Nobel laureate Katalin Karikó will deliver the commencement address at Johns Hopkins on May 21. Karikó, whose mRNA work underpins the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID‑19 vaccines, will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters. Her career, marked by early setbacks and decades‑long...
April 8, 1960: Frank Drake Begins Project Ozma
On April 8, 1960 Frank Drake launched Project Ozma, the first scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence, tuning the 300‑Foot Telescope at Green Bank to listen for signals from nearby stars Tau Ceti and Epsilon Eridani. The experiment recorded a brief transmission that proved to be...
'Strongest El Niño in 140 Years' Could Supercharge Global Weather This Year
A 62% probability of an El Niño forming in 2026 was announced by NOAA, and European Centre for Medium‑Range Weather Forecasts models now suggest it could be the strongest in 140 years. The event would qualify as a “super” El Niño, with...
A Phenothiazine‐Derived Organic Cathode for High‐Capacity Aqueous Aluminum Batteries
Researchers introduced a phenothiazine‑derived organic cathode—methylene blue (MB)—for aqueous aluminum batteries. The MB cathode enables reversible co‑insertion of one Al³⁺ ion coordinated with two OTF⁻ anions, cutting the desolvation penalty that hampers inorganic cathodes. It achieves 138.8 mAh g⁻¹ at 50 mA g⁻¹ and...
Rejuvenation of Mechanical Fatigue Resistance in 2D Ferroelectric CuInP2S6 by Reversing Ionic Motion
Researchers demonstrated that the two‑dimensional ferroelectric CuInP2S6 (CIPS) can withstand mechanical stresses up to 7 GPa for more than ten million loading cycles, far surpassing conventional ferroelectric oxides. Cyclic loading induces Cu⁺ ion aggregation, which creates lattice disorder and fatigue. Applying...
A Bifunctional Nitrogen‐Doped Electrode with High Catalytic Activity and Stability for Energy‐Efficient V3.5+ Electrolyte Production and High‐Performance Vanadium Redox Flow...
Researchers introduced a surface‑architecting method using polyaniline self‑assembly to create a nitrogen‑doped carbon nanofiber network on graphite felt (NGF). In a flow electrolyzer, the NGF electrode reduced energy consumption per unit conversion by 60.25% relative to untreated felt and 41.63%...
Czech Radiation Chips on Artemis II Bring ISS Experience
Czech sensor firm ADVACAM is flying six Hybrid Electronic Radiation Assessor (HERA) chips on Artemis II to measure cosmic‑ray exposure for both astronauts and Orion’s electronics. The detectors build on ISS‑tested Timepix technology and will validate the spacecraft’s shielding during the...
Scientists Are Using Sound Waves to Bend Materials to Their Will
Researchers have demonstrated that acoustic waves can precisely move mechanical kinks within a synthetic material, allowing dynamic control of stiffness. By pulsing sound through a one‑dimensional disk model, they shifted the kink upward, softening lower sections while stiffening upper ones,...
Hypothalamic Switch Determines Appetite, Influences Obesity Risk
As a medical school professor, this is one of the most eye-opening findings I've seen in metabolic research. UT Southwestern researchers discovered a molecular "switch" in the hypothalamus that decides whether brain cells become appetite-suppressing or appetite-stimulating. The transcription factor Otp directs......
A Neuroscience Protocol to Strengthen Memory and Accelerate Learning
A new neuroscience‑based protocol outlines how the timing of study sessions and sleep can dramatically boost memory retention. The guide emphasizes aligning learning with optimal brain states, leveraging sleep‑dependent consolidation, and incorporating movement and nutrition cues. It is positioned for...
New Research Debunks Old Myth: Baby Rattlesnakes Don’t Deliver Deadlier Bites
New research published in the journal Toxins disproves the long‑standing belief that baby rattlesnakes deliver more lethal bites than adults. The study shows juveniles can regulate venom just as well, but adults have glands up to three times larger, injecting...
New Artemis II Images Give Fresh Look at Our Lunar Neighbour
NASA released the first crewed images of the Moon’s far side captured by the Artemis II crew during their 10‑day lunar flyby on 6 April. The photos showcase the Orientale basin, Grimaldi crater, ancient lava flows, and a 54‑minute solar eclipse with...
Particles Seen Emerging From Empty Space for First Time
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory's RHIC have detected a rare pair of short‑lived particles produced in high‑energy proton collisions, offering the strongest experimental evidence to date that mass can emerge from vacuum fluctuations. The observation supports quantum chromodynamics' view that...
Toddlers Are Happier Giving Treats to Others than Receiving Them, Study Finds
A new study in Developmental Science observed 134 toddlers aged 16‑24 months and found they displayed higher happiness scores when giving treats to a puppet than when receiving treats themselves. The boost in mood occurred in both costly (giving away...
Galaxy Starves Its Supermassive Black Hole, Loses 95% of Its Brightness
Researchers have observed galaxy J0218‑0036 dimming by 95 % over a 20‑year span as its central supermassive black hole was starved of gas. Archival optical data from SDSS compared with recent Subaru Hyper Suprime‑Cam images revealed a ~98 % drop in accretion flow...
How Imaging Supports Conservation
Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor but support about 25% of marine species and provide food, income, and coastal protection for roughly 500 million people. Between 2009 and 2018 the world lost about 14% of its reefs,...
Asthma Exacerbations Drop with Medium-Dose ICS to Biologic Switch
A recent analysis of 2016‑2023 Optum claims data shows that asthma patients who switched from a medium‑dose inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) directly to a biologic experienced markedly larger reductions in exacerbations and systemic corticosteroid fills than those who escalated to high‑dose ICS....
As Indian Cities Struggle to Plan for Heat, the Most Vulnerable Suffer
Early March saw Delhi breach 35 °C, the earliest such spike since 2011, while Mumbai warned of 40 °C temperatures. Experts link these extremes to the urban heat‑island effect, which can make city surfaces up to 45 % hotter than surrounding rural areas....
Recent Challenges and Optimization Strategies of Thick Electrodes in High‐Energy‐Density Batteries
The paper reviews the performance and mechanical hurdles of thick electrodes used in high‑energy‑density batteries, highlighting sluggish ion transport, severe polarization, and cracking risks. It consolidates five optimization pathways—tortuosity reduction, pore‑structure engineering, thermodynamic tuning, advanced dry/wet fabrication, and crack‑suppression techniques....
Does Your Body Have An "Energy Budget?" New Study Shows A Surprising Answer
A new Virginia Tech study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences tracked 75 adults for two weeks and found a direct, linear relationship between physical activity and total daily energy expenditure. Using isotopic tracing of oxygen...
Aging Is Evolutionary Program, Not Survival Strategy
Why do humans age and die when some species are practically biologically immortal? Josh Mitteldorf, PhD, is an astrophysicist-turned-biologist who has spent decades thinking about that question. One of his main insights is that aging doesn’t look like a system trying...
New Plan Unveiled for Assembling Post‑ISS Russian Space Complex
The latest scenario for the assembly of the post-ISS ROS complex from Roskosmos and its prime piloted spacecraft developer RKK Energia. Context: https://t.co/81bSOWHp9D https://t.co/5GW8HQkApg
Indian Ocean Dipole May Hold Key to El Nino’s Impact on This Year’s Monsoon
The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) could be the decisive factor in how this year’s strong El Niño shapes India’s June‑September monsoon. Sea‑surface temperatures in the Pacific are already 2‑3 °C above average, giving an 80 % chance of a ‘super’ El Niño by August....
Every Biological Question Is Fundamentally Computational
🧵"All biology is computational biology." That sounds bold. But it’s true. Here’s why: https://t.co/sjibYRKxbM https://t.co/QZNlIFAnXb
NRH Prevents Age‑related Hearing Loss via Sirt3‑mediated Ferroptosis Suppression
NRH attenuates age-related hearing loss by suppressing cochlear ferroptosis and cellular senescence via Sirt3 activation https://t.co/MOqQblWYNM https://t.co/uhSMXRIxDK
A Look Under the Big Top: Decade-Long Study Sheds Light on Head Injuries in Cirque Du Soleil Performers
A decade‑long analysis of Cirque du Soleil’s medical records reveals a concussion rate of roughly 1.3 per 10,000 performer exposures, aligning with rates seen in baseball and softball. The study, led by Ohio University’s Jeff Russell, examined 270 million exposures and...
Sharing Artemis II Coverage with Kids Is Pure Fun
it's a lot of fun to show all the Artemis II coverage (photos, interviews) to your kids. highly recommend.
Caffeine Boosts Endurance Performance: How It Works
There is a substantial amount of evidence that caffeine has ergogenic effects, especially for endurance performance but how exactly does caffeine work? Read the full blog: https://t.co/4MicON03gV https://t.co/U5RpJzg2n2
ARPA‑E Announces Record Fusion Funding Amid Trump Cuts
Exclusive via @axios' @AmyAHarder: DOE's ARPA-E will will today unveil record fusion funding even as President Trump seeks to cut other parts of the federal fusion budget. Link in next post. #energy #climate #AI