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
Pee Changes How some Mushrooms ‘Talk’
Japanese mycologists discovered that the electrical communication of ectomycorrhizal mushrooms changes dramatically when exposed to water or urine. By attaching electrodes to 37 mushrooms in an oak forest, they recorded real‑time signal fluctuations over 3.5 days. Adding water to a single mushroom amplified the network’s electrical activity, while watering multiple mushrooms or applying urine dampened the signals. The study, published in Scientific Reports, highlights how external nitrogen sources like urea can modulate fungal ‘chatter.’
NASA Countdown Begins: T‑9 to Historic Moon Mission
This is happening T-9 and counting down. It is a gooooooo nasa @youtube @youtubecreators #nasa #goingtothemoom #space #stem #makinghistory
AI-Driven Biology Could Slash Drug Trial Failures Dramatically
AI for biology will have bigger near term wins. The ability for AI to learn from experiments and predict human biology will have very broad impacts in predicting targets, clinical trials, and precision medicine. Tackling the biggest challenge in Pharma (80%...
What Didn’t Exist Three Years Ago
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting highlighted the latest direction of early‑stage drug development. This year’s sessions featured two prostate‑cancer candidates using mechanisms that were not in the clinic just eighteen months ago. The preview spotlights a...
Gravitational Waves Reveal Missing Black Hole Mass Gap
Some stars leave nothing behind. Pair-instability supernovae predict that the most massive stars explode so completely that no black hole remains. For years, we didn’t have evidence. Now, gravitational wave data shows a gap in black hole masses — exactly where those explosions...
Watch NASA’s Live Launch Now via YouTube
If you need it, here's the link to NASA's livestream of the launch. 👇 https://www.youtube.com/live/Tf_UjBMIzNo?si=I5u3hgJLKVNLcv4I
The Ascent of Us
At a Harvard Peabody Museum lecture, Professor Jean‑Jacques Hublin presented new archaeological, paleogenetic and paleoproteomic evidence that reshapes our understanding of the Homo sapiens‑Neanderthal transition. The research shows that interbreeding began 250,000‑300,000 years ago and continued for millennia, rather than...
Record Female Life Expectancy Defies Predicted Limits
enjoying this piece on record life expectancy increasing over time - the *insane* linear regression in 1840 - 2010 period just tracking record life expectancy over time (I think trend not consistent since, partic w COVID) - how funny it is that...
Artemis II Launch Paused to Verify Safety System
NASA/Artemis update as of 5pmET: Although the countdown to today’s Artemis II launch is continuing to progress, the Eastern Range has identified an issue that they are currently working to resolve related to their communication with the flight termination system. The...
Digital Heart Twins Can Guide a Lifesaving Procedure
Researchers at Johns Hopkins created patient‑specific digital heart twins that simulate electrical activity to plan ventricular tachycardia ablations. By converting high‑resolution MRI scans into 3‑D models, physicians could test virtual ablations and identify optimal targets before entering the operating room....
Finding Hope in Artemis Amid Global Turmoil
I don't know about y'all but I'm absurdly excited about the Artemis mission. Yes, the world is on fire, but this brings me joy.
Soft Sensor Gives Robots a Better Sense of Touch
Researchers from Zhejiang, Hangzhou Dianzi and Lishui universities unveiled a humanoid robotic hand equipped with an omnidirectional soft bending sensor that simultaneously tracks pitch and yaw at each finger joint. The hand features 18 active degrees of freedom and uses...
ANU Physicists Observe Atoms in Two Places at Once, Confirming Century‑Old Quantum Prediction
Physicists at the Australian National University have experimentally demonstrated that individual helium atoms can occupy two separate locations simultaneously, confirming predictions about matter’s quantum behavior made over a century ago. The result, published in Nature Communications, marks the first direct...
A Child Born Today Is Already in Debt.
A Deloitte report released in March 2026 warns that Australian 16‑year‑olds will inherit a climate‑related debt of about $185,000 Australian dollars – roughly $122,000 U.S. dollars – over their lifetimes. The cost stems from projected expenses tied to extreme weather,...
ML4H: Advancing From Medical Imaging to Digital Twins
The Broad Institute’s Machine Learning for Health (ML4H) program launched a new Clinical AI Seminar Series featuring leaders such as NVIDIA’s Stephen Aylward. The series explores generative and foundation models, ethical AI, self‑supervised learning, and real‑world clinical uses. ML4H unites...
Holding Artemis 1 Panel Returned From Space—Unreal Feeling
I hold an thermal insulation panel from artemis 1 that went to space and come back in my hands thanks to Barry bonhnsack 😄😍 amazing feeling Thank you @youtube @youtubecreators nasa #3dprinting #artemis #nasa #rocket #orion
Year-Long Aerobic Exercise Preserves White Matter, Boosts Cognition
Effects of aerobic exercise and cardiorespiratory fitness on white matter free water fraction in older adults: a 1-year randomized controlled trial "These findings suggest that 1 year of aerobic training may reduce [Free Water Fraction] in the CC body and that higher...
Olezarsen Doesn’t Lower Plaque Volume: Essence-TIMI 73b
Olezarsen, an antisense drug targeting APOC3, dramatically lowered triglycerides (‑64 %) and remnant cholesterol (‑72 %) in the Phase III Essence‑TIMI 73b trial, yet a 12‑month coronary CTA subanalysis showed no significant reduction in non‑calcified plaque volume versus placebo. The study involved 468 patients...
EPA’s Aaron Szabo, Former Oil‑Gas Lobbyist, Leads Rollback of Methane Rules
Aaron Szabo, an EPA assistant administrator who drafted industry arguments against methane controls in 2022, is now overseeing a revision of the Biden administration’s methane rules. Internal EPA documents show he is delaying compliance deadlines and seeking language favored by...
University of Michigan Shows Protein Nanoparticles Can Deliver Gene Therapy Without Viruses
Scientists at the University of Michigan engineered protein‑based nanoparticles that delivered DNA and mRNA into human liver, kidney and immune cells without using viral vectors. The proof‑of‑concept experiment showed successful gene activation and could lower the risk of immune reactions...
IonQ Forecasts $225‑$245 M 2026 Revenue, Backs It with Skywater Acquisition
IonQ announced 2026 revenue guidance of $225‑$245 million, a $370 million backlog and a cash pile of $3.3 billion. The company also disclosed a deal to acquire Skywater Technology, offering $15 in cash and $20 in IonQ stock per share, underscoring its aggressive...
Becoming Well-Fed and Sedentary Accelerates Penguin Aging
A new Nature Communications study shows that king penguins moved from the wild to zoo environments—mirroring a sedentary, well‑fed Western lifestyle—experience epigenetic age acceleration of roughly 2.5 to 6.5 years. Researchers used a penguin‑specific methylation clock and identified nearly 300...
Can Plants Count?
Researchers at the College of William & Mary, led by cognitive psychologist Peter Vishton, discovered that the sensitive plant Mimosa pudica anticipates scheduled light periods, opening its leaves before lights turn on. The plant’s response follows a logarithmic learning curve...
The Ski Industry Is Oddly Quiet on Climate Change
The Western United States is experiencing a severe snow drought, with snowpack at only 15‑65% of normal levels, prompting early resort closures and reduced staffing. Between 2000 and 2019 the U.S. ski industry incurred more than $5 billion in losses due...
500-Million-Year-Old Fossil Identified as Oldest Known Chelicerate
Harvard paleontologists have described *Megachelicerax cousteaui*, an 8‑cm soft‑bodied arthropod from Utah’s Middle Cambrian Wheeler Formation. The specimen possesses unmistakable three‑segmented chelicerae and book‑gill‑like respiratory structures, establishing it as the oldest known chelicerate, predating the previous record by roughly 20 million...
Research Roundup: 7 Cool Science Stories We Almost Missed
Ars Technica’s March research roundup spotlights seven off‑beat studies, from raccoons solving puzzle boxes to sperm struggling in simulated microgravity. A missing page of the Archimedes palimpsest was located in France, while ravens were shown to rely on spatial memory...
Novel Therapeutic and Trial Approaches for Lysosomal Storage Disorders with Polaryx’s Alex Yang — Episode 249
In episode 249 of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, Alex Yang, JD, LLM, CEO of Polaryx, discusses the company’s mission to develop disease‑modifying small‑molecule therapies for rare pediatric lysosomal storage disorders. Yang leverages more than 25 years of experience across...
Closer Look at the Sun Reveals More Chaotic Magnetic Heart
A recent analysis of Parker Solar Probe data reveals that protons and heavy ions respond differently to magnetic reconnection near the Sun. Heavy ions are accelerated in tight, laser‑like beams, while protons generate scattering waves that disperse subsequent particles. This...
DWDM Multiplies Fiber Capacity, Accelerating Data Center Speeds
Dense wavelength division multiplexing can transmit multiple optical signals over a single fiber, greatly speeding up information transfer in data centers. https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-data-centers-dwdm-optics
Artemis II Mirrors Apollo 8: Saturn V Launch History
As we get ready for the Artemis II launch, I can't help thinking back about the Apollo program. Here's a chart showing all the Saturn V launches, including the Apollo 8 launch that most closely resembles this mission. Link below....
The Man Who Let Deadly Snakes Bite Him for 20 Years—And the Universal Antivenom Hiding in His Blood
A Wisconsin man, Tim Friede, let venomous snakes bite him for two decades, building a unique repertoire of antitoxin antibodies. Researchers at biotech firm Centivax isolated two of these antibodies and combined them with the toxin‑blocking drug varespladib, creating a...
Artemis II Crew Cleared for Launch, Fans Go Full Send
From the final countdown poll minutes before NASA's Artemis II crew launches to the moon: "Artemis 2 crew is go for launch. full send."
Quantum Charger Boosts Fast, Efficient Storage—Output Still Limited
This quantum device absorbs energy efficiently, accelerates charging with scale, and stores power temporarily, though it's still limited in practical output. https://t.co/V8MS45eL8p
Artemis II Launch Delayed, No New Countdown Set.
NASA has not set a new T-0 but the Artemis II mission will not launch at 6:24 pm ET today. “A little more work” to do.
Europe/Africa Outpaces US in Artemis II Viewership
More people are watching the live broadcast of the Artemis II launch from Europe/Africa than from the US. https://t.co/ji5YAWcT5Y . . https://t.co/t2oGgtcoaK
Vitamin B3 May Undermine Pancreatic Cancer Chemotherapy
Title and header via the @cwru press release: New research reveals dangers of ‘anti-aging’ supplements in cancer protection Vitamin B3 could be making chemotherapy less effective in pancreatic cancer patients https://t.co/vIfcvuiS6P Discussion + thoughtful debate welcome👇👨⚕️ https://t.co/aHewoWeIle
NASA Attributes Sensor Reading to Instrumentation, Launch Unaffected
NASA: "Engineers investigated a sensor on the launch abort system’s attitude control motor controller battery that showed a higher temperature than would be expected. It is believed to be an instrumentation issue and will not affect today’s launch."
Genome Editing Shows Promise for Sickle Cell, Β‑Thalassemia
3 new trial results for genome editing of sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia @NEJM https://t.co/qGGdjgKqP5 (with summary Table below) https://t.co/RdiM3urCKJ https://t.co/W15cPAfMoS https://t.co/F3PHKuktPx https://t.co/t6Z35S8L7h
NASA Flags Battery Temperature Issue on Artemis 2 Abort System
NASA reporting an issue with one of the batteries on the Artemis 2 launch abort system; temperature out of range.
New Early-Stage Cancer Drugs Emerge at AACR26
A look at some promising early stage drug developments coming down the pike at #AACR26. A few of these concepts were not on the radar a couple of years ago: https://t.co/w6oD4CEckq https://t.co/kfR1AXG41K
Neil Armstrong Marvels at Earth's Fragile Beauty From Moon
Astronaut Neil Armstrong on the beauty of earth as seen from the surface of the moon https://t.co/kT6pCfTzSt
Artemis 2 Launch Window Nears: Range Go, 80% Weather Favorability
A view of Artemis 2 from the KSC press site. Range is go and weather is still 80% favorable for launch during the two-hour window. https://t.co/PdQs3jS1sj
NAD+ Decline Drives Cardiac Aging; NR Restores Rhythm
NAD+ controls circadian rhythmicity during cardiac aging https://t.co/NNVx94IIC8 Fig. 2: Cardiac NAD+ decreases with aging, with restoration by supplementation with nicotinamide riboside. https://t.co/z4uSqKrYjR
Debunking Myths: Longevity Science Funding Is Essential
Are you (will you be) in London Wednesday April 8? 👉Arguments against funding longevity science - and why they are all wrong Hosted by London Futurist, my friend (and friend to longevity science) David Wood @dw2 https://t.co/HTj6Xoeu1J https://t.co/13pwYx0ZrU
Apollo 8 Saved 1968; Artemis II Hopes to Save 2026
On my first Christmas Eve, Apollo 8 orbited The Moon and ‘saved 1968’. Good luck to Artemis II and may you save 2026! https://t.co/vVNXyenwHG
Artemis II Countdown Continues Despite Flight Termination Issue
Artemis II update: An issue with the Flight Termination System is being worked, but the countdown is proceeding.
High‑dose Flu Shots Cut Alzheimer Risk, Especially in Women
We've seen the Shingles vaccine is linked with reduced risk of Alzheimer's and dementias in 4 large natural experiments. Today, the potential of high-dose flu vaccines vs standard dose for the same in a large retrospective age 65+ cohort [N>160,000)....
Next‑Gen AI “Lab‑in‑the‑Loop” Launches Today
For all the great folks advancing medicine and human health through rigorous science + serious applied #AI, here is a next gen “lab in the loop” being released today on 4/1 😜 https://t.co/Li8Bkd9rAQ
IVNS1ABP Mutation Triggers Premature Aging and Neurodegeneration
A mutation in the IVNS1ABP gene causes a new disease combining premature aging and severe neurological decline by disrupting cell scaffolding, leading to DNA damage and “zombie-like” senescent cells. https://t.co/xtDrjy72h4
Mitochondrial Dysfunction Triggers Early Cerebral Amyloidosis
Human in vitro and rodent in vivo models highlight progressive mitochondrial dysfunction as a starting point of cerebral amyloidosis https://t.co/CEfTOeosnu https://t.co/Rd12PlVTAQ