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
Celcuity Breast Cancer Drug Misses ‘Lofty’ Expectations in ASCO-Spotlighted Trial
Celcuity reported ASCO data showing its experimental PI3K inhibitor gedatolisib halved the risk of disease progression or death in a Phase 3 trial of HR‑positive, HER2‑negative, PIK3CA‑mutated breast cancer. Both the triplet (gedatolisib + hormone therapy + Ibrance) and doublet (gedatolisib + hormone therapy) regimens extended median progression‑free survival to about 11 months, versus 5.6 months for the Piqray‑based control. Despite the clinical gain, the results fell short of lofty Wall Street expectations, sending Celcuity’s shares down more than 20%. The company plans a supplemental FDA filing in Q3, with a decision expected by July 17.
QuiX Quantum Installs Real-Time Feed-Forward Control Unit for Photonic Computing Architecture
QuiX Quantum announced the first installation of its Feed‑Forward Control Unit (FFCU) within its universal photonic quantum computing stack. The rack‑mounted module combines dual FPGA processors with a 32‑by‑32 I/O matrix to deliver a deterministic 150‑nanosecond latency from photon detection...
Vacuum Channel Transistor Suppresses Gate Leakage to Enter Chip Circuits
Chinese researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Shaoxing University have demonstrated a cathode‑modulated vacuum/air‑channel transistor that eliminates gate leakage, allowing the device to operate inside functional integrated‑circuit blocks such as amplifiers and NAND/NOR logic gates. The transistor suppresses gate...
Feds Failing in Bid to Take a Supercomputer From a Climate Research Center
In December the Trump administration announced plans to shut down the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and transfer its Wyoming supercomputing facility. UCAR, which manages NCAR for the NSF, sued and secured a preliminary injunction that blocks the transfer....
Disease Detection Gets Boost From Keck’s New Brain Reference Map
Investigators at USC's Keck School of Medicine assembled diffusion MRI data from 54,583 individuals to create the most extensive reference model of brain white‑matter microstructure ever built. Published in Nature Communications, the model functions like growth charts, mapping typical development,...
Fluorescent Nanosensor Detects Key Gut Biomarker in Minutes for Faster Testing
A collaborative team from Singapore’s NIE‑NTU, MIT‑SMART and local hospitals has unveiled a fluorescent nanosensor that quantifies the gut‑derived metabolite indole‑3‑propionic acid (IPA) in minutes. The dual‑mode platform delivers a visible‑light readout for rapid lab screening and a near‑infrared signal...
Tadpoles Use a World War I Naval Strategy to Dazzle Predators
Researchers at Kyoto University discovered that Japanese tree‑frog tadpoles (*Dryophytes leopardus*) develop a bright orange tail with black spots when dragonfly nymph predators are present. In laboratory tanks, the orange‑tailed tadpoles attracted more predator strikes, but those attacks missed more...
Majorana 2 Delivers 1000× Capacity
And @satyanadella unveils Majorana 2 - 1000x the capacity of Mayorana 1 - in the same form factor - 20 second mean [Qubit] lifetime - 1 microsecond ops - 1/100th of a mm #MSBuild https://t.co/tcNCUUhDpF
Redesigning an Elusive Bacterial Enzyme Into an Efficient Green Catalyst
Researchers at Tokyo University of Science have re‑engineered the orphan Bacillus subtilis enzyme CYP107J1 into a hydrogen‑peroxide‑driven peroxygenase, eliminating the need for external redox partners. Two rational amino‑acid substitutions increased catalytic turnover 28‑fold on 4‑hexylbenzoic acid while preserving selectivity. The...
Machine Learning Model Accurately Predicts Long-Term Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
A new electronic‑health‑record based machine‑learning model predicts a patient’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes up to ten years in advance. The retrospective study analyzed 3,365,464 adults from Kaiser Permanente Northern California, achieving an area‑under‑the‑curve of 0.886 in training and 0.883...
Microsoft’s Quantum Chip Got an Upgrade. Critics Are Still Skeptical
Microsoft unveiled an upgraded quantum chip at its Build conference, swapping aluminum for lead superconductors to boost qubit parity lifetime from milliseconds to about 20 seconds—a 1,000‑fold increase. The improvement targets topological qubits that store information in Majorana modes, promising...
Microsoft’s Upgraded Majorana Quantum Computing Chip Fizzles with Physicists
Microsoft announced the Majorana 2 quantum chip, a topological device that it says can keep qubits coherent for up to a minute and could enable millions of qubits on a single wafer. The claim rests on a new preprint that replaces...
Colorado River Faces ‘Devastating Consequences’ If Another Dry Winter Lands, Experts Warn
A new Colorado River study warns that another arid winter could push Lake Mead and Lake Powell to near‑critical levels, jeopardizing water storage and hydroelectric generation. Even a wet winter would only provide a brief reprieve before over‑consumption returns reservoirs...
Sex and Age Shape Immune Response, Undermining Uniform Treatments
The problem with one-size-fits-all medicine: Biological sex and the aging immune system @BBParis1984 https://t.co/kd5H69wTCZ https://t.co/E3AjzFl0xC
Sturgeon Fish Sex Sounds Like ‘Thunder’
Researchers recorded low‑frequency “thunder” sounds emitted by Atlantic sturgeon during Hudson River spawning. The grumbling noises, likely caused by males thrashing against females or swim‑bladder vibrations, represent the first acoustic documentation of this endangered species' mating. Scientists suggest the sounds...
Higher Water Temps in Southcentral Alaska Aiding Invasive Pike Feeding Patterns
A University of Alaska Fairbanks study shows rising water temperatures in Southcentral Alaska’s Deshka River are intensifying the feeding behavior of invasive northern pike. Analysis of stomach contents from 2021‑2022 compared with a decade‑old baseline reveals a 63% increase in...
Giant SpaceX Barge for Transporting Starship/Superheavy Arrives in Texas
SpaceX’s retrofitted 400‑foot barge, nicknamed “You’ll Thank Me Later,” arrived at the Port of Brownsville, Texas. The vessel will transport Starship and Super Heavy rockets from the Boca Chica launch complex to Florida until SpaceX’s Kennedy Space Center factory is...
Twelve Scientific Payloads Experience Microgravity Aboard SubOrbital Express-5
SSC Space launched its SubOrbital Express-5 sounding rocket from Sweden’s Esrange Space Center, reaching 260 km altitude and delivering more than six minutes of microgravity. The mission, the 17th SubOrbital Express flight since 1987, carried twelve international scientific payloads supported in...
Zero‑G Liquid Storage Set to Revolutionize Space Missions
New Zero-G Liquid Storage System Could Transform Space Missions by @interesting_aIl #SpaceTech #Tech #Technology #EmergingTech #Space https://t.co/WBFRiw6v7C
Harvard Team Creates Self‑Reproducing Synthetic Cells, Demonstrating Real‑Time Evolution
Harvard scientists have engineered fully abiotic synthetic cells that can self‑reproduce, grow and undergo Darwinian evolution in real time. The work, published in PNAS, provides a controllable platform to probe how life might have emerged from chemistry, sparking debate over...
Four‑Week Plant‑Based Diet Cuts Biological Age in Seniors, Study Finds
Researchers led by Caitlin Andrews at the University of Sydney reported that a four‑week semi‑vegetarian, low‑fat, high‑carbohydrate diet lowered biological age scores in 104 participants aged 65 to 75. The finding marks the first human trial to demonstrate a measurable...
Immuneering Shares Plunge 22% After Phase 2a Pancreatic Cancer Data
Immuneering Corporation reported Phase 2a efficacy data for atebimetinib combined with modified gemcitabine nab‑paclitaxel in first‑line metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma at the 2026 ASCO meeting. The announcement triggered a more than 22% drop in the company’s stock, underscoring the tension...
3D-Printed ‘Bones’ Closely Mimic the Real Deal
Researchers at Tampere University have engineered a ceramic 3D‑printed implant made from hydroxyapatite—the mineral that composes natural bone. By precisely controlling pore size (≈400 µm) and porosity (≈45%), the scaffold supports cell infiltration while retaining mechanical strength. The technology, developed under...
In a Surprise Launch, China Debuts Another Big Rocket Designed for Reusability
China launched the Long March 12B, a 72‑meter, kerosene‑fuel rocket designed for future booster recovery, marking the state‑owned sector’s lead in the country’s reusable launch race. The vehicle lifted off from the Gobi Desert without attempting a landing, but it carried grid...
Genome Scientist Ana Pombo Joins Johns Hopkins Faculty
Ana Pombo, a leading molecular biologist who invented Genome Architecture Mapping (GAM), has joined Johns Hopkins University as a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Genome Biology. Her appointment spans the Department of Biology and the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics,...
Strange Winds Reveal Strongest Hints Yet of Magnetic Activity in Exoplanets
Astronomers have detected unusually fast, ion‑driven winds on several hot‑Jupiter exoplanets, providing the clearest evidence yet that these worlds possess magnetic fields. Using high‑resolution spectroscopy from the Hubble Space Telescope and ground‑based observatories, the team measured wind speeds exceeding 5 km s⁻¹...
The Thalion Initiative: A New Non-Profit With Big Ambitions
The Thalion Initiative, a newly launched non‑profit, aims to accelerate fundamental aging biology with a 15‑year, $710 million roadmap. Its first phase focuses on building a $100‑120 million, 200‑species, multi‑omics mammalian biobank and developing high‑resolution microscopy and mass‑spec tooling. Backed by a...
Budget-Friendly, Lab-Grown Steak with Realistic Texture
Israeli researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have introduced a plant‑derived cellulose scaffold preloaded with growth factors, slashing the amount of expensive proteins needed for cultivated meat by up to tenfold. The anisotropic scaffold guides bovine stem cells to...
Extensive Damage at LC-36
Blue Origin’s LC‑36A launchpad suffered extensive damage after the New Glenn test explosion, destroying the transporter‑erector and collapsing a lightning tower. A preliminary survey found the propellant farm and fuel tanks intact, offering a rare upside. The company plans to rebuild...
Orangutan Poop Holds Surprising Clues About How Long They Breastfeed
Researchers used fecal proteomics to detect milk‑specific proteins in wild Bornean orangutans, revealing that infants continue nursing for at least 6.5 years. Over two‑and‑a‑half years, all 20 fecal samples from youngsters under that age contained milk markers. The study also...
Mystery Solved: Ocean's ‘Golden Orb’ Is Something Nobody Guessed
Marine scientists from NOAA Fisheries and the Smithsonian identified the enigmatic "golden orb" recovered off the Gulf of Alaska in 2023 as tissue from the deep‑sea sea anemone Relicanthus daphneae. The fist‑sized, bronze‑colored sample was collected about two miles (3.2 km)...
On Dolphin Turbulence
A new computational fluid dynamics study visualizes the turbulent flow generated by a dolphin’s tail fluke, revealing that large vortex rings shed from the tail provide the majority of thrust. Smaller vortices, produced by the cascade of larger structures, contribute...
Mitochondrial Transfer Fuels Cancer Cell Death and Inflammation
Cancer and the mitochondria @Cell_Metabolism Effects of mitochondrial transfer between cells (pathological spelled wrong in figure) and these organelles as a driver of cell death, inflammation https://t.co/vs6b11wwEf https://t.co/4GFjBSLBYf https://t.co/GXl9RxaETU
Kinase Droplets Activate Growth Signals, Path for Cancer Therapy
A MIT‑led study in Cell Reports shows that many kinases form liquid‑like condensates that concentrate ATP and substrates, dramatically increasing enzymatic activity. The researchers demonstrated this effect for focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Mst2 and Abl, finding that droplet formation can...
Emerging Therapies for CNS Tumours: Key Clinical Trial Updates to Watch at ASCO 2026
At ASCO 2026, pivotal CNS‑tumor trials were presented, confirming that extending temozolomide cycles, adding neoadjuvant temozolomide, or implanting carmustine wafers (MAGMA, JCOG1703) does not improve overall or progression‑free survival in newly diagnosed glioblastoma. In contrast, innovative approaches showed promise: a...
NASA Testing Wastewater Treatment Facility for Future Moon Base
NASA has shipped its Divergent Deployable Wastewater Treatment Facility from Kennedy Space Center to the University of North Dakota for analog testing. The mobile unit, housed in an 8.5‑by‑24‑foot trailer, separates urine, graywater, fecal and food waste and runs them...
Q&A: Are Plants the Key to Solving Energy and Food Crises Worldwide?
Costas Maranas of Penn State explains how synthetic biology, AI and systems biology are turning plants and their microbial partners into factories for biofuels, biodegradable plastics and other biorenewable chemicals. His team uses metabolic modeling and the CatPred AI platform...
WHO Releases Data on the Proportion of Microbiological, Chemical Hazards that Are Foodborne
The World Health Organization will publish its 2026 global food‑borne disease burden estimates on June 4, featuring new source‑attribution data for 29 viral, bacterial, parasitic and chemical hazards. The analysis relied on structured expert judgment from 146 specialists across all 194...
Can China’s Caesium-From-Brine Tech Cut Reliance on Canadian, Australian Ores?
Chinese researchers have unveiled a low‑temperature, metal‑organic framework adsorbent that can extract caesium from salt‑lake brine with a 99% recovery rate. The material selectively sieves caesium ions, operates at just 150 °C, and can be regenerated, offering a greener alternative to...
Fetal Brain Scans Can Predict a Toddler’s Vocabulary Size Years Before They Learn to Speak
A new study published in Developmental Science shows that the volume of the superior temporal gyrus measured in fetuses between 30 and 33 weeks gestation predicts how many words children will produce at 24‑36 months. The association was observed in...
Pacific Fusion Touts Funding, Technical Achievements on Way to Fusion Power
Pacific Fusion announced that its pulsed‑power system has delivered over 440 GW peak output and 1.1 MV voltage, putting it on track for net‑facility gain by 2030 and commercial fusion by the mid‑2030s. The California startup raised more than $1 billion in a...
A Galactic Collision
The Antenna Galaxies (NGC 4038/4039) in Corvus are a striking example of two spirals merging, their tidal tails forming the iconic antenna shape. A 20‑hour, 50‑minute exposure captured in Hα + LRGB filters reveals detailed star‑forming regions and ionized gas streams. Amateur astrophotographer...
World’s First-Ever Lab-Grown Meat Farm to Open This Week
RespectFarms will launch the world’s first lab‑grown meat farm on 5 June 2026 at its Schipluiden site near The Hague. The facility is installed on a working dairy farm, showcasing a decentralized, farm‑integrated approach rather than a large centralized plant. Co‑founders emphasize...
Biohybrid Microrobots Repair Spinal Cord by Combining Stem Cells with Magnetoelectric Nanoparticles
Researchers at ETH Zurich have created bio‑hybrid microrobots that pair neural progenitor stem cells with magnetoelectric nanoparticles, forming NPC‑bots that can be steered magnetically to spinal‑cord lesions. The nanoparticles translate external magnetic fields into localized electrical cues, accelerating stem‑cell differentiation...
Massive Booms Shook the East Coast for over 300 Years. Scientists Finally Found the Source of the Sonic Explosions.
Scientists from SUNY ESF and Cornell have identified the source of the long‑standing “Seneca guns” phenomenon at New York’s Seneca Lake. Using sonar they mapped 144 large craters on the lakebed and laboratory analysis revealed methane‑rich bubbles that burst at...
Cardiac Arrest Detectable on Wrist-Worn Device
Researchers demonstrated that a wrist‑worn photoplethysmography device can automatically detect cardiac arrest events, including ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia, in a clinical setting. In the multicenter DETECT‑1b study of 49 patients undergoing subcutaneous ICD implantation or VT ablation, the...
James Webb Telescope Detects Methane on Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has recorded the first direct detection of methane on an interstellar object, comet 3I/ATLAS, using mid‑infrared spectroscopy. The finding, made during two observations in December 2025, reveals a volatile‑rich composition that differs markedly from typical...
Study Shows Paternal Stress Molecule Alters Male Offspring Development
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus injected the stress‑linked microRNA let‑7f‑5p into mouse zygotes and found it cut embryo survival rates and reshaped gene activity, especially in male embryos. The male offspring that survived grew larger as...
Rejuvenate Biomed Completes Phase 2 Recruitment for RJx-01 COPD Sarcopenia Trial
Rejuvenate Biomed announced today that it has finished enrolling participants in the randomized, double‑blind Phase 2 MINT‑COPD trial of RJx-01, its multi‑pathway candidate for COPD‑induced sarcopenia. The milestone moves the company toward topline data expected by year‑end 2026 and positions...
Gut Microbiome Reset Stops Liver Cancer in Aging Mice
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch transplanted each older mouse’s own youthful gut microbiome, eliminating liver cancer in the treated group (0/8) versus two cases in controls (2/8). The findings, presented at Digestive Disease Week 2026, suggest microbiome‑based...