Today's Science Pulse
Hidden Star Clusters Discovered Deep Inside Nearby Galaxies
A UK‑led study using VLA and ALMA data uncovered previously hidden giant star clusters deep within nearby galaxies, describing them as “ring factories.” The findings highlight how young stellar activity shapes galactic evolution across the universe.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Foundation Alloy raises $22M Series A
“Solving the Ultra-Thin Challenge: Contact Resistance Reduced 50×, On-State Current Boosted 17×”
Researchers at POSTECH have introduced a raised source/drain (RSD) architecture for ultra‑thin tellurium transistors, selectively thickening the source and drain regions while keeping the channel sub‑5 nm. This modification slashes contact resistance by 50×, from 97.5 kΩ·µm to 1.7 kΩ·µm, and boosts on‑state current more than 17‑fold at –196 °C. The process uses sputtering, a low‑temperature, large‑area deposition method, making it compatible with existing semiconductor fabs. The breakthrough paves the way for high‑performance 3D integrated circuits in AI and HPC applications.
CRISPR Gene Editing Reveals Role of Collagen Dysfunction in Cerebral Microbleeds
Researchers at Ajou University used CRISPR/Cas9 delivered by the AAV‑BR1 viral vector to delete the Col4a1 gene in adult mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells, creating a scalable model that produces cerebral microbleeds mirroring human MRI lesions. The model allows dose‑dependent...
Global Summit on Cutting-Edge Functional Materials and Technologies (ICAFMT)
The International Conference on Advanced Functional Materials and Technologies (ICAFMT) will take place in Dongguan, China, from October 23‑25, 2026, gathering leading scholars and industry executives. The program spans parallel sessions on AI‑driven materials discovery, energy storage, biomaterials, electronic materials,...
Five-mRNA Cocktail Shows Promise in Reducing Heart Failure Post-Myocardial Infarction
Researchers at Osaka University have developed a polyplex nanomicelle system that delivers a cocktail of five therapeutic mRNAs directly into infarcted heart tissue. In mouse models of post‑myocardial infarction heart failure, the treatment markedly improved left‑ventricular ejection fraction, reduced scar...
Time‑restricted Feeding Restores Metabolic Health in Aging Mice
Time-restricted feeding improves metabolic flexibility, promotes beiging, and mitigates fibro-inflammation in the adipose tissue of aged mice "These results underscore the potential of TRF as a dietary intervention to mitigate adipose dysfunction and promote metabolic health in the aging population." https://t.co/JgTEjivlCM
Edible Coatings and Plasma-Activated Water: Synergistic Strategies for Extending Fresh Produce Shelf Life
Researchers evaluated the combined use of edible coatings (ECs) and plasma‑activated water (PAW) as a hurdle technology for fresh produce. The sequential PAW‑then‑EC approach achieved 2–4 log CFU g⁻¹ microbial reductions and extended marketable shelf life by 40–100 % across strawberries, tomatoes, apples...
Top AI Labs Expand Research Into Machine ‘Consciousness’
Leading AI research labs—including DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic and Google Brain—have announced expanded programs to investigate machine consciousness. The initiatives combine $200 million in joint funding, interdisciplinary teams of neuroscientists, philosophers and engineers, and new open‑source toolkits. Researchers aim to define measurable...
Autism-Linked Genes Expressed in Thalamus Make an Impact, and More
This week’s autism roundup spotlights a new analysis showing that most autism‑linked genes are highly expressed in the thalamus, deepening our understanding of the disorder’s neurobiological roots. Parallel studies identify EPAC2 as a promising therapeutic target in fragile‑X mouse models,...
Small Spacecraft Technology in NASA’s 2026 State-of-the-Art Survey
NASA’s May 2026 State‑of‑the‑Art Small Spacecraft Technology survey redefines small satellites as full mission systems rather than scaled‑down versions of traditional spacecraft. It highlights that power, propulsion, communications and autonomous operations now dominate design trade‑offs, while deorbit, tracking and ground‑segment services...
Making Climate-Neutral Plastics and Cosmetics Using Bacteria
European researchers under the CarboNcare project are engineering bacteria to turn renewable methanol into key chemical intermediates such as lactate, succinate and 2,3‑butanediol. By genetically reprogramming industrial strains of E. coli and P. putida, the team links bacterial growth directly...
The Eye of the Sahara Is a Giant Bullseye in the Mauritanian Desert, up to Fifty Kilometres Across, and Astronauts...
The Richat Structure, a 40‑50 km concentric formation in Mauritania known as the Eye of the Sahara, was photographed from orbit by Gemini IV in June 1965 while geologists still debated its origin. At the time the prevailing hypothesis was that it was...
Doubling Down on Controversial Claims, Microsoft Accelerates Quantum Computing Plans
Microsoft announced an accelerated roadmap to a practical quantum computer by 2029, cutting its previous timeline in half. The company claims its new Majorana 2 chip, using lead‑based topological qubits, achieves a 20‑second coherence time—far longer than earlier prototypes. Researchers say...
When Rosetta Sniffed the Gas Around Comet 67P, It Found a Cloud that Would Have Smelled of Rotten Eggs, Ammonia...
Between 2014 and 2016, ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft sampled the gas surrounding comet 67P/Churyumov‑Gerasimenko using its ROSINA mass spectrometer. The analysis revealed a mix of smelly trace gases—hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide—and, crucially, the amino acid glycine, phosphorus, and the...
Crested Ibises Get the Royal Treatment in Japan as They Fly Again
Japan released eight crested ibises on Honshu, attended by the Crown Prince and Princess, marking the first wild release in over 50 years. The species, once near extinction, has rebounded to about 500 individuals thanks to a joint Japanese‑Chinese breeding...
France to Fly Two Astronauts on Vast Missions
Vast has signed a deal with the French government to fly two French astronauts on its private missions, including the first flight to the Haven‑1 commercial space station. The missions, both using SpaceX Crew Dragon, are slated for 2027 and will...
Perth Storms Rare, Sea‑level Rise Already Accelerating
Perth storms may be in one in five years, but sea level rise from climate change has been decades in the making, with more to come https://t.co/RV4FKjIDea ICYMI Sunday Times 2007 interview warning on sea level rise in #Broome, #Perth, #Rockingham & #Mandurah...
Australia’s First RNA Manufacturing Facility Opens in NSW
Australia’s first dedicated RNA research and manufacturing hub opened at Macquarie University’s Innovation Precinct, delivering a 4,500‑square‑metre, state‑of‑the‑art complex. The $96 million AUD (≈$63 million USD) NSW Government investment equips the site with pDNA and mRNA production suites, lipid‑nanoparticle encapsulation, and pilot‑scale...
Virginia Tech Study Finds Ocean Deoxygenation Began 8 Million Years Before Triassic Extinction
A team of Virginia Tech geologists has demonstrated that marine oxygen levels began to fall about 8 million years before the end‑Triassic mass extinction, according to a study published May 26 in Nature Communications Earth & Environment. The finding challenges the view...
Cogent Biosciences' Bezuclastinib‑Sunitinib Combo Doubles PFS in GIST Trial
Cogent Biosciences announced Phase 3 PEAK trial results showing its bezuclastinib‑sunitinib combination doubled median progression‑free survival to 16.5 months versus 9.2 months with sunitinib alone in gastrointestinal stromal tumor patients. The data, presented at the 2026 ASCO meeting, represent the first statistically significant...
Hybrid MoOCl₂ Crystal Maps Metal‑Glass Duality, Paving Way for Ultra‑Thin AR Lenses
A team led by XPANCEO, together with the National University of Singapore and the University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, experimentally mapped the optical constants of molybdenum oxychloride (MoOCl₂). The study, published in Nano Letters, shows the crystal can act...
Scaling Nanoribbon Transistors with Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides
Researchers at Stanford and collaborators have demonstrated monolayer transition‑metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanoribbon transistors with channel widths as narrow as 25 nm. By anchoring source‑drain contacts to the substrate and using a low‑dose litho‑etch‑litho‑etch (LELE) multipatterning scheme, they achieved high current densities—up...
Sex-Specific Regulation of Angiogenin in Alzheimer’s Disease
Researchers examined angiogenin (ANG), a stress‑responsive ribonuclease, across Alzheimer’s disease (AD) models, postmortem brains and large transcriptomic cohorts (n = 645). They discovered that ANG expression is dysregulated in a sex‑dependent fashion: male AD brains exhibit reduced ANG protein, while female brains...
Reduced BCL2 Level in Astrocytes Contributes to Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption in the Striatum of Offspring Exposed to Maternal Preeclampsia
Researchers discovered that offspring of mothers with preeclampsia exhibit markedly reduced BCL2 expression in striatal astrocytes, compromising the integrity of the blood‑brain barrier (BBB). Using a reduced‑uteroplacental perfusion pressure (RUPP) mouse model, the team showed increased BBB permeability, swollen astrocytic...
Cancer as a Window Into Mitochondrial Biology
Recent cancer research has revealed mitochondria as highly plastic organelles, capable of dynamic metabolic rewiring rather than being static powerhouses. Studies show that tumors exploit uridine‑derived ribose, ATP hydrolysis, and glutathione import to survive nutrient stress and resist chemotherapy. Mutations...
Functional Specialization Within the Mitochondrial Network: Are All Mitochondria Created Equal?
Recent research challenges the view of mitochondria as a uniform ATP‑producing network, presenting evidence that distinct subpopulations coexist within tissues and even single cells. Morphological differences, organelle contacts, and biochemical profiling reveal mitochondria specialized for catabolic, anabolic, or signaling roles,...
Why TAPCJD Is so Important
The Teleneurology Assessment Program in CJD (TAPCJD) offers newly diagnosed U.S. prion patients a way to contribute vital natural‑history data via remote assessments. With two drug‑targeting trials—PrProfile (2024) and PRiSM (2026)—already recruiting, robust longitudinal data are essential for trial design,...
2D Transistor Goes Narrower
Researchers have demonstrated high‑performance two‑dimensional (2D) nanoribbon transistors with channel widths scaled below 100 nm using a litho‑etch‑litho‑etch (LELE) fabrication flow. The MoS₂ nanoribbons retain carrier mobility comparable to wider devices, indicating that aggressive width reduction does not compromise electrical performance....
Mars Was Once a Warmer World of Rivers, Lakes and a Thicker Atmosphere, but After Its Internal Dynamo Died and...
Early Mars hosted rivers, lakes and a thick atmosphere, evidence confirmed by valley networks and lake deposits older than 3.5 billion years. The planet’s internal dynamo ceased between roughly 4.2 and 3.7 billion years ago, removing the magnetic shield that deflects solar...
China Greenlights First Invasive Brain‑chip, Aims Global Lead
China has approved the world’s first invasive brain-computer chip—here’s what’s next The country wants to become a global leader in brain implants. Strong government support is expected to help accelerate that process. https://t.co/B9uOKsHwmE
Alzheimer’s Blood Test Around Ages 53-69 May Help Detect Early Cognitive Decline
Researchers published in The Lancet that blood tests detecting amyloid‑beta and tau can identify early cognitive decline in adults aged 53‑69. In a cohort, 6% showed elevated biomarkers and subsequently exhibited slower processing speed, with a 2.5‑4‑fold higher risk of...
Adipocyte SLC25A51 Controls Mitochondrial Function and Aging Metabolism
The Mitochondrial NAD Transporter SLC25A51 in Adipocytes Regulates Adipose Tissue Mitochondrial Function and Systemic Metabolism During Aging https://t.co/4SuyuA0UsH https://t.co/h1nYczP9Jl
Lab Recreates Flight-Like Heat to Support NASA’s Dragonfly Mission to Titan
Sandia National Laboratories has successfully recreated the extreme heat conditions a spacecraft will encounter during entry into Titan’s dense atmosphere, supporting NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft mission. Using a plasma wind tunnel, engineers generated heat fluxes and temperatures up to roughly 1,200 °C...
RNA 'Cut-and-Patch' Tool Repairs Faulty Messages without Altering DNA
University of Hong Kong researchers unveiled RNA Segment Editing (RSE), a "cut‑and‑patch" platform that precisely removes and replaces faulty RNA segments in living cells without altering DNA. The tool leverages an engineered Cas13 enzyme to achieve segment‑level editing, a capability...
Living Brain Gene Activity Revealed Noninvasively Through Programmable Blood Test
Rice University bioengineers have unveiled INTACT, a programmable blood‑based assay that captures real‑time transcription of selected genes in living brain tissue. The platform couples engineered Released Markers of Activity (RMAs) with mRNA‑sensing sensors, releasing detectable markers into the bloodstream. In...
Women on GLP-1 Medications May Be Less Likely to Develop Breast Cancer
An observational analysis presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology found that women taking GLP‑1 medications were 35% less likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer. The study examined more than 110,000 cases and was coordinated by the American...
NASA Invites Media to See Roman Space Telescope Arrive at Kennedy
NASA has opened media credentials to witness the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s arrival at Kennedy Space Center, where it will be transferred from a Pegasus barge after final assembly at Goddard. The observatory, built with partners including BAE Systems,...
Judge Halts NSF Plan to Close Colorado Climate Center
A judge has temporarily blocked the National Science Foundation from dismantling a globally significant weather and climate research center in Colorado https://t.co/cayo1079vG
High‑Intensity Exercise May Actually Build Cartilage
What if high intensity exercise actually grew cartilage? I have to walk folks off the ledge of fear almost daily in my office. Far too many think that exercise is grinding away their cartilage. The paper we discuss today says...
Ocean Census Unveils 1,121 New Marine Species in 2025‑26 Survey
Researchers with the Nippon Foundation–Nekton Ocean Census announced the discovery of 1,121 new marine species from mid‑2025 to mid‑2026, a 54% jump in annual identifications. The findings, published in Scientific American, highlight both the richness of deep‑sea life and the...
Speeding Biomarker Translation: From Research to Affordable Care
Fascinating science, but the real question is translation -how quickly can this move from research into something clinically actionable and affordable at scale? We’ve seen promising biomarkers stall before. #health #aging https://t.co/6qUmSulCxJ
Brazilian Study Finds Omega‑3 Fish Oil Cuts Insulin Resistance in Non‑Obese Diabetic Rats
Brazilian scientists published evidence that omega‑3 fish oil lowered insulin resistance, improved blood sugar control and reduced inflammation in non‑obese type‑2 diabetes rats. The eight‑week study, funded by FAPESP, highlights a potential treatment path for the 10‑20% of diabetics who...
Traditional Zuogui Pill Shown to Reduce DNA Damage and Delay Ovarian Aging via SIRT1 Activation
Researchers have demonstrated that the traditional Chinese medicine Zuogui Pill (ZGP) significantly reduces DNA damage and the senescence‑associated secretory phenotype in ovarian stem cells, delaying ovarian aging through activation of the SIRT1 pathway. The findings, published in a peer‑reviewed journal,...
Debugging: Google Requests Permission to Release 32m Mosquitoes in California and Florida
Google’s Alphabet unit has filed an EPA request to release up to 32 million sterile male mosquitoes in California and Florida over two years. The Debug program uses Wolbachia‑infected males that cannot produce viable offspring, aiming to suppress Aedes aegypti populations...
GRAIL’s PATHFINDER 2 Shows Galleri Test Boosts Cancer Detection 6.5‑Fold at ASCO 2026
GRAIL announced at the 2026 ASCO meeting that its Galleri multi‑cancer early detection test increased cancer detection 6.5‑fold when combined with standard screenings in a 35,878‑person PATHFINDER 2 trial, with 71% of newly found cancers diagnosed at stages I‑III. The results reinforce...
Micronix Launches Pocket‑Sized Spectrophotometer Matching Lab Accuracy
Kumamoto University licensed its patented nanophotonic sensor to Micronix Co., which has released the battery‑powered POTA spectrophotometer. The handheld device shrinks traditional lab equipment by 99% yet delivers comparable accuracy for protein, glucose and cytokine assays, opening point‑of‑care diagnostics for...
NASA Adds Three Uncrewed Lunar Missions to 2026 Schedule
NASA announced three new uncrewed lunar missions for 2026, aiming to gather data for a permanent moon base by 2029. The rollout comes as Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket exploded, prompting the agency to evaluate near‑term impacts on Artemis and commercial...
Matter May Entangle with Light Far More Easily Near Quantum Critical Points
Rice University physicist Qimiao Si proposes a theory that coupling quantum materials to photons inside a small mirrored cavity becomes far easier when the material is tuned close to its quantum critical point. Near the quantum critical point, the threshold...
Shockwaves From Dying Stars May Sculpt 'Cosmic Wagon Wheel' Stellar Nurseries, Simulations Reveal
A team from Kyushu and Nagoya Universities used 3‑D magnetohydrodynamic simulations on the ATERUI III supercomputer to show how shockwaves from supernovae or massive‑star winds carve spoke‑like filaments in magnetized molecular clouds. The resulting hub‑and‑spoke architecture funnels gas into a dense...
What Happened When the First Animals Started to Move
Researchers at London’s Natural History Museum examined over 230 Ediacaran trace fossils, revealing that the first mobile animals dramatically expanded their sensory range between 546.5 and 539 million years ago. Early organisms could only sense within two body lengths, but later...
Astronauts Could Use Lightning-Like Plasma Jets to Kill Germs on the Moon and Mars, Demo Hints
Researchers at the University of Alabama demonstrated that lightning‑like plasma jets can sterilize fabric faster and more effectively than current International Space Station methods. By directing a thin, electrically powered plasma stream at cotton samples seeded with Staphylococcus caprae, they...