Know What's Happening in Science
Know What's Happening in Science
Spike D614 Reversions Detected in Delta and Omicron BA.2 Variants
Researchers from the University of Tsukuba and the Institute of Science Tokyo identified nonrandom reversions of the SARS‑CoV‑2 spike protein from the dominant G614 back to the ancestral D614. The reversions are concentrated in delta and omicron BA.2 lineages and show distinct temporal spikes and geographic clustering.
Researchers at Australia’s Peter Doherty Institute have created a portable, CRISPR‑based diagnostic that simultaneously detects syphilis, HSV, chlamydia and gonorrhea in under an hour. The assay also identifies a key antibiotic‑resistance gene in gonorrhea, delivering 97‑100% accuracy compared with laboratory PCR across 900 clinical samples. Validation suggests the test can replace symptom‑based treatment decisions, cutting misdiagnosis and unnecessary antibiotics. The team plans implementation trials aiming for routine clinical use within five years.
Chemists at the University of Kentucky have devised a hydrothermal carbonization process that converts bourbon distillery stillage—a waste stream six to ten times larger than the final product—into hard and activated carbon powders. These carbon materials serve as electrodes for...
Researchers introduced PiGRAD—Physics‑informed Graph Neural Diffusion—a model that encodes additive‑manufacturing builds as graphs and uses a diffusion process constrained by heat‑transfer physics to predict temperature fields, melt‑pool geometry, and defect probabilities. By merging graph neural networks with physics‑based loss functions,...
On the evening of March 25, 2026, Uranus will appear just five arcminutes south of the 6th‑magnitude star 14 Tauri in the constellation Taurus. The planet’s magnitude of 5.8 makes it slightly brighter than its neighboring star, offering a rare chance...
An image of the emission nebula IC 410 in Auriga, captured by amateur astronomer Mark Germani, showcases the embedded open cluster NGC 1893 and the striking Tadpole pillars. The photograph was taken with a modest 3.6‑inch f/5.6 refractor and a one‑shot color...
A PAC-Bayesian approach to generalization for quantum models. We take steps towards non-uniform and data-dependent bounds for generalization of quantum machine learning models. https://t.co/czcmNpnD0q In detail, #generalization is a central concept in machine learning theory, yet for quantum models, it is predominantly analyzed...
NASA has revived its next‑generation flagship Earth‑observing program, renaming the Atmosphere Observing System to Falcon and the Surface Biology and Geology study to Eagle. The two‑satellite Eagle mission will include a high‑resolution spectrometer costing up to $310 million and a thermal...
Cybin Inc. announced topline results from a Phase 2 trial of its anxiety drug candidate HLP004, showing a 10‑point reduction on a standard anxiety rating scale. The study involved 36 patients already on antidepressants, and the benefit persisted for at least...
Trace Neuroscience, launched Nov 2024, is developing an antisense drug, TRCN‑1023, to restore UNC13A protein function in ALS patients. The target emerged from parallel discoveries at UCL and Stanford, and the company plans intrathecal delivery and biomarker‑guided trials. Leveraging lessons...
SARS-CoV-2 has evolved rapidly since 2019, but its genetic changes remain confined to a limited set of mutations, indicating that strong structural constraints continue to restrict the virus’s evolutionary pathways. genomics
Juan Gallego, principal investigator at the Be.Neural Lab, discussed how neural manifolds are reshaping our understanding of coordinated activity across large neuronal populations. He highlighted evidence that population firing patterns collapse onto low‑dimensional manifolds, especially in motor control and learning...
On the International Space Station, towels are essential for hygiene and moisture control, but microgravity alters how they absorb and release water. Without gravity, water clings to fibers via surface tension, making absorption slower and requiring astronauts to press or...
In this episode, Juan Gallego discusses neural manifolds—mathematical structures that capture the coordinated activity of large neuron populations—and argues they are real, evolutionarily relevant objects with causal influence on behavior. He reviews evidence from monkey and mouse reaching tasks showing...
Researchers have produced the first real‑time atomic movie of electron‑transfer‑mediated decay (ETMD), tracking a neon‑krypton trimer for up to a picosecond before it fragments. Using a COLTRIMS reaction microscope at BESSY II and PETRA III, they captured atoms roaming and reshaping the...
A renewable bio-based polymer membrane efficiently captures and retains over 94% of toxic PFOA from water, offering a reusable and sustainable approach to removing persistent PFAS contaminants. sustainability
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin have demonstrated that a single dose of interferon‑gamma can “train” human macrophages to more effectively kill drug‑resistant bacteria such as MRSA and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The IFN‑γ‑trained cells undergo epigenetic reprogramming, rely on glutamine metabolism, and...
The recent study showing D+Q causes demyelination in brain cells leads to more questions than it answers: (I only read the abstract cause paper new & paywalled.) D+Q has been used a lot in mice & humans. Why hasn't this been noticed...
Artemis II is set to launch around April 1, 2026, using NASA’s new Space Launch System for a ten‑day lunar flyby. The crew—Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Canadian Jeremy Hansen—will be the first woman, person of colour and non‑American to...
Cornell researchers have unveiled the microscale optoelectronic tetherless electrode (MOTE), a neural implant barely larger than a grain of salt. The 300 µm‑by‑70 µm device wirelessly transmits brain‑wave data via infrared light and has demonstrated chronic operation in awake mice for more...
Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have repurposed the FDA‑approved cancer drug doxorubicin to combat drug‑resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV‑1). Using their AI‑driven platform HerpDock, they identified doxorubicin’s ability to block the PI3K‑AKT‑mTOR pathway that the virus exploits,...
Since Lyme Disease is suddenly getting more attention than usual: Hi! I’m a researcher and scientist getting my PhD in Immunology, Infection and Epidemiology. I’ve been studying tick feeding and Lyme Disease for over 5 years now looking for an anti-tick...
A cross‑party Senate inquiry concluded that a coordinated climate‑denial network is fuelling community conflict and delaying renewable energy projects across Australia. The final report blames misinformation and disinformation for eroding public trust and recommends making tech platforms liable for psychosocial...
Russia's private space firm Bureau 1440 placed the first 16 Rassvet broadband satellites into low‑Earth orbit, marking the start of a planned 900‑satellite network intended as a domestic alternative to SpaceX's Starlink. The launch underscores Moscow's push to secure sovereign...
Last week's EVSN took a closer look at the changing Lunar Exploration landscape. That story provides solid context for today's announcements. I've stuck it up on Medium: https://starstryder.medium.com/closer-look-nasa-rewrites-human-exploration-again-9013f90c7622?sk=ec8e6c25ff5bc4db7eeaab9320db7848
PandaOmics and Lobster hybrid for novel target discovery and disease hypothesis research. @steipete will have serious impact on human life
Chinese state‑owned vessels have logged just 6% of their open‑water time in International Seabed Authority‑designated mining zones, prompting accusations of dual‑use activity, while Tonga’s new agreement with the United States to explore deep‑sea minerals has ignited local environmental concerns. Both...
📈 The projected 2025 impact of Current Research in Biotechnology is notably higher 🔗https://t.co/HTlbLhpaRc 🌐 #CRBIOTECH #Research #Science https://t.co/DOBMVCJUgC
From the TWZ vault: Can The U.S. Military Make An Airplane Invisible To The Naked Eye? https://t.co/En5bCKn8tZ
A neurosurgeon in Santiago performed a remote robotic thrombectomy on a stroke patient at The Panama Clinic, restoring cerebral blood flow within minutes. The breakthrough, part of XCath’s Operation Robo Angel study, demonstrates how AI‑enabled robotics can overcome geographic barriers...
Heritability of intrinsic human life span is about 50% when confounding factors are addressed https://t.co/C2je2Dao9T https://t.co/QoGTjAj6Ch
LG Display has begun mass‑producing its world‑first LCD laptop panel that can drop its refresh rate to 1 Hz, a move that could add 48% more battery life to notebooks. The technology is already in Dell’s 2026 XPS 14/16 models, with...
Vietnam and Russia announced a partnership to build a nuclear power plant, yet the agreement’s financial size, capacity and schedule were not disclosed in the available reports. The deal highlights both countries’ interest in expanding low‑carbon energy amid rising climate‑tech...
Researchers at the University of Bonn discovered that the human brain stores memory content and context in two distinct neuron populations. By recording activity from more than 3,000 neurons in epilepsy patients, they identified content neurons responding to specific images...
Researchers used the short‑lived turquoise killifish to map immune aging, publishing a Nature Aging cover article. Multi‑omics analyses revealed systemic inflammaging, kidney‑marrow fibrosis, and accumulation of DNA‑damaged stem‑like immune cells, mirroring changes seen in mammals. Functional assays showed older fish...
The article outlines BioCentury’s cookie policy, detailing the categories of cookies used on its website—strictly necessary, functional, marketing, advertising, and analytics. Each type is described in terms of purpose, activation status, and impact on user experience. The policy emphasizes that...
University of Pennsylvania bioengineers have created a redesigned lipid nanoparticle, aroLNP, that delivers at least ten‑fold less mRNA to the liver while preserving lymph‑node uptake. The breakthrough could lower the dose needed for effective vaccination and expand mRNA therapeutics.
New on exercise —the best medicine vs age-related chronic diseases, a review @Cell_Metabolism https://t.co/z9RpD0SlYW —salutary effect on the blood brain barrier (BBB) vs Alzheimer's and brain aging gift link https://t.co/jmhJwXGWms by @GretchenReynold —original research on BBB integrity via liver produced exercise factor @CellCellPress https://t.co/3tSN8knpYF
A security report warned that Bitcoin’s elliptic‑curve cryptography could be vulnerable to future quantum computers, prompting core developers to begin post‑quantum mitigation work. The warning comes as Bitcoin rallied over 4% and the U.S. government’s $15 bn Bitcoin forfeiture draws renewed...
The U.S. Space Force has moved the final GPS III‑8 satellite from United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, with launch no earlier than late April 2026. The swap follows a solid‑rocket‑motor anomaly on a Vulcan flight and is intended...
Conversation with the brave and brilliant cognitive psychologist Elizabeth Loftus, whose discoveries about the constructive nature of human memory changed the conventional wisdom about eyewitness testimony and recovered memory. Convos About Teaching N & Stuff (I'm not involved). ...
Are there enzymes that cleave anthocyanins into colorless bits? I know there are carotenoid cleavage enzymes that can bite various parts of the saturated chain, but never heard of anthocyaninases... https://t.co/rUHXDWkWvc
Researchers at Erasmus University Medical Center analyzed 831 women and 651 men and found that men eating the most ultra‑processed foods face a 75% higher chance of subfertility, while women’s high intake is tied to slightly smaller embryos and yolk...
A meta‑analysis of 115 studies involving nearly 55,000 men found that sperm quality deteriorates the longer men abstain, showing increased DNA damage and oxidative stress. The World Health Organization’s 2‑to‑7‑day abstinence rule was designed for higher sperm counts, not optimal...
Caltech scientists have unveiled a two‑photon lithography process that prints metallic lattices under 50 µm with up to 90% shrinkage, delivering strength up to 50 times that of bulk metal. The technique works with any metal or alloy and could reshape...
Intelligent and miniaturized drug delivery devices (IMDDDs) combine biotechnology, AI, electronics, and novel materials to provide precise, programmable drug release inside the body. These platforms integrate real-time sensing with adaptive control, enabling dose adjustments based on biomarkers such as glucose...
Researchers analyzed 216 ancient canid remains using a genome‑wide capture method, confirming dog ancestry in 141 specimens and identifying the oldest genetically verified European dog at 14,200 years old from Switzerland. The study shows this early dog shares ancestry with later...
The first SpaceX orbital launch attempt was 20 years ago today. Ashlee Vance: “the Falcon 1… quite likely changed the course of human history. The imaginations and passions of engineers and dreamers all around the world expanded.” (WTHWOS p.11.) For more Falcon...
Discovery of passivating pinholes in TOPCon solar cells paves the way for higher efficiencies #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/UWGzf5PaqJ https://t.co/BgyDRVIv7N
Glimpses of last week’s NVIDIA GTC. A new kind of radiology imaging for doctors. https://t.co/U59b5qmWL9
#ThisDayInTechHistory. March 24, 1965. Millions watch for the first time as the Ranger 9 space probe crashed into the moon. (NASA) #Space #Exploration #History https://t.co/PFyzWvwTPV
