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.
A massive heat dome is sweeping across the United States, pushing temperatures to a record 112 °F in Arizona, California and Texas and breaking heat records in 14 states. The high‑pressure system traps hot air, and the National Weather Service expects it to move eastward, potentially covering one‑quarter to one‑third of the lower 48 states. Climate scientists link the dome’s intensity to human‑induced climate change, while the extreme heat is already straining the aging electrical grid and raising health risks. Experts advise immediate safety measures and longer‑term investments such as heat‑pump installations.
Roman Space Telscope is getting ready to launch this year and I can’t believe I get to work on this awesome mission 🛰️ 🚀 ✨
Researchers from Caltech analyzed ash and dust after the 2025 Eaton fire in Los Angeles, discovering unexpectedly high lead levels inside homes up to 11 km from the blaze. Indoor windowsills and uncleaned surfaces, such as a garage bench, recorded lead...
A Centenary College of Louisiana undergraduate has developed a nail polish that conducts electricity, allowing users to operate capacitive touchscreens without removing their manicure. The formulation incorporates conductive materials such as silver nanowires or graphene, creating a thin, transparent layer...
A two‑year longitudinal MRI study of 62 bipolar disorder patients and 62 healthy controls tracked gray matter volume in the right exterior cerebellum. Patients who did not experience new manic or depressive episodes showed significant cerebellar volume loss, while those...
An international consortium of more than 200 families carrying dominantly inherited Alzheimer’s mutations, the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Network (DIAN), has been pivotal in uncovering the disease’s pre‑clinical brain changes and accelerating amyloid‑targeting drug trials. Researchers leveraged the certainty of genetic...
Researchers analyzing 773 patients in the PARADIGM registry found that larger epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volumes measured by coronary CT angiography were strongly associated with both any plaque progression and rapid plaque progression over an eight‑year follow‑up. While high EAT...
Stevens Institute of Technology researchers unveiled AURA‑GreeN, a coordinated drone swarm that functions as temporary aerial cell towers. The system plugs into an Open‑RAN controller as an xApp, dynamically allocating spectrum, routing data, and managing power in real time. Field...
Belt-shaped VO₂(B) single crystals synthesized from V₂O₅ nanofibers demonstrate high sensitivity and selectivity for ethanol detection at room temperature, offering a promising platform for low-power, next-generation gas sensors. materialsinnovation
Researchers have built a continuous‑variable quantum compiler that learns optical phase operations using two‑mode squeezed light. By digitizing the analog process into a sequence of native gates, the system creates a quantum digital twin that delivers a 5.4‑fold boost in...
Metrology Parts of Baxter, Minnesota, launched a new guide titled “How Metrology Is Used in Climate Control.” The resource outlines how precise measurement standards support climate data infrastructure, from satellite altimetry and ocean level monitoring to gravimetric glacier studies and...
University of Florida engineers have inaugurated an interdisciplinary Human Performance Center, expanding a 2024 investment with the UF Sports Collaborative. The hub will fuse wearable sensors, AI and robotics to advance training, injury prevention and mobility for athletes, patients and...
NASA announced the cancellation of the Lunar Gateway orbital station and a $20 billion reallocation to construct a permanent base on the Moon’s surface. The shift also includes a plan to launch a nuclear‑powered spacecraft to Mars by 2028, marking a...
NASA has moved the Artemis II crewed lunar flyby mission back onto the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center after completing extensive repairs in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The four‑astronaut flight, slated for early April, will resume the agency’s push to...
Specialized ether phospholipids in nerve cell membranes fine-tune sensory receptors, enabling precise detection of touch and temperature by altering membrane tension and fluidity. These findings may inform future approaches to sensory disorders. neuroscience
Entomologists and particle accelerator physicists have collaborated to produce a new 3D atlas of what makes up an ant, including muscles, nerves, digestive tracts, and exoskeletons. The images are free to access. https://spectrum.ieee.org/3d-scanning-particle-accelerator-antscan
Geoscience Australia unveiled a 10‑year strategy, “Shaping Our Future 2026‑2036,” targeting net‑zero transition, economic security and climate resilience. The plan leverages scientific capability, national datasets and advanced technology to guide government, industry and communities. Applied geoscience supports roughly 124 billion Australian...
NVIDIA-Backed Starcloud Tests Orbital #Data Centers with H100 AI GPU in Space by @IntEngineering #SpaceTech #Tech #Technology #EmergingTech #Space https://t.co/huY6Fk3TU4
They cloned a mouse and kept cloning. It went 58 generations before it just couldn't "This model predicts that in asexual lineages, deleterious mutations inevitably accumulate, ultimately producing mutational meltdown and extinction."
NASA plans to launch the Space Reactor‑1 Freedom by late 2028, marking the first nuclear‑electric propulsion spacecraft bound for Mars. The mission will demonstrate high‑power, efficient thrust for deep‑space travel where solar power is insufficient. Upon arrival, SR‑1 Freedom will...
#WhatsNext? Bendable concrete. Will provide some needed flexibility to structures in earthquake zones. Designed to limit damage to buildings. (Quick Take) #NewMaterials #PublicSafety #Technology https://t.co/g2LlLxqsgB
The lactate story. The Most Misunderstood Molecule in Human Physiology. Coming up tomorrow on Substack https://t.co/cyvmQexhzr
Conservationist Georgina Paul is leading a two‑year study to determine whether the endangered large heath butterfly can serve as an indicator of peatland health across Wales. The project, funded with £249,000 (about $316,000) from the Welsh government and lottery sources,...
Big news of the day, at Google we are building both superconducting and neutral atom quantum computers. https://t.co/Q8fbzebAyu #quantum #atom #google
Karyopharm Therapeutics announced top‑line data from its Phase III SENTRY trial, which evaluated selinexor combined with ruxolitinib in patients with myelofibrosis. The company reported that the regimen met its primary efficacy endpoints and demonstrated a manageable safety profile. Alongside the clinical...
Vascudyne’s acellular tissue‑engineered vessel with external support (ATEV‑ESS) demonstrated early promise as an off‑the‑shelf conduit in a first‑in‑human study. Three patients with multivessel coronary disease received the device; two implants remained patent at 12 months with no thrombus or major...
If anyone is left on quantum twitter, this is a BIG announcement from the @GoogleQuantumAI group on expanding their footprint in Colorado with a dedicated neutral atom quantum computing team. More details here: https://t.co/5NQduB6Fhm https://t.co/WU0ubqcGS5
Originally, we wanted to shoot left-handed particles into a Klein bottle and watch them return right-handed. Like a topological ray-gun. What we found was rather more subtle and interesting.
Researchers at Rice University and collaborators have demonstrated unprecedented optical phonon coherence in cubic boron arsenide semiconductor. Using isotopically enriched B-11 crystals, they observed phonon vibrations persisting for nearly a thousand cycles at low temperatures, far exceeding typical materials. The...
Powerful new longitudinal study finds that adolescents who increase their social media over a 2 year period show lower cognitive performance, compared to those who did not increase. Fom @jasonmnagata's team, using ABCD data, and controlling for all the right stuff.
New computer simulations suggest Earth and its neighboring rocky planets formed from two separate rings of material around the young Sun, rather than a single disc. The dual‑ring model better reproduces Earth’s mixed rock composition, corrects size discrepancies for Mercury...
Researchers in Finland analyzed health records of over 375,000 older adults and found that severe infections such as cystitis, pneumonia, and tooth decay significantly raise the risk of developing dementia within six years. The study identified 29 conditions linked to...
A new study published in PLOS Biology reveals that vivid, immersive REM dreams make sleepers feel deeper rest, even when objective sleep metrics remain unchanged. Researchers at Italy’s IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca monitored 44 adults with high‑density EEG,...
Scotland’s new 15‑year climate change plan sets a 10‑year horizon before a major heat‑pump rollout, aiming to replace gas and oil boilers by 2045. The plan projects roughly $54 billion in financial benefits and cost savings through 2040, but campaigners argue...
A Neurology study of 3,910 former college athletes found that those with three or more lifetime concussions exhibited significantly higher anxiety, depression, and related symptom scores five years after graduation. About 36% of participants reported at least one concussion, and...
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) has launched a $3.6 million CAD (≈ $2.6 million USD) Announcement of Opportunity to fund health and life‑sciences research on the International Space Station. Up to $900,000 CAD (≈ $660,000 USD) per project will be awarded to Canadian teams...
The MIT paper that showed space can be more powerful than time in computers. Full video: https://t.co/I9Qly22GGe https://t.co/9FP23XXkpp
England sees drought risk dwindle after months of heavy rain https://t.co/KjFZB8L3gf via @joewertz @OliviaRudgard https://t.co/9KiYOslG6x
Researchers analyzed real‑world claims data from 12,245 Crohn’s disease patients treated between 2016 and 2022 to compare safety outcomes across five advanced therapies, including TNF antagonists, vedolizumab, ustekinumab, risankizumab, and upadacitinib. Incidence rates for serious infections, major adverse cardiovascular events,...
Researchers at the University of Hamburg have identified a new phenomenon called hyperloss, where coherent spatial‑mode mixing in quantum‑correlated networks can produce apparent losses exceeding 100 % of the original squeezing. An 8 % mode mismatch was enough to turn a 5.8 dB...
Scientists analyzing DNA from nearly 50 ancient grape seeds across France have uncovered evidence that winemakers began cloning vines as early as 500 BCE, shifting from wild domestication to deliberate propagation. A medieval seed, dated to the 15th century, was genetically identical...
Recent analysis of newly discovered tyrannosaur fossils shows that T. rex shared its habitat with at least two other large tyrannosaurids, overturning its long‑standing status as the sole apex predator of the Late Cretaceous. The study, led by a team of...
Yale and Cornell chemists have devised a metal‑free aminoxyl catalyst that oxidizes a single secondary alcohol in the macrolide antibiotic erythromycin A. The catalyst, paired with mCPBA, proved highly selective, but analogous macrolides clarithromycin and azithromycin required different reagents to achieve...
Russia quietly placed the first 16 satellites of its Rassvet broadband constellation into a polar orbit using a Soyuz‑2 launch from the Plesetsk spaceport. The satellites, built by the state‑linked Bureau‑1440, are the initial step toward a planned 700‑plus satellite...
Ocugen announced that its investigational gene therapy for geographic atrophy, a leading cause of vision loss in age‑related macular degeneration, will move into a Phase 3 clinical trial. The company reported mixed Phase 2 results, showing a favorable safety profile but inconsistent...
Researchers at the University of Portsmouth and the University of Manchester have engineered a “plastic‑eating” enzyme that dramatically speeds the depolymerisation of PET, the polymer used in polyester clothing. The enzyme remains highly active even at the high substrate concentrations...
Glutathione is often called the master antioxidant, but it’s actually regulated by melatonin (PMID: 20868358) Besides sleep, melatonin also regulates inflammation, immunity, antioxidant activity, and autophagy the process of cell recycling https://t.co/auPkyCsXLp https://t.co/JagmihM101
