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
Study Finds 600 Million Face Systemic Cooling Poverty Amid Rising Heat Waves
A new study of 28 developing nations reveals that almost 600 million people suffer from systemic cooling poverty, lacking access to air conditioning, shade or insulated housing. The findings highlight stark inequities as extreme‑heat events intensify across the globe.
JWST Captures First Exoplanet Daily Weather Cycle, Upending a Decade of Atmospheric Data
The James Webb Space Telescope, using its NIRISS instrument, has observed a repeating daily weather cycle on the hot‑Jupiter WASP‑94Ab, revealing thick magnesium‑silicate clouds on its morning side and a clear, water‑rich evening side. The breakthrough suggests that a decade...
Tufts Study Finds 10‑15% Calorie Cut Extends Healthspan, Offers Simple Biohack
Researchers at Tufts University and partner labs reported that a sustained 10‑15% reduction in daily calories lowered blood pressure, LDL cholesterol and insulin levels, while shedding about 10% body weight. The findings, drawn from the long‑running CALERIE™ trial, suggest a...
SPARK Microgravity to Launch Live Cancer Cells in Microgravity Test Flight
SPARK Microgravity is set to launch a micro‑payload containing live triple‑negative breast cancer cells aboard an SSC Space rocket from Esrange, Sweden, in May 2026. The mission, the company’s first oncology‑focused flight, seeks to prove that cancer cells can be...
Eli Lilly's VERVE-102 Gene Therapy Cuts PCSK9 and LDL‑C in Phase 1b Heart‑2 Trial
Eli Lilly announced that a single infusion of its investigational base‑editing therapy VERVE-102 produced dose‑dependent reductions in circulating PCSK9 protein and LDL‑C in the Phase 1b Heart‑2 trial of adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or premature coronary disease. The FDA...
Correction: A Genome-Wide Investigation of Depression Among Individuals with and without Irritability
A recent correction to a genome‑wide association study (GWAS) on depression clarifies findings for individuals with and without irritability. The original analysis, led by researchers at McGill University, identified several novel genetic loci linked to depressive symptoms, with distinct patterns...
Microglial Mitochondria Transfer to Astrocytes via GPNMB-Enriched Extracellular Vesicles Alleviates Cognitive Deficits in Tauopathy Mice
Researchers discovered that microglia in PS19 tauopathy mice package functional mitochondria into extracellular vesicles enriched with glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) and deliver them to astrocytes. The mitochondrial transfer restores astrocytic function, mitigates tau pathology, and improves cognitive performance...
Study: Carbon Capture Could Cut Cement Emissions by 75 per Cent by 2035
A new study finds that deploying carbon capture, usage, and storage (CCUS) in cement manufacturing could cut the sector's emissions by 75 percent by 2035. The model assumes 90 percent capture rates at large plants, backed by roughly $150 billion in combined public...
Watch: Disabled Parrot Takes up Jousting to Stay King of the Keas
Researchers at the University of Canterbury documented a disabled kea named Bruce that invented a jousting-like fighting technique using its exposed lower beak. Over a month-long observation, Bruce won all 36 dominance interactions, becoming the undefeated alpha of its group...
Chronic Liver Disease in Europe: A Preventable Crisis Going Undetected
A new Lancet Regional Health—Europe series led by ISGlobal warns that chronic liver disease is becoming a preventable public‑health crisis across Europe. One‑third of EU/UK residents are estimated to have metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and alcohol accounts for...
New Maternal RSV Vaccine Lowers Infant Hospitalization Rates, but Accessibility May Be Limited, Study Finds
A new maternal RSV vaccine introduced in fall 2023 reduces infant hospitalizations, with the Dallas study showing zero hospitalizations among vaccinated infants versus 3% among unvaccinated. Vaccination rates varied sharply by insurance type and race, with private‑insured mothers at 37%...
May 25, 2026 Quick Space Links
Blue Origin confirmed a $600 million expansion of its New Glenn rocket factory in Florida, bolstering its launch‑vehicle production capacity. United Airlines has equipped 50 of its aircraft with SpaceX’s Starlink broadband, offering passengers free Wi‑Fi, while older planes still rely on...
Repetitive TMS Effective, Safe for Poststroke Neurogenic Overactive Bladder
A randomized controlled trial of 60 stroke survivors showed that low‑frequency contralesional repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) significantly improves neurogenic overactive bladder symptoms, quality of life, and resilience scores compared with sham treatment. Benefits persisted through week 8, with mean OAB...
Peptides / Bioregulators
Therapeutic peptide development has accelerated over the past decade thanks to new synthesis, modification, and analytical platforms, positioning peptides as a fast‑growing drug class. While FDA‑approved peptides remain limited to GLP‑1 analogues and a handful of niche indications, a flood...
Sun Emits Record‑Breaking 19‑Day Radio Burst, Tracked by Four NASA Spacecraft
Scientists using four NASA missions confirmed that the Sun produced a continuous, powerful radio burst lasting 19 days from Aug. 21 to Sep. 9, 2025—four times longer than any prior event. The unprecedented observation provides a rich dataset for improving space‑weather forecasts.
SpaceX Launches 29 Starlink V2 Mini Satellites on Falcon 9 From Cape Canaveral
SpaceX lifted off a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral on May 25, 2026, deploying 29 new Starlink V2 Mini satellites and bringing the constellation to over 10,000 spacecraft. The launch marked the company’s 60th orbital flight of the year and the...
India’s $720 M Quantum Mission Spurs 100+ Startups, Aims for Global Lead
India’s National Quantum Mission, funded with 6,000 crore INR (about $720 million), has ignited a wave of more than 100 quantum‑technology startups and enabled the rollout of a 1,000‑kilometre quantum communication network—the longest outside China. The initiative is intended to secure sovereign...
DARPA Readies Robotic Deep‑Space Repair Satellite for 2026 Launch
DARPA announced that its Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) demonstrator will launch as early as summer 2026. The autonomous vehicle will use a highly dexterous robotic suite to refuel, upgrade and relocate GEO satellites, addressing fuel depletion and debris...
Hydrogen Puts Quantum Wormhole Conjecture to the Test
Physicists from the University of New Brunswick used the hydrogen atom’s ultra‑precise hyperfine spectrum to test the ER = EPR conjecture, which links quantum entanglement to microscopic wormholes. By modeling a tiny leakage of the electron’s electric field into a putative wormhole,...
Compensator Wasps Proven to Save Colonies From Chaos
UCL researchers experimentally removed queens from tropical paper wasp colonies (Polistes canadensis) in Panama, sparking immediate, violent power struggles among workers. Amid the chaos, a distinct subset of individuals—dubbed “compensators”—stepped back from the conflict and dramatically increased foraging and brood‑care...
Roswell Park Scientists Present Five Key Cancer Studies at Clinical Meeting
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center will showcase five of its own studies at the ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting in Chicago, alongside additional research presented by its faculty and fellows. Highlights include a real‑world analysis of GLP‑1 receptor agonists on hormone‑receptor‑positive breast cancer,...
Researchers Trace the Origin of Blood Cells Back to Possible Single-Celled Ancestors
Researchers at Kyoto University used a novel cross‑species gene‑expression analysis to reconstruct the evolutionary history of blood cells, identifying macrophage‑like cells as the earliest form around 700 million years ago. The study traced the ubiquitous FOS gene back to a single‑celled...
3D Printed Polymers Gain Ordered Nanostructures During Fabrication
Researchers unveiled a new resin strategy called Polymerization‑Induced Arrangement of Nanostructures with Order‑tunability (PIANO) that lets light‑based 3D printers create ordered block‑copolymer domains during curing. By replacing permanent crosslinkers with ethylene glycol, the resin maintains chain mobility long enough for...
2g/Day of DHA for 2 Years Has No Impact on Cognition or Hippocampal Volume (PreventE4)
The PreventE4 trial tested 2 g per day of DHA for two years in cognitively normal APOE ε4 carriers, achieving a significant rise in the CSF DHA‑to‑arachidonic‑acid ratio. Despite this biochemical target engagement, magnetic‑resonance imaging showed no change in hippocampal volume or...
Untitled
NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day for May 24, 2026 features a video captured by the Perseverance rover in 2022 of Mars’ tiny moon Phobos transiting the Sun. The 40‑second eclipse illustrates Phobos’ diminutive 11.5 km diameter and its orbit roughly 50 times closer...
New Thermal Imaging System Detects Early Melanoma Before It Is Visible
Researchers at Université de Montréal and INRS unveiled SMEAR‑ULM, a microneedle‑based thermal imaging system that can spot micro‑melanomas as early as four days after formation. The platform deposits upconversion nanoparticles beneath the skin, creating a temporary "intelligent tattoo" that emits...
How Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Alleviate Kidney Disease
Researchers demonstrated that long‑term omega‑3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation reduces cellular senescence and renal fibrosis in aged mice, improving key filtration markers such as albumin/creatinine ratio. The benefit hinges on activation of the fatty‑acid receptor FFAR4, whose expression declines...
GABA in NG2 Glia Drives Empathy-Like Behavior
A recent Nature Communications study reveals that GABA receptors on NG2 glia actively shape empathy‑like behavior in rodents. Using optogenetic and pharmacogenetic tools, researchers showed that GABA activation in these oligodendrocyte‑precursor cells triggers calcium signaling, influencing glial proliferation and synaptic...
Supercharging Solar Cells: Quantum Dot-Molecule Hybrid States Enable Near-Maximum Efficiency
Researchers at Osaka University and collaborators have demonstrated that hybrid electronic states formed between tetracene molecules and cadmium telluride quantum dots can drive singlet exciton fission with efficiencies approaching the theoretical limit. Using ultrafast laser spectroscopy and quantum‑chemical modeling, they...
In 1995, NASA’s Galileo Spacecraft Sent a Probe Into Jupiter’s Atmosphere that Kept Transmitting for Just 58 Minutes as It...
On 7 December 1995 NASA’s Galileo spacecraft released a 339‑kg probe that plunged into Jupiter’s atmosphere at 47 km/s, transmitting data for 58 minutes before heat and pressure silenced it. The probe survived the extreme deceleration—over 200 g—and temperatures near 16,000 °C, deploying a parachute after...
AI Speeds up Discovery of Next-Gen Computer Chips and Electronic Materials
An international team led by Flinders University and Khalifa University has created a machine‑learning platform that uses Bayesian optimization to discover new gallium‑based semiconductor materials. The AI engine learns chemical rules from thousands of existing compounds and proposes only chemically...
When a Soviet Rover Went Silent on the Moon in 1971, Scientists Assumed It Was Gone for Good — but...
In 1970 the Soviet Luna 17 mission delivered Lunokhod 1, the first rover on another world, equipped with a French‑built laser retroreflector. The rover went silent in September 1971 and its reflector was presumed lost for decades. High‑resolution images from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance...
Scientists Identify Nodeless Gap and Electron‑Boson Coupling in High‑Tc Nickelate Films
Junfeng He of USTC, together with Qikun Xue and Zhuoyu Chen of SUSTech, reported the first observation of a nodeless superconducting gap and a 70 meV electron‑boson coupling kink in (La,Pr,Sm)₃Ni₂O₇ thin films. Published in Science on May 21, 2026, the work narrows...
Greenland Shark Genome Unveiled, Offering Clues to Extreme Longevity
An international research team has released a chromosome‑level genome of the Greenland shark, the longest‑lived vertebrate, highlighting unique histone variants and ferroptosis‑related genes. The 5.9‑gigabase assembly provides a new molecular framework for studying extreme lifespan and could steer biohacking approaches...
ATP2B4 Boosts Chromatin Compaction, Worsens Pancreatic Cancer Radiotherapy Resistance
Researchers have identified the calcium pump ATP2B4 as a driver of chromatin compaction that shields pancreatic tumor DNA from radiation damage. Elevated ATP2B4 levels were detected in roughly two‑thirds of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma samples, correlating with poorer radiotherapy outcomes. Genetic...
CMU and Cleveland Clinic Launch CMR-CLIP, AI That Reads Cardiac MRI Without Labeled Data
Carnegie Mellon University and Cleveland Clinic introduced CMR-CLIP, an AI system that reads cardiac MRI scans without any manually labeled training data. The model outperformed generic AI by more than 35% and reached near‑clinical accuracy of 99% on certain heart...
Tau Determines Long-Term Memory Storage in Mice
Tau appears to shape which brain cells store an experience, helping memories stay stable over time. In mice, it mattered for remote recall more than initial learning or short-term memory. neuroscience
New Therapies Target Age‑related Muscle Loss
Sarcopenia: An overview of emerging therapies and pathophysiological insights in age-related skeletal muscle decline 💪"This consolidated body of knowledge is expected to enhance the formulation of more effective therapeutic strategies aimed at maintaining muscle mass..." https://t.co/MgtFoVtU9F
Pioneering Cell Therapy Offers Hope for Advanced Liver Disease
A phase‑2 trial of autologous macrophage therapy showed a marked improvement in transplant‑free survival for patients with end‑stage cirrhosis. After four years, 70% of the 26 participants receiving the cell therapy remained alive without needing a liver transplant, versus 40%...
Butyrate Boosts Lifespan in Mitochondrial‑Deficient Mice
Butyrate extends health and lifespan in mice with mitochondrial deficiency 👉"Overall, our findings highlight the relevance of preserving host-microbiota symbiosis in disorders related to mitochondrial dysfunction." https://t.co/6AKqyNhOS8 https://t.co/QrpIkVYGfN
The Geology of the Moon’s Far Side, Revealed in Pictures Taken During Artemis-2
During Artemis‑2’s lunar flyby, commander Reid Wiseman captured a series of far‑side photographs following astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy’s stacking protocol. Using a Nikon D5 DSLR with an 80‑400 mm lens, Wiseman recorded burst exposures that McCarthy later combined into high‑contrast, color‑enhanced images. The...
Researchers Map Hidden Order in Boron‑Doped Diamond, Paving Way for Quantum Chip Superconductors
A joint team from the University of Chicago, Pennsylvania State University and the DOE’s Q‑NEXT facility identified a hidden, granular order in heavily boron‑doped diamond thin films, unlocking a design pathway for superconducting quantum chips that could operate at more...
FDA Grants Accelerated Approval to Gilead’s Hepcludex, First U.S. HDV Therapy
The U.S. FDA has granted accelerated approval to Gilead Sciences' Hepcludex (bulevirtide‑gmod) 8.5 mg, creating the first FDA‑cleared therapy for chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) in the United States. The decision rests on Phase 3 MYR301 data showing virologic and biochemical improvements,...
Does Gravity Create Reality? A Shocking Path to a Theory of Everything
Physicists are rethinking the path to a theory of everything by modifying quantum mechanics to incorporate gravity, rather than forcing gravity into quantum frameworks. This “gravity‑first” approach proposes new equations that treat gravity as a fundamental component of quantum theory....
Women Who Self-Harm Show Altered Brain Responses to Negative Social Media Comments
Young women who engage in non‑suicidal self‑injury (NSSI) exhibit markedly different brain activity when receiving Instagram feedback, with blunted responses to positive comments and amplified activation to negative remarks. The study, involving 88 participants split into clinical, subclinical and healthy...
Tuning Into Quantum Sounds: Acoustic Devices Simplify Quantum Sensors
Physicists at Caltech and Stanford have engineered nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) that exhibit intrinsic quantum nonlinearity by harnessing material‑native two‑level defects. This eliminates the need for external superconducting qubits, allowing a single NEMS device to operate at the single‑phonon level. The...
Discovery of Novel 11 Beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 Inhibitor by Machine Learning Enabled Large-Scale Virtual Screening
Researchers applied a machine‑learning‑driven virtual screening workflow to the Mcule catalog of roughly 139.6 million compounds, ultimately identifying a single top candidate, MCULE‑6869845113, as a potent 11beta‑HSD1 inhibitor. The Gradient Boosting Classifier achieved an AUC of 0.88 and Matthews Correlation Coefficient...
Unified Deep Learning Model Deciphers Peptide Spectra
Researchers introduced pUniFind, a large‑scale unified deep‑learning model that simultaneously scores peptide‑spectrum matches and performs zero‑shot de novo sequencing. Trained on over 100 million spectra, it aligns spectral features with peptide sequences across diverse modifications. In benchmark tests it boosted peptide identifications...
Four Decades of Glioblastoma Targeted Therapy: A Bibliometric and Pharmacological Perspective on Translational Failure and Future Directions
Over the past four decades, more than 5,000 studies have examined targeted therapies for glioblastoma (GBM), yet clinical success remains elusive. The United States and China dominate the research output, with the field progressing through four phases: molecular discovery, first‑generation...
Intermittent Fasting and Neuroprotection in Alzheimer’s Disease: Metabolic Mechanisms, Cellular Signaling, and Brain-Peripheral Crosstalk
Intermittent fasting (IF) triggers a metabolic switch that lowers glucose and insulin while boosting lipolysis and ketone production, notably β‑hydroxybutyrate (βOHB). In Alzheimer’s disease (AD) models, IF enhances brain ketone utilization, supports the astrocyte‑neuron lactate shuttle, and restores metabolic flexibility...