Today's Science Pulse
Updated 2h ago
Sun and Thousands of Stellar Twins Migrated Across the Milky Way
New research shows the Sun traveled outward about 10,000 light‑years together with a cohort of 6,594 solar‑twin stars, moving from the crowded galactic core to its current suburban orbit. Chemical signatures and Gaia‑derived motions reveal this large‑scale migration, suggesting the galactic bar and spiral dynamics facilitated the shift.
News•Mar 8, 2026
The Sky Today on Sunday, March 8: Spiral Galaxy NGC 2541
Daylight‑saving time begins, moving clocks forward an hour, which shifts the optimal viewing window for the faint spiral galaxy NGC 2541 in the constellation Lynx. The galaxy, a 12th‑magnitude, 37‑million‑light‑year‑distant intermediate spiral, is best attempted around 9‑10 PM local time with a large aperture or long‑exposure imaging. The article also highlights a Callisto occultation behind Jupiter on March 9, visible from the western United States, and provides sunrise, sunset and moon phase data for the region.
By Astronomy Magazine
News•Mar 7, 2026
NASA Awards ULA’s Centaur-5 Upper Stage for Future SLS Launches
NASA announced a sole‑source contract awarding United Launch Alliance (ULA) the Centaur‑5 upper stage for future Space Launch System (SLS) flights after Artemis‑3. The decision leverages the proven RL10 engine heritage, compatibility with Mobile Launcher 1, and ULA’s existing work with...
By Behind the Black
Blog•Mar 7, 2026
Open Letter About Cuts to UK Theoretical Physics Funding
An open letter has been circulated to protest a proposed 30% cut to the UK Particle Physics, Astronomy and Nuclear Physics research budget, which could translate into more than a 50% reduction in postdoctoral positions. The letter highlights the UK's...
By In the Dark
Social•Mar 7, 2026
Artemis Shifts Force Creator to Rerun Entire Project
As excited as I am for the new energy and changes to the Artemis program, I am STRESSING OUT with it right now. I was almost done with my 90 minute deep dive on Artemis, making predictions and laying...
By Tim Dodd
Social•Mar 7, 2026
Quantum Mechanics: Unmatched Precision, Yet Reality‑Defying
A full century after the discovery of a peculiar microscopic world, quantum mechanics has triumphed as the most precisely verified physical theory in the history of science. Yet the quantum world defies conventional notions of reality. In this episode of...
By Janna Levin
News•Mar 7, 2026
March 7, 1792: The Birth of John Herschel
John Herschel, born March 7, 1792, was the sole child of famed astronomer William Herschel. After studying mathematics at Cambridge, he collaborated with his father and co‑founded the Royal Astronomical Society in 1820, later producing a celebrated double‑star catalog with...
By Astronomy Magazine
News•Mar 7, 2026
The Age of Animal Experiments May Be Waning
Governments in the UK, US and EU are committing to phase out animal testing, starting with skin‑irritation assays and targeting broader reductions by 2030. Rapid advances in new‑approach methodologies—organs‑on‑chips, organoids and AI‑driven computational models—have driven a fourfold rise in NAM‑only...
By Scientific American – Mind
News•Mar 7, 2026
The Sky Today on Saturday, March 7: Venus Meets Saturn
On the evening of March 7, 2026, bright Venus will sit low in the western sky about 7° above the horizon, with first‑magnitude Saturn positioned roughly 1° southeast, creating a striking planetary conjunction. Venus appears as a 10‑arcsecond, 97%‑lit gibbous disk, while...
By Astronomy Magazine
Social•Mar 7, 2026
JWST Confirms 2032 Asteroid Won’t Hit Earth or Moon
Remember the asteroid we thought might hit Earth or the Moon in 2032? New data from the JWST shows it will hit NEITHER. JWST's IR eyes are great for this because the asteroid is tiny and far, and thus, really dim....
By Astropartigirl
Social•Mar 7, 2026
83% Unaware of DORAs: Sleep Knowledge Gap
There's a lot you can learn about sleep. Like 83% hadn't heard of DORAs. https://t.co/2lV3Fw6cwg https://t.co/IWRTdPTMOL
By Eric Topol
Blog•Mar 6, 2026
Genomes From Tombs of the Golden Horde, and the Y Chromosome of Genghis Khan
A new PNAS paper by Ayken Askapuli et al. presents ancient DNA from four medieval tombs in central Kazakhstan attributed to the Golden Horde. Radiocarbon dating places three individuals in the early‑mid 1300s and one in the 1700s, disproving local legends...
By John Hawks
Social•Mar 7, 2026
Cures for some Autoimmune Diseases Now a Reality
One of the most impressive advances we've ever seen for some autoimmune diseases: cures https://t.co/OZDuq4Iooy
By Eric Topol
Social•Mar 6, 2026
Scientists Probe Accelerating Warming; Fossil Fuel Cutoff Essential
“Scientists are trying to solve the mystery of whether global warming is speeding up” via Laura Paddison for @cnn. [I’m critical of the study, but we all agree on key point that planet will continue to warm until we stop...
By Michael E. Mann
News•Mar 6, 2026
VLT Image Captures a "Cosmic Hawk" Spanning Its Wings.
The European Southern Observatory released a new photo of the week taken with the Very Large Telescope’s HAWK‑1 near‑infrared imager, showcasing the RCW 36 nebula in Vela. The high‑resolution image reveals a “cosmic hawk” shape and uncovers several newly forming massive...
By Universe Today
Blog•Mar 6, 2026
Reviewing What Is Known of the Virome in Aging
Recent open‑access review maps the human virome’s role in aging, highlighting how gut and circulating viruses influence immunity, inflammation, and metabolism. Age‑related virome changes include expansion of bacteriophage families, reactivation of latent herpesviruses, and altered viral diversity, with centenarians displaying...
By Fight Aging!
News•Mar 6, 2026
NASA Changed an Asteroid’s Orbital Path Around the Sun, a First for Humankind
In September 2022 NASA’s DART spacecraft slammed into Dimorphos, the smaller member of the Didymos binary, deliberately altering its orbit. New analysis published in Science Advances shows the impact also slowed the entire binary system’s heliocentric speed by roughly 12 microns...
By Scientific American – Mind
News•Mar 6, 2026
Heatwaves Driving Recent ‘Surge’ in Compound Drought and Heat Extremes
A new study in Science Advances shows compound drought‑heat events have surged globally since the early 2000s, driven mainly by heatwave‑led events that more than doubled in area. The increase outpaces what can be explained by global warming alone, reflecting...
By Carbon Brief
Social•Mar 6, 2026
Join Monday’s Live KS2 Science Lesson for British Science Week
I’ll be kick starting British Science Week with a Live Lesson this Monday 1100hrs on CBBC. Also available from Monday at 0900hrs on the @BBC_Teach website. Do you teach Key Stage 2 Science? Need help planning next week’s lessons? Have curious kids?...
By Tim Peake
Social•Mar 6, 2026
PEP Slows Aging by Blocking Inflammation Pathway
PEP protects against age-related inflammation, puts the brake on the aging process in mice, high levels in humans correlate with low inflammation So what is PEP, you ask? phosphoenolpyruvate, from glucose metabolism, a, master regulator, blocks cGAS-STING https://t.co/glMvaHSjOq https://t.co/MSVMBJbHm4
By Eric Topol
Podcast•Mar 6, 2026•0 min
Chris Masterjohn: COVID-19 to Mitochondrial Health, Communicating and Applying "the Science"
Chris Masterjohn, a nutritional scientist and mitochondrial biologist, launched Mitome, a consumer‑focused platform for mitochondrial health testing. In a conversation with Razib Khan, he critiqued the COVID‑19 response, alleging authorities overstated certainty and faced attempts at censorship. Masterjohn also argued...
By Razib Khan: Unsupervised Learning
Social•Mar 6, 2026
El Nino Set to Push 2027 to Record Warmth
The El Nino cometh. This would push up our estimate for 2026 global temperatures (though its still unlikely to surpass 2024 as the warmest year), and make 2027 very likely to be the warmest year on record given the historical...
By Zeke Hausfather
News•Mar 6, 2026
Simultaneously Decoding the Transcriptome, Epigenome and 3D Genome Within a Single Cell
The team led by Inkyung Jung and Yarui Diao introduced scHiCAR, a trimodal single‑cell technology that simultaneously captures transcriptome, epigenome, and 3D genome architecture. By integrating AI, the method achieves ultra‑high throughput at roughly $0.04 per cell and was used...
By Phys.org – Biotechnology
Social•Mar 6, 2026
Caloric Restriction Extends Lifespan in Animals, Human Applicability Unclear
Dietary (caloric) restriction has so many salutary effects for slowing the aging process in animal models, but whether that can be simulated in some way in people remains unclear. This new comprehensive review @NatureAging is outstanding https://t.co/xw5bmK3NaW https://t.co/t8bBmS8HGB
By Eric Topol
Blog•Mar 6, 2026
Early Encouraging UC Davis Trial Data on Cell Therapy for Spina Bifida
A first‑in‑human phase 1 trial at UC Davis evaluated placental mesenchymal stem cells delivered intra‑uterinely to fetuses with myelomeningocele. Six pregnancies treated between June 2021 and December 2022 resulted in intact repair sites, no cerebrospinal fluid leaks, infections, or tumor formation, and MRI scans...
By The Niche
News•Mar 6, 2026
Mumps Infections Reveal that Vaccine-Preventable Illnesses Are Resurging in the U.S.
Mumps cases have resurfaced in the United States, with at least 34 infections confirmed across 11 states and Maryland alone reporting 26 cases. The outbreak follows a decline in childhood MMR vaccination rates that accelerated after the COVID‑19 pandemic. While...
By Scientific American – Mind
News•Mar 6, 2026
DeBriefed 6 March 2026: Iran Energy Crisis | China Climate Plan | Bristol’s ‘Pioneering’ Wind Turbine
The recent US‑Israeli strikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliatory attacks have halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, cutting roughly 20% of global oil flow and sending diesel and gas prices sharply higher in Europe and the United States. The...
By Carbon Brief
News•Mar 6, 2026
Methanol-Tolerant Microbial Strain Could Make Sustainable Biomanufacturing More Economically Viable
A UNIST research team engineered a methanol‑tolerant *Methylobacterium extorquens* strain that grows 1.7 times faster than conventional microbes at 2.5 % methanol. Using adaptive laboratory evolution, they identified recurring mutations in the metY and kefB genes that boost detoxification and energy...
By Phys.org – Biotechnology
News•Mar 6, 2026
Inflammation Might Cause Alzheimer's – Here's How to Reduce It
Recent studies suggest that persistent inflammation in the gut, lungs and skin may trigger Alzheimer’s disease. Vaccinations such as Shingrix have been shown to cut dementia risk by about 17 percent, likely by dampening inflammatory pathways. Lifestyle measures—including a Mediterranean...
By New Scientist (Health)
Blog•Mar 6, 2026
UK Domestic Launch Milestone as RFA ONE Rocket Arrives in Scotland
Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) delivered the first and second stages of its RFA ONE launch vehicle to SaxaVord Spaceport in Scotland, marking a pivotal step toward the United Kingdom’s inaugural domestic orbital launch. The stages arrive after a 2024 static‑fire anomaly...
By NASA Spaceflight (NSF)
News•Mar 6, 2026
Light-Guided 'Optovolution' Evolves Proteins that Switch States on Schedule
EPFL researchers introduced “optovolution,” a light‑guided directed‑evolution platform that ties protein activity to the yeast cell‑cycle, forcing proteins to oscillate correctly or die. By using optogenetic light pulses as timed selection pressure, the system evolved proteins with dynamic, multi‑state behavior....
By Phys.org – Biotechnology
News•Mar 6, 2026
Final Laps at the LHC
CERN has launched the final four‑month run of the Large Hadron Collider, kicking off with proton collisions on 7 March. The schedule includes nine weeks of proton collisions, three weeks of lead‑ion runs, and a two‑week high‑intensity proton test featuring 40%...
By CERN – News/Feeds
Social•Mar 6, 2026
New Sleep Regularity Index Reveals Hidden Rest Patterns
Interested in the latest sleep science and getting better quality sleep? New Ground Truths with Prof Yo-El Ju, @WashUNeurology https://t.co/2lV3Fw6cwg SRI-sleep regularity index https://t.co/zRWbVNmeap
By Eric Topol
News•Mar 6, 2026
New Strides Made on Deceptively Simple ‘Lonely Runner’ Problem
Mathematicians have finally proved the lonely runner conjecture for eight, nine, and ten runners, marking the first major advance in decades. The breakthroughs stem from Matthieu Rosenfeld’s computer‑assisted approach, which built on Terence Tao’s finite‑speed reduction, and an undergraduate, Paul...
By Quanta Magazine
News•Mar 6, 2026
Astronomers Confirm Potentially Habitable Exoplanet in the Solar Neighborhood
Researchers have confirmed a super‑Earth, GJ 887 d, orbiting within the habitable zone of the nearby M‑dwarf GJ 887, only 10.7 light‑years from Earth. The planet, with a minimum mass about six times Earth’s and a 51‑day orbital period, is the second known...
By Astronomy Magazine
News•Mar 6, 2026
J&J Wins Third National Priority Approval for Multiple Myeloma Combo
Johnson & Johnson’s Tecvayli and Darzalex combination received FDA approval for second‑line multiple myeloma treatment, marking the third drug cleared under the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher (CNPV) program. The decision was rendered in just 55 days after J&J’s filing, thanks...
By BioSpace
News•Mar 6, 2026
March 6, 1953: The Birth of Carolyn Porco
Carolyn Porco, born March 6, 1953, rose from a doctoral candidate in earth and space sciences to become a leading planetary imaging scientist. She joined the Voyager team in the early 1980s and co‑planned the iconic 1990 “Pale Blue Dot” photograph with...
By Astronomy Magazine
News•Mar 6, 2026
Artificial Feeding Platform Transforms Study of Ticks and Their Diseases
Researchers at the University of Melbourne have unveiled the world’s first laboratory‑based, host‑free feeding platform for the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis). The silicone‑membrane system, using defibrinated cattle blood, supports full feeding and reproduction without live animal hosts. This breakthrough...
By Phys.org – Biotechnology
Blog•Mar 6, 2026
FMO-2 Upregulation Is Common to Multiple Longevity Associated Mutations in Nematodes
Researchers have identified flavin‑containing monooxygenase‑2 (FMO‑2) as a shared downstream effector in several long‑lived mitochondrial mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans, including clk‑1, isp‑1 and nuo‑6. RNA interference or genetic loss of fmo‑2 shortens the extended lifespan of these mutants, confirming its...
By Fight Aging!
Podcast•Mar 6, 2026•22 min
Can White Skin Transplanted to a Black Person Change Colour?
In this episode of Kate Talk, Dr. Chris Smith, a virologist and science communicator, answers listener questions ranging from asteroid deflection (NASA's DART mission) to why we can't tickle ourselves, the impact of lung capacity on the heart, and the...
By The Naked Scientists
News•Mar 6, 2026
How the ‘Holy Grail’ Weight Loss Pill Became a Reality, and What Comes Next
The pharmaceutical industry has finally delivered an oral GLP‑1 weight‑loss pill, with Novo Nordisk launching an oral version of Wegovy earlier this year. Eli Lilly’s oral GLP‑1 candidate, orforglipron, is expected to receive approval imminently. Oral formulations overcome the injection barrier that...
By STAT (Biotech)
News•Mar 6, 2026
Why Thinning a Forest Could Get You More Drinking Water
Researchers in Washington’s Cascade Mountains found that thinning forest stands can boost snowpack by up to 30%, translating to roughly 4 million gallons of extra water per 100 acres. By spacing trees 13 to 52 feet apart, canopy interception drops, allowing...
By Grist
News•Mar 6, 2026
Sleep Apnea Often Goes Undetected in Women. That’s Starting to Change
Obstructive sleep apnea, long viewed as a male‑dominant disorder, is now recognized as a major, often hidden health issue for women, especially during perimenopause and menopause. A Lancet Respiratory Medicine projection estimates 30.4 million U.S. women could have OSA by 2050,...
By WIRED – Science
News•Mar 6, 2026
The Sky Today on Friday, March 6: Io’s Turn to Transit
Io will transit Jupiter’s disk on the night of March 6‑7, 2026, beginning at midnight EST and lasting about twenty minutes, followed by its shadow crossing for an additional hour. The event is visible from the East Coast, where Jupiter sits...
By Astronomy Magazine
News•Mar 6, 2026
New AI Hub to Empower Space-Enabled Connectivity
The European Space Agency announced a new AI Hub at its ECSAT campus in Oxfordshire, backed by the UK Space Agency. The facility will provide a testbed for AI‑driven satellite and converged communications, extending the capabilities of ESA’s existing 5G/6G...
By European Space Agency News
News•Mar 5, 2026
Daresbury-Built Detector Components Arrive in US for the Flagship Neutrino Experiment
Four Anode Plane Assemblies (APAs) built at STFC’s Daresbury Laboratory have arrived at Fermilab, marking the first direct UK‑to‑US shipment for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). The UK is tasked with delivering 137 of the 150 APAs required, and...
By Fermilab News
News•Mar 5, 2026
CERN Tests Microwire Quantum Sensors for Particle Colliders and Dark Matter Detection
Researchers at Fermilab and CERN have demonstrated that superconducting microwire single‑photon detectors (SMSPDs) achieve markedly higher detection efficiency and timing resolution for charged particles by employing a thicker tungsten‑silicide film. The study recorded the first muon detection efficiency using SMSPDs,...
By Fermilab News
News•Mar 5, 2026
UK Detector Components Shipped to US for DUNE Experiment
The UK’s STFC Daresbury Laboratory has shipped the first four anode plane assemblies (APAs) directly to Fermilab, marking a key milestone for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE). The shipment brings the UK’s total completed APAs to 50 of the...
By Fermilab News
News•Mar 5, 2026
New Webb Data Says Asteroid 2024 YR4 Will Miss the Moon in 2032
New James Webb Space Telescope observations collected on Feb. 18 and 26 refined the orbit of near‑Earth asteroid 2024 YR4, eliminating any chance of a lunar impact on Dec. 22, 2032. The asteroid is now projected to miss the Moon by about 13,200 miles (21,200 km)....
By Behind the Black
Social•Mar 5, 2026
Self‑amplifying RNA Could Protect Future Heart‑attack Patients
Will we give a shot of protective, self-amplifying RNA in patients with a heart attack in the future? @ScienceMagazine an intriguing innovation https://t.co/FcJme1ElyU https://t.co/lABFRkR3qg
By Eric Topol