Science News and Headlines
Science News and Headlines
International researchers have chemically analyzed two incense vessels from Pompeii, marking the first scientific test of ritual residues at the site. The samples revealed charred oak and laurel, typical of offerings to Jupiter and Apollo, as well as frankincense from the Arabian‑Indian region and grape‑derived compounds suggesting wine or vinegar. These results demonstrate Pompeii’s extensive trade networks and provide concrete evidence of its ancient “smellscape.” The study, published in Antiquity, advances the emerging field of sensory archaeology.
A phase IIa trial published in Nature Medicine found that a single intravenous dose of dimethyltryptamine (DMT), paired with structured psychotherapy, produced a rapid and sustained reduction in major depressive disorder symptoms. Participants receiving 21.5 mg of DMT showed an average...
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has granted $4.7 million to three consortia to accelerate cultivated meat and precision‑fermentation technologies. The Up‑Cell project at TU Delft will engineer scalable animal cell lines, while Maastricht‑led MeatUp focuses on whole‑cut meat alternatives using seaweed‑based...
The Mars Climate Orbiter, a $125 million NASA mission launched in 1998, was lost in September 1999 when it descended far too low over Mars. The failure was traced to a simple unit‑conversion mistake: Lockheed Martin’s navigation software used Imperial units instead of...
Effective 2 April 2026, Chile became an Associate Member State of CERN, following ratification of the 2025 Associate Member Agreement and accession to CERN’s privileges and immunities protocol. The new status grants Chile representation on the CERN Council, Finance Committee and Scientific...
AIAA’s ASCEND 2026 will convene May 19‑21 at the Washington Hilton, drawing roughly 2,000 space professionals to the nation’s capital. The three‑day event features more than 200 speakers from NASA, the FAA, Lockheed Martin, Blue Origin, academia and government, highlighting...
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) has selected UT Austin professor Maruthi Akella to deliver the 2026 von Kármán Lecture in Astronautics. His talk, “Opinion Dynamics, Learning, Trust, and Control of Autonomous Space Systems,” will be held on May 20 during...
Eisai/Biogen’s Leqembi and Eli Lilly’s Kisunla are the only FDA‑approved disease‑modifying Alzheimer’s therapies, but they follow opposite treatment models—continuous dosing versus a finite course after amyloid clearance. Four‑year data presented at AD/PD 2026 showed Leqembi delayed disease progression by roughly 9.8 months, with...
NASA has appointed Carlos Garcia‑Galan as the program executive overseeing its accelerated plan to build a lunar surface base. He outlined a shift in the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program toward tighter NASA‑commercial collaboration and a two‑phase Lunar Terrain...
Chinese astronomers used the MESA stellar‑evolution code to model ATLAS J1138‑5139, an ultra‑compact double white dwarf 1,800 light‑years away with a 27.86‑minute orbit. Their calculations show the low‑mass helium companion will transfer mass, evolve into an AM CVn system within roughly 6.3 million...
Researchers at Kyoto University and RIKEN discovered that the RNA‑binding protein DHX29 monitors synonymous codon usage, flagging mRNAs rich in non‑optimal codons for suppression. Using CRISPR screens and cryo‑electron microscopy, they showed DHX29 binds 80S ribosomes and recruits the GIGYF2·4EHP...
A new study in npj Sustainable Agriculture shows that centuries of selective breeding have reshaped winter wheat’s water‑use patterns across Europe. Modern cultivars exhibit higher water‑use efficiency by reducing stomatal conductance and modifying root systems, without sacrificing yield. The research...
PepGen reported that its Phase 2 trial of an oligonucleotide therapy for a rare genetic nerve‑muscle disorder failed to meet its primary efficacy endpoints. The data showed no statistically significant improvement in muscle strength across the cohort, and one participant experienced...
Researchers led by Wu, Lei and Wang have shown that O‑GlcNAcylation of the metabolic enzyme UGDH reshapes its activity, steering UDP‑glucuronic acid production and downstream glycan synthesis. This post‑translational modification links nutrient‑sensing pathways to immune cell adhesion, migration, and signaling,...
A new climate model predicts that by 2100, rising temperatures and stagnant air will push daily air‑quality indices into the unhealthy range across most major cities. The study links higher ozone formation, increased wild‑fire smoke, and intensified particulate emissions to...
Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard have been awarded the 2026 ACM A.M. Turing Award for inventing quantum cryptography, specifically the BB84 quantum key distribution protocol. Bruce Schneier, while applauding the scientific breakthrough, reiterates his long‑standing view that the technology offers...
Alltrna, a biotech startup focused on transfer RNA (tRNA) therapeutics, has secured regulatory clearance to launch its first human clinical trial. The trial will evaluate a novel tRNA‑based drug designed to correct protein synthesis errors that underlie a range of...
Enveda Biosciences released its first clinical readout for an investigational atopic dermatitis therapy, showing efficacy comparable to AbbVie's Dupixent. The Phase 1 trial met its primary endpoints, demonstrating significant skin clearance and a safety profile similar to existing biologics. The...
Researchers conducted an eight‑week, double‑blind pilot trial with 44 pre‑pubertal boys, comparing daily fermented milk protein, regular milk protein, and placebo drinks each delivering 12 g protein per 200 ml. The fermented milk group showed modest but significant improvements in 10‑meter sprint...
Researchers from the CARDIA study introduced a novel index that quantifies neighborhood social determinants influencing cardiovascular disease risk. The index blends socioeconomic status, healthcare access, environmental exposures, social cohesion, and crime metrics using principal component analysis and machine‑learning weighting. Geographic...
DEScycle is commercializing a salt‑based iono‑metallurgy platform that uses deep eutectic solvents (DES) and electrocatalysts to dissolve and recover metals from e‑scrap at low temperature. The pilot process delivers over 99% recovery in under 15 minutes, dramatically cutting leach time...
China aims to conduct about 140 orbital launches in 2026, a 52% jump from 2025’s record 92 missions. The surge is driven by expanding launch infrastructure at sites such as Jiuquan, Hainan’s commercial pads, and Haiyang, as well as rapid...
NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day highlights Centaurus A, an elliptical galaxy 13 million light‑years away. The image reveals thick dust lanes that obscure the galaxy’s core, a rare feature for an elliptical system. Researchers attribute the unusual structure to a past...
In 1974, the Arecibo Observatory transmitted a binary “Message from Earth” toward the globular cluster M13. The pictorial transmission encoded basic numbers, chemical elements, DNA structure, a human silhouette, and our solar system. Though primarily ceremonial, the signal would require...
Earth’s orbital environment is now crowded with more than 30,000 tracked objects, a number that is rising exponentially as commercial and governmental launches accelerate. Analysts project that by the end of the decade the count of active satellites could exceed...
A randomized trial of 309 adults aged 62‑70 showed that one year of resistance training reduced biological brain age by 1.4‑2.3 years, as measured by advanced brain‑clock imaging. Both heavy (three weekly sessions) and moderate (one supervised, two home workouts)...
A fast coronal mass ejection (CME) launched by an X1.4 solar flare on March 30 is racing toward Earth at roughly 1,118 mi/s (1,900 km/s). NOAA predicts a glancing impact that could trigger a G1‑to‑G2 geomagnetic storm, with G3 possible if conditions intensify....
AstraZeneca’s Alexion unit intends to file a new long‑acting enzyme replacement therapy, efzimfotase alfa, as a successor to its Strensiq (asfotase alfa) for hypophosphatasia (HPP). Phase 3 data showed the drug met primary endpoints in pediatric patients but failed to achieve...
Researchers reported that homoharringtonine (HHT), a plant‑derived alkaloid already approved for certain blood cancers, acts as a potent senolytic in mice. The compound selectively eliminated senescent cells across adipose, liver and muscle, leading to lower inflammation, improved glucose tolerance and...
Researchers solved the atomic structures of two neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against the pandemic GII.4 norovirus, targeting the principal antigenic sites A and G. The spatial positioning of site G was shown to shape neutralizing responses, while coordinated substitutions within these...
Researchers propose a statistical‑physics framework that treats well flow‑rate fluctuations as a proxy for subsurface strain changes. By applying Jaynes' maximum entropy principle with energy‑input constraints, they link covariance of inter‑well flow noise to non‑local stiffness tensors. This relationship enables...
U.S. overdose deaths are soaring as novel synthetic drugs, especially ultra‑potent fentanyl analogs and synthetic cannabinoids, flood the market. Researchers in a Pennsylvania lab are creating digital chemical fingerprints to identify molecules that standard toxicology cannot detect. The ease of...
Canada will see its first astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, fly aboard NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed lunar flyby since 1972. The four‑person crew will launch from Kennedy Space Center and circle the Moon before returning to Earth. Hansen’s participation makes...
A GIS‑based study examined the 486.5 km stretch of the Bhagirathi‑Hooghly River, dividing it into eight reaches to compute key geomorphological indices. The river displays a Braiding Index of 0.82 and a Sinuosity Index of 1.50, indicating moderate braiding alongside pronounced...
A systematic review and meta‑analysis of 15 randomized trials involving 644 patients and 742 implants examined low‑level laser therapy (LLLT) and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) as adjuncts to non‑surgical debridement for peri‑implantitis. The analysis found modest but statistically significant reductions...
A pre‑print study compared capillary dried blood spot (DBS) microsampling—including filter‑paper punches and Mitra volumetric absorptive microsamplers—with venous plasma for multiplex serosurveillance of seven vaccine‑preventable diseases. The analysis showed strong agreement for six pathogens, with ≥93% of paired measurements within...
The World Meteorological Organization’s 2026 climate report added Earth’s energy imbalance (EEI) as a new flagship indicator, measuring the net heat the planet retains. It revealed that oceans absorb about 91 percent of this excess energy, setting a record for nine...
Merck presented Phase III CORALreef AddOn trial results for enlicitide decanoate, an oral PCSK9 inhibitor, in hypercholesterolemic adults on statins. At eight weeks, the drug lowered LDL‑C by 64.6%, outperforming bempedoic acid, ezetimibe and their combination. It also achieved 54.6%...
Psychedelic biotech firms Helus Pharma and AtaiBeckley have hired marketing agencies to produce YouTube videos that tout exaggerated efficacy claims and alleged FDA fast‑track status for their investigational drugs. The ads, labeled only as “informational,” suggest near‑perfect Phase 2 results and...
Researchers at UCL and Brunel University have created a custom aluminum alloy, PA1, that outperforms the industry‑standard AlSi10Mg in directed energy deposition (DED) 3D printing. By engineering a narrow solidification window and adding nickel, cerium, manganese and controlled iron, the...
Researchers from the MP4MNT group at DISAT have created laser‑induced graphene (LIG) electrodes that are three‑dimensional, fully conductive, and selectively porous. The patented process uses a focused laser to convert polymer into graphene, allowing rapid, low‑cost production that fits into...
EMBL‑EBI’s MGnify platform has expanded its biome catalogue resource to cover 18 distinct environments, now housing over half a million microbial genomes, including a human gut collection of nearly 300,000 genomes. The catalogues combine metagenome‑assembled genomes and isolate sequences, providing...
Comet C/2025 R3, discovered by PAN‑STARRS, was photographed over Deming, New Mexico on March 28, 2026, displaying a tail longer than two degrees. The observation captured the comet in early morning twilight, indicating it remains bright enough for ground‑based viewing. Current orbital models suggest...
Researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University have unveiled a new ultra‑precision machining method that combines laser and magnetic fields during diamond cutting, termed in‑situ laser‑magnetic dual‑field assisted diamond cutting (LMDFDC). The dual‑field approach delivers smoother surfaces, less subsurface damage,...
Uganda Wildlife Authority has translocated four southern white rhinos from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary to Kidepo Valley National Park, marking the first free‑ranging rhinos in the country since the early 1980s. The sanctuary’s herd, grown from six founders to 42 animals,...
Researchers have unveiled a vertically stacked paper‑based microarray device (µAPAD) that integrates the full immunoassay workflow for high‑throughput SERS detection of cancer biomarkers. The 16‑layer wax‑patterned platform ensures uniform nanotag distribution, cutting signal variation from 36.6% to 6.69% and enabling...
Researchers have demonstrated that semiconducting single‑wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can act as their own photosensitizer under near‑infrared (NIR) illumination, producing singlet oxygen that selectively oxidizes guanine bases in the surrounding ssDNA corona. The resulting guanine peroxides react covalently with the...
Researchers have unveiled a fully water‑based lipid nanoparticle (LNP) platform that eliminates cholesterol and PEG, using poly(2‑methyl‑2‑oxazoline) as a stealth polymer. The solvent‑free formulation enables efficient delivery of CRISPR‑Cas9 components, achieving robust gene editing in primary human immune cells and...
