Science News and Headlines
Science News and Headlines
South Korean rocket startup Innospace released its investigation into the Hanbit‑Nano maiden‑flight failure on December 22, 2025. The probe identified a rupture in the first‑stage combustion‑chamber assembly 33 seconds after liftoff, caused by a leakage from improperly sealed components. The leakage stemmed from plastic deformation of sealing parts during reassembly after replacing the forward chamber plug in Brazil. Innospace plans to tighten assembly processes, upgrade designs, and target a second launch from Alcantera in Q3 2026.
More than five decades after the ariel toucan was reintroduced to Rio de Janeiro’s Tijuca National Park, a year‑long study shows the bird has largely resumed its historic ecological role. Researchers documented toucans feeding on 76 % of the 101 native...
An international expert panel has recommended that the intrathecal kappa free light chain (κ‑FLC) index be added to the next revision of multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnostic criteria as a quantitative, cost‑effective alternative to oligoclonal bands (OCBs). κ‑FLC can be measured...
Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys and UCLA unveiled metapipeline‑DNA, a new computational tool that automates quality control, variant calling, and reporting for large‑scale genome sequencing. The pipeline processes roughly 100 GB per human genome and can scale to hundreds of samples,...
Biodegradable polymers are emerging as versatile carriers for immunotherapeutic agents, offering tunable degradation, enhanced antigen presentation, and intrinsic immunomodulatory properties. The review evaluates synthetic and natural polymers such as PLGA, PBAEs, Ace‑DEX, chitosan, alginate, and hyaluronic acid, highlighting their formulation...
Researchers have engineered biomimetic nanocarriers that combine liposomal structures with Myxobacteria outer‑membrane vesicles (OMVs) to deliver antibiotics. The hybrid carriers achieve higher drug loading and can penetrate intracellular Gram‑negative pathogens, while native OMVs avoid immune clearance and sustain extracellular exposure....
Researchers introduced an N‑methyl‑2‑pyrrolidone (NMP)‑mediated self‑assembly method that leverages π–π stacking to fabricate highly uniform polyaniline/reduced graphene oxide (PANI@RGO) composite gels with up to 85 % polyaniline loading. The resulting M‑PANI@RGO‑85 % cathode exhibits a specific surface area of 189.55 m² g⁻¹ and mesopores...
The review highlights how bacterial membrane composition critically shapes the activity of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and outlines experimental and computational strategies for their rational design. By examining case studies, it maps structure‑activity relationships that govern membrane disruption versus intracellular targeting....
A new review outlines recent progress in hybrid 3D bioprinting that combines inkjet, extrusion, and vat photopolymerization to fabricate multiscale tissue constructs using sustainable, renewable biomaterials. The authors highlight how integrating multiple printing modalities overcomes single‑technique limitations, enabling nano‑ to...
Researchers have engineered recombinant suckerin‑12 colloids and hydrogels that act as wet‑resistant tissue adhesives. The materials exhibit stronger adhesion than traditional mussel‑derived proteins and outperform fibrin glue in hemostasis, cell proliferation, and wound closure in animal models. Low cytotoxicity, minimal...
NASA released X‑ray computed tomography scans of asteroid Bennu samples on March 17, 2026, revealing intricate crack networks inside the material. The scans show that Bennu’s boulders are highly porous, a property that accounts for the low thermal inertia measured...
A University of Geneva team discovered that children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome show reduced glymphatic clearance, a brain waste‑removal system, and that this early dysfunction predicts the emergence of psychotic symptoms in adulthood. Using longitudinal diffusion‑tensor imaging and magnetic‑spectroscopy, the...
CEA‑Leti will present seven papers at IRPS 2026, covering device physics, process integration, RF, FD‑SOI, GaN, BEOL reliability and low‑temperature 3‑D sequential integration. The work combines advanced characterization techniques with physics‑based modeling to deliver early‑stage reliability insights for designers. Highlights include...
The editorial challenges the long‑standing belief that increasing muscle strength is the primary driver of pain relief in exercise‑based rehabilitation for musculoskeletal conditions. It reviews systematic reviews and mediation analyses across Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendinopathy, rotator‑cuff shoulder pain, patellofemoral pain,...
Experimental particle physicist Dave Newbold has been elected co‑spokesperson of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) for a two‑year term starting April. Newbold, currently STFC’s executive director of national laboratories, has been involved with DUNE since 2015, contributing to data...
The United States faces a transplant shortage of over 100,000 patients, prompting research into xenotransplantation using genetically engineered pig organs. Recent cases—David Bennett’s pig heart in 2022, Lawrence Faucette’s in 2023, and Tim Andrews’ pig kidney in 2025—demonstrate feasibility, with...
Researchers at the National University of Singapore have demonstrated that a purified betacyanin‑rich extract from red dragon fruit peel can be incorporated into wheat bread at a 0.75% level, enhancing antioxidant activity and slowing starch digestion. The fortified loaf maintains...
REalloys announced a patent‑pending, hydrofluoric‑acid‑free fluorination process that converts rare‑earth oxides into metallization‑grade fluorides. Independent testing showed the product contains only 0.34 wt % oxygen, well under the <1 wt % specification. The HF‑free method removes the need for hazardous HF, cutting safety, regulatory...
On March 17, 1958 the United States launched Vanguard 1, its second satellite and the world’s first solar‑powered spacecraft. The 3‑pound metal sphere, only 6.5 inches across, entered a high‑altitude orbit that has kept it aloft for more than six decades, making...
Scientists are accelerating development of mRNA cancer vaccines, with more than 120 clinical trials targeting melanoma, brain, breast, lung and prostate tumors. Early studies, such as personalized vaccines for glioblastoma, demonstrate rapid immune activation and improved survival. Simultaneously, a false...
A new study of elite wheelchair basketball players finds that performance gaps between women and men are minimal, with classification severity—not sex—explaining most differences. Sensors tracked acceleration, speed and distance across international games, revealing that athletes with less severe impairments...
GEN Pharmaceuticals received BEBO Foundation ethical approval to launch a Phase II proof‑of‑concept trial of its mitochondrial‑targeting drug SUL‑238 in Parkinson’s disease. The single‑centre, randomised, double‑blind, placebo‑controlled study, named SHEPHERD, will begin patient enrolment in Groningen in April 2026. Over a 28‑day...
Shanghai‑based startup XFuel Technologies announced it can produce synthetic petroleum by converting atmospheric CO₂ and water into liquid fuel at low cost. The firm plans to construct large‑scale plants across China, aiming to reduce the country’s reliance on imported crude....
Recent neuroscience research shows that listening to music can interrupt the brain's default mode network, curbing negative thought loops and associated pain. Experiments reveal that heroic‑sounding music prompts empowering mental imagery, while sad music fosters calmer, albeit demotivating, reflections. Active...
Australia’s critically endangered regent honeyeater, now down to roughly 250 individuals, has lost its traditional warbling song as populations fragmented. Researchers discovered that captive‑bred birds taught by a handful of wild‑born tutors quickly relearned the authentic melody, unlike those exposed...
Microsoft’s Planetary Computer offers a free, standards‑based geospatial data platform that aggregates curated datasets from government, academic and commercial sources. It provides STAC‑compatible APIs, Python and R SDKs, and an Explorer UI for rapid prototyping of environmental applications such as...
A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows Florida’s Everglades absorb about 14 million tons of CO₂ each year, roughly 10% of the state’s road emissions. Carbon sequestration in the wetlands rose 18% between 2003 and...
Ann Arbor is piloting a city‑run Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) in the Bryant neighborhood, offering residents solar panels, battery storage and other clean‑energy assets while remaining connected to the existing grid. The program, approved by 80% of voters, will be...
CERN physicists using the upgraded LHCb detector have identified a new particle, Xi‑cc‑plus, that is four times heavier than a proton. The particle replaces the proton’s two up quarks with charm quarks and decays within a trillionth of a second....
The open cluster M29 in Cygnus reaches about 35° altitude in the east around 5 A.M. on March 17, making it a prime early‑morning target for sky‑watchers. Spanning roughly 7 arcminutes and shining at 7th magnitude, it is easily captured with binoculars or...
Io, Jupiter’s innermost Galilean moon, remains the solar system’s most volcanically active world, its eruptions powered by intense tidal heating. A new image captured on March 3, 2026 shows Io transiting Jupiter’s disk, complete with its shadow at the planet’s center. The...
Astronomers have confirmed that interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS carries water and carbon compounds with a deuterium abundance at least ten times higher than any comet observed in our solar system. The comet also shows unusually high carbon‑dioxide levels and is estimated...
Researchers fabricated a novel p‑Ag‑WO3/n‑WO3 nanocomposite diode using chemically synthesized WO3 nanoparticles and a dip‑coating process to create a stable p‑n junction. Electrical characterization—including I‑V, C‑V, and impedance analyses—demonstrated rectifying behavior and effective UV photodetection. The device exhibited space‑charge‑limited current...
UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has installed Sunrise, a new supercomputer built on AMD EPYC CPUs and MI 355X GPUs, delivering roughly 6 exaflops at 8‑bit precision and 50 petaflops at 64‑bit. Designed specifically for nuclear‑fusion research, Sunrise merges AI and high‑performance computing...
Temporal interference (TI) stimulation uses two high‑frequency electrical currents that intersect to generate a low‑frequency envelope capable of modulating deep‑brain activity without surgery. Early human pilots have reported seizure suppression and better sleep in epilepsy, improved motor learning after stroke,...
Injectable peptides such as BPC‑157, GHK‑Cu and TB‑500 have surged in popularity among biohackers despite lacking regulatory approval. The Guardian podcast explores why these grey‑market compounds have become mainstream, featuring insights from journalist Adrienne Matei and Imperial College peptide researcher...
Early‑stage breast cancer patients face a lingering concern about recurrence, which can be local, regional, or distant. Dr. Margaret Thompson explains that recurrence rates have fallen over the past two decades thanks to improved surgery, radiation, and systemic therapies. Individual...
David Sussillo’s memoir recounts how a chance email linked him to Larry Abbott, whose mentorship at Columbia’s Center for Theoretical Neuroscience led to the development of FORCE learning. The method trains chaotic recurrent neural networks by harnessing their intrinsic dynamics...
Leucovorin prescriptions for autistic children jumped 71% after a White House briefing promoted the drug, yet the FDA only approved it for cerebral folate deficiency and withdrew any autism claim. A 2024 autism trial supporting leucovorin was retracted, casting doubt...
A bright fireball streaked across the sky over Hawke’s Bay early Thursday morning, prompting witnesses to think it was a plane or meteor. Observers from Wairoa to Napier reported a slow‑moving white object leaving a lingering contrail lasting up to...
Jo Marchant’s new book explores how the brain constructs the present moment by constantly predicting future sensory input. Neurological cases like akinetopsia and schizophrenia illustrate how disrupted predictive processing warps time perception. The author links these mechanisms to Bayesian inference,...
NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals has begun its first manufacturing run of the StemSmart mesenchymal stem cell therapy at Q‑Gen Cell Therapeutics in Brisbane, initiating a critical technology transfer. The engineering run will validate quality, potency and regulatory compliance ahead of a Phase 2...
A Nature paper published March 17, 2026 presents the first cryo‑electron microscopy structure of the mammalian oocyte cytoplasmic lattice (CPL). The study identifies fourteen constitutive protein subunits and describes a repeating architecture built from U‑shaped basket (UB) and adapter ring...
Researchers built a whole‑brain atlas of 38 neuropeptide‑receptor genes, mapping their expression across 455 cortical, subcortical and hypothalamic regions. The receptors display a clear cortical‑subcortical gradient and two principal axes within hypothalamic nuclei that reflect developmental organization. Spatial overlap analysis...
Researchers at Westlake University have demonstrated an anode‑free lithium‑metal pouch cell that reaches 508 Wh kg⁻¹ energy density by using a crossover‑coupled electrolyte. The electrolyte creates a boron‑fluorine polymer‑rich solid‑electrolyte interphase (SEI) that is sub‑nanometer homogeneous, flexible, and enables uniform planar lithium...
Researchers have demonstrated a perovskite‑perovskite‑silicon triple‑junction solar cell that reaches a certified 30.02 % power conversion efficiency on a 1 cm² substrate. The breakthrough combines a non‑volatile additive, 4‑hydroxybenzylamine, which aligns crystal growth and suppresses non‑radiative recombination in the wide‑bandgap top cell,...
China’s Shenzhou‑21 crew completed a second seven‑hour EVA, installing a new space‑debris protection device on the Tiangong station. Astronauts Zhang Lu and Wu Fei performed the walk with assistance from the station’s robotic arm and fellow crew member Zhang Hongzhan. The mission also...
A new Lancet Global Health study links rising temperatures to a measurable decline in physical activity worldwide. Each additional month with average temperatures above 27.8 °C raises inactivity by 1.5 percentage points globally, and 1.85 points in low‑ and middle‑income nations. By...
A systematic review published in Lancet Psychiatry, analysing 54 randomized controlled trials from 1980‑2025, found no evidence that medicinal cannabis treats depression, anxiety or PTSD. The paper highlights modest benefits for conditions such as epilepsy, multiple sclerosis spasticity, pain and...
A UCLA Health study links long‑term residential exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifos with a more than 2.5‑fold increase in Parkinson's disease risk. Researchers analyzed 829 Parkinson's patients and 824 controls, estimating exposure through California pesticide records, and corroborated findings with...
