Chemist Rebekka Klausen Wins Prestigious Brown Investigator Award
Synthetic chemist Rebekka Klausen, a Johns Hopkins professor, has secured the Brown Investigator Award, receiving up to $2 million over five years to explore three‑dimensional silicon polymers. Her lab focuses on silicon‑silicon bonds, aiming to uncover novel electronic and quantum phenomena that could rival carbon‑based materials. The funding will enable the synthesis of strained silicon structures and expand collaborative training opportunities. Klausen believes this curiosity‑driven research may translate into tougher plastics and new energy‑storage applications.
Scientists Are Building Artificial Brains From Living Cells
Researchers at Princeton have engineered a 3D polymer‑mesh scaffold that lets tens of thousands of rat hippocampal neurons grow into a functional biological neural network. The device, called 3D‑MIND, integrates electrodes and microscopic wires, enabling recording of action potentials while...
Humans Are Killing California Joshua Trees. Can Fungi Save Them?
A National Park Service effort to replant 193 Joshua tree seedlings in Mojave National Preserve has yielded only a 14% survival rate, prompting scientists to investigate the cause. Led by Anne Polyakov, researchers are sampling soils for mycorrhizal fungi that...
Colossal Biosciences Is Growing Chickens in a 3D-Printed Artificial Eggshell
Colossal Biosciences unveiled a 3D‑printed, silicone‑lined artificial eggshell that can incubate chicken embryos outside a natural shell. The transparent plastic cup supplies oxygen through a specialized membrane, improving hatch rates compared with earlier synthetic systems. The breakthrough is part of...
Genetic Location of Primocane-Fruiting Discovered in Blackberries
A team of horticulture scientists led by University of Arkansas researcher Margaret Worthington identified a single genomic region on chromosome Ra03 that controls primocane‑fruiting in blackberries. Using genome‑wide association and linkage mapping, they pinpointed two DNA markers, PF1 and PF2,...
BioMarin Suffers Another Blow to Rare Disease Portfolio in Phase 3 Flop
BioMarin’s investigational enzyme replacement therapy BMN 401 lowered plasma inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) in the Phase 3 ENERGY 3 trial for ENPP1 deficiency, but it did not translate into clinical benefit. The study enrolled almost 30 children aged 1‑12 and missed the primary Radiographic...
Ammonium‐Anchored Mn‐Based Prussian Blue Analogues via Hydrogen Bonding for Robust Sodim‐Ion Battery Cathodes
Researchers have introduced a hydrogen‑bond anchoring technique that inserts tetrahedral NH4+ ions into the A‑site cavities of manganese hexacyanoferrate (MnHCF) Prussian blue analogues. The N‑H···N hydrogen bonds stabilize the framework at the molecular level, suppressing Jahn‑Teller distortion and preventing the...
Recent Advances in Hydrogel Electrolytes for Flexible Zinc Ion Batteries and Capacitors
Researchers highlight hydrogel electrolytes as a game‑changer for flexible zinc‑ion batteries and capacitors. The paper outlines how dendrite growth, corrosion, and hydrogen evolution undermine zinc anodes, and reviews self‑healing, extreme‑environment‑tolerant, and conductive‑network hydrogels that mitigate these issues. It details mechanisms...
ORNL Combines 3D Printing and High-Pressure Processing to Reshape Large-Scale Metal Part Production
Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have 3‑D printed the canisters used in powder metallurgical hot isostatic pressing (PM‑HIP), removing the need for welding, machining and forming. The printed canisters enable near‑final‑shape production of large metal parts, cutting waste and shrinking...
Advanced High‐Entropy Biomaterials (HEBs)
The review outlines high‑entropy biomaterials (HEBs), a class of substances that blend five or more elements in near‑equiatomic ratios. Their four core effects—high entropy, severe lattice distortion, sluggish diffusion, and the cocktail effect—produce tunable mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and multifunctionality....
First Healthy Volunteers Receive TRIV-573 Doses in Triveni Bio’s Phase I Trial
Trivena Bio has dosed its first healthy volunteers in a Phase I trial of TRIV‑573, a half‑life‑extended bispecific antibody that simultaneously inhibits kallikreins 5/7 and blocks interleukin‑13. The dual‑target approach is designed to repair the skin barrier while curbing inflammation in moderate‑to‑severe...
Supramolecular Chiral Assembly of Open‐Shell Quinoids With Chiral Additives and Their Spin‐Dependent Transport in Magneto Field‐Effect Transistors
Researchers blended open‑shell quinoid molecules with the chiral additive 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine (BN) and used thermal annealing to form stable co‑crystals. The process amplified the supramolecular chirality thirty‑fold, achieving an absorption dissymmetry factor (g_abs) of 1.23 × 10⁻². These chiral, spin‑bearing assemblies were incorporated...
How Early Brain Activity May Shape Speech-Linked Circuits Before Babies Ever Speak
Researchers at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University identified a ventromedial prefrontal cortex‑striatal circuit that becomes active just before neonatal mice emit ultrasonic vocalizations. Using activity tagging and circuit manipulation, they showed that stimulating this pathway boosts expression of the speech‑related gene...
Bats Create 'Silent Frequency Zones' To Detect Prey in Noisy Flight, Researchers Reveal
Researchers at Doshisha University and the American Museum of Natural History discovered that greater Japanese horseshoe bats actively create a "silent frequency zone" above their reference echo frequency. By adjusting their echolocation calls, the bats suppress clutter echoes, allowing faint...
New Smart Technology in Wearable Wristband May Detect Cardiac Arrest
A Dutch clinical trial (DETECT‑1b) tested a wrist‑worn photoplethysmography (PPG) device that automatically identifies cardiac arrest. Among 49 participants, the algorithm correctly flagged 92% of induced shockable events, achieving 100% detection for ventricular fibrillation and 90% for pulseless ventricular tachycardia....
Common Asthma Drug May Turn Off Tumor 'Switch' Tied to Immunotherapy Resistance
A Northwestern Medicine study published in Nature Cancer shows that blocking the cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLTR1) with the asthma drug montelukast can reverse immunotherapy resistance in several aggressive cancers. Experiments in mouse models and analyses of human tumor samples demonstrated...
Reducing Cell Culture Contamination: Why Sterilisation Validation Matters in CO₂ Shaking Workflows
Cell culture contamination in CO₂ incubator shakers often goes unnoticed until experiments fail, costing labs time and resources. Traditional UV decontamination and HEPA filtration address only exposed surfaces or airborne particles, leaving hidden niches vulnerable. Eppendorf's CellXpert® CS220 introduces a...
Māori Climate Risk Worsened by Colonization, Report Finds
The 2026 National Climate Change Risk Assessment in New Zealand includes a dedicated companion report on Māori communities, concluding that centuries of colonisation have amplified climate risks to Māori land, health, culture and economy. It identifies seven interlinked risk domains and...
Scientists Found a Smarter Mediterranean Diet that Slashes Diabetes Risk by 31%
The PREDIMED‑Plus trial, the largest nutrition study in Europe, showed that a calorie‑reduced Mediterranean diet combined with moderate exercise and professional weight‑loss support cut the incidence of type 2 diabetes by 31% among 4,746 overweight adults aged 55‑75. Participants in the...
Research Bits: May 19
Researchers at the University of Washington unveiled a low‑power, electrically programmable photonic integrated circuit built with standard foundry processes, using phase‑change material to retain settings without power. MIT scientists demonstrated implosion carving to shrink hydrogel‑based optical features from 800 nm to...
Vaccine Experts Debate Options to Combat Outbreak of Unusual Ebola Strain
The World Health Organization convened a closed meeting of vaccine experts after the Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was declared a public‑health emergency. The outbreak has produced roughly 500 suspected cases and more than 130...
Avio Completes Its First Vega-C Launch for ESA
Avio successfully executed its first Vega‑C launch for the European Space Agency, delivering the SMILE solar‑wind telescope into orbit. This marks the first Vega‑C mission managed directly by Avio rather than Arianespace, signalling a shift in ESA’s launch procurement. The...
Micro-LEDs Light Up Nanowire Emitters for Chip-Scale Photonics
Researchers have demonstrated a transfer‑printing process that places micro‑LEDs directly atop indium‑phosphide nanowire emitters, creating a compact, electrically addressable photonic system. The integrated devices achieve small‑signal modulation in the tens‑of‑megahertz range at room temperature and deliver near‑infrared output around 860 nm....
String Theory Suddenly Emerged From Simple Physics Rules
A new study using the bootstrap approach shows that string theory’s core features—such as the infinite tower of particle states—emerge automatically from just two minimal scattering assumptions. Researchers at Caltech, NYU and the Institut de Física d’Altes Energies derived the...
A New Genetically Modified Rice Could Improve Children’s Health. But Will It Be Grown?
The Philippines has issued its first biosafety permit for HIZ039, a genetically modified rice enriched with iron and zinc, aiming to combat childhood anemia and stunting. Laboratory data show the grain triples iron and more than doubles zinc compared with...
New Therapies Could Help Type 1 Diabetes Care Move Beyond Insulin Alone
A recent review in The Journal of Clinical Investigation outlines emerging disease-modifying therapies for type 1 diabetes that aim to preserve beta‑cell function alongside insulin. The anti‑CD3 antibody teplizumab showed a single 14‑day course can postpone clinical onset by up to...
Female Brains Have Measurably More Connections Between the Two Hemispheres, and Male Brains Have More Connections Within Each Hemisphere —...
A 2013 diffusion‑tensor imaging study of 949 young adults found that, on average, female brains have more interhemispheric connections while male brains show greater intra‑hemispheric wiring. Follow‑up research confirmed the pattern but showed it shrinks when brain size and developmental...
Scientists Discover that Dopamine Receptors Act as Traffic Signals to Guide Migrating Brain Cells
Researchers discovered that D1 dopamine receptors on stationary cortical support cells function like traffic signals, slowing the migration of inhibitory interneurons during brain development. Genetic deletion of D1 receptors from these support cells caused interneurons to move faster, overshoot their...
Cerebral Cortical Alterations in Adolescent Early-Onset Psychosis: A Surface-Based Morphometry Mega-Analysis
A mega‑analysis of 387 adolescents with early‑onset psychosis (EOP) and 338 matched controls revealed widespread reductions in cortical thickness, surface area, volume, and local gyrification index. Effect sizes ranged from –0.31 to –0.58, with surface‑area deficits 1.5‑times larger than those...
Room-Temperature Hydrogen Storage of Boron Nanoclusters
A team of Chinese and Australian researchers demonstrated that boron nanoclusters can store hydrogen at room temperature, achieving reversible uptake without the extreme pressures or temperatures typical of conventional hydrides. Molecular dynamics and COHP analyses revealed that Ni‑decorated clusters promote...
Moving Past Size in Nanoplastics Research
Nanoplastics research is shifting from a size‑centric view to a chemistry‑led framework that emphasizes molecular‑level metrics for detection, classification, and risk assessment. The article notes that nanoplastics encompass a spectrum of low‑molecular‑weight oligomers, additives, and fragmented polymers, each with distinct...
The Water in Your Coffee This Morning Is Older than the Sun, Formed in Interstellar Clouds Before the Solar System...
Scientists confirm that roughly half of Earth’s water originated in cold interstellar clouds long before the Sun formed, making the water in a morning coffee older than our star. The key evidence comes from the deuterium‑to‑hydrogen (D/H) isotopic ratio, a...
Protein Engineering and Testing Condensed Into One Day
Stanford researchers introduced MIDAS, a microbe‑independent deep assembly and screening method that reduces protein‑engineering cycles from weeks to a single day. By using PCR to assemble linear DNA fragments, the technique bypasses traditional bacterial cloning and plasmid preparation. The workflow...
Satellites and AI Used to Track UK Hedgehogs in Bid to Slow Decline
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have deployed an AI platform called Tessera to analyze high‑resolution satellite imagery and pinpoint hedgehog habitats across the UK. The system, trained on roughly 20 petabytes of data, can map hedgerows and predict suitable environments...
The Supermassive Black Hole at the Centre of the Milky Way Has a Mass of 4 Million Suns, and the...
The Milky Way’s central object, Sagittarius A*, has a mass of roughly 4 million suns, a figure derived from the orbital motions of nearby stars rather than a direct measurement. Our solar system orbits the galactic center at about 514,000 mph (230 km/s), completing...
Formicine Ants Produce Hidden Arsenal of Venom Peptides, Study Finds
Entomologists have uncovered 35 previously unknown venom peptides, termed formicitoxins, in eight species of carpenter ants, overturning the long‑standing view that Formicinae rely solely on formic acid for defense. The peptides display potent antifungal activity and are thought to provide...
Brains of Hibernating Squirrels Could Reveal New Treatments for Stroke
Researchers published in JNeurosci that ground squirrels remodel neurons during hibernation and reverse those changes within 90 minutes of arousal. The study shows structural plasticity in the visual cortex and heightened SUMOylation, a protective protein process, suggesting a brain‑wide recovery...
Cooperation Emerges Naturally Through Recognition
A Rutgers‑Hebrew University study published in PNAS overturns a 75‑year‑old game‑theory tenet by showing that simple memory of individual opponents can spark and sustain cooperation in the Prisoner’s Dilemma. Using statistical‑mechanics models and neural‑network simulations, the researchers demonstrated that cheaters...
Scientists Found Stardust Trapped in Antarctic Ice. What Could It Tell Us About Our Solar System?
Scientists have detected the radioactive isotope iron‑60, a supernova by‑product, trapped in Antarctic ice dating back 40,000‑80,000 years. Analyzing roughly 660 lb (300 kg) of ice, the team used accelerator mass spectrometry to count individual atoms, confirming that the material originated from...
Berkeley Lab: New MatterChat Model Helps AI to ‘See’ the Language of Science
Berkeley Lab unveiled MatterChat, an AI framework that fuses large language models with physics‑based interatomic potential engines. By training a lightweight bridge on 143,000 crystal structures, the system translates 3‑D atomic data into language that LLMs can reason about, beating...
'I'm Sorry Dave': NASA Is Working on an AI Chip to Help Next-Generation Spacecraft Think for Themselves — so Clearly...
NASA’s High‑Performance Spaceflight Computing (HPSC) project is unveiling a new radiation‑hardened AI processor that promises up to 100 times the computing power of current spaceflight hardware, with early tests indicating performance as high as 500 times. The multicore chip is engineered to...
Bizarre Venus Surface Formations Puzzle Planetary Scientists
Researchers at the University of Freiburg used legacy Magellan radar data to build detailed 3D models of 741 Venusian coronae, the planet's enigmatic circular fracture systems. Their analysis identified mantle‑upwelling signatures beneath 52 of the structures, suggesting a spectrum of...
Drug Target for Fragile X Syndrome Identified Through Preclinical Study
UCLA Health researchers identified synaptic protein EPAC2 as a potential drug target for fragile X syndrome (FXS). Using Fmr1 knockout mice, they showed that genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of EPAC2 normalized abnormal brain activity and improved behavioral deficits such as...
Better Risk Stratification May Refine Early Myeloma Treatment
Researchers compared two smoldering multiple myeloma (SMM) risk tools and found the Mayo Clinic’s 2/20/20 model outperforms the AQUILA trial criteria in identifying patients likely to progress within two years. In Danish and Icelandic cohorts, AQUILA labeled 55% and 34%...
Do Europa’s Water Plumes Really Exist? New Study Reopens Debate
A new study by Southwest Research Institute and KTH reexamines Hubble ultraviolet data that originally suggested water‑vapor plumes erupting from Jupiter’s moon Europa. By scrutinizing Lyman‑alpha emissions from observations spanning 1999 to 2020, the authors found that small image‑placement errors...
The World Is Getting Too Hot to Feed Itself
A new 94‑page joint report from the World Meteorological Organization and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization links rising extreme‑heat events to sharp drops in Brazil’s soy, corn and livestock productivity, and warns that many regions could face up to...
Midlife Hobbies Like Travel and Music May Offset Genetic Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease
A new Trinity College Dublin study of 587 middle‑aged adults finds that engaging in diverse, stimulating hobbies—such as travel, music, and socializing—significantly boosts cognitive performance, even for those carrying the high‑risk APOE ε4 gene. Participants who pursued physical, social, and...
Astrolab Unveils Payloads Flying on FLIP Lunar Mission
Astrolab announced that its FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform (FLIP) rover will carry four NASA‑funded payloads to the Moon’s South Pole later this year. The instruments include a multicolor camera and radiometer to map helium‑3, a laser retroreflector for passive tracking,...
Nutritional Risk and Cancer Pain as Determinants of Radiotherapy-Induced Severe Lymphocytopenia: Development and Validation of a Nutrition-Integrated Predictive Nomogram
A retrospective analysis of 97 cancer patients identified baseline nutritional risk, moderate‑to‑severe cancer pain, and the number of radiotherapy fractions as independent predictors of severe lymphocytopenia (SL) during treatment. Nutritional risk increased the odds of SL by 3.5‑fold, while pain...
Associations of Novel Visceral Obesity Indices (METS-VF and BRI) with Dementia: The Role of Metabolic Mediators and Genetic Susceptibility
A UK Biobank study of 327,368 adults validated the body roundness index (BRI) and metabolic score for visceral fat (METS‑VF) against MRI and DXA measures, finding they best capture visceral adiposity. Over a median 15‑year follow‑up, higher METS‑VF and BRI...