Science News and Headlines
Science News and Headlines
The CONCUSS randomized trial compared immediate versus delayed office‑based vergence/accommodative therapy with movement (OBVAM) for concussion‑related convergence insufficiency in patients aged 11‑25. After six weeks, 88% of the immediate group achieved success on near point of convergence and positive fusional vergence, versus only 8% of the delayed group. Significant improvements were also seen in NPC (‑7.9 cm), PFV (+17.5 points) and CISS symptom scores. When both groups completed the full 16‑session protocol, outcomes converged, confirming the therapy’s efficacy.
Propanc Biopharma announced that its proenzyme therapy PRP is moving toward a Phase Ib first‑in‑human study for advanced pancreatic cancer. The company highlighted preclinical data showing more than 85 % tumor‑growth inhibition and secured FDA orphan‑drug designation. A validated pharmacokinetic assay developed...
Researchers in the VIVID trial, one of the largest randomized studies on vitamin D and COVID‑19, found that a high‑dose vitamin D3 regimen (3,200 IU/day after a loading dose) did not lower acute disease severity, hospitalizations, or death. However, among participants...
A 96‑centimetre tibia from New Mexico's Kirtland Formation has been re‑examined and identified as a massive tyrannosaurid, potentially predating the classic T. rex by several million years. The bone’s dimensions imply a 4.5‑tonne animal, larger than earlier North American tyrannosaurids but...
Researchers at China’s Shenyang Institute of Automation have created magnetically controlled microrobots from diatom frustules for glioblastoma photodynamic therapy. The robots retain natural chlorophyll, serving as a built‑in photosensitizer, and can be steered via external magnetic fields to tumor sites....
The Stanley Family Foundation has renewed its support for the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute, bringing its cumulative investment to over $1 billion, including a fresh $280 million pledge. The funding fuels large‑scale genetic studies aimed at uncovering...
Researchers have identified a streamlined DNA construct that could replace viral carriers in gene‑therapy applications. The study demonstrates that this minimalist DNA format delivers therapeutic genes with efficiency comparable to adeno‑associated viruses while eliciting a weaker immune response. Production of...
South Dakota Mines scientists led the first measurement of neutrino‑induced kaon production on an argon target, using three years of MicroBooNE data. The analysis identified eight kaon candidates from just ten potential events, providing the inaugural empirical cross‑section for this...
New research reveals Brazil’s cerrado savanna stores roughly 1,300 tons of carbon per hectare in peat‑rich wetlands—about six times more than the Amazon’s above‑ground biomass. The peat formed over millennia under water‑logged conditions, sustained by groundwater that keeps the soil...
Researchers discovered that the Agouti gene acts as a molecular switch governing paternal behavior in African striped mice. Males housed together displayed aggression toward pups, while solitary males became attentive fathers, a shift linked to reduced Agouti activity in the...
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University examined how four psychoactive pharmaceuticals behave in tomatoes, carrots and lettuce irrigated with treated wastewater. In controlled experiments, the drugs and their metabolites accumulated predominantly in leaf tissue, with tomato leaves showing concentrations over 200...
A meta‑analysis of six randomized trials involving 5,924 stable CAD patients with atrial fibrillation found that oral anticoagulant (OAC) monotherapy reduced cardiovascular mortality by 31% and major bleeding by 54% compared with OAC plus a single antiplatelet. The benefit persisted...
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Snakebite envenoming kills over 125,000 people each year and leaves three times as many disabled, while current horse‑derived antivenoms trigger severe allergic reactions in nearly half of patients. The high cost—up to $100,000 per course—and limited hospital access leave rural...
BridgeBio Pharma reported that its small‑molecule candidate BBP‑418 produced a 1.8‑fold increase in the α‑dystroglycan biomarker in a Phase 3 FORTIFY trial for limb‑girdle muscular dystrophy type 2I/R9, with effects sustained through 12 months. The trial enrolled 81 patients and also showed...
Researchers at Empa have created a stretchable polymer electrolyte based on modified silicone that conducts ions while retaining elasticity. The flexible electrolyte can suppress lithium dendrite growth and fill microscopic voids, enhancing solid‑state battery stability and energy density. Its ultra‑thin...
Aplagon Therapeutics has administered the first dose of its intravenous APAC candidate to a patient in a Phase 2a (HEALING) trial for peripheral arterial occlusive disease leading to chronic limb‑threatening ischemia in Finland. The study will enroll approximately 42 CLTI...
Jacobs and colleagues present a state‑of‑the‑art review of psilocybin and MDMA‑assisted therapies, highlighting their potential for treatment‑resistant depression and PTSD. The authors emphasize the distinct, session‑based paradigm that leverages acute neurobiological changes to produce lasting clinical benefits. However, they also...
Holcim UK and Canary Wharf Group finished a six‑month R&D program on ultra‑low‑carbon, circular concrete mixes. The trials highlighted a graphene‑infused concrete that slashes carbon emissions by more than 50% while delivering higher strength and durability. Test pours were conducted...
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket completed its first flawless propulsive landing in November 2025, cementing the company’s entry into the operational, partially reusable heavy‑lift market. The launch delivered NASA’s ESCAPADE probes and demonstrated a rapid test‑fix cycle after a failed first attempt...
Researchers at Umeå University have unveiled a capsule‑based platform that encapsulates individual cells in semi‑permeable shells, enabling multiple, sequential molecular assays on the same cell. The design permits small reagents to diffuse in while retaining DNA and RNA, and it...
Researchers have demonstrated that gene conversion—a non‑reciprocal DNA repair process—significantly boosts genetic variation in clonal fish populations, thereby enhancing natural selection efficiency. Laboratory experiments with a model clonal species showed a three‑fold increase in beneficial allele fixation compared with standard...
Researchers introduced FAST‑CRISPR, a lipid‑silica hybrid nanoparticle that fuses directly with cell membranes to deliver CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoproteins. By combining a 1:1 weight ratio of cationic DOTAP and ionizable DODMA lipids with large‑pore silica cores, the platform achieves high RNP loading...
Researchers have engineered a RuZn‑based carbon‑nitrogen framework decorated with atomically dispersed nickel and minor Ni clusters, creating a bifunctional electrocatalyst for nitrate reduction to ammonia and oxygen evolution. The catalyst delivers an ammonia yield of 10,199 µg h⁻¹ mg⁻¹ cat with 84% Faradaic...
Researchers have converted common red brick into a Fe2P‑based cocatalyst sheet that serves as a scaffold for semiconductor particles, creating monolithic photocatalysts for solar water splitting. The CdS‑Fe2P/RB monolith delivers a visible‑light hydrogen evolution rate of 7.7 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and an apparent...
Researchers have created a balloon‑shaped electrochemical sensor using gold nanotubes that expands to conform to the soft curvature of the intestinal lumen. The device is inserted endoluminally, inflates to mimic physiological distension, and records real‑time serotonin (5‑HT) release from the...
Researchers introduced iron atoms into molybdenum phosphide (MoP) to generate phosphorus vacancies, forming a dual‑functional catalyst for solar‑driven hydrogen production. The Fe substitution replaces Mo sites, creating electron‑trapping vacancies while Mo atoms serve as hole traps, markedly improving charge separation....
Researchers at UNIST and collaborators introduced FAST‑CRISPR, a lipid‑silica hybrid nanoparticle system designed to ferry CRISPR/Cas9 ribonucleoproteins into cells. The platform leverages a fusogenic lipid coating that promotes rapid endosomal escape, securing high‑efficiency genome editing while preserving RNP integrity. Preclinical...
Researchers have created a mechanically responsive composite (FPCEL) that combines Fe3O4‑functionalized cellulose nanofibers, polypyrrole, liquid metal, and Ecoflex silicone. The hierarchical, asymmetric architecture yields strain‑dependent microwave absorption and shielding, shifting from reflection‑dominated to absorption‑enhanced behavior as the material is stretched...
Researchers have developed a CVD method to coat multi‑wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with hexagonal boron nitride (h‑BN) flakes, creating a three‑layer heterostructure of CNT core, coaxial BN nanotubes, and outer BN flakes. Experiments and molecular dynamics simulations reveal a two‑step...
A research‑industry partnership has used aeroponic indoor farming to fortify pea shoots with vitamin B12, delivering the full recommended daily allowance in a 15‑gram serving. The fortified shoots maintain B12 stability during cold storage and are bioavailable in simulated digestion tests....
A new longitudinal study finds that children born to mothers infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy exhibit measurable neurodevelopmental deficits. Brain scans at two years reveal reduced cortical thickness and lower IQ scores compared with unexposed peers. The research, spanning over...
Recent neuroscience research shows that improvisation quiets the brain’s inner critic while activating networks tied to exploration, play, and reward. Studies with musicians and children reveal reduced default‑mode activity and heightened dopamine release during spontaneous creation. The concept of a...
A randomized controlled trial of 119 infants showed that daily supplementation with Bifidobacterium infantis YLGB‑1496 for 12 weeks markedly improved gastrointestinal health, reducing stomach aches, diarrhea episodes, and related clinic visits. The probiotic also sustained higher fecal sIgA levels and...
Astronomers using Chandra, Hubble and infrared telescopes have imaged the astrosphere of HD 61005, a Sun‑like star 120 light‑years away and only 100 million years old. The star’s powerful stellar wind has carved a bubble roughly 200 AU across, pushing aside surrounding dust...
NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day posted March 7, 2026 features two total lunar eclipses from Saros 133, one captured in February 2008 and the other on March 3, 2026. The side‑by‑side comparison illustrates how eclipses separated by one Saros period (18 years, 11⅓ days) produce nearly identical geometry....
Astronomers at Chile’s Paranal Observatory are using powerful lasers to generate artificial guide stars, a cornerstone of modern adaptive‑optics systems. These laser‑created points of light allow telescopes to measure and correct atmospheric turbulence in real time, dramatically sharpening images of...
The James Webb Space Telescope captured a striking mid‑infrared image of the Cranium Nebula, whose brain‑like silhouette has sparked scientific intrigue. Astronomers are divided between classifying it as a planetary nebula surrounding a white dwarf or as a massive Wolf‑Rayet...
NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day features cometary globule CG 4, a molecular cloud 1,300 light‑years away in Puppis. The globule’s head spans 1.5 light‑years while its tail stretches eight light‑years, resembling a comet’s shape. Researchers link its elongated tail to...
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captured a near‑full rotation of Uranus using its NIRSpec instrument. Over 1,000 spectra were collected during a continuous 15‑hour observation, revealing the planet’s ionosphere, auroral emissions, and cloud dynamics. The video provides a three‑dimensional view,...
Around 30% of adults face short‑term sleep disorders and 10% grapple with chronic insomnia, prompting questions about genetic destiny. Sleep experts cite research showing genetics account for roughly 31‑58% of insomnia risk and influence chronotype and sleep need. However, lifestyle...
Scientists and law‑enforcement officials are highlighting moss as a forensic asset often ignored in crime scenes. In a 2025 Pennsylvania case, a forensic botanist used moss growth on a victim's clothing to estimate the remains had been in the woods...
A recent study published in *Gut* links the gut bacterium Roseburia inulinivorans to markedly higher muscle strength, showing a 29% boost in hand‑grip force among older adults and similar gains in younger participants, including improved VO₂ max. Mouse experiments confirmed...
The Horticulture Innovation Lab, funded by USAID, focused on under‑funded fruit and vegetable research to improve nutrition for marginalized populations worldwide. It partnered with scientists across Africa, South Asia, and Central America, delivering soil guidance, climate‑adapted varieties, and low‑energy cooling...
The European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change released a 360‑page report urging the EU to overhaul its agricultural policy to meet climate targets. It recommends phasing out CAP subsidies that favor livestock, introducing a greenhouse‑gas pricing system for farms,...
New studies published in *Astronomy & Astrophysics* reveal that the Sun did not travel alone from its birth near the Milky Way’s crowded core to its present suburban orbit. By analyzing chemical signatures and Gaia‑derived motions of 6,594 solar‑twin stars,...
Researchers analyzing Gaia data uncovered 6,594 solar‑twin stars—about thirty times more than earlier surveys—most clustered near the Sun. The findings suggest a massive outward migration of stars from the Milky Way’s crowded centre coinciding with the formation of the galaxy’s...
Astronomers using ESA's Gaia catalog identified 6,594 solar‑twin stars within 1,000 light‑years, revealing a pronounced age peak of 1,551 stars that are 4‑6 billion years old—matching the Sun’s age. The data suggest the Sun and many of these twins migrated outward...
Researchers examined two lineages of the red alga Amansia glomerata around Oʻahu using ddRAD sequencing, spatial transects, and demographic modeling. The study found strong genomic differentiation between lineages even in extensive sympatric zones, supporting allopatric divergence followed by secondary contact...
Researchers evaluated five years of minimum tillage combined with crop residue retention across multiple sites. The study found notable improvements in soil organic carbon, bulk density, and water infiltration, while crop yields increased modestly. Economic modeling indicated profitability after the...
Researchers have developed a protein misfolding cyclic amplification (PMCA) assay that reliably produces recombinant prion fibrils with infectivity comparable to the RML brain‑derived strain. Cryo‑EM analysis shows these fibrils adopt the characteristic V‑shaped, parallel in‑register β‑sheet architecture, though the C‑terminal...
