Is Tatooine the Norm? Planets May Prefer Living with Two Suns Instead of One
New computer simulations from the University of Lancashire show that protoplanetary disks around binary stars can more readily form planets once they lie beyond a turbulent “forbidden zone.” In these outer regions, gravitational instability fragments the disk, spawning multiple gas‑giant worlds quickly. The study also finds that some planets are ejected as rogue bodies, but overall binary systems may be fertile planet‑forming environments. The findings challenge the long‑standing view that single‑star systems are the default cradle for planets.
The MIT-IBM Computing Research Lab Launches to Shape the Future of AI and Quantum Computing
MIT and IBM have launched the MIT‑IBM Computing Research Lab, expanding the former Watson AI Lab to include quantum computing. The new three‑focus‑area lab—AI, algorithms, and quantum—will develop hybrid AI‑quantum systems, advance foundational mathematics, and train the next generation of...
How Surfaces Steer Electrons Could Shape Better Batteries and Sensors
Researchers published a Nature paper showing that an electrode’s electronic density of states (DOS) directly controls the reorganization energy that governs interfacial electron transfer. By engineering graphene‑based van der Waals heterostructures with tunable hBN spacers, they demonstrated that higher DOS strengthens Thomas‑Fermi...
Arcera and Fosun Sign MoU for Neuroscience Innovation
Arcera Life Sciences and Fosun Pharma have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a long‑term strategic partnership focused on licensing, technology sharing, and neuroscience innovation. The deal taps Fosun’s research and manufacturing capabilities and Arcera’s access to international markets,...
Endangered Antelopes Flown to Kenya From Czech Zoo in 'Historic Homecoming'
Four male mountain bongos were flown from Prague Zoo to Nairobi, marking a historic homecoming for the critically endangered antelope. The animals were transferred to the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy, where they will join a captive‑breeding program aimed at expanding...
Is There A ‘Best’ Time For Women To Build Muscle? What A New Study Reveals
New research examined whether aligning strength training with menstrual phases influences muscle protein synthesis. Twelve healthy women completed follicular and luteal phase testing, with muscle biopsies measuring protein synthesis and breakdown. The study found no significant differences, indicating that hormonal...
If AI Can Model Cells, Science Can Deliver Cures
The Biohub Institute announced the Virtual Biology Initiative, a $100 million pledge to generate open‑source cellular data for AI training. Partnering with the Allen Institute, Broad Institute, NVIDIA, Wellcome Sanger and others, the effort aims to build massive, public datasets that...
NOAA Defends Cuts to Research and Climate Monitoring at Budget Hearing
During a House Science subcommittee hearing, a Republican lawmaker joined Democrats in opposing the Trump administration’s FY2027 budget request that would cut NOAA’s research and climate monitoring by 26%, eliminating 35 projects and over $1 billion in funding. The proposal would...
Indigenous Peoples Bear the Brunt of Climate Change — and Get Almost None of the Money to Fight It
Indigenous peoples, hailed as frontline climate guardians, received less than 1% of global climate mitigation and adaptation funding between 2011 and 2020. Despite the Green Climate Fund’s $20 billion portfolio and the Global Environment Facility’s $27 billion disbursements, direct access for Indigenous...
CAR-T Cell Therapies Going in Vivo
Ex‑vivo CAR‑T therapies have saved tens of thousands of patients, but the industry is now pivoting to in‑vivo approaches that can be administered off‑the‑shelf. Over the past year, major pharma players have poured billions into in‑vivo CAR‑T platforms, highlighted by...
“Our Nanofibre Coating Represents a Fundamental Shift”
Soarce, a 2021‑born materials‑innovation startup, won the Grand prize at JEC World 2026’s Startup Booster, highlighting its bio‑based nanofibre coating for composites. Backed by roughly $3.5 million in pre‑seed capital, the company converts biomass into high‑performance nanofibre additives that integrate into existing...
Tumor/Lymph Node Dual‐Targeting Ultrasonic Nanoconverter Orchestrates Spatiotemporal ROS Regulation for Dual‐Zone Programmed Sono‐STING Immunotherapy
Researchers have engineered a dual‑targeting ultrasonic nanoconverter (OPD@PSF) that co‑delivers the sonosensitizer protoporphyrin IX and the STING agonist Vadimezan to breast tumors and their draining lymph nodes. High‑power ultrasound at the tumor site generates abundant reactive oxygen species, inducing immunogenic...
Identifying the Synergistic Role of Graphitic Nitrogen and Cobalt Nanoparticle in Electron Transfer Pathway Toward Fenton‐Like Catalysis
Researchers synthesized a carbon‑nanotube catalyst (CoN/C‑8) that integrates graphitic nitrogen and beads‑on‑string cobalt nanoparticles to activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for water decontamination. Electrochemical tests, COMSOL simulations, and density functional theory reveal that graphitic nitrogen forms an electron‑transfer highway, shifting the primary...
Global Quantitative Analysis of Ligation Reactions in Self‐Assembled DNA Nanostructures at the Single‐Nick Level
Researchers have mapped ligation efficiency at 64 individual nick sites on DNA origami using quantitative PCR, revealing that ligase activity is higher at trapezoid edges than interior positions. Docking simulations closely match experimental yields, indicating that variations in enzyme docking...
Local Electronic Environment Regulation of Crystalline/Amorphous NiSe/NiFe(OH)x Heterostructure Enhancing Catalytic Activity of Alkaline Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Researchers have engineered a crystalline NiSe/amorphous NiFe(OH)x heterostructure that dramatically improves alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. The catalyst achieves an ultralow overpotential of 233 mV at a current density of 100 mA cm⁻², and retains 93.7% of its activity after 250 hours at...
Interfacial Topology Engineering of Self‐Derived TiO2 Shells for Nucleation‐Controlled Fast Kinetics in MgH2
Researchers have developed a solvent‑free mechanochemical method that forms a high‑coverage TiO₂ nanolayer directly on magnesium hydride particles. The TiO₂ shell creates favorable band alignment, polarizing electrons and weakening Mg‑H bonds, which lowers the dehydrogenation activation barrier to 81 kJ mol⁻¹. This...
All‐Solid‐State Electrochemical Artificial Muscles Enabled by Magnetically Aligned Ionic Liquid Crystal Elastomers
Researchers have created an all‑solid‑state electrochemical artificial muscle by embedding carbon‑nanotube (CNT) coiled fibers in a magnetically aligned ionic liquid crystal elastomer (LCE). Magnetic field orientation produces ion‑transport channels that boost ionic conductivity to 47.5 mS m⁻¹, a three‑fold increase over polydomain...
Laser‐Induced Graphene for Pressure and Strain Sensors: Fabrication, Performance Optimization, and Applications
Laser‑induced graphene (LIG) has become a cornerstone for flexible pressure and strain sensors since its 2014 debut, thanks to its superior electrical conductivity and mechanical resilience. The reviewed paper dissects sensing mechanisms, outlines fabrication routes—including precursor selection and laser‑parameter tuning—and...
Older than the Dinosaurs: Scientists Finally Unlock Secret of the Mayfly’s Dance
Scientists from Oxford and Imperial College have decoded the enigmatic vertical dance of male mayflies, showing it helps them pinpoint females in swarms. Using 3‑D video reconstruction of London swarms, researchers found the up‑and‑down flight minimizes mistaken mating with non‑female...
Black Swift Technologies & NOAA Validate Multi-UAS Hurricane Sensing
Black Swift Technologies, in partnership with NOAA, completed the first simultaneous multi‑UAS sampling from a crewed hurricane aircraft, deploying two S0 drones from a WP‑3D Orion. The operator controlled both platforms through a mission‑level interface, allowing the drones to hover...
New Genetic Test More Accurate for Poll Selection in Brahmans
Neogen, licensed from UniQuest, launched the Guarani Poll genetic test for Bos Indicus cattle, targeting a poll variant common in Australian Brahman herds. Based on University of Queensland research, the assay detects the presence or absence of the Guarani poll allele,...
MIT Study Finds Children More Vulnerable to Cancer-Causing Chemical in Water
MIT researchers published a study in Nature Communications showing that the carcinogen N‑nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) causes dramatically more DNA damage and liver tumors in juvenile mice than in adult mice, even at low exposure levels. Both age groups formed similar initial...
This 15ft Invasive Plant that Produces Toxic Sap Continues to Appear in British Gardens – and It's Coming Into Season...
Giant hogweed, a 15‑foot invasive plant with toxic sap, is re‑emerging across the UK as spring garden work begins. The plant sprouts from underground roots in early April and can rapidly reach full height by May, often being confused with...
Global Deforestation Slows, W.R.I. Report Finds. But Wildfires Are Taking a Toll.
The World Resources Institute reported that global tree loss dropped 14% in 2025, falling to roughly 63 million acres, driven mainly by gains in tropical forest protection. However, wildfires burned about 26 million acres—nearly the size of Cuba—erasing much of the progress....
‘Kissing Bugs’ Bite Can Cause Heart Disease. Here’s What Hikers Need to Know.
Kissing (triatomine) bugs, now documented in 29 U.S. states, carry the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi that causes Chagas disease. Roughly half of the bugs collected in the United States are infected, and their painless bites can transmit the parasite via feces...
What Are Peptides And Why Is Everyone Talking About Them?
Peptide therapies, short chains of amino acids that act like hormones, have surged in popularity as wellness supplements promising vitality and longevity. The most clinically vetted peptide, GLP‑1, is now used by roughly 10 million Americans for obesity and appetite control,...
Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography May Predict Diabetic Nephropathy
A Harvard‑based study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Ophthalmology shows that swept‑source optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) can serve as a non‑invasive biomarker for diabetic nephropathy. Researchers analyzed 375 eyes from 234 diabetic patients and...
A Novel Gene-Therapy Approach to ‘Functionally Cure’ HIV Succeeds in some Monkeys
Researchers used an adeno‑associated virus to deliver a gene that produces a CCR5‑blocking antibody in rhesus macaques. Six of the 19 treated monkeys maintained undetectable SHIV levels for over a year after a single low‑dose injection, showing a functional cure....
Independent, Academic Cancer Trials Are Vital to Improve Patient Outcomes Worldwide
A Lancet Oncology Commission has been launched to evaluate the role of independent, academic cancer trials worldwide. The initiative stems from a coalition of 35 investigators and patient advocates spanning six continents, coordinated by the European Organisation for Research and...
Patients Treated for Common Cancers in Community Settings Live Longer, COA Study Finds
A COA‑commissioned study using Flatiron Health and SEER data shows patients with metastatic breast cancer and metastatic NSCLC treated in community oncology practices have longer overall survival than national benchmarks. Median survival for metastatic breast cancer was 48 months versus...
As Foot-and-Mouth Disease Explodes in South Africa, Experts Warn of Threats in Other Countries
South Africa’s cattle industry is reeling from a foot‑and‑mouth disease (FMD) outbreak that originated in Kruger National Park’s buffalo, costing an estimated $360 million this year. The government has declared a national disaster, imported millions of vaccine doses, and aims to...
Key Senators Agree NASA FY2027 Budget Request Inadequate
Senate appropriators from both parties joined House members in rejecting President Trump’s proposed 23% cut to NASA’s FY2027 budget, arguing that the $18.8 billion request – unchanged from FY2026 – is far too low to sustain current and newly announced programs....
Wingbeat Radar Signatures Let AI Sort Bees, Wasps and Other Insects
Researchers at Trinity College Dublin demonstrated that millimeter‑wave radar combined with machine‑learning can identify flying insects by their wing‑beat signatures. By extracting over 70 harmonic, spectral and temporal features from micro‑Doppler reflections, the AI model achieved 96% accuracy distinguishing bees...
Overestimating Outsourced Biodiversity Loss May Misguide Policy
The authors challenge a recent Nature analysis that linked international commodity trade to outsourced deforestation and vertebrate loss, arguing that its flagship example—Madagascar’s vanilla exports—overstates the impact. They show that most forest loss in eastern Madagascar stems from shifting cultivation...
Polysubstance Use Disorders Among US Adults
A new analysis of the 2022‑2023 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, covering 92,233 U.S. adults, reveals that polysubstance use disorders remain common. About 4.6% of adults have two concurrent substance‑use disorders and 1.6% have three or more, while...
Adeno-Associated Virus-Based Approaches for Mitochondrial Diseases: Advances and Challenges
Adeno‑associated virus (AAV) vectors are emerging as a versatile platform for treating mitochondrial diseases, especially those caused by nuclear‑encoded gene defects. Pre‑clinical studies have shown that AAV‑mediated delivery of nuclear genes can restore oxidative phosphorylation, extend survival, and improve organ...
Decarboxylative Alkylation of Alkenes
Researchers have unveiled a polar decarboxylative alkylation that converts readily available carboxylic acids into alkylzinc reagents, which then couple with alkenyl‑thianthrenium salts under palladium catalysis. This two‑step protocol delivers regio‑ and diastereoselective C(sp²)–C(sp³) bond formation across terminal, internal, cyclic and...
Safety and Efficacy of Intratumoural Anti-CTLA4 with Intravenous Anti-PD1
The phase 1b NIVIPIT trial compared intratumoural (IT) ipilimumab at 0.3 mg kg⁻¹ plus intravenous nivolumab with the standard intravenous (IV) ipilimumab‑nivolumab regimen in untreated advanced melanoma. The IT arm achieved a markedly lower rate of grade 3‑4 treatment‑related adverse events (24 % vs 67 %...
A Septo–Entorhinal GABAergic Pathway that Enables Switching Between Episodic Memories
Researchers identified a GABAergic projection from the medial septum to the medial entorhinal cortex that governs the ability to switch between competing episodic memories. Using Cre‑dependent viral tracing, calcium imaging, and optogenetic inhibition, they showed that silencing this pathway during...
Heritage Expeditions Plays Crucial Role in Professor Tim Flannery’s Rediscovery of a Marsupial Extinct for 6,000 Years
Heritage Expeditions partnered with renowned mammalogist Tim Flannery to locate the Ring‑tailed Glider (Tous ayamaruensis), a marsupial thought extinct for 6,000 years. The small‑ship cruise company supplied logistics, coastal scouting, and guest participation during multiple Indonesian Explorer voyages that led to...
Reply To: Overestimating Outsourced Biodiversity Loss May Misguide Policy
In a Nature reply, R.A. Wiebe and D.S. Wilcove defend their 2025 global analysis of biodiversity loss from outsourced deforestation against criticism that it overstates impacts by counting shifting cultivation destined for local consumption. They argue that the spatial dataset and methodological...
Digital Quantum Magnetism on a Trapped-Ion Quantum Computer
A team at Quantinuum used its H2 trapped‑ion quantum computer to perform a digital simulation of a two‑dimensional Heisenberg magnet, employing optimized Trotter steps that kept per‑gate errors below 1 %. The experiment, reported in Nature, captured pre‑thermalization dynamics and spin‑correlation...
Recycling of Spin-Triplet Excitons in Organic Photovoltaics
Researchers led by Li and Kong reported a breakthrough method to recycle spin‑triplet excitons in non‑fullerene organic photovoltaics. By engineering donor‑acceptor energy levels, triplet excitons are up‑converted into singlet charge‑transfer states, mitigating a major loss pathway. Ultrafast transient absorption and...
Programmable Artificial RNA Condensates in Mammalian Cells
Researchers at UCLA engineered single‑stranded RNA nanostars that self‑assemble into programmable condensates inside mammalian cells. By varying arm length, valency and kissing‑loop affinity, they controlled whether condensates formed in the nucleus or cytoplasm and could recruit proteins, small molecules, or...
Transdimensional Anomalous Hall Effect in Rhombohedral Thin Graphite
Researchers reported a transdimensional anomalous Hall effect (TDAHE) in nine‑layer rhombohedral graphene encapsulated with hBN, observed at zero external magnetic field. The Hall resistance exhibits clear hysteresis under both out‑of‑plane and in‑plane magnetic fields, revealing coexisting Stoner ferromagnetism and orbital...
How the Immune System Battles Lifelong Viral Infections Acquired at Birth
Researchers at the University of Basel have demonstrated that the immune system does mount a response against chronic hepatitis B infections acquired at birth, contrary to long‑standing assumptions of tolerance. Using a mouse model that mimics perinatal infection, they observed gradual...
Cancer Is Increasing in Young People and We Still Don't Know Why
Recent research shows colorectal cancer among young adults is climbing sharply, with a 50% increase since the 1990s in several high‑income nations. A UK study identified 11 cancer types rising in people aged 20‑49, attributing only a small share of...
Air Pollution Exposure in the Womb Linked to Worse Language and Motor Development
A King's College London study of 498 Greater London infants links first‑trimester air‑pollution exposure to lower language scores at 18 months and, for pre‑term babies, to markedly poorer motor development. Children whose mothers lived in high‑pollution areas scored 5‑7 points lower...
India Flags Data Gaps as Global Coal Mine Methane Emissions Remain Flat Since 2021: Ember
Coal mining released roughly 35 million tonnes of methane in 2023, a level comparable to oil and gas emissions, and global coal‑mine methane (CMM) output has not moved since 2021. India’s latest report shows 1.2 million tonnes for 2024, yet the IEA’s...
Metal-Reinforced Scorpions Evolved to Kill
Researchers led by Sam Campbell at the University of Queensland used high‑resolution electron microscopy and X‑ray analysis to map trace metals in the exoskeletons of 18 scorpion species. They discovered distinct metal layers—zinc‑rich tips followed by manganese in stingers, and...