Top Science News

Sep. 4, 2025 — Scientists at the University of Bath have developed a simple three-minute brainwave test called Fastball EEG that can detect memory problems years before Alzheimer’s is typically diagnosed. Unlike traditional memory tests, it passively records brain responses to images and has now been proven effective in people’s homes. With breakthrough Alzheimer’s drugs working best in early stages, this ...

Sep. 3, 2025 — Overactivation of dopamine neurons may directly drive their death, explaining why movement-controlling brain cells degenerate in Parkinson’s. Mice with chronically stimulated neurons showed the same selective damage seen in patients, along with molecular stress responses. Targeting this overactivity could help slow disease ...

Sep. 3, 2025 — Scientists have decoded the 3D structure of an ancient viral protein hidden in our DNA. The HERV-K Env protein, found on cancer and autoimmune cells, has a unique shape that could unlock new diagnostics and ...

Aug. 29, 2025 — Quantum scientists in Innsbruck have taken a major leap toward building the internet of the future. Using a string of calcium ions and finely tuned lasers, they created quantum nodes capable of generating streams of entangled photons with 92% fidelity. This scalable setup could one day link quantum computers across continents, enable unbreakable communication, and even transform timekeeping by ...

Aug. 29, 2025 — Rice University physicists confirmed that flat electronic bands in kagome superconductors aren’t just theoretical, they actively shape superconductivity and magnetism. This breakthrough could guide the design of next-generation quantum materials and ...

Aug. 29, 2025 — A Vermont research team has cracked a 90-year-old puzzle, creating a quantum version of the damped harmonic oscillator. By reformulating Lamb’s classical model, they showed how atomic vibrations can be fully described while preserving quantum uncertainty. The discovery could fuel next-generation precision ...

Aug. 28, 2025 — In just one afternoon, scientists used a nanoparticle “megalibrary” to find a catalyst that matches or exceeds iridium’s performance in hydrogen fuel production, at a fraction of the ...

Sep. 4, 2025 — A Japanese research team successfully harnessed E. coli to produce PDCA, a strong, biodegradable plastic alternative. Their method avoids toxic byproducts and achieves record production levels, overcoming key roadblocks with creative ...

Sep. 3, 2025 — Past climate assessments let big polluters delay action, placing more burden on smaller nations. A new method based on historical responsibility demands steep cuts from wealthy countries and more financial support for poorer ones. Courts are now stepping in, making climate justice not just political but also ...

Sep. 3, 2025 — Scientists at Northwestern University have developed a groundbreaking nickel-based catalyst that could transform the way the world recycles plastic. Instead of requiring tedious sorting, the catalyst selectively breaks down stubborn polyolefin plastics—the single-use materials that make up much of our daily waste—into valuable oils, waxes, fuels, and ...

Sep. 3, 2025 — Snowfall shortages are now destabilizing some of the world’s last resilient glaciers, as shown by a new study in Tajikistan’s Pamir Mountains. Using a monitoring station on Kyzylsu Glacier, researchers discovered that stability ended around 2018, when snowfall declined sharply and melt accelerated. The work sheds light on the Pamir-Karakoram Anomaly, where glaciers had resisted climate change ...

Aug. 31, 2025 — A breakthrough pill, baxdrostat, has shown remarkable success in lowering dangerously high blood pressure in patients resistant to standard treatments. In a large international trial, it cut systolic pressure by nearly 10 mmHg, enough to significantly reduce risks of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. The drug works by blocking excess ...

Aug. 31, 2025 — New research suggests that exercise may not just make us feel younger—it could actually slow or even reverse the body’s molecular clock. By looking at DNA markers of aging, scientists found that structured exercise like aerobic and strength training has stronger anti-aging effects than casual activity. Evidence from both mice and humans shows measurable reductions in biological age, with ...

Aug. 31, 2025 — Drinking nitrate-rich beetroot juice lowered blood pressure in older adults by reshaping their oral microbiome, according to researchers at the University of Exeter. The study found that beneficial bacteria increased while harmful ones decreased, leading to better conversion of dietary nitrates into nitric oxide—a molecule vital for vascular ...

Aug. 29, 2025 — Harvard scientists have uncovered that lithium, a naturally occurring element in the brain, may be the missing piece in understanding Alzheimer’s. Their decade-long research shows that lithium depletion—caused by amyloid plaques binding to it—triggers early brain changes that lead to memory loss. By testing new lithium compounds that evade plaque capture, they reversed Alzheimer’s-like ...

Aug. 28, 2025 — Using cannabis to self-medicate comes with hidden dangers—new research shows these users face higher paranoia and consume more THC. Childhood trauma further amplifies the risks, especially emotional abuse, which strongly predicts ...

Aug. 28, 2025 — A Mediterranean-style diet was linked to lower dementia risk, especially in people with high-risk Alzheimer’s genes. The strongest benefits were seen in those with two APOE4 copies, showing diet may help offset genetic vulnerability. Researchers say food may influence key metabolic pathways that protect memory and cognitive ...

Aug. 26, 2025 — Australian teachers are in crisis, with 9 in 10 experiencing severe stress and nearly 70% saying their workload is unmanageable. A major UNSW Sydney study found teachers suffer depression, anxiety, and stress at rates three to four times higher than the national average, largely driven by excessive administrative tasks. These mental health struggles are pushing many to consider leaving the ...

Aug. 29, 2025 — A Mediterranean diet alone is healthy, but when combined with calorie control, exercise, and support, it cuts type 2 diabetes risk by 31%. The PREDIMED-Plus study followed almost 5,000 participants for six years, making it Europe’s largest nutrition trial. Beyond lowering diabetes risk, participants lost more weight and reduced waist size. Researchers call it clear evidence that small, ...

Aug. 26, 2025 — Knee osteoarthritis is a major cause of pain and disability, but routine X-rays often do more harm than good. New research shows that being shown an X-ray can increase anxiety, make people fear exercise, and lead them to believe surgery is the only option, even when less invasive treatments could help. By focusing on clinical diagnosis instead, patients may avoid unnecessary scans, reduce health ...

Aug. 26, 2025 — A nationwide study found that recent colds caused by rhinoviruses can give short-term protection against COVID-19. Children benefit most, as their immune systems react strongly with antiviral defenses, helping explain their lower rates of severe ...

Aug. 26, 2025 — Painkillers we often trust — ibuprofen and acetaminophen — may be quietly accelerating one of the world’s greatest health crises: antibiotic resistance. Researchers discovered that these drugs not only fuel bacterial resistance on their own but make it far worse when combined with antibiotics. The findings are especially troubling for aged care settings, where residents commonly take ...

Aug. 24, 2025 — A Rochester team engineered a new type of solar thermoelectric generator that produces 15 times more power than earlier versions. By enhancing heat absorption and dissipation rather than tweaking semiconductor materials, they dramatically improved efficiency and demonstrated practical applications like powering ...

Aug. 24, 2025 — Scientists have developed a groundbreaking cryo-optical microscopy technique that freezes living cells mid-action, capturing ultra-detailed snapshots of fast biological processes. By rapidly immobilizing cells at precise moments, researchers can overcome the limitations of traditional live-cell imaging and gain sharper insights into fleeting events like calcium ion waves in heart ...

Aug. 23, 2025 — By using quantum dots and smart encryption protocols, researchers overcame a 40-year barrier in quantum communication, showing that secure networks don’t need perfect hardware to outperform today’s best ...

Aug. 22, 2025 — Astronomers using AI have captured a once-in-a-lifetime cosmic event: a massive star’s violent death triggered by its black hole companion. The explosion, known as SN 2023zkd, not only produced a brilliant supernova but also shocked scientists by glowing twice, after years of strange pre-death brightening. Observed by telescopes worldwide, the event provided the strongest evidence yet that ...

Aug. 18, 2025 — NASA and ISRO s NISAR satellite has just reached a major milestone: the successful deployment of its enormous 39-foot antenna reflector in orbit. Folded up like an umbrella during launch, the reflector is now fully extended and ready to support NISAR s groundbreaking radar systems. This record-breaking satellite will monitor everything from shifting ice sheets and glaciers to the subtle movement ...

Aug. 18, 2025 — With its two tiny CubeSats, NASA’s PREFIRE mission is capturing invisible heat escaping from Earth, offering clues to how ice, clouds, and storms influence the climate system. The insights could lead to better weather forecasts and a deeper understanding of global ...

Aug. 17, 2025 — Rising CO₂ levels will make the upper atmosphere colder and thinner, altering how geomagnetic storms impact satellites. Future storms could cause sharper density spikes despite lower overall density, increasing drag-related ...

Aug. 24, 2025 — Defects in spintronic materials, once seen as limitations, may now be key to progress. Chinese researchers discovered that imperfections can enhance orbital currents, unlocking more efficient, low-power devices that outperform traditional ...

Aug. 23, 2025 — Scientists may have uncovered the missing piece of quantum computing by reviving a particle once dismissed as useless. This particle, called the neglecton, could give fragile quantum systems the full power they need by working alongside Ising anyons. What was once considered mathematical waste may now hold the key to building universal quantum computers, turning discarded theory into a pathway ...

Aug. 22, 2025 — A research team has created a quantum logic gate that uses fewer qubits by encoding them with the powerful GKP error-correction code. By entangling quantum vibrations inside a single atom, they achieved a milestone that could transform how quantum computers ...

Aug. 16, 2025 — Researchers have unveiled a new quantum material that could make quantum computers much more stable by using magnetism to protect delicate qubits from environmental disturbances. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on rare spin-orbit interactions, this method uses magnetic interactions—common in many materials—to create robust topological excitations. Combined with a new computational ...

Aug. 29, 2025 — Yale scientists discovered that cavefish species independently evolved blindness and depigmentation as they adapted to dark cave environments, with some lineages dating back over 11 million years. This new genetic method not only reveals ancient cave ages but may also shed light on human eye ...

Aug. 28, 2025 — Whale sharks in Indonesia are suffering widespread injuries, with a majority scarred by human activity. Researchers found bagans and boats to be the biggest threats, especially as shark tourism grows. Protecting these gentle giants may be as simple as redesigning fishing gear and boat ...

Aug. 22, 2025 — Scientists have uncovered a startling split in the venom of Australia’s Eastern Brown Snake. In the south, bites cause rock-solid blood clots, while in the north, they trigger flimsy clots that collapse almost instantly. This hidden divide means current antivenoms, made from pooled venom of uncertain origin, may not work equally well across the ...

Aug. 27, 2025 — Ancient forests may have fueled a deep-sea oxygen boost nearly 390 million years ago, unlocking evolutionary opportunities for jawed fish and larger marine animals. New isotopic evidence shows that this permanent oxygenation marked a turning point in Earth’s history — a reminder of how fragile the ocean’s oxygen balance remains ...

Aug. 22, 2025 — As the ozone layer recovers, it’s also intensifying global warming. Researchers predict that by 2050, ozone will rank just behind carbon dioxide as a driver of heating, offsetting many of the benefits from banning ...

Aug. 21, 2025 — Planting more trees can help cool the planet and reduce fire risk—but where they are planted matters. According to UC Riverside researchers, tropical regions provide the most powerful climate benefits because trees there grow year-round, absorb more carbon dioxide, and cool the air through processes like evapotranspiration, or “tree ...

Aug. 19, 2025 — Scientists found that Great Salt Lake’s chemistry and water balance were stable for thousands of years, until human settlement. Irrigation and farming in the 1800s and a railroad causeway in 1959 created dramatic, lasting changes. The lake now behaves in ways unseen for at least 2,000 ...

Aug. 30, 2025 — Scientists have finally uncovered direct genetic evidence of Yersinia pestis — the bacterium behind the Plague of Justinian — in a mass grave in Jerash, Jordan. This long-sought discovery resolves a centuries-old debate, confirming that the plague that devastated the Byzantine Empire truly was caused by the same pathogen behind later outbreaks like the Black ...

Aug. 16, 2025 — Chemical evidence from a stalagmite in Mexico has revealed that the Classic Maya civilization’s decline coincided with repeated severe wet-season droughts, including one that lasted 13 years. These prolonged droughts corresponded with halted monument construction and political disruption at key Maya sites, suggesting that climate stress played a ...

Aug. 13, 2025 — Advanced computer modeling suggests that by 2080, waves driven by sea level rise could flood Ahu Tongariki and up to 51 cultural treasures on Rapa Nui. The findings emphasize the urgent need for protective measures to preserve the island’s identity, traditions, and tourism ...

Aug. 9, 2025 — Over 300 million years ago, Illinois teemed with life in tropical swamps and seas, now preserved at the famous Mazon Creek fossil site. Researchers from the University of Missouri and geologist Gordon Baird have reexamined a vast fossil collection, uncovering three distinct ancient environments—freshwater, transitional marine, and ...

Aug. 12, 2025 — AI is now a routine part of workplace communication, with most professionals using tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. A study of over 1,000 professionals shows that while AI makes managers’ messages more polished, heavy reliance can damage trust. Employees tend to accept low-level AI help, such as grammar fixes, but become skeptical when supervisors use AI extensively, especially for personal or ...

Aug. 4, 2025 — New research led by Mass General Brigham reveals that people facing social challenges—like food insecurity, financial strain, and limited healthcare access—are two to three times more likely to develop long ...

July 27, 2025 — Between 2020 and 2024, COVID-19 vaccines saved 2.5 million lives globally, preventing one death for every 5,400 doses. A groundbreaking worldwide study led by researchers from Università Cattolica and Stanford University reveals that most lives were saved before individuals were exposed to the virus, particularly during the Omicron period and among those aged 60+. The researchers also calculated ...

June 3, 2025 — The effects of artificial intelligence on adolescents are nuanced and complex, according to a new report that calls on developers to prioritize features that protect young people from exploitation, manipulation and the erosion of real-world ...

May 26, 2025 — A new study examines the emergence of overimitation in infants aged between 16 and 21 months to see if and how it is linked to social affiliation and other forms of imitation. The researchers found that young children engaged in low rates of overimitation and that it was not driven by in-group preference -- meaning they were not acting to please ...

May 26, 2025 — A new study says students appear to be using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) responsibly, and as a way to speed up tasks, not just boost their ...

May 22, 2025 — As the US national debate intensifies around immigration, a new study is challenging conventional wisdom about 'brain drain'--the idea that when skilled workers emigrate from developing countries, their home economies ...

May 27, 2025 — A new study shows that people who proactively reorganise their family routines -- such as adjusting childcare schedules or redistributing domestic responsibilities -- are more likely to demonstrate adaptability and innovation at ...

May 21, 2025 — The way people express emotions while helping others can influence whether their assistance is welcomed, resented, or reciprocated, according to new ...

May 14, 2025 — Being appreciated by colleagues can help employees cope with negative experiences at work, according to a new study. Researchers found that employees experience 'embitterment' -- an emotional response to perceived workplace injustice -- on days when they are assigned more unreasonable tasks than usual. This negative emotion not only affects their work but also spills over into their personal ...

Apr. 14, 2025 — The UK government needs to go beyond offering subsidies for low-carbon technologies (LCTs) like electric cars and solar panels for energy and heating, if it is to meet its net-zero targets by 2050, a report ...