Category: Science

Scientists in Seoul have uncovered 15 gut bacterial species linked to coronary artery disease, showing that microbes can influence heart health far beyond digestion. Their findings reveal how shifts in gut microbial function — including inflammation, loss of protective species, and overactive metabolic pathways — may drive disease progression. Intriguingly, even “good” bacteria like Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Akkermansia muciniphila can become harmful under certain conditions. Source link

XRISM’s observations of GX13+1 revealed a slow, fog-like wind instead of the expected high-speed blast, challenging existing models of radiation-driven outflows. The discovery hints that temperature differences in accretion discs may determine how energy shapes the cosmos. Source link

A Japanese-led research team has developed AUN, a groundbreaking immune-independent bacterial cancer therapy that uses two harmonized bacteria to destroy tumors even in patients with weakened immune systems. By leveraging the natural synergy between Proteus mirabilis and Rhodopseudomonas palustris, AUN selectively targets cancer cells, reshapes itself within tumors, and avoids harmful side effects like cytokine release syndrome. Source link

Overdose deaths from fentanyl mixed with stimulants have skyrocketed among seniors, increasing 9,000% in just eight years. Once thought to affect mainly the young, the opioid epidemic’s fourth wave now engulfs older adults too. Cocaine and methamphetamine are the leading culprits, and experts warn that multi-drug use makes these overdoses especially lethal. Doctors are urged to educate patients and caregivers on prevention and safer pain management. Source link

New research from the Technical University of Munich and Harvard Medical School reveals that popular GLP-1-based drugs, semaglutide (Ozempic) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro), not only promote weight loss but also significantly reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes in patients with type 2 diabetes. Using real-world insurance data, the study found up to an 18% reduction in major cardiovascular events, confirming powerful heart-protective effects that appear to extend beyond weight control. Source link

New simulations suggest magnetic fields hold the key to forming black holes that defy known mass limits. When powerful magnetic forces act on a collapsing, spinning star, they eject vast amounts of material, creating smaller yet faster-spinning black holes. This process could explain the puzzling GW231123 collision and the existence of “forbidden” black holes. Source link

Japanese researchers uncovered a universal rule describing why life’s growth slows despite abundant nutrients. Their “global constraint principle” integrates classic biological laws to show that multiple factors limit cellular growth in sequence. Verified through E. coli simulations, it provides a powerful new lens for studying living systems. The work could boost crop yields and biomanufacturing efficiency. Source link

Researchers have discovered that ADHD’s hallmark mind wandering might actually boost creativity. People who deliberately let their thoughts drift scored higher on creative tests in two large studies. The findings hint that mindful management of mental drift could turn ADHD’s challenges into creative strengths. Source link

Scientists have uncovered a new environmental culprit behind liver disease: tetrachloroethylene (PCE), a chemical used in dry cleaning and household products. The study found that people with PCE exposure were three times more likely to develop severe liver scarring, even when traditional risk factors like alcohol or obesity were absent. The chemical is widespread in air, water, and consumer goods, making it a stealthy threat to public health. Source link

UC Santa Barbara physicists have engineered entangled spin systems in diamond that surpass classical sensing limits through quantum squeezing. Their breakthrough enables next-generation quantum sensors that are powerful, compact, and ready for real-world use. Source link

Scientists at EPFL have unraveled the mystery behind why biological nanopores, tiny molecular holes used in both nature and biotechnology, sometimes behave unpredictably. By experimenting with engineered versions of the bacterial pore aerolysin, they discovered that two key effects, rectification and gating, stem from the pore’s internal electrical charges and their interaction with passing ions. The team even built nanopores that imitate brain-like “learning,” hinting at future applications in bio-inspired computing and ion-based processors. Source link

Vast amounts of valuable research data remain unused, trapped in labs or lost to time. Frontiers aims to change that with FAIR² Data Management, a groundbreaking AI-driven system that makes datasets reusable, verifiable, and citable. By uniting curation, compliance, peer review, and interactive visualization in one platform, FAIR² empowers scientists to share their work responsibly and gain recognition. Source link

Colchicine, a cheap and widely used gout drug, may help prevent heart attacks and strokes in people with cardiovascular disease. Trials involving nearly 23,000 patients show meaningful reductions in risk with low doses. Side effects were mostly mild and short-lived. Researchers say this overlooked drug could become an accessible prevention tool pending further study. Source link

Scientists have identified three Earth-sized planets orbiting two stars in the TOI-2267 system. Remarkably, planets transit around both stars — a first in astronomy. The system’s compact, cold nature defies conventional theories of planetary formation. Future studies using JWST and other advanced telescopes could reveal what these worlds are truly made of. Source link

In a first-of-its-kind study, scientists found that bumblebees can tell the difference between short and long light flashes, much like recognizing Morse code. The insects learned which signal led to a sweet reward, demonstrating an unexpected sense of timing. This ability may stem from a fundamental neural process, suggesting that even tiny brains have complex time-tracking mechanisms relevant to evolution and AI. Source link

Researchers discovered the gene that gives a rare wheat variety its unusual “triple-grain” trait. When switched on, the gene helps wheat flowers produce extra grain-bearing parts. The finding could allow scientists to grow new, high-yield crops to meet global food demand. It’s a simple genetic change with world-changing potential. Source link

Scientists have discovered strange microscopic structures in the blood of people with Long COVID—clusters of tiny microclots tangled together with sticky immune webs known as neutrophil extracellular traps, or NETs. These combined structures show up far more often in Long COVID patients, where they appear larger, denser, and more stubborn than in healthy blood. Source link

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have uncovered a trove of complex organic molecules frozen in ice around a young star in a neighboring galaxy — including the first-ever detection of acetic acid beyond the Milky Way. Found in the Large Magellanic Cloud, these molecules formed under harsh, metal-poor conditions similar to those in the early universe, suggesting that the chemical precursors of life may have existed far earlier and in more diverse environments than previously imagined. Source link

Researchers discovered that continents don’t just split at the surface—they also peel from below, feeding volcanic activity in the oceans. Simulations reveal that slow mantle waves strip continental roots and push them deep into the oceanic mantle. Data from the Indian Ocean confirms this hidden recycling process, which can last tens of millions of years. Source link

Inside your body, an intricate communication network constantly monitors breathing, heart rate, digestion, and immune function — a hidden “sixth sense” called interoception. Now, Nobel laureate Ardem Patapoutian and a team at Scripps Research and the Allen Institute have received $14.2 million from the NIH to map this internal sensory system in unprecedented detail. Source link

Researchers have designed a smart drug that hunts down and breaks a little-known RNA that cancer cells depend on. The drug recognizes a unique fold in the RNA and triggers the cell to destroy it. Tests showed that removing this RNA slows cancer growth. The approach could lead to new treatments that attack cancer at its most fundamental level. Source link

Boron arsenide has dethroned diamond as the best heat conductor, thanks to refined crystal purity and improved synthesis methods. This discovery could transform next-generation electronics by combining record-breaking thermal conductivity with strong semiconductor properties. Source link

Over 500 million years ago, the Cambrian Period sparked an explosion of skeletal creativity. Salterella, a peculiar fossil, defied conventions by combining two different mineral-building methods. After decades of confusion, scientists have linked it to the cnidarian family. The find deepens our understanding of how animals first learned to build their own skeletons. Source link

Researchers have uncovered microbial evidence in the remains of Napoleon’s soldiers from the 1812 Russian retreat. Genetic analysis revealed pathogens behind paratyphoid and relapsing fever, diseases likely contributing to the army’s massive losses. Using advanced DNA sequencing, the team pieced together centuries-old infection clues, connecting historical accounts with modern science. Their work redefines our understanding of how disease shaped history’s most infamous retreat. Source link