Research breakthroughs across physics, biology, climate, and the natural world.
445 articles found
Low arginine levels may allow cancer cells and viruses to slip past the immune system by reducing production of a crucial cellular warning protein. In mice, arginine-rich diets led to fewer colon tumors and milder viral infections, suggesting a simple supplement could have powerful therapeutic potential.
Thawing Arctic permafrost is releasing ancient carbon into the ocean, raising fears that microbes could turn it into greenhouse gases and accelerate climate change. But sediment cores collected near Canada’s Herschel Island reveal a more reassuring twist: most of this land-based carbon becomes buried in the seafloor, while only about 10 percent is converted into gases.
Hidden moon ice may reveal itself through the way it bends and reflects vibrations from moonquakes. The technique could help astronauts locate vital water supplies and uncover clues about the origins of Earth’s oceans.
When atomic nuclei smash together at nearly the speed of light, they create the hottest fluid in the universe, but scientists may have overlooked one of its most important forces. New simulations reveal that extreme acceleration builds up along the edges of quark-gluon plasma, helping drive its explosive expansion. This acceleration may do far more than move the fluid, potentially changing its temperature-like behavior, influencing particle spins, and even reshaping how matter transitions between fundamental states.
Scientists have identified a molecular switch that may help explain why aging makes the brain more vulnerable to diseases such as ALS and Huntington’s. In worms, the protein EPS8 builds up with age and triggers signaling that encourages toxic proteins to clump together, damaging neurons and shortening lifespan. Reducing EPS8 activity prevented these harmful aggregates and preserved nerve function.
Vanderbilt researchers created the first selective compound designed to inhibit TAOK-1, a poorly understood protein connected to Alzheimer’s disease. They also discovered a second compound that activates the entire TAOK protein family, offering scientists an unexpected new research tool. Together, the compounds could reveal hidden disease mechanisms and point toward new treatment strategies.
Astronaut Tim Peake, guitarist Johnny Marr and 150 other public figures have signed an open letter.
Scientists have figured out how two famously poisonous plants create chemicals with surprising medical potential. After tracking thousands of genes in wolfsbane and larkspur, they identified six enzymes needed to build a complex compound called atisinium. The team recreated the process inside tobacco plants, offering a sustainable way to produce and test these rare molecules in larger amounts.
Who's covering this category most
Explore more of what's active right now
I should have loved biologyHacker NewsAugust 20, 2026
Glass deposit operator confirmed after months of wranglingBBCAugust 20, 2026
BBC Inside ScienceBBCAugust 20, 2026
Thunderstorm warnings expire but rain continues to bring risk of floods for UKBBCAugust 20, 2026
Flash flooding risk as heavy rain hits UKBBCAugust 20, 2026