 |
Many people have probably seen birds picking up small pieces of man-made materials, like strips of a plastic bag or paper litter, and taking them into their nest. This behavior appears to be fairly widespread among birds. What’s unique about some larger bird species, like certain vultures, eagles, and falcons, is that the same nest is used for centuries if it continues to be in a safe space. Generations of birds will continue to occupy and add materials to these nests for hundreds of years. |
 |
A diet rich in the amino acid cysteine may have rejuvenating effects in the small intestine, according to a new study from MIT. This amino acid, the researchers discovered, can turn on an immune signaling pathway that helps stem cells to regrow new intestinal tissue. |
 |
The universe is approaching the midpoint of its 33-billion-year lifespan, a Cornell physicist calculates with new data from dark-energy observatories. After expanding to its peak size about 11 billion years from now, it will begin to contract—snapping back like a rubber band to a single point at the end. |
 |
When saltwater fish long ago evolved to live in fresh water, many of them also evolved a more sophisticated hearing system, including middle ear bones similar to those in humans. |
 |
For decades, astronomers have believed that dark matter and dark energy make up most of the universe. However, a new study suggests they might not exist at all. Instead, what we perceive as dark matter and dark energy could simply be the effect of the natural forces of the universe slowly weakening as it ages. |
 |
A pioneering new test that can recover fingerprints from ammunition casing, once thought nearly impossible, has been developed by two Irish scientists. |
 |
Certain nutrients in food can trigger a mild stress response in nematodes. But instead of making them sick, this actually helps them stay healthier as they age, according to researchers at the University of Basel, Switzerland. |
 |
Scientists at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have provided conclusive evidence that the Red Sea completely dried out about 6.2 million years ago, before being suddenly refilled by a catastrophic flood from the Indian Ocean. The findings put a definitive time on a dramatic event that changed the Red Sea. |
 |
A quantum computer has demonstrated that it can solve a problem more efficiently than a conventional computer. This achievement comes from being able to unlock a vast memory resource that classical computing cannot match. |
 |
Astronomers have identified an enormous “growth spurt” in a so-called rogue planet. Unlike the planets in our solar system, these objects do not orbit stars, free-floating on their own instead. The new observations, made with the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT), reveal that this free-floating planet is eating up gas and dust from its surroundings at a rate of six billion tons a second. This is the strongest growth rate ever recorded for a rogue planet, or a planet of any kind, providing valuable insights into how they form and grow. |
 |
In experiments with mouse models of breast, pancreatic, and muscle cancers, researchers at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital report new evidence that a novel means of boosting the natural immune system prevents cancer recurrence and improves survival. |
 |
A team of engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has announced the creation of an artificial neuron with electrical functions that closely mirror those of biological ones. Building on their previous work using protein nanowires synthesized from electricity-generating bacteria, the team’s discovery means that we could see immensely efficient computers built on biological principles which could interface directly with living cells. |
 |
Researchers have uncovered serious security flaws with the Unitree G1 humanoid robot, a machine that is already being used in laboratories and some police departments. They discovered that G1 can be used for covert surveillance and could potentially launch a full-scale cyberattack on networks. |
 |
Scientists have, for the first time, directly visualized and quantified the protein clusters believed to trigger Parkinson’s, marking a major advance in the study of the world’s fastest-growing neurological disease. |
 |
For over two decades, finasteride—a popular prescription drug taken by millions of men to treat hair loss—has quietly carried a shadow. Behind its cosmetic promise lay disturbing signs of deeper harm: depression, anxiety, and in some cases, suicide. |
 |
The global food system faces growing risks as modern farming practices undermine the resilience of the world’s soils, according to new research. |
 |
Scientists have long been aware of the massive elliptical galaxy, M87. The galaxy was first observed in the late 18th century by Charles Messier, who cataloged objects in the sky specifically to avoid them when looking for comets. However, numerous later observations in the radio, X-ray, optical, UV, and gamma-ray bands revealed that the object is a galaxy with a prominent jet emerging from a supermassive black hole at its core. This jet is now well known for its synchrotron emission in the radio to optical wavelengths. |
 |
With unprecedented clarity, scientists have directly observed a subduction zone—the collision point where one tectonic plate dives beneath another—actively breaking apart. The discovery, reported in Science Advances, sheds new light on how Earth’s surface evolves and raises fresh questions about future earthquake risks in the Pacific Northwest. |
 |
Researchers at Penn Medicine have identified specific brain circuits that are impacted by psilocybin—the active compound found in some psychedelic mushrooms—which could lead to new paths forward for pain and mental health management options. |
 |
A study published in the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, led by Dr. Mohammad Reza Eghdami and his colleagues, examined the remains of a Parthian-era individual. The Parthians were descendants of the Parnian tribe and part of the Dahae Union. They were renowned for their military prowess, particularly in their mounted warfare tactics and skilled archery. |
