Biological Science

Sargassum seaweed is creating major new obstacles for sea turtle hatchlings, drastically slowing their crawl to the ocean and increasing their risk from predators and heat. Despite the physical challenge, their energy stores stay stable, suggesting the real danger lies in the delay itself.

UC Davis researchers engineered wheat that encourages soil bacteria to convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant-usable fertilizer. By boosting a natural compound in the plant, the wheat triggers bacteria to form biofilms that enable nitrogen fixation. This breakthrough could cut fertilizer use, reduce pollution, and increase yields. It also offers huge potential savings for farmers worldwide.

Neighborhoods within 1000 meters of cannabis retailers showed rising cannabis-related emergency visits, while unexposed neighborhoods saw declines. The pattern suggests that commercialization and dense store clustering may elevate public health risks. Cannabis Store Exposure Linked to Higher Rates of Harm A population-based natural experiment explored how living near cannabis retail stores relates to cannabis-related harms. [...]

Researchers have revealed that the majority of dogs today carry small but significant amounts of wolf DNA from ancient hybridization events. These wolf genes influence traits like size, scent detection, work specialization, and even behavioral tendencies. Some breeds show surprising levels of ancestry, including those purposely bred to look wolf-like and others where it was [...]

Researchers report that some chemicals used in printed food-package stickers as replacements for bisphenol A can still disrupt human ovarian cell function. Chemicals that have taken the place of bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging may cause potentially harmful changes in human ovarian cells, according to a team of researchers at McGill University. In a [...]

A new study finds that 18- to 21-year-olds who eat diets high in ultra-processed foods tend to overeat, even when they’re already full. Young Americans continue to gain weight. A recent analysis in The Lancet estimates that by 2050, one in three people in the United States between the ages of 15 and 24 will [...]

Lowering tyrosine concentrations in people with elevated levels could contribute to increased longevity, potentially with sex-specific effects. Researchers from the University of Hong Kong and the University of Georgia, led by Jie V. Zhao, Yitang Sun, Junmeng Zhang, and Kaixiong Ye, examined whether two amino acids, phenylalanine and tyrosine, play a role in shaping how [...]

Scientists found that reduced ATP signaling in the hippocampus can trigger both depression and anxiety in mice. Lower ATP levels and a drop in connexin 43 expression appeared to make stressed animals more vulnerable. Manipulating this protein alone was enough to produce mood-related symptoms, while restoring it reversed them. ATP Signaling and Mood Disorders In [...]

The zap-and-freeze approach let scientists observe ultrafast synaptic recycling in both mouse and human brain tissue, highlighting conserved molecular mechanisms. The technique could help reveal why communication breaks down in Parkinson’s and guide new treatment strategies. Breakthrough “Zap-and-Freeze” Imaging in Live Brain Tissue Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine report that they have used a “zap-and-freeze” [...]

New findings reveal that untreated obstructive sleep apnea can significantly raise the likelihood of developing Parkinson’s disease, but consistent CPAP use appears to dramatically cut that risk. Scientists suspect that repeated nightly drops in oxygen put long-term strain on neurons, potentially contributing to neurodegeneration. The results highlight how something as simple as improving sleep quality [...]

A Rutgers researcher and collaborators have linked unusual geological anomalies to Earth’s molten origins and its unique habitability. For many years, researchers have struggled to understand two enormous and puzzling formations hidden deep within Earth. Their immense size and unusual traits make them difficult to reconcile with traditional ideas about how the planet developed. A [...]

Some regions are acidifying faster than previously believed, posing an existential threat to coastal economies worldwide. New research from the University of St Andrews indicates that certain coastal regions are on track to experience far greater acidification than previously estimated. As atmospheric CO2 continues to rise, these areas are becoming acidic at an accelerated pace, [...]

Scientists have discovered that shear forces inside rising magma can create gas bubbles long before pressure drops occur. The intensity of a volcanic eruption is shaped by how many gas bubbles develop in the magma and at what point they appear. Until recently, scientists believed that most bubbles formed mainly when rising magma experienced a [...]

People with more muscle and less visceral fat tend to have brains that appear biologically younger, according to advanced MRI-AI analysis. The results point toward lifestyle and therapeutic approaches that prioritize muscle preservation and targeted visceral fat reduction for better brain health. Muscle–Fat Balance Linked to Younger Brain Age Researchers report that people with more [...]

Fraud driven by flawed metrics threatens mathematics, say researchers urging change. An international group of researchers led by Ilka Agricola, a mathematics professor at the University of Marburg in Germany, has examined widespread misconduct in the publication of mathematical research. Working on behalf of the German Mathematical Society (DMV) and the International Mathematical Union (IMU), [...]

Princeton engineers extended qubit lifetimes using a new tantalum-silicon design that sharply cuts energy loss. The improvement could enable large, stable quantum processors capable of real-world problem solving. Princeton engineers have taken a significant step toward developing useful quantum computers by creating a superconducting qubit that remains stable for three times longer than the strongest [...]

Researchers found that rabies virus uses a shape-shifting protein to hijack RNA and control vital cell functions. Viruses are astonishingly efficient, able to take over our cells and control essential processes using only a tiny amount of genetic material. Scientists have long wondered how such small viruses manage to achieve so many complex tasks inside [...]

Scientists identified two new chameleon species through genetic analysis. Museum DNA helped clarify long-standing taxonomic confusion. Madagascar is widely recognized as the home of chameleons. Over 40% of all documented chameleon species are found on this island off the East African coast, including the so-called Pinocchio chameleon, which scientists have known about for nearly 150 [...]

Scientists have created a live-cell DNA sensor that reveals how damage appears and disappears inside living cells, capturing the entire repair sequence as it unfolds. Instead of freezing cells at different points, researchers can now watch damage flare up, track repair proteins rushing to the site, and see the moment the DNA is restored. Built from a natural protein that binds gently and briefly to damaged DNA, the sensor offers a true-to-life view of the cell’s internal emergency response.

The seven-year study identifies early warning signs that may allow doctors to detect the disease before it develops, potentially sparing patients years of pain and disability. Scientists have found that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) does not begin when pain becomes noticeable. Instead, it starts quietly many years earlier. RA is a serious autoimmune disorder that leads [...]

A Penn-led research team has uncovered how hydralazine, one of the oldest blood pressure medications and a standard treatment for preeclampsia, functions at the molecular level. In the process, they made an unexpected finding: it can also stop the growth of aggressive brain tumors. Over the last 70 years, hydralazine has been a critical medication [...]

In addition to reducing hunger, popular weight-loss drugs also affect reward processing and motivated behaviors. New research is offering a clearer picture of how medications that target the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) system influence brain networks involved in nausea, thirst, and reward-driven behaviors. These new results were recently shared at Neuroscience 2025, the annual meeting of [...]

A research team in Japan has created a groundbreaking Milky Way simulation that follows more than 100 billion stars with a level of detail that was once thought impossible. By training AI on how supernova explosions evolve and combining that knowledge with large-scale physics models, they produced a galaxy-scale simulation over 100 times faster than [...]

A colossal star met an unexpected fate when it drifted too close to a supermassive black hole 10 billion light-years away. Instead of exploding as a supernova, the star was torn apart, creating the brightest and most distant black hole flare ever recorded—shining with the power of 10 trillion suns. Star Meets Its Doom in [...]

A new study of the red dwarf system TOI-3884 has uncovered rare, persistent spot-crossing signals that reveal unusually detailed information about the star’s magnetic activity and the planet’s orbital geometry. As astronomers achieve increasingly precise measurements of exoplanet atmospheres, accounting for the influence of starspots on their host stars has become essential. One of the [...]

Fresh observations of two merging black holes confirm predictions made by Stephen Hawking based on Albert Einstein’s theory. A decade after the first detection of gravitational waves from two merging black holes, the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration, including Columbia University astronomer Maximiliano Isi, has captured another signal from a nearly identical cosmic event. Thanks to major advances [...]

A new review finds that garlic extract may match the antimicrobial power of chlorhexidine, suggesting it could become a natural alternative in oral care. Garlic extract may work as effectively as well-known antiseptics and disinfectants such as chlorhexidine, according to researchers from the University of Sharjah. In a study published in the Journal of Herbal [...]

Researchers identify neurotoxic protein complex and a pharmacological inhibitor that opens new perspectives for developing effective therapies A research group led by neurobiologist Prof. Dr. Hilmar Bading at Heidelberg University has identified a molecular process that appears to play a major role in the advancement of Alzheimer’s disease. Working closely with scientists from Shandong University [...]

A key protein, LRG1, was identified as the early cause of diabetic eye damage, and blocking it may stop the disease before blindness occurs. A research team led by scientists at UCL has identified a crucial protein involved in triggering diabetic retinopathy, a condition in which high blood sugar harms the retina’s blood vessels and [...]

Researchers in Guatemala discovered that the water sources people consider safest may harbor the greatest contamination, while less-trusted sources can be cleaner than expected. A research team led by Washington State University has reported that many drinking water sources in Guatemala that people consider clean and reliable may actually contain harmful bacteria. The study focused [...]