Obesity Jab Drug Fails To Slow Alzheimer’s
Drug maker Novo Nordisk says semaglutide, the active ingredient for the weight loss jab Wegovy, does not slow Alzheimer’s – despite initial hopes that it might help against dementia. From a report: Researchers began two large trials involving more than 3,800 people after reports the medicine was having an impact in the real world. But the studies showed the GLP-1 drug, which is already … ⌘ Read more
Science-Centric Streaming Service Curiosity Stream is an AI-licensing Firm Now
Curiosity Stream, the decade-old science documentary streaming service founded by Discovery Channel’s John Hendricks, expects its AI licensing business to generate more revenue than its 23 million subscribers by 2027 – possibly earlier. The company’s Q3 2025 earnings revealed a 41% year-over-year revenue increase, dri … ⌘ Read more
New Mars Orbiter Manuever Challenges Theory: That May Not Be an Underground Lake on Mars
In 2018 researchers claimed evidence of a lake beneath the surface of Mars, detected by the Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding instrument (or Marsis for short).
But new Mars observations “are not consistent with the presence of liquid water in this location and an alternat … ⌘ Read more
Was the Moon-Forming Protoplanet ‘Theia’ a Neighbor of Earth?
Theia crashed into earth and formed the moon, the theory goes. But then where did Theia come from? The lead author on a new study says “The most convincing scenario is that most of the building blocks of Earth and Theia originated in the inner Solar System. Earth and Theia are likely to have been neighbors.”
Though Theia was completely destroyed in th … ⌘ Read more
Are Astronomers Wrong About Dark Energy?
An anonymous reader shared this report from CNN:
The universe’s expansion might not be accelerating but slowing down, a new study suggests. If confirmed, the finding would upend decades of established astronomical assumptions and rewrite our understanding of dark energy, the elusive force that counters the inward pull of gravity in our universe…
Last year, a consortium of hundreds of res … ⌘ Read more
Physicists Reveal a New Quantum State Where Electrons Run Wild
ScienceDaily reports:
Electrons can freeze into strange geometric crystals and then melt back into liquid-like motion under the right quantum conditions. Researchers identified how to tune these transitions and even discovered a bizarre “pinball” state where some electrons stay locked in place while others dart around freely. Their simulations hel … ⌘ Read more
Superhero Science: StarTalk Live! with Charles Liu ⌘ Read more
Tiny ‘Micro-Robots’ in your Bloodstream Could Deliver Drugs with Greater Precision
The Washington Post reports:
Scientists in Switzerland have created a robot the size of a grain of sand that is controlled by magnets and can deliver drugs to a precise location in the human body, a breakthrough aimed at reducing the severe side effects that stop many medicines from advancing in clinical tria … ⌘ Read more
CERN Can Now Produce Antihydrogen Atoms Eight Times Faster Than Before
fahrbot-bot shares a report from Phys.org: Physicists from Swansea University have played the leading role in a scientific breakthrough at CERN, developing an innovative technique that increases the antihydrogen trapping rate by a factor of ten. The advancement, achieved as part of the international Antihydrogen Laser Physics Appara … ⌘ Read more
Moss Spores Survive 9 Months Outside ISS
alternative_right shares a report from Phys.org: Inspired by moss’s resilience, researchers sent moss sporophytes – reproductive structures that encase spores – to the most extreme environment yet: space. Their results, published in the journal iScience on November 20, show that more than 80% of the spores survived nine months outside of the International Space Station (ISS) and made it … ⌘ Read more
CDC Changes Webpage To Say Vaccines May Cause Autism, Revising Prior Language
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention webpage that previously made the case that vaccines don’t cause autism now says they might. WSJ: The contents of the webpage came up during Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Senate confirmation process. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R., La.) in February said Kennedy had assured hi … ⌘ Read more
American Kids Can’t Do Math Anymore
An anonymous reader shares a report: For the past several years, America has been using its young people as lab rats in a sweeping, if not exactly thought-out, education experiment. Schools across the country have been lowering standards and removing penalties for failure. The results are coming into focus.
Five years ago, about 30 incoming freshmen at UC San Diego arrived with math skills below high- … ⌘ Read more
Quantum Teleportation Between Photons From Two Distant Light Sources Achieved
Researchers in Germany achieved a major milestone for the future quantum internet by successfully teleporting quantum information between photons generated by two different, physically separated quantum dots – something never accomplished before due to the difficulty of producing indistinguishable photons from remote … ⌘ Read more
New Antibiotic Could Be a Breakthrough in Treatment for Killer TB, Trial Suggests
A new treatment for tuberculosis could boost cure rates and shorten the time needed to treat the disease by months, trial results suggest. The Guardian: Globally, an estimated 10.7 million people fell ill with TB last year and 1.23 million died from it. In its annual report on tuberculosis, launched last week, … ⌘ Read more
Ultra-Processed Food is Global Health Threat, Researchers Warn
Action is needed now to reduce ultra-processed food (UPF) in diets worldwide because of their threat to health, say international experts in a global review of research. From a report: They say the way we eat is changing - with a move away from fresh, whole foods to cheap, highly-processed meals - which is increasing our risk of a range of chronic … ⌘ Read more
CDC Data Confirms US is 2 Months Away From Losing Measles Elimination Status
An anonymous reader shares a report: Federal health officials have linked two massive US measles outbreaks, confirming that the country is about two months away from losing its measles elimination status, according to a report by The New York Times. The Times obtained a recording of a call during which officials from th … ⌘ Read more
Man Who Cryogenically Froze Late Wife Sparks Debate By Dating New Partner
A Chinese man who cryogenically preserved his wife after her death has sparked a heated online debate after it emerged he began dating a new partner in 2020. Some argue it’s natural for him to move on, while others say he’s being selfish or disrespectful to both his late wife and his current partner. The BBC reports: As a sig … ⌘ Read more
UC Berkeley Scientists Hail Breakthrough In Decoding Whale Communication
UC Berkeley researchers working with Project CETI discovered that sperm whales produce vowel-like sounds embedded in their click codas, suggesting a far more complex communication system than previously understood. “It was striking just how structured the system was. I’ve never seen anything like that before with other animals,” … ⌘ Read more
We Can Now Track Individual Monarch Butterflies
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the New York Times: For the first time, scientists are tracking the migration of monarch butterflies across much of North America, actively monitoring individual insects on journeys from as far away as Ontario all the way to their overwintering colonies in central Mexico. This long-sought achievement could provide crucial insights into … ⌘ Read more
Some People Never Forget a Face, and Now We Know Their Secret
alternative_right shares a report from ScienceAlert: A new study from researchers in Australia reveals that the people who never forget faces look “smarter, not harder.” In other words, they naturally focus on a person’s most distinguishing facial features. “Their skill isn’t something you can learn like a trick,” explains lead author James Dunn, a … ⌘ Read more
More Tech Moguls Want to Build Data Centers in Outer Space
“To be clear, the current economics of space-based data centers don’t make sense,” writes the Wall Street Journal.
“But they could in the future, perhaps as soon as a decade or so from now, according to an analysis by Phil Metzger, a research professor at the University of Central Florida and formerly of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. … ⌘ Read more
Chinese Astronauts Return From Their Space Station After Delay Blamed on Space Debris Damage
“Three Chinese astronauts returned from their nation’s space station Friday,” reports the Associated Press, “after more than a week’s delay because the return capsule they had planned to use was damaged, likely from being hit by space debris.”
The team left their Shenzhou-20 spacecraft i … ⌘ Read more
Deaths Linked to Antibiotic-Resistant Superbugs Rose 17% in England in 2024
An anonymous reader shared this report from the Guardian:
The number of deaths linked to superbugs that do not respond to frontline antibiotics increased by 17% in England last year, according to official figures that raise concerns about the ongoing increase in antimicrobial resistance.
The figures, released by the UK H … ⌘ Read more
Scientists Confirmed What Is Inside Our Moon
alternative_right shares a report from ScienceAlert: A thorough investigation published in May 2023 found that the inner core of the Moon is, in fact, a solid ball with a density similar to that of iron. To figure it out once and for all, [astronomer Arthur Briaud of the French National Centre for Scientific Research in France] and his colleagues collected data from space mission … ⌘ Read more
All Lupus Cases May Be Linked To a Common Virus, Study Finds
One of the most common viruses in the world could be the cause of lupus, an autoimmune disease with wide-ranging symptoms, according to a new study. From a report: Until now, lupus was somewhat mysterious: No single root cause of the disease had been found, and while there is no cure, there are medications that can treat it.
The research, published in … ⌘ Read more
The 19 best Christmas gifts for science lovers (and nerds)
From microscopes to geodes, New Scientist staff share their top Christmas present ideas in a gift guide unlike any you’ve seen before ⌘ Read more
Blue Origin Sticks First New Glenn Rocket Landing and Launches NASA Spacecraft
An anonymous reader quotes a report from TechCrunch: Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin has landed the booster of its New Glenn mega-rocket on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean on just its second attempt – making it the second company to perform such a feat, following Elon Musk’s SpaceX. It’s an accomplishment that will help … ⌘ Read more
One billionaire’s plan to build a women-only residential college at major Sydney university
Venture capitalist Solina Chau’s donation will house science, technology, engineering and maths students on campus. ⌘ Read more
Why it’s so hard to bust the weather control conspiracy theory
Dave Levitan, Climate Science Writer - MIT Technology Review
_Stephan: ”king” Trump, his administration, and his Congressional vassals are doing nothing about preparing for the ongoing climate change crisis, whose crescendo is estimated to be about 14 years from now. Instead, they seek to entrap the United States in carbon energy to serve the oligarchs who have funded Trump and the Republican Congr … ⌘ Read more
Scientists Watch Supernova Shockwave Shoot Through a Dying Star For First Time
For the first time, astronomers captured the shockwave of a supernova bursting through the surface of a dying red supergiant star, revealing a surprisingly symmetrical, grape-shaped explosion. Space.com reports: Seeing this moment in detail has previously been elusive because it’s rare for a supernova to be spotted … ⌘ Read more
‘Switchbody’ turns enzyme activity on with antibody–antigen binding
By fusing enzyme fragments to antibodies, researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo, in Japan, developed an innovative enzyme switch called “Switchbody,” which is activated when bound to its target antigen. Switchbody is based on a trap-and-release of enzyme fragment that dynamically controls enzyme activity, offering new opportunities in diagnostics, therapeutics, and precision bioprocessing. ⌘ Read more
New larval seedbox technology could help drive coral restoration on the Great Barrier Reef
Millions of coral larvae on the Great Barrier Reef have an increased chance of replenishing degraded reefs thanks to the “larval seedbox”—a coral restoration technology developed by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, with Southern Cross University. ⌘ Read more
China’s New Scientist Visa is a ‘Serious Bid’ For the World’s Top Talent
China has introduced a visa that will allow young foreign researchers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to move there without having to secure a job first. From a report: Before the introduction of the K visa, most foreign STEM researchers hoping to move to China had to find a job in advance and then apply for a work visa … ⌘ Read more
UK Unveils Plan To Cut Animal Testing Through Greater Use of AI
Animal testing in science would be phased out faster under a new plan to increase the use of artificial intelligence and 3D bioprinted human tissues, a UK minister has said. The Guardian: The roadmap unveiled by the science minister, Patrick Vallance, backs replacing certain animal tests that are still used where necessary to determine the safety o … ⌘ Read more
Aquaporin gene duplication followed by mutation in European eels restores broad solute permeability
Common ancestor eels lost the aquaporin gene encoding proteins with broad solute permeability. Researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo have now found that recent gene duplication events in the European eel (Anguilla species) have restored aquaporin proteins with broad solute permeability. ⌘ Read more
UK Signs Scaled-Back Scientific Collaboration With China
The UK and China today signed a new bilateral agreement on scientific collaboration [non-paywalled source], narrowing the scope of their partnership to exclude sensitive technologies. Lord Patrick Vallance, Britain’s science and technology minister, met his Chinese counterpart Chen Jiachang in Beijing and agreed to focus cooperation on health, climate, plan … ⌘ Read more
China Is Trouncing The U.S. In Critical Trillion-Dollar Tech Race
StudyFinds Analysis Staff, - Study Finds
_Stephan: Neither Biden and the Democrats, but particularly Trump and the Republicans have properly recognized what is happening in China. By the election of 2028, notably thanks to Trump’s dismantlement of science and medical research – as 60 Minutes covered on Sunday – I predict China is going to be the leading scientific and economic nation in th … ⌘ Read more
Non-harmonic two-color femtosecond lasers achieve 1,000-fold enhancement of white-light output in water
Scientists at Japan’s Institute for Molecular Science have achieved a 1,000-fold enhancement in white-light generation inside water by using non-harmonic two-color femtosecond laser excitation. This previously unexplored approach in liquids unlocks new nonlinear optical pathways, enabling a dramatic boost in supercontinuum generation. The breakthrough lays a foundation for next-generation b … ⌘ Read more
UK Secondary Schools Pivoting From Narrowly Focused CS Curriculum To AI Literacy
Longtime Slashdot reader theodp writes: The UK Department for Education is “replacing its narrowly focused computer science GCSE with a broader, future-facing computing GCSE [General Certificate of Secondary Education] and exploring a new qualification in data science and AI for 16-18-year-olds.” The move aims to … ⌘ Read more
Africa Finally Has Its Own Drug-Regulation Agency
After more than a decade of planning, the launch of the African Medicines Agency (AMA) is being celebrated in Mombasa, Kenya, this week at the Seventh Biennial Scientific Conference on Medical Products Regulation in Africa. From a report: The agency’s establishment marks a pivotal moment in Africa’s public health, at a time when the need for biomedical research conducted i … ⌘ Read more
What’s the Best Ways for Humans to Explore Space?
Should we leave space exploration to robots — or prioritize human spaceflight, making us a multiplanetary species?
Harvard professor Robin Wordsworth, who’s researched the evolution and habitability of terrestrial-type planets, shares his thoughts:
In space, as on Earth, industrial structures degrade with time, and a truly sustainable life support system must have the capa … ⌘ Read more
Genetically Engineered Babies Are Banned in the US. But Tech Titans Are Trying to Make One Anyway
“For months, a small company in San Francisco has been pursuing a secretive project: the birth of a genetically engineered baby,” reports the Wall Street Journal:
Backed by OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and his husband, along with Coinbase co-founder and CEO Brian Armstrong, … ⌘ Read more
Blue Origin Livestreams Attempt to Launch Unique “EscaPADE’ Mission to Mars
Blue Origin is livestreaming the launch of its New Glenn rocketreports CNN, “where they will investigate why the barren red planet began to lose its atmosphere billions of years ago.” By observing two Mars locations simultaneously, this mission can measure how Mars responds to space weather in real time — and how the Marti … ⌘ Read more
Zuckerberg, Chan shift bulk of philanthropy to science, focusing on AI and biology to curb disease ⌘ Read more
Scientists Edit Gene in 15 Patients That May Permanently Reduce High Cholesterol
A CRISPR-based drug given to study participants by infusion is raising hopes for a much easier way to lower cholesterol, reports CNN:
With a snip of a gene, doctors may one day permanently lower dangerously high cholesterol, possibly removing the need for medication, according to a new pilot study published Sat … ⌘ Read more
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Shifts Bulk of Philanthropy, ‘Going All In on AI-Powered Biology’
The Associated Press reports that “For the past decade, Dr. Priscilla Chan and her husband Mark Zuckerberg have focused part of their philanthropy on a lofty goal — ‘to cure, prevent or manage all disease’ — if not in their lifetime, then in their children’s.”
During that decade they also f … ⌘ Read more
Unesco Adopts Global Standards On ‘Wild West’ Field of Neurotechnology
Unesco has adopted the first global ethical standards for neurotechnology, defining “neural data” and outlining more than 100 recommendations aimed at safeguarding mental privacy. “There is no control,” said Unesco’s chief of bioethics, Dafna Feinholz. “We have to inform the people about the risks, the potential benefits, the alterna … ⌘ Read more