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In Guatemala’s Western Highlands, researchers found that the drinking water people trust most may actually be the riskiest. Bottled water from refillable jugs—seen as the safest choice—was frequently contaminated with harmful bacteria, while protected municipal wells were the cleanest.View the full article

New research suggests that auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia may come from a brain glitch that confuses inner thoughts for external voices. Normally, the brain predicts the sound of its own inner speech and tones down its response. But in people hearing voices, brain activity ramps up instead, as if the voice belongs to someone else. The discovery could help scientists develop early warning signs for psychosis.View the full article

A rare fossil discovery in Ethiopia has pushed the known range of Paranthropus hundreds of miles farther north than ever before. The 2.6-million-year-old jaw suggests this ancient relative of humans was surprisingly adaptable, not a narrow specialist as once believed. Instead of being outmatched by early humans, Paranthropus appears to have been just as widespread and resilient. The find forces scientists to rethink how early human relatives lived—and competed.View the full article

Rare rocks buried deep in central Australia have revealed how a valuable niobium deposit formed during the breakup of an ancient supercontinent. More than 800 million years ago, tectonic rifting opened pathways that allowed metal-rich magma to rise from the mantle. These unusual rocks contain niobium, a key ingredient in high-strength steel, electric vehicles, and emerging energy technologies. The discovery offers fresh insight into how some of Earth’s most important mineral resources reach the surface.View the full article

Europa’s subsurface ocean might be getting fed after all. Scientists found that salty, nutrient-rich surface ice can become heavy enough to break free and sink through Europa’s icy shell, delivering essential ingredients to the ocean below. The process is fast, repeatable, and works under many conditions. It offers a promising new explanation for how Europa could support life.View the full article

Chemists at UCLA are showing that some of organic chemistry’s most famous “rules” aren’t as unbreakable as once thought. By creating bizarre, cage-shaped molecules with warped double bonds—structures long considered impossible—the team is opening the door to entirely new kinds of chemistry.View the full article

A new study suggests humans belong in an elite “league of monogamy,” ranking closer to beavers and meerkats than to chimpanzees. By comparing full and half siblings across species and human cultures, researchers found that long-term pair bonding is unusually common in our species. Even societies that permit polygamy show far more monogamy than most mammals. This rare evolutionary shift may have played a key role in human social success.View the full article

Researchers have identified a promising new weapon against triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. An experimental antibody targets a protein that fuels tumor growth and shuts down immune defenses, effectively turning the immune system back on. In early tests, the treatment slowed tumor growth, reduced lung metastases, and destroyed chemotherapy-resistant cancer cells.View the full article

Type 2 diabetes becomes more dangerous to the heart the longer a person has it. Researchers found that after several years, red blood cells can begin interfering with healthy blood vessel function. This harmful shift was not present in newly diagnosed patients but emerged over time. A small molecule inside blood cells may help flag rising cardiovascular risk early.View the full article

A new blood test may reveal Crohn’s disease years before symptoms begin. The test detects an unusual immune response to gut bacteria in people who later develop the condition. By studying healthy relatives of Crohn’s patients, researchers identified early warning signals long in advance. The findings raise hope for earlier diagnosis and future prevention.View the full article

A new study reveals that super agers over 80 have a distinct genetic edge. They are much less likely to carry the gene most associated with Alzheimer’s risk, even when compared with other healthy seniors. Researchers also found higher levels of a protective gene variant in this group. Together, the findings help explain why some people age with remarkably youthful minds.View the full article

Scientists found that nasal cells act as a first line of defense against the common cold, working together to block rhinovirus soon after infection. A fast antiviral response can stop the virus before symptoms appear. If that response is weakened or delayed, the virus spreads and causes inflammation and breathing problems. The study highlights why the body’s reaction matters more than the virus alone.View the full article

Scientists studying genetic data from over a quarter million people have uncovered new clues about what controls how fast the gut moves. They identified multiple DNA regions linked to bowel movement frequency, confirming known gut pathways and revealing new ones. The biggest surprise was a strong connection to vitamin B1, a common nutrient not usually linked to digestion.View the full article

Blockchain could make smart devices far more secure, but sluggish data sharing has held it back. Researchers found that messy network connections cause massive slowdowns by flooding systems with duplicate data. Their new “Dual Perigee” method lets devices automatically favor faster connections and ditch slower ones. In tests, it nearly halved delays, making real-time IoT services far more practical.View the full article

NASA astronaut Suni Williams has retired after 27 years of service and a career defined by endurance, leadership, and firsts in space. She spent 608 days in orbit, completed nine spacewalks, and twice commanded the International Space Station. Williams flew on everything from the space shuttle to Boeing’s Starliner, playing a key role in shaping modern human spaceflight. Her legacy will influence future missions to the Moon and beyond.View the full article

A long-standing law of thermodynamics turns out to have a loophole at the smallest scales. Researchers have shown that quantum engines made of correlated particles can exceed the traditional efficiency limit set by Carnot nearly 200 years ago. By tapping into quantum correlations, these engines can produce extra work beyond what heat alone allows. This could reshape how scientists design future nanoscale machines.View the full article

Fungal infections are becoming deadlier as drug resistance spreads and treatment options stall. Researchers at McMaster University discovered that a molecule called butyrolactol A can dramatically weaken dangerous fungi, allowing existing antifungal drugs to work again. Instead of killing the fungus directly, the molecule sabotages a vital internal system, leaving the pathogen exposed. The breakthrough could help revive an entire class of antifungal medicines once thought obsolete.View the full article

New research suggests that consistent aerobic exercise can help keep your brain biologically younger. Adults who exercised regularly for a year showed brains that appeared nearly a year younger than those who didn’t change their habits. The study focused on midlife, a critical window when prevention may offer long-term benefits. Even small shifts in brain age could add up over decades.View the full article

Scientists are learning how to temporarily reshape materials by nudging their internal quantum rhythms instead of blasting them with extreme lasers. By harnessing excitons, short-lived energy pairs that naturally form inside semiconductors, researchers can alter how electrons behave using far less energy than before. This approach achieves powerful quantum effects without damaging the material, overcoming a major barrier that has limited progress for years.View the full article

When quantum spins interact, they can produce collective behaviors that defy long-standing expectations. Researchers have now shown that the Kondo effect behaves very differently depending on spin size. In systems with small spins, it suppresses magnetism, but when spins are larger, it actually promotes magnetic order. This discovery uncovers a new quantum boundary with major implications for future materials.View the full article

A major global study suggests that a hidden mismatch between two common blood tests could quietly signal serious trouble ahead. When results from creatinine and cystatin C—two markers used to assess kidney health—don’t line up, the risk of kidney failure, heart disease, and even death appears to rise sharply. Researchers found that this gap is especially common among hospitalized and older patients, and that relying on just one test may miss early warning signs.View the full article

The microbes living in sourdough starters don’t just appear by chance—they’re shaped by what bakers feed them. New research shows that while the same hardy yeast tends to dominate sourdough starters regardless of flour type, the bacteria tell a more complex story. Different flours—like whole wheat or bread flour—encourage different bacterial communities, which can subtly influence flavor, texture, and fermentation.View the full article

Researchers from New England Biolabs (NEB®) and Yale University describe the first fully synthetic bacteriophage engineering system for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an antibiotic-resistant bacterium of global concern, in a new PNAS study. The system is enabled by NEB’s High-Complexity Golden Gate Assembly (HC-GGA) platform. In this method, researchers engineer bacteriophages synthetically using sequence data rather than bacteriophage isolates.View the full article

New experiments reveal that protein precursors can form naturally in deep space under extreme cold and radiation. Scientists found that simple amino acids bond into peptides on interstellar dust, long before stars and planets exist. This challenges the idea that complex life chemistry only happens on planets. It also boosts the odds that life-friendly ingredients are widespread across the universe.View the full article

Epaulette sharks can reproduce without any measurable increase in energy use, stunning researchers who expected egg-laying to be costly. Scientists tracked metabolism, blood, and hormone levels through the entire reproductive cycle and found everything stayed remarkably stable. This efficiency suggests these sharks have evolved to optimize energy in ways not seen before.View the full article