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Earthquakes happen daily, sometimes with devastating consequences, yet predicting them remains out of reach. What scientists can do is map the hidden layers beneath the surface that control how strongly the ground shakes. A new approach speeds up complex seismic simulations by a factor of about 1,000, making risk assessments far more practical. While it won’t forecast the next quake, it could help cities better prepare for one.View the full article

A familiar mouth bacterium best known for causing cavities may also be quietly influencing the brain. Scientists found that when this microbe settles in the gut, it produces compounds that can travel through the bloodstream and harm neurons involved in movement. In animal studies, this process triggered inflammation, motor problems, and brain changes linked to Parkinson’s disease. The findings hint that protecting oral and gut health could help protect the brain as well.View the full article

Researchers discovered that a poison frog species described decades ago was based on a mix-up involving the wrong museum specimen. The frog tied to the official species name turned out to be brown, not the colorful animal shown in the original photo. After tracing old records and images, scientists corrected the error and reclassified the frog as part of an already-known species. The case underscores how vital museum collections are—and how even small mistakes can ripple through science for years.View the full article

Scientists are learning to engineer light in rich, multidimensional ways that dramatically increase how much information a single photon can carry. This leap could make quantum communication more secure, quantum computers more efficient, and sensors far more sensitive. Recent advances have turned what was once an experimental curiosity into compact, chip-based technologies with real-world potential. Researchers say the field is hitting a turning point where impact may soon follow discovery.View the full article

A distant pulsar’s radio signal flickers as it passes through space, much like stars twinkle in Earth’s atmosphere. By monitoring this effect for 10 months, researchers watched the pattern slowly evolve as gas, Earth, and the pulsar all moved. Those changes create minuscule delays in the signal, but measuring them helps keep pulsars incredibly precise. The findings also aid SETI scientists in spotting signals that truly come from beyond Earth.View the full article

Living cells pay a hidden energy price not just to run chemical reactions, but to keep them on track and block all the alternatives. A new thermodynamic framework makes it possible to calculate these overlooked costs and compare different metabolic pathways. When tested on photosynthesis, the method showed that nature favors pathways that minimize wasted energy. This offers a powerful new lens on how life’s core processes may have evolved.View the full article

Researchers studying Caribbean whales and orcas have discovered two new viruses not previously observed in these animals. The viruses were found using advanced genetic sequencing of archived samples, revealing a previously invisible layer of marine life. Their genetic makeup suggests these viruses may have ancient roots in whale evolution. What they mean for whale health is still a mystery, but the discovery opens the door to many new questions.View the full article

Researchers have created microscopic robots so small they’re barely visible, yet smart enough to sense, decide, and move completely on their own. Powered by light and equipped with tiny computers, the robots swim by manipulating electric fields rather than using moving parts. They can detect temperature changes, follow programmed paths, and even work together in groups. The breakthrough marks the first truly autonomous robots at this microscopic scale.View the full article

Researchers at USF Health have discovered a new way opioid receptors can work that may lead to safer pain medications. Their findings show that certain experimental compounds can amplify pain relief without intensifying dangerous side effects like suppressed breathing. This research offers a fresh blueprint for designing opioids that last longer, work better, and pose fewer risks. It also opens doors to safer treatments for other brain disorders.View the full article

Mars looks familiar from afar, but surviving there means creating a protective oasis in a hostile world. Instead of shipping construction materials from Earth, researchers are exploring how to use Martian soil as the raw ingredient. Two tough microbes could work together to bind dust into a concrete-like material and even help generate oxygen. The vision: 3D-print habitats using local resources, one experiment at a time.View the full article

Many people with multiple sclerosis struggle with balance and coordination, and this study uncovers a hidden reason why. Researchers found that inflammation in the brain disrupts the energy supply of vital movement-controlling neurons. As their mitochondria fail, these cells weaken and eventually die, worsening motor problems over time. Protecting brain energy systems could open the door to slowing these symptoms.View the full article

A new chip-based quantum memory uses nanoprinted “light cages” to trap light inside atomic vapor, enabling fast, reliable storage of quantum information. The structures can be fabricated with extreme precision and filled with atoms in days instead of months. Multiple memories can operate side by side on a single chip, all performing nearly identically. The result is a powerful, scalable building block for future quantum communication and computing.View the full article

Scientists have found that combining silybin with carvedilol works far better against liver fibrosis than either drug alone. The duo targets the root drivers of liver scarring, sharply reducing collagen buildup and liver damage in experimental models. Importantly, both drugs are already approved and commonly prescribed. That makes this discovery especially promising for rapid clinical translation.View the full article

When a huge earthquake struck near Kamchatka, the SWOT satellite captured an unprecedented, high-resolution view of the resulting tsunami as it crossed the Pacific. The data revealed the waves were far more complex and scattered than scientists expected, overturning the idea that large tsunamis travel as a single, stable wave. Ocean sensors confirmed the quake’s rupture was longer than earlier models suggested. Together, the findings could reshape how tsunamis are modeled and predicted.View the full article

Scientists have uncovered a surprising viral shortcut that turns moving cells into delivery vehicles for infection. Instead of spreading one virus at a time, infected cells bundle viral material into large structures called Migrions and pass them directly to new cells. This collective delivery jump-starts viral replication and boosts disease severity. The finding reveals a migration-based route of viral spread that defies classic models of infection.View the full article

A long-running debate over Tamiflu’s safety in children may finally be settled. Researchers found that influenza, not the antiviral medication, was linked to serious neuropsychiatric events like seizures and hallucinations. Even more striking, kids treated with Tamiflu had about half the risk of these events compared to untreated children with the flu. The results suggest the drug may be protective rather than harmful.View the full article

Nearly all women in STEM graduate programs report feeling like impostors, despite strong evidence of success. This mindset leads many to dismiss their achievements as luck and fear being “found out.” Research links impostorism to worse mental health, higher burnout, and increased thoughts of dropping out. Supportive environments and shifting beliefs about intelligence may help break the cycle.View the full article

The idea that we make over 200 unconscious food choices a day has been repeated for years, but new research shows the number is more illusion than insight. The famous figure comes from a counting method that unintentionally exaggerates how many decisions people really make. Researchers warn that framing eating as mostly “mindless” can undermine confidence and self-control. A more realistic view focuses on meaningful choices—and practical strategies that make healthy decisions easier.View the full article

New research shows gut bacteria can directly influence how the brain develops and functions. When scientists transferred microbes from different primates into mice, the animals’ brains began to resemble those of the original host species. Microbes from large-brained primates boosted brain energy and learning pathways, while others triggered very different patterns. The results suggest gut microbes may have played a hidden role in shaping the human brain—and could influence mental health.View the full article

A protein once thought to simply help cancer cells avoid death turns out to do much more. MCL1 actively drives cancer metabolism by controlling the powerful mTOR growth pathway, tying survival and energy use together. This insight explains why MCL1-targeting drugs can be effective—but also why they sometimes damage the heart. Researchers have now identified a way to reduce that risk, potentially unlocking safer cancer therapies.View the full article

A meltwater lake that formed in the mid-1990s on Greenland’s 79°N Glacier has been draining in sudden, dramatic bursts through cracks and vertical ice shafts. These events have accelerated in recent years, creating strange triangular fracture patterns and flooding the glacier’s base with water in just hours. Some drainages even pushed the ice upward from below, like a blister forming under the glacier. Scientists now wonder whether the glacier can ever return to its previous seasonal rhythm.View the full article

A large study has revealed that dozens of widely used chemicals can damage beneficial gut bacteria. Many of these substances, found in pesticides and everyday industrial products, were never thought to affect living organisms at all. When gut bacteria are stressed by these chemicals, some may also become resistant to antibiotics. The research raises new questions about how chemical exposure could be influencing human health behind the scenes.View the full article

A new CRISPR breakthrough shows scientists can turn genes back on without cutting DNA, by removing chemical tags that act like molecular anchors. The work confirms these tags actively silence genes, settling a long-running scientific debate. This gentler form of gene editing could offer a safer way to treat Sickle Cell disease by reactivating a fetal blood gene. Researchers say it opens the door to powerful therapies with fewer unintended side effects.View the full article

CO2 can stimulate plant growth, but only when enough nitrogen is available—and that key ingredient has been seriously miscalculated. A new study finds that natural nitrogen fixation has been overestimated by about 50 percent in major climate models. This means the climate-cooling benefits of plant growth under high CO2 are smaller than expected. The result: a reduced buffer against climate change and more uncertainty in future projections.View the full article

Researchers have developed experimental compounds that make cells burn more calories by subtly tweaking how mitochondria produce energy. Older versions of these chemicals were once used for weight loss—but were banned for being deadly. The new approach fine-tunes the effect, allowing cells to burn extra fuel safely. If successful, this could pave the way for new obesity treatments with added health benefits.View the full article