Proton's width measured to unparalleled precision, narrowing the path to new physics

• German physicists measured proton width with unprecedented precision using hydrogen atom transition. • Max Planck Institute researchers leveraged unexplored energy-level transiti

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 155 words

Growing evidence that freshwater wildlife is impacted by microplastics

• Microplastics detected in droppings of freshwater birds across Europe • Study led by University of Glasgow, published in Environmental Research • Findings confirm widespread pres

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 128 words

Nanoengineers realize an on-chip excitonic hyperlens

• When light passes through materials, it typically changes direction and bends in predictable ways. • This change in direction, known as refraction, is caused by a change in the s

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 170 words
Toxic metals found in bananas after Brazil mining disaster

Toxic metals found in bananas after Brazil mining disaster

• Toxic metals found in bananas after Brazil mining disaster Toxic metals from a decade-old mining disaster may be quietly accumulating in bananasâ and could pose risks for young c

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 279 words

Video: This powder could rescue antibiotics

• Each year, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is the reason that more than a million people die from infections that no longer respond to existing antibiotics, making AMR one of the

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 77 words

Extra school roles can boost teachers' job satisfaction when balanced within existing hours, easing teacher shortages

• Teacher retention remains a significant concern in Australia, with stress, burnout, and job dissatisfaction being major contributors to educators leaving the profession.

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 49 words

Is social media addictive? How it keeps you clicking and the harms it can cause

• For years, big tech companies have placed the burden of managing screen time squarely on individuals and parents, operating on the assumption that capturing human attention is fa

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 63 words

Play reduces stress and lifts well-being-and adults benefit as much as children do

• Somewhere along the way to adulthood, time to play fades away. • We tend to trade silliness and imagination for seriousness and busyness.

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 50 words
Ancient DNA solves 12,000-year-old mystery of rare genetic growth disorder

Ancient DNA solves 12,000-year-old mystery of rare genetic growth disorder

• Ancient DNA solves 12,000-year-old mystery of rare genetic growth disorder A 12,000-year-old Ice Age burial has revealed the earliest genetic diagnosis of a rare growth disorder.

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 161 words

Genomics: Decoding the blueprints for Australia's biodiversity

• Every living organism has its own genetic ‘blueprint’: the source code for how it grows, functions and reproduces. • This blueprint is known as a genome. • When scientists sequen

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 115 words

New research calls for 'heat literacy' in Australia

• James Cook University (JCU) research argues Australians urgently need better education about heat to prepare for longer, hotter and more dangerous heat waves driven by climate ch

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 59 words

Warming winters are disrupting the hidden world of fungi-the result can shift mountain grasslands to scrub

• When you look out across a snowy winter landscape, it might seem like nature is fast asleep. • Yet, under the surface, tiny organisms are hard at work, consuming the previous yea

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 82 words
Ultra-fast pulsar found near the Milky Way's supermassive black hole

Ultra-fast pulsar found near the Milky Way's supermassive black hole

• Ultra-fast pulsar found near the Milky Wayâ s supermassive black hole Scientists at Columbia University working with Breakthrough Listen, a research initiative focused on searchi

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 154 words

Preserving fading history in the Florida Keys

• As sea level rise pushes saltwater farther into the Florida Keys, it is not only roads and neighborhoods that are at risk; it is also the record of the region’s earliest human hi

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 102 words
Dream hacking helps people solve complex problems in their sleep

Dream hacking helps people solve complex problems in their sleep

• One of the study’s participants asleep during the experimentMia Lux One of the study’s participants asleep during the experiment Mia Lux Your brain could be gently coaxed into wo

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 183 words
Scientists discover brain switches that clear Alzheimer's plaques

Scientists discover brain switches that clear Alzheimer's plaques

• Scientists discover brain switches that clear Alzheimerâ s plaques Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the RIKEN Center for Brain Science in Japan have identified t

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 236 words

What's Minnesota's largest raptor? Hint: it might not be the bald eagle

• Look at the armpits-or, technically, the ‘wingpits. • That’s what Scott Mehus, education director at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minn., told a group of bird watchers re

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 102 words

A yeast enzyme helps human cells overcome mitochondrial defects

• Nucleotide synthesis-the production of the basic components of DNA and RNA-is essential for cell growth and division. • In most animal cells, this process depends closely on prop

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 152 words

Elusive lithium-ion anode binder finally seen with pioneering technique

• Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a powerful new method to visualize an essential lithium-ion battery electrode component that had been extremely difficult t

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 116 words

Tropical forests generate rainfall worth billions, study finds

• Tropical forests produce 2.4 million liters of rainfall per hectare annually. • Study quantifies rainfall generation, equating to Olympic-sized pool per hectare. • Findings highl

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 143 words

Quantum sensor research advances the pursuit of dark matter

• Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory are helping to pave a path for the eventual discovery of dark matter. • With new approaches to measurement

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 120 words

AI model learns yeast DNA 'language' to boost protein drug output

• Industrial yeasts are a powerhouse of protein production, used to manufacture vaccines, biopharmaceuticals, and other useful compounds. • In a new study, MIT chemical engineers h

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 104 words
Mysterious RNA led scientists to a hidden layer of cancer

Mysterious RNA led scientists to a hidden layer of cancer

• Mysterious RNA led scientists to a hidden layer of cancer The journey began with T3p, a small RNA molecule detected in breast cancer but not in normal tissue. • When it was first

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 175 words
Can A Computer Science Student Be Taught To Design Hardware?

Can A Computer Science Student Be Taught To Design Hardware?

• To fill the talent gap, CS majors could be taught to design hardware, and the EE curriculum could be adapted or even shortened. • Key Takeaways A variety of new approaches are be

The surprisingly simple flaw that can undermine quantum encryption

The surprisingly simple flaw that can undermine quantum encryption

• The surprisingly simple flaw that can undermine quantum encryption Even quantum-secure communication can be weakened by something as simple as beam misalignment. • Quantum key di

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 203 words
Nearly 200,000 people reveal the real key to heart health

Nearly 200,000 people reveal the real key to heart health

• Nearly 200,000 people reveal the real key to heart health When it comes to heart health, food quality matters more than cutting carbs or fat. • A new study published inJACC, the

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 150 words
Massive magma surge sparked 28,000 Santorini earthquakes

Massive magma surge sparked 28,000 Santorini earthquakes

• Massive magma surge sparked 28,000 Santorini earthquakes Discovery points to a previously unknown link between Santorini and the nearby underwater volcano Kolumbo. • At the start

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 235 words

Bacterial strain from 5,000-year-old cave ice shows resistance against 10 modern antibiotics

• Bacteria have evolved to adapt to all of Earth’s most extreme conditions, from scorching heat to temperatures well below zero. • Ice caves are just one of the environments hostin

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 212 words
This new blood test could detect cancer before it shows up on scans

This new blood test could detect cancer before it shows up on scans

• This new blood test could detect cancer before it shows up on scans A new CRISPR-powered light sensor can detect the faintest molecular signs of cancer in a drop of blood. • Scie

Science · February 17, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 276 words
The mystery of nuclear 'magic numbers' has finally been resolved

The mystery of nuclear 'magic numbers' has finally been resolved

• Some atoms seem to be particularly stable because of their numbers of protons and neutronsShutterstock/ktsdesign Some atoms seem to be particularly stable because of their number

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 227 words
A fluid can store solar energy and then release it as heat months later

A fluid can store solar energy and then release it as heat months later

• Heating accounts for nearly half of the global energy demand, and two-thirds of that is met by burning fossil fuels like natural gas, oil, and coal. • Solar energy is a possible

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 25, 2026) · 2 min · 258 words
Psychedelic reduces depression symptoms after just one dose

Psychedelic reduces depression symptoms after just one dose

• Single dose of DMT produced rapid, sustained reduction in depressive symptoms among treatment-resistant patients. • Trial included 34 participants with moderate‑to‑severe depress

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 87 words
We've glimpsed before the big bang and it's not what we expected

We've glimpsed before the big bang and it's not what we expected

• Imagine we had somehow filmed the whole history of the universe and you could play the movie in reverse. • It would start off much as things stand today: a vast and elegant web o

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 25, 2026) · 2 min · 230 words
Majorana qubits decoded in quantum computing breakthrough

Majorana qubits decoded in quantum computing breakthrough

• Majorana qubits decoded in quantum computing breakthrough Researchers have finally read the once untouchable Majorana qubit, marking a major advance for stable quantum computing.

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 158 words
One in three people carry this brain parasite but the body has a kill switch

One in three people carry this brain parasite but the body has a kill switch

• 1 in 3 people worldwide carry the brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii. • The parasite can settle in the brain and persist for life. • Most carriers remain asymptomatic, but infectio

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 212 words
Lab grown human spinal cord heals after injury in major breakthrough

Lab grown human spinal cord heals after injury in major breakthrough

• Lab grown human spinal cord heals after injury in major breakthrough A tiny lab grown spinal cord just showed that a cutting edge molecular therapy may help repair devastating sp

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 170 words
Brain inflammation may be driving compulsive behavior

Brain inflammation may be driving compulsive behavior

• Brain inflammation may be driving compulsive behavior Compulsive behavior may be less about â bad habitsâ and more about an inflamed brain working too hard. • For years, scientis

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 208 words
Humans are the only primates with a chin - now we finally know why

Humans are the only primates with a chin - now we finally know why

• The human chin is an evolutionary oddityWestend61/Getty Images The human chin is an evolutionary oddity Westend61/Getty Images Humans are the only primates with a chin, leaving b

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 288 words
Scientists confirm one-dimensional electron behavior in phosphorus chains

Scientists confirm one-dimensional electron behavior in phosphorus chains

• Scientists confirm one-dimensional electron behavior in phosphorus chains Atom-thin phosphorus chains have been shown to host true 1D electronsâ and squeezing them tighter could

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 211 words
Backwards heat shows laws of thermodynamics may need a quantum update

Backwards heat shows laws of thermodynamics may need a quantum update

• Heat normally flows from hot to coldklyaksun/Shutterstock Heat normally flows from hot to cold klyaksun/Shutterstock A forgotten cup of coffee will gradually cool down as its hea

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 239 words
Universe may end in a 'big crunch,' new dark energy data suggests

Universe may end in a 'big crunch,' new dark energy data suggests

• Universe may end in a â big crunch,â new dark energy data suggests A Cornell physicist has calculated that the universe may be nearing the halfway point of a total lifespan of ab

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 316 words
Can we ever know the shape of the universe?

Can we ever know the shape of the universe?

• The Carina Nebula viewed by the Hubble Space TelescopeNASA/ESA/M. • Livio, The Hubble Heritage Team & Hubble 20th Anniversary Team (STScI) The Carina Nebula viewed by the Hubble

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 144 words
Scientists discover the enzyme that lets cancer rapidly rewire its DNA

Scientists discover the enzyme that lets cancer rapidly rewire its DNA

• Scientists discover the enzyme that lets cancer rapidly rewire its DNA Researchers identify the enzyme that sets off cancerâ s most chaotic genetic explosion â and it could be a

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 256 words
Ancient fingerprint found on 2,400-year-old Danish war boat

Ancient fingerprint found on 2,400-year-old Danish war boat

• Ancient fingerprint found on 2,400-year-old Danish war boat A 2,400-year-old war boat reveals its Baltic origins â and preserves the fingerprint of an ancient sailor. • A fresh s

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 236 words
Intermittent fasting probably doesn't help with weight loss

Intermittent fasting probably doesn't help with weight loss

• There may be no need to go hungry - intermittent fasting doesn’t cause weight loss anywayCatherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images There may be no need to go hungry - intermittent

Science · February 16, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 262 words
Ancient Mars was warm and wet, not cold and icy

Ancient Mars was warm and wet, not cold and icy

• A recent study showed that Mars was warm and wet billions of years ago. • The finding contrasts with another theory that this era was mainly cold and icy. • The result has implic

Science · February 15, 2026 (updated February 25, 2026) · 2 min · 241 words
'It ain't no unicorn': These researchers have interviewed 130 Bigfoot hunters

'It ain't no unicorn': These researchers have interviewed 130 Bigfoot hunters

• It was the image that launched a cultural icon. • In 1967, in the Northern California woods, a 7-foot-tall, ape-like creature covered in black fur and walking upright was capture

Science · February 15, 2026 (updated February 25, 2026) · 2 min · 214 words
Large study finds no link between mRNA COVID vaccine in pregnancy and autism

Large study finds no link between mRNA COVID vaccine in pregnancy and autism

• Study examined 434 toddlers aged 18‑30 months for autism after maternal mRNA COVID‑19 vaccination. • Half of children born to mothers vaccinated during pregnancy or within 30 day

Science · February 15, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 167 words
AI uncovers the hidden genetic control centers driving Alzheimer's

AI uncovers the hidden genetic control centers driving Alzheimer's

• AI uncovers the hidden genetic control centers driving Alzheimerâ s AI-powered gene maps reveal the hidden control networks reshaping the Alzheimerâ s brain. • A team led by Min

Science · February 15, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 204 words
Stop eating 3 hours before bed to improve heart health

Stop eating 3 hours before bed to improve heart health

• Stop eating 3 hours before bed to improve heart health Closing the kitchen earlier may help your heart reset overnight. • Researchers at Northwestern Medicine explored whether ti

Science · February 15, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 207 words
NASA has a new problem to fix before the next Artemis II countdown test

NASA has a new problem to fix before the next Artemis II countdown test

• NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said Saturday the agency is looking at ways to prevent the fueling problems plaguing the Space Launch System rocket before the Artemis III missi

Science · February 14, 2026 (updated February 25, 2026) · 2 min · 275 words
These 5 diets could add years to your life even if you have bad genes

These 5 diets could add years to your life even if you have bad genes

• A healthy diet has long been linked to living into old age - and you don’t have to adhere to it perfectly to reap the benefitsSolStock/Getty Images A healthy diet has long been l

Science · February 13, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 396 words
World's oldest cold virus found in 18th-century woman's lungs

World's oldest cold virus found in 18th-century woman's lungs

• Historic anatomical preparations from the late 1700s in the Hunterian Anatomy MuseumAnatomy Museum © The Hunterian, University of Glasgow Historic anatomical preparations from th

Science · February 13, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 348 words
Huge hot blobs inside Earth may have made its magnetic field wonky

Huge hot blobs inside Earth may have made its magnetic field wonky

• Earth’s magnetic field extends tens of thousands of kilometres into spaceGetty Images/iStockphoto Earth’s magnetic field extends tens of thousands of kilometres into space Getty

Science · February 13, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 288 words
Accidental discovery hints at mystery structures within our brain

Accidental discovery hints at mystery structures within our brain

• Lymphatic-like structures within the brain of a healthy personShiju Gan/Harvard University Lymphatic-like structures within the brain of a healthy person Shiju Gan/Harvard Univer

Science · February 13, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 320 words
Kim Burtnyk on Scientific Communication

Kim Burtnyk on Scientific Communication

• Burtnyk worked at LIGO, witnessed gravitational wave detection. • Explores how to explain complex science to public. • Uses storytelling and clear language. • Balances technical

Physics & Astronomy · February 13, 2026 (updated February 25, 2026) · 1 min · 138 words
CAR T-cell therapy may slow neurodegenerative conditions like ALS

CAR T-cell therapy may slow neurodegenerative conditions like ALS

• Illustration of CAR T-cell therapy (green) attacking a cancer cell (pink)NEMES LASZLO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Illustration of CAR T-cell therapy (green) attacking a cancer cell (pi

Science · February 13, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 284 words

Scaling social science research

• GABRIEL is a new open-source toolkit from OpenAI that uses GPT to turn qualitative text and images into quantitative data, helping social scientists analyze research at scale.

When Amazon badly needed a ride, Europe's Ariane 6 rocket delivered

When Amazon badly needed a ride, Europe's Ariane 6 rocket delivered

• The heavy version of Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket launched for the first time Thursday, hauling 32 spacecraft to low-Earth orbit for Amazon’s satellite broadband constellation. • The

Science · February 13, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 2 min · 269 words
Bringing the 'functionally extinct' American chestnut back from the dead

Bringing the 'functionally extinct' American chestnut back from the dead

• American chestnut nearly wiped out by two Asian fungal pathogens, killing ~3 billion trees. • Fungus kills saplings before they can seed, leaving chestnut functionally extinct in

Science · February 12, 2026 (updated February 24, 2026) · 1 min · 209 words