ScienceDaily

Cannabis use among older adults is rising fast, but today’s marijuana is far more potent than many people realize — and experts warn the risks may be underestimated. Stanford Medicine specialists say modern cannabis can increase the chances of heart problems, falls, memory issues, dangerous drug interactions, and even addiction, especially for people over 65.

Scientists have uncovered a surprising dark side to vitamin B2: it may help cancer cells stay alive. The vitamin supports a cellular shield that protects tumors from ferroptosis, a form of programmed cell death linked to cancer suppression. In lab tests, researchers used a vitamin B2-like compound called roseoflavin to break down that protection and trigger cancer cell death.

Scientists have uncovered evidence that serotonin — the same brain chemical boosted by many antidepressants — may actually worsen tinnitus. Using advanced light-based brain stimulation in mice, researchers identified a serotonin-driven circuit linked directly to tinnitus-like behavior. The findings may explain why some people experience louder ringing in their ears while taking SSRIs.

Researchers analyzing over 20,000 patients found that very high levels of the inherited cholesterol particle Lp(a) dramatically raise the risk of stroke, cardiovascular death, and major heart complications. Because most people with elevated Lp(a) have no symptoms, experts say a simple blood test could uncover a dangerous hidden risk factor.

A colossal valley near Mars’s equator is revealing dramatic clues about the Red Planet’s watery and volcanic past. Stretching roughly 1,300 kilometers, Shalbatana Vallis was carved billions of years ago when enormous floods of groundwater burst onto the surface, gouging deep winding channels across the landscape. Today, the region is a striking mix of ancient flood scars, collapsed “chaotic terra…

NASA is testing a next-generation space computer chip that could give spacecraft the ability to operate far more independently in deep space. The radiation-hardened processor is showing performance levels hundreds of times beyond current spaceflight computers while surviving punishing tests designed to mimic the harsh conditions of space. The technology could enable AI-powered spacecraft, faster …

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope could expose a vast hidden population of neutron stars lurking unseen across the Milky Way. By detecting subtle shifts in starlight caused by gravity, the mission may identify and even weigh isolated neutron stars that are otherwise impossible to see. Scientists hope the discoveries will reveal how these extreme objects are born and why they are blasted through space …

A massive new dinosaur discovered in Thailand is rewriting Southeast Asia’s prehistoric history. The newly named Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis was a colossal long-necked sauropod that weighed around 27 tonnes and lived more than 100 million years ago. Scientists believe it may be the last giant sauropod ever to roam the region before rising seas transformed the landscape.

A casual conversation between graduate students helped spark a breakthrough in aging research at Mayo Clinic. Researchers discovered that tiny synthetic DNA molecules called aptamers can selectively attach to senescent “zombie cells,” which are linked to aging, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease. The method could eventually help scientists identify and target these cells in living tissue with …

A groundbreaking Swedish study that tracked people for nearly 50 years has revealed when the body’s physical decline quietly begins. Researchers found that fitness, strength, and muscle endurance start slipping around age 35, with the decline accelerating over time. But there’s an encouraging twist: adults who became active later in life still improved their physical performance by up to 10 perce…

Scientists at UC Santa Barbara have created a remarkable new material that works like a “rechargeable solar battery,” storing sunlight inside tiny molecules and releasing it later as heat — even long after the sun goes down. Inspired by reversible changes found in DNA and photochromic sunglasses, the system captures solar energy without relying on bulky batteries or the electrical grid. The molec…

A newly discovered meteor stream may be the smoking gun of an asteroid slowly disintegrating under the Sun’s intense heat. Scientists say these fiery streaks across the night sky could reveal hidden near-Earth asteroids that telescopes struggle to detect.

Colorectal cancer is increasingly showing up in younger adults, with cases now appearing in people as young as their thirties — often with no family history or warning signs. A major Swiss study analyzing nearly 100,000 cases over four decades found that diagnoses in people under 50 have been steadily climbing, even as rates fall among older adults thanks to screening programs. Researchers say yo…

Scientists have uncovered compelling evidence that dinosaur fossils may still contain traces of their original proteins, overturning a long-standing belief that fossilization destroys all organic material. In a remarkably well-preserved Edmontosaurus fossil from South Dakota, researchers detected remnants of collagen — the main protein found in bone — using advanced techniques including mass spec…

Scientists studying mysterious ultra-powerful cosmic rays have uncovered a surprising hidden pattern that could finally help explain where these particles come from. Using the DAMPE space telescope, researchers found that cosmic ray particles—from tiny protons to heavy iron nuclei—all begin fading away more sharply at the exact same point, hinting at a universal rule governing their behavior acro…