ScienceDaily

A Swedish plano-convex ingot once thought to be from the Bronze Age was revealed through chemical and isotopic testing to belong to the Iron Age. Its composition closely matches Iron Age finds from Poland, leading researchers to uncover new evidence of long-distance connections across the Baltic. The study highlights how collaboration and scientific analysis can transform isolated artifacts into …

Monk parakeets ease into new friendships, slowly approaching strangers to avoid aggressive encounters. Researchers watched how birds shared space, groomed each other, and escalated to deeper social bonds over time. The results show a clear pattern of cautious exploration echoing similar studies in other animals. Even for birds, making a friend can be a delicate dance.

About 4.5 billion years ago, a colossal impact between the young Earth and a mysterious planetary body called Theia changed everything—reshaping Earth, forming the Moon, and scattering clues across space rocks. By examining subtle isotopic fingerprints in Earth and Moon samples, scientists have reconstructed Theia’s possible composition and birthplace.

Researchers have uncovered a surprising way the brain switches pain on, revealing that neurons can release an enzyme outside the cell that activates pain signals without disrupting normal movement or sensation. This enzyme, called VLK, modifies nearby proteins in a way that intensifies pain and strengthens connections tied to learning and memory. Removing VLK in mice dramatically reduced post-sur…

Scientists have created a live-cell DNA sensor that reveals how damage appears and disappears inside living cells, capturing the entire repair sequence as it unfolds. Instead of freezing cells at different points, researchers can now watch damage flare up, track repair proteins rushing to the site, and see the moment the DNA is restored. Built from a natural protein that binds gently and briefly …

Researchers discovered that raising the protein Sox9 can help the brain’s astrocytes clear out toxic plaque buildup linked to Alzheimer’s. In mouse models that already showed memory problems, activating these cells improved cognitive performance. The treatment also reduced plaque levels over time. The work points toward a natural, cell-based way to slow Alzheimer’s decline.

Ideas about Vikings and Norse mythology come mostly from much later medieval sources, leaving plenty of room for reinterpretation. Over centuries, writers, politicians, and artists reshaped these stories to reflect their own worldviews, from romantic heroism to dangerous nationalist myths. Pop culture and neo-paganism continue to amplify selective versions of this past. Scholars today are unravel…

Scientists flew the XL-Calibur telescope on a high-altitude balloon to measure polarized X-rays from Cygnus X-1. These measurements reveal details about the chaotic, superheated material swirling around black holes. The team also captured data from the Crab pulsar and achieved multiple technical breakthroughs during the 2024 mission. Another flight from Antarctica is expected to expand this cosmi…

A massive solar storm in May 2024 gave scientists an unprecedented look at how Earth’s protective plasma layer collapses under intense space weather. With the Arase satellite in a perfect observing position, researchers watched the plasmasphere shrink to a fraction of its usual size and take days to rebuild. The event pushed auroras far beyond their normal boundaries and revealed that a rare “neg…

Researchers taught young loggerhead turtles to associate certain magnetic fields with feeding, prompting a distinctive dance when they recognized the signal. After a magnetic pulse briefly disrupted their ability to feel magnetic forces, the turtles no longer performed the dance. This showed that hatchlings use a touch-based magnetic sense to determine their location. The discovery clarifies how …

Researchers have pinpointed a super-Earth in the habitable zone of a nearby M-dwarf star only 18 light-years away. Sophisticated instruments detected the planet’s gentle tug on its star, hinting at a rocky world that could hold liquid water. Future mega-telescopes may be able to directly image it—something impossible today.

Water trapped inside tiny molecular cavities behaves in a surprisingly energetic way, pushing outward like people crammed in an elevator. When a new molecule enters these narrow spaces, the confined water forces its way out—boosting the strength of the molecular bond that forms in its place. Researchers from KIT and Constructor University have now proven this effect both experimentally and theore…

Scientists discovered that lowering a specific molecule helps microglia switch into a protective state that quiets brain inflammation in Alzheimer’s. A small group of these cells seems to have an outsized ability to keep the brain healthier. When a key signal is removed from them, Alzheimer’s symptoms worsen. This pathway may help explain why some people naturally have reduced Alzheimer’s risk.

Worker bees stage coordinated revolts when viral infections weaken their queen and lower her pheromone output. This disruption drives many of the queen failures that beekeepers struggle with today. Field trials show that synthetic pheromone blends can prevent untimely supersedure, opening a path to more stable hive management.

A new nasal-delivered nanotherapy shows promise against aggressive glioblastoma tumors. By activating the STING immune pathway using gold-core spherical nucleic acids, researchers were able to reach the brain without invasive surgery. When paired with drugs that boost T-cell activity, the treatment eliminated tumors in mice and built long-lasting immunity. The results suggest a powerful new direc…