https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/top/ Top science stories featured on ScienceDaily's home page. en-us Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:43:07 EDT Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:43:07 EDT 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/top/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260922005655.htm A Yellowstone super-eruption would begin not with a sudden surprise, but with weeks of increasingly alarming warning signs such as migrating earthquake swarms, rapid ground uplift, changing geysers, and rising volcanic gases. In a worst-case scenario, those signals could culminate in a VEI 8 eruption that blasts ash tens of kilometers into the atmosphere, unleashes deadly pyroclastic flows, buries parts of the western United States in ash, and cripples transportation, electricity, water systems, agriculture, and communications across much of North America. Tue, 22 Sep 2026 04:32:08 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260922005655.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081116.htm Stem cell transplants helped regenerate stroke-damaged brain tissue in mice, producing new neurons and restoring lost motor function. The treatment also improved blood vessels, inflammation, and the blood-brain barrier, raising hopes that a similar approach could eventually help repair the human brain after stroke. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 21:49:32 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081116.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081105.htm Researchers have created a concrete mixture that is both stronger and capable of absorbing carbon dioxide. The best formula, combining zeolite with bamboo biochar, boosted compressive strength by 7.48% and tensile strength by 15% compared with conventional concrete. It also captured about 1.2 grams of CO₂ per day in laboratory testing. Tue, 22 Sep 2026 07:46:55 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081105.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081101.htm An amateur astronomer searching satellite maps for a Quebec camping spot accidentally discovered a massive ancient impact crater. Scientists later found shatter cones that confirmed the 25-kilometer-wide structure was blasted into Earth roughly 390 million years ago. Tue, 22 Sep 2026 06:43:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081101.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081058.htm NASA’s Roman Space Telescope has successfully activated its 300-megapixel infrared camera, which will capture enormous stretches of the cosmos with Hubble-like sharpness. Its planet-hunting coronagraph is also working as expected, putting Roman another major step closer to beginning science operations in 2027. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:10:58 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081058.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081054.htm Stanford researchers have recorded the first real-time quantum jumps of sound, watching single phonons abruptly vanish from one energy state to another. The breakthrough could open new paths for quantum computing, error correction, highly sensitive biological sensors, and next-generation sound-based devices. Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:17:20 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081054.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081050.htm Researchers observed a humpback whale mother staying beside her presumed stillborn calf for hours and possibly days off Australia’s Gold Coast. She maintained eye contact and remained close to the calf in behavior resembling caregiving and nurturing. Scientists say the rare observation may provide new insight into grief, maternal attachment, and emotional complexity in humpback whales. Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:05:14 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260921081050.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222416.htm A new needle-thin brain implant can record neural activity, deliver drugs, and stimulate multiple brain regions using a single flexible fiber. Successful tests in mice suggest it could give scientists a more precise, less invasive way to study the brain and may eventually help treat neurological disorders such as epilepsy. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:25:22 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222416.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222414.htm A large study suggests the cardiovascular benefits of GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound can disappear surprisingly quickly when treatment stops. After two years off the medications, patients had a 22% higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and death compared with those who stayed on them. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:35:30 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222414.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222412.htm Researchers have found evidence that long COVID may damage dopamine releasing neurons in the brain, potentially explaining persistent fatigue, low motivation, slowed movement, and memory difficulties. The discovery could lead to new treatments that target the brain's dopamine system. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 23:48:58 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222412.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222410.htm Genetic evidence has revealed a previously unknown gentoo penguin species on the remote Kerguelen Islands and shown that gentoos actually consist of four distinct species. The discovery also highlights a growing threat, as warming oceans could leave several island populations with little suitable habitat by 2050. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 23:11:46 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222410.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222405.htm Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a surprisingly simple way to turn polyethylene, the common plastic used in shopping bags and cutting boards, into gasoline and diesel-like fuels. The process uses inexpensive aluminum-based molten salts to break long plastic molecules into smaller hydrocarbons, producing about 60% gasoline under relatively mild conditions. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:08:40 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222405.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222358.htm Scientists have found evidence that black holes of vastly different sizes may launch powerful jets according to the same universal rule. Supermassive black holes can produce jets soon after tearing apart a star, then fire up again hundreds or thousands of days later when their feeding rate drops to about 2% of the Eddington limit. That same threshold is known to trigger jets from much smaller black holes in the Milky Way. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:23:10 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222358.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222354.htm Chronic inflammation tied to stress, lifestyle, mental health, and socioeconomic conditions may silently change the heart for years before any symptoms appear. People with the highest inflammation levels faced a 43% greater risk of heart attack and stroke, raising hopes that earlier testing and anti-inflammatory treatments could help prevent serious heart disease. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 07:35:13 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222354.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222352.htm Scientists have found that the human brain develops from two distinct cellular systems, suggesting that evolution fused together two ancient nervous systems with very different jobs. The discovery also allowed researchers to grow human hindbrain neurons in the lab, opening new possibilities for studying ALS, spinal muscular atrophy, and other brainstem diseases. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 06:12:51 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222352.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222350.htm Physicists have put a decades-old idea about why the strange rules of quantum mechanics disappear in our everyday world to one of its toughest experimental tests yet. Deep beneath Italy’s Gran Sasso mountain, researchers searched for an extremely faint radiation signal predicted by a theory suggesting that tiny fluctuations in spacetime, caused by gravity, gradually destroy quantum superpositions. After 62 days of measurements with a highly shielded germanium detector, they found no such signal. Mon, 21 Sep 2026 05:24:50 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920222350.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920032049.htm A decade-long NIST experiment has produced a new measurement of the universal gravitational constant that differs unexpectedly from another leading result, deepening a 225-year-old physics puzzle. The discrepancy is tiny, but for one of nature’s most fundamental constants, it is large enough to keep scientists wondering whether hidden experimental errors or something more surprising is involved. Sun, 20 Sep 2026 06:30:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260920032049.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031040.htm A massive crater on Mars’ moon Phobos may hide a dense region of compressed material that could reveal whether the moon is a captured asteroid or debris from an ancient impact on Mars. Japan’s upcoming MMX sample return mission could provide the measurements and physical evidence needed to solve the mystery. Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:12:41 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031040.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031037.htm Nearly three decades of Hurricane Hunter data reveal four features that can help a tilted tropical cyclone straighten its circulation and become capable of intensifying. The findings could give forecasters an earlier warning that a seemingly disorganized storm is becoming primed to strengthen. Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:29:23 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031037.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031035.htm Researchers may have solved a long-running mystery surrounding the Dead Sea Scrolls by proposing that the Qumran sect really did use its distinctive 364-day calendar. Its perfectly ordered 52-week system kept holidays on the same weekdays, but it slowly drifted out of sync with the seasons because it was shorter than the true solar year. Sun, 20 Sep 2026 07:58:13 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031035.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031033.htm Cats may identify one another through a surprisingly durable chemical “calling card” made from 13 unusual fatty acids in their urine. The compounds appear linked to mysterious fat droplets in the kidneys and may represent a scent-recognition system shared across the cat family. Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:24:21 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031033.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031030.htm Scientists have developed ultra-bright nanoparticles that can detect tiny amounts of chemicals and distinguish between molecules that look almost identical. The technology could one day provide a cheaper way to catch dangerous drug impurities or trace pollutants using simple low-cost lasers. Sun, 20 Sep 2026 07:35:28 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031030.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031025.htm Ancient DNA reveals that plague repeatedly returned to Europe for more than 400 years after the Black Death, evolving into new lineages and spreading through trade, migration, and war. Researchers also developed a method to date ancient plague genomes more precisely, linking many of them to specific outbreaks recorded in historical sources. Sun, 20 Sep 2026 02:46:18 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031025.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031023.htm Physicists have detected strong evidence that heavy, fleeting Z bosons can become quantum entangled during Higgs boson decays at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider. The result shows that Einstein’s “spooky action at a distance” survives even under some of the most extreme conditions ever created in a laboratory. Sun, 20 Sep 2026 01:16:00 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031023.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031022.htm Complex systems may work better when their parts are not perfectly alike. Northwestern physicists found that carefully balanced variation, or “disorder,” can make networks such as power grids, ecosystems, neurons, and materials more stable. Even random differences sometimes improved stability compared with completely uniform systems. The discovery could help researchers design more resilient technologies and explain why natural systems are so rarely perfectly uniform. Sat, 19 Sep 2026 07:26:53 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031022.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031020.htm Chemical clues preserved inside fossilized T. rex teeth reveal that the dinosaur maintained a body temperature of about 97 degrees Fahrenheit, almost identical to humans. The finding provides direct evidence that the giant predator was warm-blooded, helping explain how it stayed active and survived in chilly environments as far north as Alaska. Sun, 20 Sep 2026 01:56:26 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919031020.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919025248.htm A chemical that stops drywood termites from building new exoskeletons killed about 95% of colonies in testing, offering a potentially safer alternative to traditional fumigation. Because termites eventually have no choice but to molt, the treatment turns a normal stage of their life cycle into a fatal weakness. Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:29:12 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260919025248.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024828.htm Scientists have identified the genetic cause behind the mysterious AnWj blood group antigen, solving a puzzle that began in 1972 and establishing a new blood group system called MAL. The discovery could make it much easier to find extremely rare AnWj-negative patients and donors and protect them from potentially dangerous transfusion reactions. Sat, 19 Sep 2026 06:14:15 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024828.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024816.htm A newly discovered snake from New Guinea has been named after Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash, who has loved reptiles since childhood. Genetic testing and physical differences confirmed that the reddish-brown groundsnake, Lielaphis slashi, is a species scientists had never formally recognized before. The nonvenomous snake may use large rear teeth to catch slippery lizards and reptile eggs. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:07:03 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024816.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024812.htm A single-celled organism can shrink to one-quarter of its length in milliseconds using a remarkable calcium-powered protein “fishnet.” Scientists hope its unusual machinery could inspire artificial muscles capable of moving far faster than today’s designs. Sat, 19 Sep 2026 07:39:22 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024812.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024810.htm A deep-sea microbe uses an exceptionally heat-resistant enzyme to turn atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia at temperatures that would destroy most proteins. Its unusual structure and a newly observed reaction state may reveal an ancient, shared mechanism behind nitrogen fixation and could eventually inspire cleaner biotechnology and fertilizer production. Sat, 19 Sep 2026 07:49:45 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024810.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024808.htm Scientists have found a new way to create a controlled beam of muonium, an exotic atom containing a heavier cousin of the electron. The advance could allow researchers to test for the first time whether gravity acts on second-generation particles exactly as Einstein’s theory predicts. Any unexpected difference would be a major surprise and could potentially point toward new physics, including a hypothetical fifth force. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 07:07:25 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024808.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024807.htm A 150-million-year-old dinosaur fossil from Spain has been identified as the first confirmed Diplodocus ever found outside North America. The giant sauropod measured about 25 meters long and was preserved well enough for researchers to match distinctive features in its tail bones to the famous genus. Its unexpected appearance in Europe suggests dinosaurs were moving between the continents during the Late Jurassic, possibly across temporary land connections. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 22:51:08 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024807.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024802.htm NASA’s Roman Space Telescope may now have enough fuel for at least 22 years of science, more than double its original 10 year design life. An extremely precise course correction, extra fuel at launch, and additional expected savings could keep the powerful observatory studying the universe for decades. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 07:31:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024802.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024759.htm Scientists are looking to diatoms, sea sponges, and plants for a cleaner way to recover rare earth elements and other valuable minerals hidden inside coal ash, red mud, and mine tailings. The bio-inspired approach could turn massive industrial waste piles into useful materials while reducing energy use, harsh chemicals, and reliance on new mining. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 22:08:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918024759.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918000437.htm Scientists found that declining levels of the brain protein Menin may help drive aging, with lower levels in mice linked to inflammation, cognitive decline, weaker bones, and thinner skin. Restoring Menin reversed several age-related changes, while the amino acid D-serine improved cognition, hinting at a potentially intriguing new target for healthy aging. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:25:45 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260918000437.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003737.htm Scientists discovered a new frog species in the flooded forests of the western Amazon, distinguishing it from nearly identical relatives through DNA and its unique call. Adenomera varcena highlights how much Amazonian biodiversity remains hidden even as habitat loss and climate change threaten these poorly understood species. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 10:08:44 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003737.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003732.htm Newer blood thinners may do more than prevent strokes in people with Alzheimer’s disease and atrial fibrillation. Researchers found that patients taking NOACs experienced a slower decline in cognitive function than those using warfarin or no blood thinners. The effect was modest each year but could add up over time. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 05:48:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003732.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003728.htm Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications can improve blood sugar, weight, and cardiovascular health, but researchers found little evidence that they also improve mental health, employment, marriage, or overall well-being. The findings suggest the drugs’ broader life effects may be subtler than their dramatic physical health benefits. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 23:52:09 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003728.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003722.htm Scientists discovered a population of cells that can start the process of programmed cell death, survive it, and then help rapidly rebuild damaged tissue. Their descendants become far more resistant to future damage, revealing a mechanism that could improve healing but may also help cancers return after treatment. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:30:43 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003722.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003718.htm Anak Krakatau erupted for more than 24 hours in early September, sending volcanic ash up to 50,000 feet into the atmosphere. The ash cloud shut down eight airports, disrupted nearly 3,000 flights, and affected air quality as far away as Jakarta. NASA satellites captured dramatic views of the plume spreading across the region. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 23:16:17 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003718.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003715.htm NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has revealed a 728-foot-wide crater that formed on the Moon in 2024, making it the largest newly formed crater ever identified in the solar system. The impact disturbed the surface for miles around it, creating a surprisingly large cold zone and showing how dramatically a single collision can reshape the lunar landscape. Fri, 18 Sep 2026 06:18:54 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003715.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003712.htm Astronomers have confirmed a Jupiter-size planet less than a million years old, making Elias 2-24 b the youngest known planet and giving scientists a rare look at a world still being born. Its surprisingly rapid formation challenges leading theories about how giant planets come together, especially so far from their stars. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:00:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003712.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003703.htm New supercomputer simulations suggest JWST’s puzzling Little Red Dots are rapidly growing black holes from the early Universe. Extreme radiation may have helped create unusually massive black hole seeds, while dense surrounding gas allowed them to grow dozens of times faster than black holes can today. The simulated objects closely resemble the Little Red Dots seen by Webb. If correct, they could solve the mystery of how enormous black holes formed so soon after the Big Bang. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:45:48 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260917003703.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260916232525.htm Scientists have found the first evidence that liquid may have flowed across Pluto’s surface in the recent past. Dark features on the enormous Sputnik Planitia glacier appear consistent with liquid nitrogen rising through cracks from deep beneath the ice. Computer models show that nitrogen could melt at the glacier’s base and travel upward like fluid through small conduits. The finding reveals that Pluto may be much more geologically active than its frozen appearance suggests. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:02:29 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260916232525.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232138.htm Scientists discovered that brain-cell axons may not be smooth tubes as textbooks have shown for more than a century, but instead naturally resemble strings of tiny pearls. Those pearl-like structures can change with neural activity and may help control how quickly electrical signals travel through the brain. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 06:54:28 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232138.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232136.htm Scientists are testing a counterintuitive way to fight mesothelioma, an aggressive asbestos-linked cancer with few effective treatments. A new experimental mesothelioma drug kills cancer cells by disabling PRX3, an antioxidant defense that tumors use to survive intense oxidative stress. In an early clinical trial, it controlled disease progression in 67% of patients and produced encouraging survival results, raising hopes that the strategy could eventually be used against other cancers. Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:11:51 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232136.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232134.htm Scientists discovered a hidden “immune organ” inside the skull that acts as a rapid first responder against brain cancer in mice. Strengthening this local immune defense improved tumor rejection and survival, raising the possibility of new treatments that target the skull directly. Wed, 16 Sep 2026 22:43:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232134.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232132.htm A new study suggests Earth formed almost entirely from material in the inner Solar System, challenging the idea that water-rich material from beyond Jupiter played a major role. If correct, Earth’s water may have been present much closer to the young Sun than scientists previously thought. Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:03:10 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232132.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232130.htm Scientists have discovered that some severe genetic disorders linked to rapid aging may be driven not just by damaged DNA, but by the body’s overreaction to that damage. When broken DNA fragments leak into the wrong part of a cell, an immune sensor called cGAS can mistake them for signs of a viral infection, triggering chronic inflammation and even interfering with DNA repair itself. Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:05:35 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232130.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232128.htm A newly identified 240-million-year-old animal from Tanzania is forcing scientists to rethink the early dinosaur timeline. Dinodontosaurus isiyavamanda belongs to a group previously known only from South America, linking fossil deposits on the two continents. That connection suggests Tanzania’s supposed oldest dinosaur fossils may actually be millions of years younger than previously thought. Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:48:08 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232128.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232124.htm The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed surprising changes in the rings around Chariklo, a small object orbiting between Saturn and Uranus. Over just a few years, its inner ring became more opaque while its outer ring became less opaque. The results suggest that rings around small Solar System bodies may be much more dynamic than scientists previously believed. What is causing the changes remains a mystery. Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:51:58 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232124.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232122.htm Venus may have once had a moon, but new research suggests the planet’s incredibly slow rotation could have doomed it. Computer simulations showed that instead of gradually drifting away like Earth’s moon, a Venusian moon would likely spiral inward until it crashed into the planet, with larger moons falling even faster. Wed, 16 Sep 2026 07:49:57 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915232122.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915100137.htm Scientists have developed a solar-powered desalination system that turns seawater into fresh water while removing nearly all of the leftover salt as a solid instead of producing harmful brine. The self-cleaning technology could also recover valuable minerals such as lithium, potentially turning desalination waste into a useful resource. Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:44:50 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260915100137.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102449.htm Scientists reconstructed videos from the brain activity of mice, producing 10-second clips based only on signals from neurons in the visual cortex. The breakthrough could help reveal how the brain reshapes what we see before it becomes our perception of reality. Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:33:18 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102449.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102445.htm Simply smelling chocolate helped men complete more leg extension repetitions without making the workout feel harder, with dark chocolate producing the strongest effect. The researchers think familiar food aromas may influence appetite and motivation by making the brain anticipate eating. Tue, 15 Sep 2026 11:03:54 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102445.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102443.htm Microscopic plant remains are revealing how GunaiKurnai ancestors used Cloggs Cave for ritual practices over thousands of years. People deliberately gathered whole grasses, carried them into the dark cave, and burned them in thin layers, leaving behind traces that may span 25,000 years. A standing stone erected around 2,000 years ago and other ritual objects strengthen the evidence that the cave was a long-lived spiritual site. Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:43:23 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102443.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102441.htm Scientists have uncovered sweeping changes in how the human brain controls and organizes its genome beginning in midlife, offering new clues to why aging sharply increases the risk of Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. One of the biggest shifts occurred between about ages 50 and 75, when many of the brain’s original immune cells declined and were replaced by cells with more inflammatory characteristics. Researchers also found weakening of cells that help maintain the blood-brain barrier, along with widespread deterioration in the genome’s three-dimensional organization. Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:28:38 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102441.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102436.htm A 125-million-year-old crocodile fossil has revealed preserved skin, possible sensory organs, sophisticated respiratory structures, and an unexpected pattern on its tail. Ultraviolet light exposed alternating bands that may represent ancient camouflage, potentially preserving the oldest known coloration in a crocodylomorph. Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:07:13 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102436.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102432.htm A mathematical shape famous for covering a surface without ever repeating has revealed an unexpected ability to twist light into unusual chiral patterns. The discovery could lead to new ways of controlling light, polarization, and advanced optical devices. Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:14:55 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260914102432.htm