A breakthrough AI system is revolutionizing cancer immunotherapy by enabling scientists to design protein-based keys that train a patient s immune cells to attack cancer with extreme precision. This method, capable of reducing development time from years to weeks, was successfully tested on known and patient-specific tumor targets. Using virtual safety screenings to avoid harmful side effects, the platform represents a leap forward in personalized medicine.

Researchers at Harvard have created a groundbreaking metasurface that can replace bulky and complex optical components used in quantum computing with a single, ultra-thin, nanostructured layer. This innovation could make quantum networks far more scalable, stable, and compact. By harnessing the power of graph theory, the team simplified the design of these quantum metasurfaces, enabling them to generate entangled photons and perform sophisticated quantum operations — all on a chip thinner than a human hair. It's a radical leap forward for room-temperature quantum technology and photonics.

AI-generated videos are becoming dangerously convincing and UC Riverside researchers have teamed up with Google to fight back. Their new system, UNITE, can detect deepfakes even when faces aren't visible, going beyond traditional methods by scanning backgrounds, motion, and subtle cues. As fake content becomes easier to generate and harder to detect, this universal tool might become essential for newsrooms and social media platforms trying to safeguard the truth.

Millipedes, often dismissed as creepy crawlies, may hold the secret to future painkillers and neurological drugs. Researchers at Virginia Tech discovered unique alkaloid compounds in the defensive secretions of a native millipede species. These complex molecules, which cause disorientation in ants, interact with human neuroreceptors linked to pain and cognition. By decoding these natural chemical defenses, scientists could open a new path toward innovative drug therapies, though challenges remain in producing the compounds at scale.

Fermenting stevia with a banana leaf-derived probiotic turns it into a powerful cancer-fighting agent that kills pancreatic cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. The secret lies in a metabolite called CAME, produced through microbial transformation.

What if we could predict obesity before it ever takes hold? A global team has created a genetic test that forecasts a child’s risk of adult obesity before age five—years before other factors kick in. By analyzing data from over five million people, their polygenic risk score doubles the predictive power of previous tools. While genetics isn’t destiny, those with higher genetic risk respond better to weight loss interventions but may regain weight quickly. The tool isn’t perfect, it performs far better in people of European ancestry, but it’s a game-changer in early prevention.

A virus from humble black-eyed peas is showing extraordinary promise in the fight against cancer. Unlike other plant viruses, the cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) can awaken the human immune system and transform it into a cancer-fighting powerhouse, without infecting human cells. By comparing it to a similar, but ineffective, virus, researchers uncovered that CPMV uniquely triggers potent interferons and immune responses, making it a low-cost, plant-grown immunotherapy on the fast track toward clinical trials.

A massive global survey has revealed that people with eating disorders often turn to cannabis and psychedelics like magic mushrooms and LSD to ease their symptoms, rating them more effective than traditional medications. Surprisingly, common prescriptions like antidepressants were seen as helpful for overall mental health but fell short for eating disorder relief.

Even people who never caught Covid-19 may have aged mentally faster during the pandemic, according to new brain scan research. This large UK study shows how the stress, isolation, and upheaval of lockdowns may have aged our brains, especially in older adults, men, and disadvantaged individuals. While infection itself impacted some thinking skills, even those who stayed virus-free showed signs of accelerated brain aging—possibly reversible. The study highlights how major life disruptions, not just illness, can reshape our mental health.

Italian students taking oral exams have a better shot at success if they’re scheduled around midday, according to new research. Analyzing over 100,000 assessments, scientists found a clear bell curve in pass rates, peaking between 11 AM and 1 PM. This time-based trend might not be limited to academia—job interviews and court decisions could be affected too. The researchers suggest biological rhythms, decision fatigue, and misaligned chronotypes between students and professors might all contribute. Strategic scheduling and further research could help create fairer, more effective evaluations.

You may be seeing faces in clouds, toast, or cars—and it turns out your brain is wired to notice them. A fascinating new study shows how our attention is hijacked not just by real faces, but by face-like illusions, through entirely different mental mechanisms. These imaginary expressions actually spark a stronger response, and the research even hints at clever ways advertisers could use this effect to grab your attention.

A century-old fossil long mislabeled as a caterpillar has been reidentified as the first-known nonmarine lobopodian—rewriting what we know about ancient life. Discovered in Harvard’s museum drawers, Palaeocampa anthrax predates even the famous Cambrian lobopodians and reveals that these soft-bodied ancestors of arthropods once lived not only in oceans, but in freshwater environments too.

Scientists in Switzerland have cracked open a century-old viral mystery by decoding the genome of the 1918 influenza virus from a preserved Zurich patient. This ancient RNA revealed that the virus had already adapted to humans at the very start of the pandemic, carrying mutations that made it both more infectious and more immune-resistant. By pioneering a new method to recover fragile RNA from preserved tissue, researchers gained rare insights into how flu viruses evolve. The study not only revives the history of one of humanity's deadliest outbreaks but also arms us with critical knowledge to face future pandemics with smarter, science-based strategies.

A new study reveals that swapping a typical nighttime carbohydrate snack for pistachios may beneficially alter gut bacteria in people with prediabetes. Conducted by Penn State researchers, the 12-week clinical trial found that pistachio consumption increased beneficial gut microbes like Roseburia and reduced harmful ones such as Blautia hydrogenotrophica. These microbiome changes could potentially support metabolic health and slow the progression to Type 2 diabetes. While more research is needed to confirm health outcomes, this study positions pistachios as a promising late-night snack with microbiome-boosting potential.

A tiny, overlooked wrist bone called the pisiform may have played a pivotal role in bird flight and it turns out it evolved far earlier than scientists thought. Fossils from bird-like dinosaurs in Mongolia reveal that this bone, once thought to vanish and reappear, was actually hiding in plain sight. Thanks to pristine preservation and 3D scans, researchers connected the dots between ancient theropods and modern birds, uncovering a deeper, more intricate story of how dinosaurs evolved the tools for powered flight.

Aalto University physicists in Finland have set a new benchmark in quantum computing by achieving a record-breaking millisecond coherence in a transmon qubit — nearly doubling prior limits. This development not only opens the door to far more powerful and stable quantum computations but also reduces the burden of error correction.

Scientists at Princeton and the Simons Foundation have identified four biologically distinct subtypes of autism, using data from over 5,000 children and a powerful new computational method. These subtypes—each with unique traits, developmental paths, and genetic signatures—promise to revolutionize how we understand, diagnose, and treat autism.

Half a billion years ago, a strange sea-dwelling creature called Mollisonia symmetrica may have paved the way for modern spiders. Using detailed fossil brain analysis, researchers uncovered neural patterns strikingly similar to today's arachnids—suggesting spiders evolved in the ocean, not on land as previously believed. This brain structure even hints at a critical evolutionary leap that allowed spiders their infamous speed, dexterity, and web-spinning prowess. The findings challenge long-held assumptions about arachnid origins and may even explain why insects took to the skies: to escape their relentless, silk-spinning predators.

Even the most powerful AI models, including ChatGPT, can make surprisingly basic errors when navigating ethical medical decisions, a new study reveals. Researchers tweaked familiar ethical dilemmas and discovered that AI often defaulted to intuitive but incorrect responses—sometimes ignoring updated facts. The findings raise serious concerns about using AI for high-stakes health decisions and underscore the need for human oversight, especially when ethical nuance or emotional intelligence is involved.

Even if you're cramming your workouts into the weekend, you might be doing your heart a big favor—especially if you have diabetes. A large study of over 50,000 adults with diabetes found that both “weekend warriors” and those who spread out their exercise during the week saw significant reductions in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risks. Surprisingly, the pattern of exercise didn’t matter as long as the total time met current health guidelines. That means squeezing in your 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity over one or two days can be just as beneficial as spreading it out over several sessions.