A new building material developed by engineers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute could change how the world builds. Made using an enzyme that turns carbon dioxide into solid minerals, the material cures in hours and locks away carbon instead of releasing it. It’s strong, repairable, recyclable, and far cleaner than concrete. If adopted widely, it could slash emissions across the construction industry.

Solar Orbiter has captured the clearest evidence yet that a solar flare grows through a cascading “magnetic avalanche.” Small, weak magnetic disturbances rapidly multiplied, triggering stronger and stronger explosions that accelerated particles to extreme speeds. The process produced streams of glowing plasma blobs that rained through the Sun’s atmosphere long after the flare itself.

Scientists have uncovered why people with chronic kidney disease so often die from heart problems: damaged kidneys release tiny particles into the bloodstream that actively poison the heart. These particles, produced only by diseased kidneys, carry genetic material that disrupts heart function and can lead to heart failure.

Researchers have identified a key molecular interaction that accelerates Parkinson’s disease by damaging the brain’s energy systems. They designed a new treatment that intercepts this harmful process, protecting brain cells and restoring their function. In lab and animal models, the approach improved movement and cognitive performance while reducing inflammation. The findings point toward a new generation of Parkinson’s therapies aimed at the root cause, not just the symptoms.

Scientists at Stanford Medicine have discovered a treatment that can reverse cartilage loss in aging joints and even prevent arthritis after knee injuries. By blocking a protein linked to aging, the therapy restored healthy, shock-absorbing cartilage in old mice and injured joints, dramatically improving movement and joint function. Human cartilage samples from knee replacement surgeries also began regenerating when exposed to the treatment.

Quantum computers could revolutionize everything from drug discovery to business analytics—but their incredible power also makes them surprisingly vulnerable. New research from Penn State warns that today’s quantum machines are not just futuristic tools, but potential gold mines for hackers. The study reveals that weaknesses can exist not only in software, but deep within the physical hardware itself, where valuable algorithms and sensitive data may be exposed.

Researchers report that vagus nerve stimulation helped many people with long-standing, treatment-resistant depression feel better—and stay better—for at least two years. Most participants had lived with depression for decades and had exhausted nearly every other option. Those who improved at one year were very likely to maintain or increase their gains over time. Even some patients who didn’t respond initially improved after longer treatment.

After the Big Bang, the Universe entered a long, dark period before the first stars formed. During this era, hydrogen emitted a faint radio signal that still echoes today. New simulations show this signal could be slightly altered by dark matter, leaving behind a measurable fingerprint. Future radio telescopes on the Moon may be able to detect it and shed light on one of astronomy’s greatest mysteries.

Astronomers have captured the most dramatic view yet of a planet losing its atmosphere, watching the ultra-hot gas giant WASP-121b for an entire orbit with the James Webb Space Telescope. Instead of a single stream of escaping gas, the planet is wrapped in two colossal helium tails—one trailing behind like a comet, the other stretching ahead toward its star.

Scientists have discovered that the human brain understands spoken language in a way that closely resembles how advanced AI language models work. By tracking brain activity as people listened to a long podcast, researchers found that meaning unfolds step by step—much like the layered processing inside systems such as GPT-style models.

A new study suggests that micro-doses of THC could help counter many long-term side effects of HIV treatment without causing intoxication. In animal models, low-dose THC reduced inflammation, improved gut bacteria, boosted serotonin, and lowered harmful cholesterol and bile acids. Surprisingly, it also reduced circulating levels of antiretroviral drugs while maintaining viral suppression, potentially protecting the liver. Scientists say the results point to a promising new approach for managing chronic complications of HIV.

Mountain regions around the world are heating up faster than the lands below them, triggering dramatic shifts in snow, rain, and water supply that could affect over a billion people. A major global review finds that rising temperatures are turning snowfall into rain, shrinking glaciers, and making mountain weather more extreme and unpredictable. These changes threaten water sources for huge populations, including those in China and India, while also increasing risks of floods, ecosystem collapse, and deadly weather events.

When you’re short on sleep and your focus suddenly drifts, your brain may be briefly slipping into cleanup mode. Scientists discovered that these attention lapses coincide with waves of fluid washing through the brain, a process that usually happens during sleep. It’s the brain’s way of compensating for missed rest. Unfortunately, that internal cleaning comes at the cost of momentary mental shutdowns.

Researchers have found a reliable way to grow helper T cells from stem cells, solving a major challenge in immune-based cancer therapy. Helper T cells act as the immune system’s coordinators, helping other immune cells fight longer and harder. The team discovered how to precisely control a key signal that determines which type of T cell forms. This advance could lead to ready-made cell therapies that are cheaper, faster, and easier to access.

Scientists have uncovered a surprising reason why some chronic wounds refuse to heal, even when treated with antibiotics. A common bacterium found in long-lasting wounds does not just resist drugs. It actively releases damaging molecules that overwhelm skin cells and stop them from repairing tissue. Researchers discovered that neutralizing these harmful molecules with antioxidants allows skin cells to recover and restart healing.

Scientists have uncovered new clues about why diabetic foot infections can become so severe and difficult to treat. By analyzing the DNA of E. coli bacteria taken from infected wounds around the world, researchers found an unexpected level of diversity, with many strains carrying genes linked to antibiotic resistance and aggressive disease. Rather than a single dangerous strain, multiple types of E. coli appear able to thrive in diabetic foot ulcers, helping explain why infections can worsen quickly and sometimes lead to amputation.

Ibuprofen may be doing more than easing aches and pains—it could also help reduce the risk of some cancers. Studies have linked regular use to lower rates of endometrial and bowel cancer, likely because the drug dampens inflammation that fuels tumor growth. Researchers have even found it can interfere with genes cancer cells rely on to survive. Still, experts warn that long-term use carries risks and shouldn’t replace proven prevention strategies.

A nearby active galaxy called VV 340a offers a dramatic look at how a supermassive black hole can reshape its entire host. Astronomers observed a relatively weak but restless jet blasting outward from the galaxy’s core, wobbling like a spinning top as it plows through surrounding gas. Using a powerful mix of space- and ground-based telescopes, the team showed that this jet heats, ionizes, and flings gas out of the galaxy at a surprisingly high rate.

NASA’s Artemis II rocket has reached its launch pad after a painstaking overnight crawl across Kennedy Space Center. Engineers are now preparing for crucial fueling and countdown tests ahead of the first crewed Artemis mission. The mission will send four astronauts on a journey around the Moon and back. It’s a key milestone on the path to returning humans to the Moon and pushing onward to Mars.

Physicists have unveiled a new way to simulate a mysterious form of dark matter that can collide with itself but not with normal matter. This self-interacting dark matter may trigger a dramatic collapse inside dark matter halos, heating and densifying their cores in surprising ways. Until now, this crucial middle ground of behavior was nearly impossible to model accurately. The new code makes these simulations faster, more precise, and accessible enough to run on a laptop.