In a major breakthrough, scientists have observed electrons in graphene flowing like a nearly frictionless liquid, defying a core law of physics. This exotic quantum state not only reveals new fundamental behavior but could also unlock powerful future technologies.

A rare fossil discovery is shedding light on the “missing years” of early sponge evolution. Scientists found a 550-million-year-old sponge that likely lacked hard skeletal parts, explaining why earlier fossils are so scarce. This supports the idea that the earliest sponges were soft-bodied and rarely preserved. The finding changes how researchers hunt for the origins of animal life.

Scientists have discovered a way to supercharge the immune system’s T cells by blocking a protein called Ant2, forcing the cells to rewire how they generate energy. This shift makes them more powerful, resilient, and effective at finding and destroying cancer cells.

A breakthrough experiment has shed new light on one of astrophysics’ biggest mysteries: the origin of rare proton-rich elements. For the first time, scientists directly measured a key reaction that creates selenium-74 using a rare isotope beam. The results sharpen models of how these elements form in supernova explosions, cutting uncertainty in half. But the findings also reveal gaps in current theories, hinting that the story isn’t complete yet.

Scientists have taken a major step toward stopping Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), an extremely common infection linked to cancer and chronic disease. By using mice engineered with human antibody genes, researchers created powerful human-like antibodies that block the virus from attaching to and entering immune cells. One of these antibodies completely prevented infection in lab models with human immune systems, marking a breakthrough after years of difficulty tackling EBV’s ability to invade nearly all B cells.

A lifetime of mental stimulation—like reading, writing, and learning new skills—may help protect the brain as we age. People with the highest levels of cognitive enrichment had a much lower risk of Alzheimer’s and experienced symptoms years later than those with the lowest levels.

A major new study reveals that treating gout may do far more than ease painful joint flare-ups—it could also protect the heart. Researchers found that patients who took common gout medications like allopurinol and successfully lowered their blood urate levels had a significantly reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular death over five years.

A new study from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is overturning a decades-old belief that Indigenous Hawaiians hunted native waterbirds to extinction. Instead, researchers found no scientific evidence supporting this claim and propose a more complex explanation involving climate change, invasive species, and shifts in land use—many occurring before Polynesian arrival or after traditional stewardship systems were disrupted.

In the aftermath of Earth’s most catastrophic extinction event, one unlikely survivor rose to dominate a shattered world: Lystrosaurus. Now, a stunning fossil discovery—an ancient egg containing a curled-up embryo—has finally answered a decades-old mystery about whether mammal ancestors laid eggs. Using advanced imaging technology, scientists confirmed that these resilient creatures did reproduce this way, likely producing large, soft-shelled eggs packed with nutrients.

In the Arizona desert, scientists have uncovered a bizarre and almost unbelievable partnership between ants: tiny cone ants acting as “cleaners” for much larger harvester ants. Instead of attacking, the smaller ants crawl over the giants, licking and nibbling their bodies—even venturing between their open jaws—while the larger ants calmly allow it. The scene resembles underwater “cleaning stations,” where small fish groom predators like sharks.

In crowded environments, more robots don’t always mean faster results—in fact, too many can bring everything to a standstill. Harvard researchers discovered a surprising fix: adding a bit of randomness to how robots move can actually prevent gridlock and boost efficiency. By allowing robots to “wiggle” slightly instead of marching in straight lines, they can slip past each other and keep tasks flowing smoothly.

Bread and other carbohydrate staples may be doing more than just filling plates—they could be quietly reshaping metabolism. In a surprising twist, researchers found that mice strongly preferred carbs like bread, rice, and wheat, abandoning their regular diet entirely. Even without eating more calories, they gained weight and body fat, not because they overate, but because their bodies burned less energy.

Loneliness may quietly affect how well older adults remember things—but it might not be speeding up mental decline after all. A large European study tracking over 10,000 people for seven years found that those who felt lonelier started off with weaker memory, yet their memory didn’t deteriorate any faster than those who felt more socially connected. The findings challenge the idea that loneliness directly accelerates cognitive decline or dementia, suggesting instead that it impacts baseline brain performance.

For years, water managers have been puzzled as the Colorado River kept delivering less water than expected—even when snowpack levels looked promising. New research reveals the missing piece: spring rain, or rather, the lack of it. Warmer, drier springs mean plants are soaking up more snowmelt before it can reach rivers, fueled by sunny skies that boost growth and evaporation. In fact, this shift explains nearly 70% of the shortfall, tying the mystery directly to the long-running Millennium drought.

Quantum systems can secretly “remember” their past—even when they appear not to. Scientists found that whether a system shows memory depends on how you look at it: through its evolving state or its measurable properties. Each perspective uncovers different kinds of memory, meaning a system can seem memoryless and memory-filled at the same time. This discovery could change how researchers design and control quantum technologies.

Public restrooms might seem like a germ nightmare, but the real risks aren’t always where you think. While toilet seats can carry bacteria, viruses, and even parasite traces, studies show they’re often cleaner than high-touch surfaces like door handles and flush levers. The biggest hidden threat comes from “toilet plumes”—tiny germ-filled droplets launched into the air when flushing without a lid—and from poor hand hygiene.

Mitochondria don’t just generate energy—they also carefully organize their own DNA in a surprisingly elegant way. Scientists have discovered that a long-overlooked phenomenon called “mitochondrial pearling,” where mitochondria briefly form bead-like shapes, helps evenly space clusters of mitochondrial DNA.

Spending time with close companions might do more than strengthen bonds—it could also reshape your gut bacteria. In a study of island birds, those with stronger social ties shared more gut microbes, especially types that require direct contact to spread. This suggests that social interaction itself—not just shared space—drives microbial exchange. The same process may be happening in human households through everyday closeness.

In the pursuit of powerful and stable quantum computers, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed the theory for an entirely new quantum system – based on the novel concept of ‘giant superatoms’. This breakthrough enables quantum information to be protected, controlled, and distributed in new ways and could be a key step towards building quantum computers at scale.

Scientists have developed a new way to fight gum disease without wiping out the mouth’s helpful bacteria—a major shift from traditional treatments. Instead of killing everything, this targeted approach blocks only the harmful microbes that drive periodontitis, allowing beneficial bacteria to thrive and restore balance naturally.