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Stroke triggers a hidden brain change that looks like rejuvenation
After a stroke, the brain may do something surprisingly hopeful—it can “refresh” parts of itself. Researchers analyzing brain scans from over 500 stroke survivors found that while the damaged side of the brain appears to age faster, the opposite, unaffected side can actually look younger. This unexpected shift seems to reflect the brain’s effort to rewire itself, strengthening healthy regions to compensate for lost function.
Radiation levels in Spanish city surprise scientists
Study reveals that Melilla has lower-than-expected radiation levels, surprising scientists after 15 years of detailed analysis
Couples Share a Surprising Percentage of Gut Bacteria That May Impact Health
How... romantic?
Business Lookahead: Gauging the war's impact
STORY: From a worrying drop in stocks to a surge in energy prices from the war in the Middle East to key data on jobs and trade, these are the stories to watch in business and finance in the coming week. ::Look Ahead::War impactThe first quarter is ending with financial markets at the mercy of geopolitics.The Iran war has wiped roughly $7 trillion off global stocks since it erupted.With oil prices up nearly 70% year to date, suddenly interest rates are heading up, rather than down, and energy-hungry AI does not look like such a slam-dunk anymore.Meanwhile, gold has plunged 16% after being nearly unstoppable since the start of 2025.We’ll see whether markets roll on or rollover as the second quarter begins.::Job growth in focusThe U.S. jobs report for March comes out Friday.It will offer a crucial view into the economy's health as investors gauge fallout from the energy price surge.Monthly payrolls are seen rising by 48,000, according to a Reuters poll. February's surprisingly weak report caught Wall Street off guard, showing nonfarm payrolls fell by 92,000 while the unemployment rate increased to 4.4%.Uncertainty over the Iran war is also clouding the economic forecasts for the Federal Reserve, with Wall Street pulling back on expectations for U.S. interest rate cuts this year as the oil price surge fuels concerns about rising inflation.Other U.S. data in the coming week includes retail sales for February and reports on manufacturing and services activity.::Chip checkSouth Korea releases its trade data for March on Wednesday.It will provide an early indicator of how the global economy is holding up in the face of the war and the resulting shock to energy prices. Korea's export-heavy economy is a bellwether for global trade and one of the first to report data from the previous month.Its manufacturing fortunes are of even greater interest than usual, not just because of its dependence on Middle Eastern energy imports, but also because its world-leading DRAM chips are of critical importance to the AI sector and currently in short supply too. ::Inflation assessmentAnd flash euro zone inflation for March is due on Tuesday. After long hovering around the 2% mark, higher energy prices are now expected to push headline inflation up, as they did in 2022. The question is, how large and sustained any jump in inflation might be.Early data is not painting a pretty picture. Private sector growth in the euro zone slowed sharply in March, with input costs rising to their highest in more than three years and supply chains being significantly disrupted.Money markets are now heavily pricing in a rate hike which was almost unthinkable before the Iran war.
Walking a tightrope between a global brand and traditional football: Why Como 1907’s entertainment machine is sustainable, unlike RB Leipzig’s
Como 1907 is causing a stir in Serie A. The Lombardy-based club, which just a few years ago was languishing in the lower reaches of Italian football, is on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League. At first glance, this rapid rise may seem like a classic ‘football fairy tale’, but behind it lies a calculated strategy, a pile of money – and a surprising amount of sustainability.
13 surprising ways GLP-1s may benefit the body, according to science
A condition-by-condition guide to GLP-1 drugs breaks down what’s proven, promising and still untested.
The Tacit Politics of Pixar’s Latest Hit, ‘Hoppers’
Hoppers offers a surprisingly radical message for a story about talking animals.
Orlov Offers Winning Wisdom Amidst Sharks’ Losing Streak (+)
ST. LOUIS — Dmitry Orlov has been an unappreciated leader in the San Jose Sharks’ surprising season. The veteran defenseman is also one of just four Sharks players who have won a Stanley Cup. Orlov hoisted the Cup in 2018 with the Washington Capitals. “It’s not easy. It’s a mind-set,” he said. “If you want […] The post Orlov Offers Winning Wisdom Amidst Sharks’ Losing Streak (+) appeared first on San Jose Hockey Now.
Critically endangered hare spotted in surprising location for the first time in 40 years — but it was already dead
Scientists in China have announced the first confirmed sighting of the critically endangered Hainan hare in part of its native range in four decades, after spotting its completely flattened carcass on a roadside.
2026 Houston Open odds, picks: Surprising predictions from golf model that's nailed 16 majors
Mike McClure's model has simulated the Texas Children's Houston Open 2026 10,000 times and revealed PGA best bets after Scottie Scheffler withdrew on Tuesday
Scientists discover why this deadly lung cancer keeps coming back
Scientists have discovered that losing a key protein in small cell lung cancer triggers inflammation that actually helps tumors grow and spread. Even more surprising, it pushes cancer cells into a more aggressive, neuron-like state linked to relapse.
Scientists just discovered bees and hummingbirds are drinking alcohol
Flower nectar often contains small amounts of alcohol, meaning pollinators like hummingbirds are drinking it all day long. Despite consuming human-equivalent amounts, they show no signs of intoxication—suggesting a surprising evolutionary tolerance.
2026 Houston Open odds, picks: Surprising predictions from golf model that's nailed 16 majors
Mike McClure's model has simulated the Texas Children's Houston Open 2026 10,000 times and revealed PGA best bets
Scientists Say Surprising Smells Are Unlocking the Secrets of Ancient Mummies
Analyzing samples of mummies from different dynastic periods showed how the mixtures of substances used in mummification became more complex with time.
A surprising foam discovery could change everyday products
Foams have long baffled scientists because liquid drains from them far sooner than theory predicts. New research shows the reason: the bubbles don’t stay put—they rearrange, opening pathways for liquid to escape. The key factor is the pressure needed to shift bubbles, not just push liquid through them. This insight reshapes how we understand foams and could improve everyday products.
10 Surprising Perimenopause Symptoms That Are More Common Than Hot Flashes, According to New Research
Think perimenopause is just about hot flashes? Check out these very common other menopause symptoms.
'BTS: The Return' review: The world's biggest boy band, without a clear direction
The documentary is an intimate, surprisingly revelatory look at BTS in transition — and the complicated process of figuring out who they are now.
A promising fatty liver treatment may raise cancer risk
A surprising new study reveals that blocking a supposedly protective enzyme, Caspase-2, could actually backfire—raising the risk of chronic liver damage and cancer over time. Researchers found that without this enzyme, liver cells grow abnormally large and accumulate genetic damage, leading to inflammation, scarring, and eventually tumors, especially with age. While inhibiting Caspase-2 may offer short-term benefits, such as reducing fatty liver disease, the long-term consequences appear dangerous.
Your Thymus and Your Healthspan
Our thymus gland plays a central role in the development or our immune system, specifically for supporting T cell development (how these cells got their name, maturation and differentiation in the thymus) and discriminating between self and foreign, non-self antigen proteins with production of dendritic cells. As we age, our thymus gland shrinks—the process known as involution—with progressive change from spongy to fatty tissue, with loss of functionality. But this process, with respect to timeline and extent, markedly varies from one person to the next. And to make things even more complicated, our thymus gland anatomy and precise location in the chest also is highly variable. So the famous Frank Netter diagrams from the 1960s (such as at left below) don’t capture the remarkable heterogeneity that a random set of 12 chest CT scans (below at right). What I consider as 2 landmark papers in Nature this week (here and here) used AI to quantify health of the thymus in 2 large cohorts, and then correlate the metric to a broad array of health outcomes. In this edition of Ground Truths, I’m going to cover three questions: (1) How was thymus health determined by AI?; (2) How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? and (3) Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? Subscribe 1. How was thymus health determined by AI? This was accomplished by extensive work developing and validating an AI pipeline for 2 stages, the first for localization and segmentation of the thymus bed, and the second to quantify a digital marker, termed the thymic health score. There’s a lot to this algorithmic development, so I won’t go into all the details, but just provide a rudimentary outline of what was done. The 1st stage used supervised learning with 2 radiologists reviewing 2,461 chest CT scans. That work trained a 3D U-Net model to automatically identify the thymic bed’s 3D cropped region using center of mass coordinates, which reached 99.8% accuracy. The 2nd stage used a foundation model that was pre-trained with SwAV (which stands for Swapping Assignment between multiple Views), a self-supervised model, that generated a high-dimensional thymus representation of 4,096 features. That compares to the radiology reductionist and subjective scoring of 0 to 3 where 0 means the thymus is fully degenerated and fatty, and 3 is considered dense, intact glandular soft tissue. Notably, the self-supervised learning (SSL) performance was superior to supervised (AUC ~0.75 vs 0.55, respectively) reflecting the shallowness of the 0-3 classifier vs SSL’s holistic, self-taught AI. The thymic health score ranged from 0 to 100, with the highest number indexed to fully preserved thymic health. The algorithmic work extended to explainability with both Shapely value distribution, meaning the model was holistic not relying on any “magic” pixel, and occlusion sensitivity, demonstrating the model’s performance was not affected by ribs, sternum, lung tissue, but rather focused on the thymic bed directly. Below are a few saliency maps from the occlusion sensitivity that indicate the thymic bed focus, not affected by neighboring structures, using the jet color scale. Now the AI was ready for processing ~25,000 CT scans, each over 30 MB files, from the 2 large participant cohorts to provide a thymic health score, it did so in less than 14 hours, which is less than 2 seconds per scan! Share 2. How is thymus health linked to key clinical outcomes? The two cohorts were the National Lung Screening Trial, NLST (N=25,031) and the Framingham Heart Study, FHS (N=2,581) each with baseline demographics and long term follow up of >12 years for health outcomes. From the NSLT, you can see below that increased age and body-mass index were correlated to reduced thymic health. And, overall, men had reduced thymic health scores compared with women. There are a lot of graphs in the paper for outcomes, for both the NLST and FHS cohorts. To simplify the major outcomes, below is a composite Figure with striking reduction of all-cause mortality and for the different causes of death. The results were consistent between the 2 cohorts. For example, the cardiovascular mortality hazard ratio average was 0.57 in NLST and 0.38 in FHS (weighted to be 0.53 for the aggregate). The reduction of mortality also extended to digestive diseases and pulmonary disease (data not shown below). Lung cancer incidence was reduced by 36% for high vs low thymic health (Figure below, with a panel -incidence and b panel-mortality, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking status). Notably, there was a smoker’s paradox: lower incidence and improved survival for lung cancer in smokers who had a high thymus health score. Smoking was associated with lower thymic scores whereas alcohol was not. Higher thymic health was linked to higher HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides, lower fasting blood glucose, and lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Inflammation biomarkers, such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6, were elevated in the people with lower thymic health scores. In their second paper, the same team looked at the relationship between thymic score and outcomes for 3,476 patients receiving cancer immunotherapy. The non-small cell lung cancer progression-free survival was reduced in patients with low thymic health score. A parallel relationship for survival was seen for other types of cancer including melanoma, breast, and kidney with a 44% lower risk among high thymic scores (Figure). A similar pattern was seen with different immune checkpoint inhibitors. The thymus health score outperformed programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1)and tumor mutation burden (TMB) assay of the tumor and was an independent prognostic marker of progression-free survival. In this dataset, a direct connect with thymus score and adaptive immune function was noted with a correlation before cancer treatment for both T-cell diversity and thymus T-cell production (a metric known as T cell receptor excision circles). Thymus Removal Study There is a highly relevant citation about thymus function before moving onto ways to rejuvenate it. In 2023, a very important study of thymus removal during cardiothoracic surgery was published, with 1146 patients undergoing thymus removal vs 1146 matched controls (mean age 55 years). The adverse outcomes for thymus removal were striking, with a 2.9 higher risk of all-cause mortality and doubling of cancer incidence, 1.5 fold increase in cancer mortality, and 1.5-fold increase in autoimmune diseases. The immune function showed marked compromise after thymus removal, as reflected by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells (Figure below) Share Ground Truths 3. Are there ways we can promote a healthy (aka rejuvenate) thymus gland in our later years? In recent months we’ve learned a lot about the process of thymus involution and the pathways by which this may be modulated. Thymus involution is primarily due to loss to thymus epithelial cells (TECs) and there are 2 subtypes with different functions: the cortical, responsible for positive selection of T cells, and the medullary, for negative selection. When adipose tissue infiltrates the thymus, thymic adipocytes are pro-inflammatory, knocking out T-cell output. Likewise, systemic inflammation, or “inflammaging,” from smoking, obesity, and chronic stress promote thymic adipocytes. Now, from preclinical studies, we know about key pathways that account for these processes. Historically, back in 2014, FOXN1 was recognized as a single master transcription factor essential for TEC function, with studies in mice with forced FOXN1 upregulation leading to thymus regeneration. That laid the foundation for potential regrowth of quiescent thymus cells. It took awhile to find pathways to accomplish this goal and to even refute its role as the master regulator. The Liver-Thymus Axis Feng Zhang and his team recently showed that injection of an mRNA vaccine to the liver encoding DLL1, IL-7 and FLT3-L in combination, factors known to support thymopoiesis (Figure), successfully enhanced immune function in aged mice. However, the effect was transient. The FGF21 Story Two reports in 2025 addressed the thymus gland’s production of FGF21, a growth factor (fibroblast growth factor 21) and its control of thymus involution. This growth factor is also produced by the liver, but it doesn’t have impact on the thymus in aged rodent models. In contrast, The liver’s hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been shown to reverse senescent TEC structural changes. Growth hormone stimulates production of insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the liver and the thymus. Two small studies in human participants (TRIIM, for Thymus Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation) of 6 and 50 people, respectively, treated with combined human growth hormone, metformin and DHEA, suggested the potential of slowing epigenetic aging and improving thymus mass and function. But the combination of drugs, small sample, and lack of controls make conclusions murky. Increased thymus FGF21 led to increased CD8 T cells in old mice and extended healthspan and improved physical performance. Building on the previous FOXN1 data, ablation of β-klotho, the obligatory co-receptor for FOXN1, accelerated thymic aging. The benefit to FGF21 was confirmed in a companion paper using an FGF21 knock-in mouse model showing thymus enlargement and increased TECs throughout the lifespan. (schematic Figure below). The accompanying editorial for these 2 papers speculated: “The proposed link between age-associated thymus involution and organismal aging is intriguing, and suggests we might seek to achieve systemic rejuvenation by counteracting thymic involution.” Other Factors Lessons from the Axolotl (Mexican Salamander) In an elegant set of experiments of the axolotl (Figure), known for its complete thymus regeneration after total surgical removal, mediators were identified. Surprisingly FOXN1 was dispensable. But midkine, a growth factor, appeared to be the driver, the initiator of thymus cell growth, survival, and repair. Other components that contributed were Postn+ (periostin-expressing mesenchymal niches) and Ccl19, a chemokine protein from the bloodstream. RANK and RANKL RANK (receptor activator of nuclear factor κB its ligand (RANKL) have been considered key regulators of medullary TECs. In a study of both aged mice and human thymus cell cultures, their key role was confirmed, with multiple benefits of resorting TEC function, recruitment of progenitor cells, and T cell development. Subscribe Summing Up This body of work strongly supports the health of the thymus gland as a critical regulator of human healthspan, not just a correlate or link. The new landmark studies are reinforced by the regenerative biology experimental models that have shown, via an array of mediators, that healthspan of aged mice is at least in part dependent on thymus gland function and its critical role for maintaining adaptive immunity. It sure seems that we’d be better off having an immune reservoir of naive T cells instead of a profile in older adults of exhausted, low quality, memory T cells, with a senescent phenotype. It is striking that we ignored the importance of the thymus gland for many decades. A wake-up call was the results of the thymectomy matched control study reviewed here, with the opposite of high thymic health score improved health outcomes. The convergence of AI and healthspan here is notable. The exceptional and laborious work for developing and validating (no less explaining) the AI to quantify thymus health set the foundation for probing the connect the major health outcomes in two cohorts with extensive follow-up. We’ve never had a way to meaningfully quantify the thymus gland before, so this represents important leverage of supervised, self-supervised, and transformer models. The study wouldn’t have been possible without AI. And it begs the question as to whether there are ways we can maintain our thymus at a high health score. But it’s not so simple to rejuvenate our thymus. There are multiple risks including the induction of autoimmunity, increasing the risk of cancer, and inducing a pro-inflammatory state. For example, factors that increase TEC proliferation could compromise the medulllary negative selection process and leak out auto-reactive (self-attacking) T cells. Thymic cells could be induced to proliferate, but we know, for example, that growth hormone and IGF-1 are associated with an increase risk of cancer. If thymus rejuvenation doesn’t clear out the accumulated senescent cells in older adults, then inflammation within the gland could block the production of TECs. Keeping these risks in mind, we now have identified many ways to keep our thymus healthy as we age that undoubtedly will be tested in clinical trials going forward. Ultimately, the benefit-to-risk tradeoffs will be defined. In the meantime, we have desperately needed an immunome. As I’ve stressed in multiple prior Ground Truths, we have no test in the clinic to assess a patient’s immune status! It was very encouraging for me to get an email from Hugo Aerts, the senior author of the landmark papers in the days after they were published: “I also wanted to say that your Substack on “Why We Need an Immunome” was inspiring for this work. We found it a very compelling perspective and greatly enjoyed reading it.” Just having an assessment of a person’s immune status via a chest CT scan, with millions of these performed per year, might help in guiding the right immunotherapy for cancer (e.g. more intensive, combinations for those with low thymic health scores) and help define people who are increased risk for age-related diseases of cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative. The main theme of Super Agers is that we now have many layers of data (genetics, proteins, biomarkers, organ clocks that can be integrated via multimodal AI) for us to define a person’s specific risk decades before one of these age-related diseases leads to symptoms, enabling prevention. From the new studies this week, we can add thymus health score as yet another way to understand a person’s risk, a window into their adaptive immune system and healthspan. And perhaps someday we will be able to safely rejuvenate the thymus, or maintain its health through one’s life, and use the thymus health score to monitor. NB: I wrote this post (No A.I.) A Quick Poll Loading... ********************************************************************* Thanks to Ground Truths subscribers (now > 200,000) from every US state and 212 countries. Your subscription to these free essays and podcasts makes my work in putting them together worthwhile. Please join! If you found this interesting PLEASE share it! Share Ground Truths Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don’t hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered. Leave a comment Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. It enabled us to accept and support 47 summer interns in 2025! We aim to accept even more of the several thousand who will apply for summer 2026.
Apple’s busy March continues with three notable arrivals this week
Apple has had a jam-packed March so far after launching seven new products and surprisingly announcing an eighth. Looking ahead,...
Scientists discover surprising brain trigger behind high blood pressure
Scientists have uncovered a surprising brain-based trigger for high blood pressure, tracing it to a small region in the brainstem that normally controls breathing. This area, which kicks in during forceful exhalations like coughing, laughing, or exercise, also appears to activate nerves that tighten blood vessels—raising blood pressure. When researchers switched off this region in experiments, blood pressure dropped back to normal, suggesting it plays a direct role in hypertension.
This floating time crystal breaks Newton’s third law of motion
Scientists have created a new kind of time crystal using sound waves to levitate tiny beads in mid-air. These particles interact in a one-sided, unbalanced way, breaking the usual rules of motion and creating a steady, repeating rhythm. The system is surprisingly simple yet reveals complex physics with big implications. It could help advance quantum computing and deepen our understanding of biological timing systems.
Scientists twisted a mysterious superconductor and got a shocking result
A decades-old superconducting mystery just took a surprising turn. Strontium ruthenate, a material that conducts electricity with zero resistance at low temperatures, has long puzzled scientists with hints of an exotic, complex superconducting state. But by carefully twisting and distorting ultra-thin crystals, researchers found something unexpected: the material barely reacted at all. This challenges years of assumptions and suggests its behavior may be far simpler—or far stranger—than previously thought.
Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement listed for Nintendo Switch, plus an unannounced 505 Games Switch 2 title
Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement has been listed for Nintendo Switch alongside an unannounced Switch 2 title from 505 Games. The Scarlet Engagement, a sequel to the original, was previously announced last year. Although there wasn’t any news about a Nintendo release, the latest discovery suggests that we’ll be getting it on Switch at the very least. It’d be somewhat surprising...
Friction without contact discovered as magnetic forces break a 300-year-old law
Researchers have uncovered friction without contact—driven entirely by magnetic interactions. As two magnetic layers slide, their internal forces compete, causing constant rearrangements that dramatically increase resistance at certain distances. This creates a surprising peak in friction instead of a steady rise, breaking a long-standing physics law.
Webb Telescope spots “impossible” atmosphere on ancient super Earth
Astronomers have uncovered surprising evidence of a thick atmosphere surrounding TOI-561 b, a scorching, fast-orbiting rocky planet once thought too extreme to hold onto any gas. Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, researchers found the planet is far cooler than expected for a bare rock, hinting at a heat-distributing atmosphere above a churning magma ocean. This strange world—where a year lasts just over 10 hours and one side is locked in eternal daylight—may even be rich in volatile materials, behaving like a “wet lava ball.”
The surprising ways menopause can affect your mouth — and what you can do about it
New AI tool predicts cancer spread with surprising accuracy
Researchers have discovered that cancer spread isn’t random—it follows a kind of biological “program.” By studying colon tumor cells, they identified gene patterns that signal whether a cancer is likely to metastasize. Their AI model, MangroveGS, can predict this risk with about 80% accuracy and even works across multiple cancer types. This could transform how doctors decide who needs aggressive treatment and who doesn’t.
NCAA Tournament 2026 bracket: Simulation predicts surprising upsets, sleepers, March Madness picks
When does the March Madness 2026 schedule start, and when are 2026 NCAA Tournament brackets due? The 2026 March Madness bracket begins on Thursday, March 19
2026 Valspar Championship odds, picks: Surprising predictions from model that's called 16 majors
Mike McClure's model has simulated the Valspar Championship 2026 10,000 times and revealed PGA best bets
2026 Valspar Championship odds, picks: Surprising predictions from model that's called 16 majors
Mike McClure's model has simulated the Valspar Championship 2026 10,000 times and revealed PGA best bets
Clear Space, Clear Mind: The Science Behind Decluttering
Want a clearer mind? Here are five surprising ways that a clutter-free environment can boost our well-being.
NCAA Tournament 2026 bracket: Top-rated simulation predicts surprising upsets, March Madness picks, sleepers
When does the March Madness 2026 schedule start, and when are 2026 NCAA Tournament brackets due? The 2026 March Madness bracket begins on Thursday, March 19
Playing Politics With Scholarships Fails Families
States rarely turn down financial aid from Washington. But several Democratic governors are now doing just that, and others may join them. What’s going on? Not surprisingly, the answer involves special-interest politics.
Yankees news: Rodón surprising himself in camp
Rodón showing good velocity in camp; Castro could become a name to watch for bullpen; Boone thinks Hess could make an impact.
Medicine in motion: Ballroom dancing helps all ages step to better health
On a dance floor, the waltz looks effortless: couples gliding in sweeping circles, posture tall, movements fluid. But beneath the elegance is a surprisingly...
Textbooks were wrong: Scientists reveal the surprising way human hair really grows
Hair may grow in a completely different way than scientists once believed. Instead of being pushed out from the root, new research shows that moving cells inside the follicle actually pull the hair upward like a microscopic motor. Advanced 3D imaging revealed a spiral movement of cells that generates this force. The finding could change how scientists study hair loss and design future treatments.
Centuries-old skeletons reveal a hidden effect of tobacco no one had identified before - Futura-Sciences
It is no longer up for debate: tobacco use has devastating effects on human health. And even today, researchers continue to uncover new harmful consequences linked to it. A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Leicester, published in the journal Science Advances, reveals a surprising discovery: tobacco...
How Sports Are Helping Peacock Originals Fly Higher
Turns out hosting the two biggest sporting events of the year can be a real boon for your streaming service. It’s perhaps unsurprising that NBCUniversal’s Peacock racked up major wins in the month it carried both the Super Bowl and the most-watched Winter Olympic Games in over a decade, not to mention a massively watched NBA All-Star […]
Scientists built the hardest AI test ever and the results are surprising
As AI systems began acing traditional tests, researchers realized those benchmarks were no longer tough enough. In response, nearly 1,000 experts created Humanity’s Last Exam, a massive 2,500-question challenge covering highly specialized topics across many fields. The exam was engineered so that any question solvable by current AI models was removed. Early results show even the most advanced systems still struggle — revealing a surprisingly large gap between AI performance and true expert-level knowledge.
The surprising new ways bacteria spread without propellers
Scientists at Arizona State University have uncovered surprising new ways bacteria move, even without their usual whip-like propellers called flagella. In one study, E. coli and salmonella were found to spread across moist surfaces by fermenting sugars and creating tiny fluid currents that carry them forward — a newly identified behavior researchers call “swashing.” In another study, a different group of bacteria was shown to control its movement using a microscopic molecular “gearbox” that can reverse direction like a biological snowmobile.
Scientists discover a universal temperature curve that governs all life
Researchers have uncovered a universal pattern showing how temperature affects life on Earth. Across thousands of species—from microbes to reptiles—performance rises gradually with warming until an optimal temperature is reached, after which it drops sharply. Although each species has its own preferred temperature range, they all follow the same underlying curve. This surprising constraint suggests evolution may have limited room to help species cope with rapid climate warming.
Eating These 2 Surprising Fruits Every Day May Help Support Heart Health
New research found that eating mango and avocado daily may benefit certain heart health markers.
Houston Dominates Glass, Still Loses Big to Denver
Rebounding dominance couldn't save Houston. Turnovers and cold three-point shooting fueled Denver's surprising blowout victory.
Depression may start with an energy problem in brain cells
Researchers have discovered a surprising change in how cells produce energy in people with depression. Brain and blood cells in young adults with major depressive disorder produced more energy molecules at rest but had trouble increasing energy production when needed. Scientists believe this imbalance may contribute to symptoms such as fatigue and low motivation. The finding could help pave the way for earlier diagnosis and more personalized treatments.
Initial thoughts on Colts’ first free-agent moves
First wave of free-agency done, and the Colts have moved as many of us expected, which is rather surprising. It usually does not transpire like this, I was especially surprised by the Pittman and Franklin moves because I did not expect them to happen, but here are my hot opinions on what Ballard and Steichen […]
2026 Players Championship odds, picks: Surprising predictions from model that's called 16 majors
Mike McClure's model has simulated The Players Championship 2026 10,000 times and revealed PGA best bets for TPC Sawgrass
The leaked iPhone Fold renders show a big design mistake
The iPhone Fold is almost here, but leaked renders look surprisingly similar to one old foldable.
A surprising percentage of produce from the nation’s largest supplier contains ‘forever’ pesticides
Nearly 40% of California-grown nonorganic produce has residues from pesticides made from potentially toxic PFAS chemicals that can remain in the body for years.
Patriots Could Make Surprising Change To Romeo Doubs' Game
New England may change where wide receiver Romeo Doubs lines up.
Senate Moves Toward Passing Sweeping Housing Bill, but Challenges Lie Ahead
The legislation’s progress is all the more surprising because it addresses an issue that is shaping up to be the main battleground of the midterm elections: affordability. The effort could still stall.
NFL free agency grades 2026: Breaking down biggest deals, trades
NFL free agency featured some surprising contracts and trades. How did each team fare in the most notable deals? We break it down.
Weight Loss Drugs Like Ozempic and Wegovy Show Surprising Heart Health Benefits
A new study suggests that widely used GLP-1 weight-loss drugs may do more than improve metabolic health: they could also protect the heart after a heart attack. Doctors can often reopen the blocked artery that triggers a heart attack, but that is not always the end of the crisis inside the heart
Scientists found a surprising way to make exercise work better
Exercise normally boosts the body’s ability to use oxygen, a key marker of health and longevity — but high blood sugar can block that benefit. Researchers found that a ketogenic diet helped mice normalize blood sugar and dramatically improved how their muscles responded to exercise. Their muscles became better at using oxygen and built more endurance fibers. The results suggest diet and exercise may work together in surprising ways to improve metabolic health.
The Surprising Science Of Why Sneakers Squeak
The forces that cause sneakers to squeak also create mini-earthquakes (shoe-quakes, if you will) and tiny lightning bolts.
Carrots aren’t the only food for better vision: 4 others that may help protect your eyes
Discover four surprising foods that boost eye health beyond carrots. Learn how egg yolks, pistachios, sweet potatoes and spinach protect vision naturally.
Engineers make magnets behave like graphene
Engineers have discovered an unexpected link between two very different realms of physics: the behavior of electrons in graphene and magnetic waves in specially engineered materials. By designing a thin magnetic film with a hexagonal pattern of holes—similar to graphene’s structure—the researchers showed that magnetic “spin waves” can follow the same mathematical rules as graphene’s famously unusual electrons. The surprising overlap reveals a deeper connection between electronic and magnetic systems and gives scientists a powerful new way to study complex magnetic materials.
5 Cool Things You Didn't Know Your Wi-Fi Router Can Do
Whether it's an older router you have lying around or the current one you're using, there are a lot of surprising features you may not be aware of.
A perfectly balanced atom just broke one of nuclear physics’ biggest rules
Physicists have discovered a surprising new “Island of Inversion” in a place no one expected: among nuclei where the number of protons equals the number of neutrons. For decades, these strange regions—where atomic nuclei abandon their usual orderly structure and become strongly deformed—were thought to exist only in highly neutron-rich isotopes far from stability. But experiments on molybdenum isotopes revealed that molybdenum-84 behaves dramatically differently from its close neighbor molybdenum-86, even though they differ by just two neutrons.
I Tried the $599 MacBook Neo. Apple Just Flipped the Budget-Laptop Script
Apple’s long-rumored budget MacBook has finally arrived, and after my first hands-on session, the sleek, surprisingly capable MacBook Neo feels like a breakout hit.
Scientists discover a brain signal that may trigger autism’s domino effect
Researchers have uncovered a surprising molecular chain reaction in the brain that may play a role in some forms of autism. The study suggests that nitric oxide, a tiny signaling molecule normally involved in fine-tuning communication between brain cells, can sometimes trigger a cascade of changes inside neurons. When nitric oxide activity rises, it can alter a protective protein called TSC2, weakening an important cellular brake and allowing the mTOR pathway, which controls growth and protein production, to become overactive.
The surprising science behind why daylight saving time is good for wildlife
You might have a love-hate relationship with daylight saving time, but research shows that urban wildlife may stand to benefit
Guest column | The surprising health benefits of natural light exposure
Sunlight can have positive effects on your sleep, mood, metabolic health and more. Here’s how much exposure you need to see benefits, and how to get it safely.
Three Winners and Losers of EPL Game Week 29
The Premier League always brings plenty of talking points, and Gameweek 29 was no exception. Across the weekend, there were strong performances, surprising results and a few disappointing displays that caught the attention of fans and Fantasy Premier League managers. Some players stepped up and made a real difference for their teams, delivering goals, assists […]
California whiz kid’s science experiment draws FBI probe: ‘Surprising situation’
“This is definitely a surprising situation,” he said. “I don’t think anybody expects to have the federal authorities knock on their door.”
Looking back on the history of women’s sports at Baylor
When you think of the greatest moments in Baylor women's athletics history, you likely think of highlights like Women's Basketball's three national championships, Acrobatics & Tumbling's decade of dominance, and Softball's six Women's College World Series appearances. Not surprisingly, many o
Here's How Much Faster MacBook Air Gets With M5 Chip vs. M4 Chip
We now know how much faster the new MacBook Air with the M5 chip is compared to the previous model with an M4 chip, courtesy of a Geekbench 6 result shared by TechRadar's Lance Ulanoff. However, given the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the iPad Pro were already updated with the M5 chip last year, the result is not too surprising. Ulanoff ran Geekbench on a MacBook Air with an M5 chip, which has a 10-core CPU.
First MacBook Neo Benchmarks Are In: Here's How It Compares to the M1 MacBook Air
Benchmarks for the new MacBook Neo surfaced today, and unsurprisingly, CPU performance is almost identical to the iPhone 16 Pro. The MacBook Neo uses the same 6-core A18 Pro chip that was first introduced in the iPhone 16 Pro, but it has one fewer GPU core. The MacBook Neo earned a single-core score of 3461 and a multi-core score of 8668, along with a Metal score of 31286.
Historian Finds Scribbles in 500-Year-Old Book, Showing Galileo Galilei’s Slow and Steady Rejection of the Geocentric World
A discovery inside an ancient astronomy manual reveals the surprising roots of Galileo's cosmic rebellion.
Irvine whiz kid says FBI probe sparked by science experiment was a ‘surprising situation’
A 17-year-old whiz kid whose Irvine home was at the center of an FBI and hazmat squad probe last week said the search was all because of his science experiment. Federal authorities said they were l…
Should Rams trade Byron Young for more proven pass rusher?
The Los Angeles Rams are entering a ‘win now’ season in 2026 as Matthew Stafford enters his age 38 season and the team is coming off of a trip to the NFC Championship game. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that the Rams need to enter another ‘F Them Picks’ era, it wouldn’t be surprising to […]
Nintendo Switch Online's March update to the Classics library is all about Mario, and one new game is particularly surprising
More Virtual Boy and GBA Mario games are being added to the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription in March 2026.
M5 Pro and M5 Max are surprisingly big departures from older Apple Silicon
Apple is using more chiplets and three types of CPU cores to make the M5 family.
Patriots free agency profile: Vederian Lowe could be surprisingly popular
Previewing the Patriots offensive tackle as he heads into unrestricted free agency.
Nate Bargatze on comedy retirement, 'Big Dumb Eyes' tour and his surprising napkin phobia
The 46-year-old comedian and host opened up about his growing entertainment empire and plans for his future in stand-up comedy.
Why I’m Low-Key Relieved 'Tell Me Lies' Is Finally Over
'Tell Me Lies' has officially wrapped and while fans are emotional, there’s one surprising reason I’m actually okay with it ending. Read more here.
Scientists just created chocolate honey packed with surprising health perks
Scientists in Brazil have transformed cocoa waste into a functional chocolate-infused honey packed with antioxidants and natural stimulants. Using ultrasound waves, they enhanced honey’s ability to pull beneficial compounds from cocoa shells—no synthetic solvents required. The process is considered green and sustainable, and the product could find its way into gourmet foods and cosmetics.
Surprising things about moving to Atlanta from Los Angeles
When moving from Los Angeles to Atlanta, I was surprised by things like the local queer culture, outdoor activities, and infrastructure issues,
Xiaomi Pad 8 Pro is the closest you can get to an iPad Pro on Android
Xiaomi's new tablet is unsurprisingly familiar.
Textbooks challenged by new discovery about how cells divide
Scientists have uncovered a surprising new way that giant embryonic cells divide—without relying on the classic “purse-string” ring long thought essential for splitting a cell in two. Studying zebrafish embryos, researchers found that instead of forming a fully closed contractile ring, cells use a clever “mechanical ratchet” system.
Mavericks make surprising Tyus Jones roster decision
The Mavericks have decided to waive veteran guard Tyus Jones, allowing him to enter the buyout market and join a contending team.
North Fla. Congressman Neal Dunn may have 'terminal diagnosis': report
Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly told GOP donors surprising news about U.S. Rep. Neal Dunn's health. What did he say?
A lost moon may have created Titan and Saturn’s rings
Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, may have been born in a colossal cosmic crash. New research suggests Titan formed when two older moons slammed together hundreds of millions of years ago—an event so violent it reshaped Saturn’s entire moon system and may have indirectly sparked the formation of its iconic rings. Clues come from Titan’s unusual orbit, its surprisingly smooth surface, and the strange behavior of the tumbling moon Hyperion.
Seahawks’ NFLPA report card is sparkling, with one surprising exception
The Super Bowl champs fell short in one category of the yearly survey.
Popular brain supplement linked to shorter lifespan in men
A massive study of more than 270,000 people has uncovered a surprising link between a common amino acid and how long men live. Researchers found that higher levels of tyrosine—an amino acid found in protein-rich foods and often marketed as a focus-boosting supplement—were associated with shorter life expectancy in men, potentially trimming nearly a year off lifespan.
WWE Superstar Says Tom Brady Is on His ‘RKO’ List
Randy Orton has added a surprising name to his “RKO list.” After Tom Brady referred to WWE as “cute” during a recent podcast appearance, the 14-time world champion responded with a playful warning. Orton now says that the seven-time Super Bowl winner is someone he would love to hit with his signature move. Tom Brady […] The post WWE Superstar Says Tom Brady Is on His ‘RKO’ List appeared first on Mandatory.
One type of olive oil has a surprising effect on brainpower during aging
New study reveals extra virgin olive oil may protect brain health by improving gut bacteria and cognitive function in older adults.
40,000-year-old signs show humans were recording information long before writing
More than 40,000 years ago, Ice Age humans were carving repeated patterns of dots, lines, and crosses into tools and small ivory figurines. A new computational study of more than 3,000 of these Paleolithic signs reveals that they were not random decorations but structured sequences with measurable complexity. Surprisingly, their information density rivals that of proto-cuneiform, the earliest known writing system that emerged around 3,000 B.C.E.
Leak: Samsung Galaxy S26 batteries include a surprising downgrade
An advanced report suggests the new Samsung Galaxy S26 line may have taken a hit in battery life.
2026 NFL mock draft: Broncos make surprising 1st-round pick
The Broncos begin planning for the future in this 2026 NFL mock draft.
Can solar storms trigger earthquakes? Scientists propose surprising link
Scientists have proposed a surprising connection between solar flares and earthquakes. When solar activity disturbs the ionosphere, it may generate electric fields that penetrate fragile fracture zones in Earth’s crust. If a fault is already critically stressed, this extra electrostatic pressure could help trigger a quake. The idea doesn’t claim direct causation, but it offers a fresh way to think about how space weather and seismic events might interact.
Galaxy S26 series leak reveals a surprising downgrade for battery health
Leaked Galaxy S26 EU labels suggest massive efficiency gains, but reveal a potential downgrade in long-term battery health and charge cycles.
Scientists reverse muscle aging in mice and discover a surprising catch
A UCLA study in mice reveals that aging muscle stem cells accumulate a protein that slows repair but boosts survival. This protein, NDRG1, acts like a brake, preventing cells from activating quickly after injury. When researchers blocked it in older mice, muscle healing sped up dramatically — but stem cells became less resilient over time. The work suggests aging may reflect a survival trade-off rather than straightforward decline.
Pharma lobbyists focus on a surprising new target: the FDA
Lobbyists told STAT they believe the odds of approval go up if a decision can be spun as a win for the Trump administration.
Chinese scientists engineer gene-edited tomato with popcorn aroma
By silencing two genes with CRISPR/Cas9 tool, Chinese team creates a tomato with a surprisingly sweet scent.
Triceratops had a giant nose that may have cooled its massive head
Triceratops’ massive head may have been doing more than just showing off those famous horns. Using CT scans and 3D reconstructions of fossil skulls, researchers uncovered a surprisingly complex nasal system hidden inside its enormous snout. Instead of being just a supersized nose for smelling, it likely housed intricate networks of nerves and blood vessels—and even special structures that helped regulate heat and moisture.
Scientists make surprising discovery about hazard lurking in air around us: 'We could at least narrow down'
"They are even still large after our study."
Common pneumonia bacterium may fuel Alzheimer’s disease
A common bacterium best known for causing pneumonia and sinus infections may also play a surprising role in Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers found that Chlamydia pneumoniae can invade the retina and brain, where it sparks inflammation, nerve cell death, and the buildup of amyloid-beta—the hallmark protein linked to Alzheimer’s. Higher levels of the bacterium were found in people with Alzheimer’s, especially those carrying the high-risk APOE4 gene, and were tied to more severe cognitive decline.
NFL Analyst Reacts to Surprising Saints Mock Draft Selection
The most surprising Winter Olympics sports in history
Here are some of the most unusual Winter Olympic sports in history, from ski ballet and military patrol to dog sled racing and skijoring.