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The 'Great Wealth Transfer': A $3 trillion opportunity for Black business owners is on the horizon
Researchers forecast 6 million small- and medium-sized businesses, or SMBs, will be available for acquisition by 2035.
Science for Living: Can using AI risk prediction in breast cancer screening improve early detection?
Researchers at UMass Chan Medical School are studying how an AI-based risk assessment tool could improve early breast cancer detection.
4 Indian American scientists win $75,000 each at one of America’s most elite research honours, crowned 2026 Sloan Research Fellows
Science News: In a celebration of scientific excellence and innovation, four Indian American researchers have been named 2026 Sloan Research Fellows, one of the mos.
New Duke Health study finds simple blood test could predict longer life
Duke Health researchers found small RNA molecules known as piRNAs can accurately predict whether older adults are likely to survive at least two more years.
Frequently Distracted? Science Says, Blame It on Your Brain Rhythms
Researchers at the Del Monte Institute for Neuroscience at the University of Rochester find that you may not be as focused as you think. A new study discovers our attention shifts multiple times each second.
Have scientists uncovered the secret of ‘super-ager’ brains?
Some people stay mentally sharp well beyond 80, with recall powers of those decades younger — and researchers may have found what gives them a biological edge
Physics discovery explains why sneakers squeak
And helped researchers play a 'Star Wars' song on glass.
From campus to community: UCSC brings science to the neighborhood to spark local dialogue
UC Santa Cruz has launched a lecture series that takes researchers out of the lab and into neighborhoods to provide the public with a clearer understanding of cutting-edge science.
Eating Healthy In Middle Age Can Lower Risk of Brain Decline, Study Finds
By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterWEDNESDAY, Feb. 25, 2026 (HealthDay News) — What’s on your plate today can affect your brain aging as a senior, a new study says. Middle-aged people who eat healthy have a lower risk of brain decline in old age, researchers reported Feb. 23 in JAMA Neurology. The ...
Manipulating gene activity to reverse aging
By altering levels of molecules called transcription factors in mice, researchers were able to reverse some of the effects of aging.
A Meta AI security researcher said an OpenClaw agent ran amok on her inbox
The viral X post from an AI security researcher reads like satire. But it's really a word of warning about what can go wrong when handing tasks to an AI agent.
Scientists engineer bacteria to eat cancer tumors from the inside out
Researchers are engineering bacteria to invade tumors and consume them from the inside. Because tumor cores lack oxygen, they’re the perfect breeding ground for these microbes. The team added a genetic tweak that helps the bacteria survive longer near oxygen-exposed edges — but only once enough of them are present to trigger the change. It’s a carefully programmed biological attack that could one day offer a new way to destroy cancer.
THE WEEK OF FEB 23, 2026
- NSF director nominee announced - Confusion over NIST foreign researcher policies - Science Republicans reviewing AI laws
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.
UNM Researchers Link Heavy Wildfire Smoke Exposure to Poorer Mental Health Measures
University of New Mexico researchers report that acute exposure to wildfire smoke filled with ultrafine PM 2.5 particles is associated with poorer outcomes on mental health measures.
Bhattacharya’s growing power in Trump’s HHS worries health experts
Public health experts and former federal staffers are uneasy over National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya’s rising influence over U.S. health policy as he temporarily takes on…
Dream control makes the leap from science fiction to science fact
Researchers have shown they can achieve some control over what people are dreaming, bringing a theme that has been frequently explored in sci-fi and horror genres off the page and into the lab.
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.
Science & Medicine: Exercise is medicine for people with Parkinson's disease
Exercise can improve function and slow disease progression in people with Parkinson's disease, but why? A UT Health San Antonio researcher is studying patients who exercise and play virtual reality games to see if she can figure out the answer.
Will China be able to poach scientists from the West?
It’s too early to call it a brain drain. But researchers who have made the move say the China offered them opportunities to take their work in new directions.
Blindness may no longer be irreversible. A discovery in South Korea just changed the science. - Futura-Sciences
More than 300 million people worldwide live with retinal diseases that medicine cannot yet reverse. Conditions like retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration destroy the photoreceptor cells that make sight possible, and once those cells die, they don’t come back, at least not in mammals. The reason puzzled researchers for decades,...
A huge study finds a link between cannabis use in teens and psychosis later
Researchers followed more than 400,000 teens until they were adults. It found that those who used marijuana were more likely to develop serious mental illness, as well as depression and anxiety.
“Celtic curse” hotspots found in Scotland and Ireland with 1 in 54 at risk
Researchers have mapped the genetic risk of hemochromatosis across the UK and Ireland for the first time, uncovering striking hotspots in north-west Ireland and the Outer Hebrides. In some regions, around one in 60 people carry the high-risk gene variant linked to iron overload. The condition can take decades to surface but may lead to liver cancer and arthritis if untreated.
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.
Scientists Shot Lasers at Charles Darwin’s Preserved Specimens. For Real.
A new method is giving researchers a better understanding of what’s been in those jars all these years.
Mummified cheetahs found in Saudi Arabia caves could help reintroduction efforts
A new study has analyzed mummified remains of cheetahs in Saudi Arabia caves. The results could help reintroduce cheetahs to the Arabian Peninsula, researchers say.
UT Health San Antonio researcher earns grant to study how the brain’s immune cells might actually contribute to Alzheimer’s - UT Health San Antonio
Cure Alzheimer’s Fund award aimed at better understanding microglia’s role Contact: Steven Lee, (210) 450-3823, lees22@uthscsa.edu SAN ANTONIO, Feb. 20, 2026 – A researcher with the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio has received a two-year, $402,500 grant award from the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund to study how microglia, […]
The No. 1 Fruit to Eat for Longevity, According to a Healthy Aging Researcher
In TODAY.com's Expert Tip of the Day, a longevity researcher shares why this one fruit is so important for healthy aging and lowering chronic disease risk.
Health Rounds: Link between low oxygen and reduced blood sugar could yield new diabetes treatments
Diabetes is less common among people living at high altitudes, where oxygen levels are low, than at sea level, and researchers who have discovered why that happens say the reason may lead to new treatments.
Scientists reveal how exercise protects the brain from Alzheimer’s
Exercise may sharpen the mind by repairing the brain’s protective shield. Researchers found that physical activity prompts the liver to release an enzyme that removes a harmful protein causing the blood-brain barrier to become leaky with age. In older mice, dialing down this protein reduced inflammation and improved memory. The discovery points to a surprising body-to-brain pathway that could inspire new Alzheimer’s therapies.
Science Democrats Concerned Over Reports of Problematic NIST Policy for Foreign Researchers
The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology
Quantum computer breakthrough tracks qubit fluctuations in real time
Qubits, the heart of quantum computers, can change performance in fractions of a second — but until now, scientists couldn’t see it happening. Researchers at NBI have built a real-time monitoring system that tracks these rapid fluctuations about 100 times faster than previous methods. Using fast FPGA-based control hardware, they can instantly identify when a qubit shifts from “good” to “bad.” The discovery opens a new path toward stabilizing and scaling future quantum processors.
Scientists just mapped mysterious earthquakes deep inside Earth
Scientists at Stanford have unveiled the first-ever global map of rare earthquakes that rumble deep within Earth’s mantle rather than its crust. Long debated and notoriously difficult to confirm, these elusive quakes turn out to cluster in regions like the Himalayas and near the Bering Strait. By developing a breakthrough method that distinguishes mantle quakes using subtle differences in seismic waves, researchers identified hundreds of these hidden tremors worldwide.
Doctors implant dopamine-producing stem cells in Parkinson’s patients
A groundbreaking clinical trial is testing whether specially engineered stem cells can help the brain restore its own dopamine production in people with Parkinson’s disease. Because the condition is driven by the gradual loss of dopamine-producing cells—leading to tremors, stiffness, and slowed movement—researchers are implanting lab-grown cells directly into the brain’s movement center to replace what’s been lost.
95 million-year-old Spinosaurus had a scimitar-shaped head crest and waded through the Sahara's rivers like a 'hell heron'
Researchers have identified a new Spinosaurus species with a blade-like crest in Niger, changing our understanding of dinosaur evolution and behavior.
Shining Lights Program tackles gender equity in STEM with new cohort
As a postdoctoral physics researcher, Elizabeth Dresselhaus had found many excellent networking groups for young women scientists — but she longed for a structured environment to learn professional
Solar flares may be triggering earthquakes, controversial study claims
Researchers have proposed that changes in Earth's ionosphere could trigger electrical forces that nudge fragile areas of the crust into creating an earthquake.
Accelerating Science with Digital Twins
Researchers at Berkeley Lab are building digital twins that link physical systems with AI-informed models to accelerate discovery.
How the lightning strikes of nuclear science will fill foundational radiation research gaps
One path to becoming a successful researcher is to find an under explored scientific niche and add knowledge where it didn’t exist before.
Getting hands-on with LEDs and logic to make science tangible in the classroom
How do you make the complex reality of chips and electronics accessible to a broad audience? TU/e researcher Elles Raaijmakers believes an educational game can do just that. In the game I.C. Tycoon (working ...
Scientists discover the body’s hidden “off switch” for inflammation
A new human study has uncovered how the body naturally turns off inflammation. Researchers found that fat-derived molecules called epoxy-oxylipins rein in immune cells that can otherwise drive chronic disease. Using a drug to boost these molecules reduced pain faster and lowered harmful inflammatory cells. The discovery could pave the way for safer treatments for arthritis, heart disease, and other inflammation-related conditions.
‘We’re no longer attracting top talent’: the brain drain killing American science
As Trump slashes science funding, young researchers flee abroad. Without solid innovation, the US could cease to have the largest biomedical ecosystem in the world
Nevada Debuts Public Option Amid Tumultuous Federal Changes to Health Care
The state recently became the third to offer a public option health plan through its Affordable Care Act marketplace. But researchers said it’s unlikely to fill the gaps left by sweeping changes at the federal level.
Kevin Hassett says Fed researchers should be ‘disciplined’ over report that Americans are paying tariffs
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said Wednesday that researchers at the New York Federal Reserve who produced a study finding American businesses and consumers are shouldering 90% of the cost of President Donald Trump’s tariffs should be “disciplined.”
Sensory science researcher unlocks what drives perceived flavors
Robert Pellegrino, Ph.D., has joined the Texas A&M Department of Animal Science as an assistant professor of sensory science
According to science, the most efficient and economical heating system is… - Futura-Sciences
In 2015, the Paris Agreement set a goal to reduce global temperatures by 2°C compared to pre-industrial levels. This called for a reevaluation of fossil fuel combustion and its environmental impact. A thorough comparative study Researchers from the Technical University of Munich conducted a comparative analysis of 13 heating systems,...
Five Berkeley Lab Scientists Receive DOE Early Career Research Awards
Five scientists from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have received Early Career Research Program (ECRP) awards from the Department of Energy. The ECRP program, now in its 16th year, was established to bolster the nation’s scientific workforce by supporting exceptional researchers at the outset of their careers, when many scientists do their most formative work. Recipients use the funding to pursue projects that have the potential to solve scientific challenges and advance the country’s STEM capabilities. To be eligible for the program, a researcher must be an untenured, tenure-track assistant or associate professor at a U.S. academic institution, or a full-time employee at a DOE national laboratory or Office of Science user facility, who is within 10 years of having earned their doctorate. Awards to an institution of higher education will be approximately $875,000 over five years, and awards to a DOE national laboratory or Office of Science user facility will be approximately $2,750,000 over five years. This year’s Berkeley Lab awardees and their projects are listed below: Timon Heim: Better detectors for more powerful particle colliders Timon Heim is a staff scientist in the Physics Division. His ECRP project will develop a new type of detector that can track the particles generated by collisions in particle colliders with high spatial and temporal resolution. Current detectors in use at high-energy colliders, like the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, can track the trajectory and measure momentum of particles, but they can’t track a particle’s time of arrival with sufficient precision to discern from which of the many particle interactions they originate. Heim’s proposed technology — called a 4D tracking detector, because it captures data about particles’ positions in space and time — aims to solve this challenge, allowing researchers to glean more precise data from collision experiments to uncover new insights into fundamental forces and potentially discover new particles. The enhanced capabilities of 4D detectors will be a necessity for experiments at future colliders, such as the Muon Collider or Future Circular Collider. The project will develop custom microelectronics that process the signal of a pixelated silicon sensor that can register charged particles passing through it in an extreme radiation environment that these colliders produce during operation. The goal is to measure individual particles’ position with 50-micro-meter spatial and 50 pico-second (one trillionth of a second) temporal precision, for an incoming flux of around 1 billion particles per second per square centimeter. Harrison Lisabeth: Studying underground processes to unleash abundant energy Harrison Lisabeth is a research scientist in the Energy Geoscience Division focused on combining real-world experiments and AI to guide development of geothermal energy systems. His project will explore how deep underground rock formations – where geothermal wells are dug – are stressed by chemical reactions of the minerals and mechanical strain from movements in the Earth. A better understanding of subsurface stresses is essential to engineer safe and reliable geothermal wells that access the heat of deep rocks to produce electricity. It is estimated that the U.S. could generate ten times the amount of energy needed to power the grid using geothermal sources. Lisabeth plans to simulate how minerals grow, dissolve, and influence the behavior of surrounding rock in geothermal reservoirs by tracking chemical changes in rock samples under pressure in the lab. The project will also develop machine learning models to predict geologic strain based on field measurements and refine existing models that describe how common rock types deform under stress. Combining these approaches, Lisabeth hopes to develop a framework to predict stress to improve stability and longevity of geothermal wells. Daniel Carney: Pushing the quantum boundaries of particle measurement Daniel Carney is a staff scientist in the Physics Division who uses quantum information science to study particle physics and gravity. At very small scales, “quantum noise” — random fluctuations from the act of measurement — can drown out faint signals from rare processes. Carney’s ECRP project, “Fundamental Physics at the Quantum Limits of Measurement,” aims to build a new mechanical quantum sensor that can measure extremely small particle interactions below the limits of that quantum noise. The approach uses lasers to hold a tiny bead containing radioactive atoms; when one decays, the system measures the bead’s motion and the energy of any particles emitted. The experiment’s initial goal is to search for heavy sterile neutrinos, hypothetical particles predicted by some extensions of the Standard Model. The system could also help measure the mass of the neutrino, study the way particles interact through the electromagnetic and weak forces, and hunt for low-mass dark matter — all unsolved mysteries in particle physics. Callum Wilkinson: Using machine learning to demystify neutrinos Callum Wilkinson is a staff scientist in the Physics Division and part of the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) hosted by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. DUNE will create an intense beam of neutrinos that interact in detectors in Illinois and, after an 800-mile journey through the earth, in massive detectors in South Dakota. By precisely measuring neutrinos and how they change, researchers will get a better understanding of their fundamental properties and whether they are responsible for why there is so much more matter than antimatter in our universe. Wilkinson’s ECRP project will apply two machine learning techniques to improve the analysis of DUNE’s data and enhance the experiment’s precision. One approach will look for hidden patterns in how neutrinos interact and produce low-energy particles, while the other will help correct for distortions in what the detectors record. The methods will be tested on one of DUNE’s prototype detectors and could be used in other neutrino experiments, improving their measurements and helping scientists build better models. Aditi Krishnapriyan: Machine learning methods that scale as datasets grow Aditi Krishnapriyan is a faculty scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Applied Mathematics and Computational Research Division (AMCR) and assistant professor at UC Berkeley. Her project, awarded through UC Berkeley, will develop machine learning methods that scale with dataset size for modeling complex, multi-scale phenomena. The resulting tools can be applied in a wide range of research, including the study of new electrolytes for batteries or the examination of molecular interactions. ### Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) is committed to groundbreaking research focused on discovery science and solutions for abundant and reliable energy supplies. The lab’s expertise spans materials, chemistry, physics, biology, earth and environmental science, mathematics, and computing. Researchers from around the world rely on the lab’s world-class scientific facilities for their own pioneering research. Founded in 1931 on the belief that the biggest problems are best addressed by teams, Berkeley Lab and its scientists have been recognized with 17 Nobel Prizes. Berkeley Lab is a multiprogram national laboratory managed by the University of California for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science. DOE’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science.
Crusading Against the Health Hazards of Plastics
Epidemiologist Leonardo Trasande, MD, and other NYU Langone researchers are sounding the alarm about the growing health effects of microplastics. Learn more.
The Moon is still shrinking and it could trigger more moonquakes
Researchers have uncovered more than a thousand previously unknown tectonic ridges across the Moon’s dark plains, showing the Moon is still contracting and reshaping itself. These features are among the youngest geological structures on the lunar surface. Because they form through the same forces linked to past moonquakes, they could signal new seismic hotspots.
Sexual Health of Female Cancer Survivors Goes Largely Ignored, Experts Say
Women who survive cancer are not getting the sexual healthcare they need, according to a new review. The researchers suggest that oncologists are not having necessary conversations.
Jump, Spin, Glide: The Science Of Figure Skating
What’s the secret to landing a quadruple lutz, or speeding your death spiral? A figure skating researcher weighs in.
AI is helping individual scientists, study suggests
Artificial intelligence is helping researchers advance their careers and drill deeper into specific questions, but it is not necessarily benefiting science on the whole.
Multiple brands of Android tablets shipped with built-in malware
Kaspersky researchers say Android tablets from some brands left the factory with hidden firmware backdoor malware already installed.
Science on the double: How an AI-powered 'digital twin' accelerates chemistry and materials discoveries
Understanding what complex chemical measurements reveal about materials and reactions can take weeks or months of analysis. But now, an AI-powered platform developed by researchers at the Department of ...
Good oral hygiene can prevent more than 50 diseases, researchers say
Scientists discover brain switches that clear Alzheimer’s plaques
Researchers have identified two brain receptors that help the brain clear away amyloid beta, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. By stimulating these receptors in mice, scientists increased levels of a natural amyloid-breaking enzyme, reduced buildup in the brain, and improved memory-related behavior. Because these receptors are common drug targets, the findings could open the door to affordable pill-based treatments with fewer side effects.
Scientists Make a Game-Changing Find in the Bennu Asteroid
According to the researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, some of the amino acids found in the asteroid Bennu likely formed in a different way than was previously thought, effectively challenging what we thought we knew about the origins of life.
Researchers to study universal health care, as Coloradans face $1 billion in medical debt
Colorado residents owe about $1 billion in medical debt. The sky-high number is a small portion of the nation’s medical debt estimated around $220 billion, according to a 2024 analysis by Peterson Center on Healthcare and KFF, formerly the Kaiser Family Foundation. As more people nationally are expected to lose their health insurance following planned […]
We're creating cutting-edge AI science tools for Google DeepMind—and 3 million researchers across 190+ countries
Five years ago, our AlphaFold AI system solved the 50-year grand challenge of protein structure prediction. But that's not the whole story.
University researchers develop interactive website to compare legal, social science concepts
Researchers and policymakers can compare how other researchers from all around the world view concepts related to social science and law after University professors and graduate students launched a new platform, according to a Feb. 5 news release. The Sartori.network platform is part of a series of tools developed by the Concept Integration in Comparative...
Intermittent fasting no better than typical weight loss diets, study finds
Researchers say limited eating approaches such as 5:2 diet not a ‘miracle solution’ amid surge in their popularity
Scientists confirm one-dimensional electron behavior in phosphorus chains
For the first time, researchers have shown that self-assembled phosphorus chains can host genuinely one-dimensional electron behavior. Using advanced imaging and spectroscopy techniques, they separated the signals from chains aligned in different directions to reveal their true nature. The findings suggest that squeezing the chains closer together could trigger a dramatic shift from semiconductor to metal. That means simply adjusting density could unlock entirely new electronic states.
Ancient fingerprint found on 2,400-year-old Danish war boat
More than a century after its discovery, Scandinavia’s oldest plank boat is finally giving up new secrets. By analyzing ancient caulking and cords from the Hjortspring boat, researchers uncovered traces of pine pitch and animal fat — materials that likely came from pine-rich regions east of Denmark along the Baltic Sea. This suggests the vessel, used by a band of Iron Age warriors who attacked the island of Als over 2,000 years ago, may have sailed across open waters on a long, carefully planned mission.
Scientists discover the enzyme that lets cancer rapidly rewire its DNA
Researchers have uncovered the enzyme behind chromothripsis, a chaotic chromosome-shattering event seen in about one in four cancers. The enzyme, N4BP2, breaks apart DNA trapped in tiny cellular structures, unleashing a burst of genetic changes that can help tumors rapidly adapt and resist therapy. Blocking the enzyme dramatically reduced this genomic destruction in cancer cells.
This Bonobo Just Did Something Scientists Thought Only Humans Could Do
A bonobo demonstrated the ability to track imaginary objects in controlled tests, challenging the belief that imagination is uniquely human and hinting at deep evolutionary roots. In a set of carefully designed experiments modeled on children’s tea parties, researchers at Johns Hopkins University
Scientists Just Discovered a Fish That Sees in a Way No Other Animal Can
Researchers have identified a third type of visual cell in deep-sea fish larvae, shaking up 150 years of vision science.
Snakes keep evolving into cannibals — here's what scientists think is going on
A review of over 500 reports of cannibalistic behavior in snakes finds it's appeared multiple times in different evolutionary lineages, leading researchers to hypothesize it's beneficial for snakes under certain circumstances.
Why gas stoves could be No. 1 polluter for many Bay Area residents
A Stanford researcher replaced his own gas stove after monitoring pollution levels in his kitchen — and scientists say millions of Americans may face similar risks.
UNM lecture to explore health risks of microplastics and environmental toxicants
The University of New Mexico Department of Physics, Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science hosts the next Science & Society Distinguished Public Talk on Wednesday, Feb. 19, featuring researcher Eliane El Hayek.
UNM lecture to explore health risks of microplastics and environmental toxicants
The University of New Mexico Department of Physics, Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science hosts the next Science & Society Distinguished Public Talk on Wednesday, Feb. 19, featuring researcher Eliane El Hayek.
Tracking global water circulation using atomic fingerprints
Scientists have developed a powerful new way to trace the journey of water across the planet by reading tiny atomic clues hidden inside it. Slightly heavier versions of hydrogen and oxygen, called isotopes, shift in predictable ways as water evaporates and moves through the atmosphere. By combining eight advanced climate models into a single ensemble, researchers created the most accurate large-scale simulation yet of how water circulates worldwide.
These Unsinkable Tubes Could Help Harvest Energy From the Ocean
Researchers developed aluminum structures that trap air bubbles, making them able to float perpetually in even the harshest environments.
Pint of Science Festival brings local researchers to bars in Champaign-Urbana for engaging talks
The annual event connects the community with global scientists to share groundbreaking discoveries at local bars and cafes.
Scientists found a way to plant ideas in dreams to boost creativity
Sleeping on a problem might be more powerful than we ever imagined. Neuroscientists at Northwestern University have shown that dreams can actually be nudged in specific directions — and those dream tweaks may boost creativity. By playing subtle sound cues during REM sleep, researchers prompted people to dream about unsolved brain teasers they had struggled with earlier. An astonishing 75% of participants dreamed about the cued puzzles, and those puzzles were solved far more often the next day.
Psychedelics may work by shutting down reality and unlocking memory
Psychedelics can quiet the brain’s visual input system, pushing it to replace missing details with vivid fragments from memory. Scientists found that slow, rhythmic brain waves help shift perception away from the outside world and toward internal recall — almost like dreaming while awake. By imaging glowing brain cells in mice, researchers watched this process unfold in real time.
UCSB scientists develop ‘liquid battery’ that stores sunlight as heat
Scientists at U.C. Santa Barbara have developed a new kind of “liquid battery” that can capture sunlight and release it later as heat, a breakthrough researchers say could help solve one of renewable ...
Leading Researcher Named First UM Endowed Chair in Fisheries Science
The University of Montana recently named Yoichiro Kanno as the newest endowed chair in its top-ranked Wildlife Biology Program.
Trump vowed to boost Black business. Critics say he's failed so far
"When the economy weakens, Black households are usually the first to feel the effects," a researcher says.
'Impossible' mantle earthquakes actually occur all over the world, study finds
Researchers were once unsure whether mantle earthquakes existed. Now they have a global map of this mysterious phenomenon.
In Sickness and in Health: Wellness-Obsessed Techies Adopt Oura Rings as Wedding Bands
When AI researcher Sebastian Raschka got married in November 2023, he and his now-wife, Liza, went nontraditional. They wedded in Las Vegas at an Elvis-themed chapel, then celebrated by attending a U2 concert at the Sphere, the futuristic orb-shaped theater on the Strip. The Raschkas also bucked ...
It's a dangerous complication of pregnancy -- but a new drug holds promise
Researchers celebrate early results of a drug that may become the first treatment for a serious complication of pregnancy called preeclampsia. It's got the potential to save many lives.
Scientists discover a hidden gut bacterium linked to good health
A global study has uncovered a mysterious group of gut bacteria that shows up again and again in healthy people. Known as CAG-170, these microbes were found at lower levels in people with a range of chronic diseases. Genetic clues suggest they help digest food and support the broader gut ecosystem. Researchers say the discovery could reshape how we measure and maintain gut health.
Scientists discover pets are helping an invasive flatworm spread
A new study shows that dogs and cats may be helping an invasive flatworm spread. Researchers analyzing over a decade of reports discovered the worm attached to pet fur. Its sticky mucus and ability to reproduce alone make it highly adaptable. Pets could be giving this slow-moving invader a major boost.
Scientists discover a hidden gut bacterium linked to good health
A global study has uncovered a mysterious group of gut bacteria that shows up again and again in healthy people. Known as CAG-170, these microbes were found at lower levels in people with a range of chronic diseases. Genetic clues suggest they help digest food and support the broader gut ecosystem. Researchers say the discovery could reshape how we measure and maintain gut health.
February 13, 2026
An evolutionary biologist weighs in on mating and dating in the age of apps. Is pair bonding passé? Is single the new married? Plus, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, or RHIC, has ceased operation. What’s next for particle physics? Add, researchers are homing in on how kids reap long-term health benefits from getting dirty, whether cuddling furry pets or playing with friends.
A Climate Supercomputer Is Getting New Bosses. It’s Not Clear Who.
The National Science Foundation said management of the machine, used by researchers for forecasts, disaster warnings and pure science, would be transferred to a “third-party operator.”
Montana State researcher featured in New York Times science story
Fractured ice of Thwaites Glacier could help scientists understand the frozen sub-surface environment on Jupiter’s moon Europa.
A Little Grime Can Boost Kids’ Health. But What Kind?
Researchers are homing in on how kids reap long-term health benefits from getting dirty, whether cuddling furry pets or playing with friends.
Gary Marcus skewers viral AI essay as alarmist 'hype'
AI researcher Gary Marcus said Matt Shumer's viral essay, "Something Big Is Happening," oversells the current capabilities of AI models.
The No. 1 Morning Habit a Healthy Aging Expert Swears By
In TODAY.com's Expert Tip of the Day, a longevity researcher reveals the first thing she does every morning to extend her healthspan.
Scientists used brain stimulation to make people more generous
A new study suggests that generosity may be more than a moral lesson—it could be shaped by how different parts of the brain work together. By gently stimulating two brain regions and syncing their activity, researchers found that people became more willing to share money with others, even when it meant earning less themselves.
Advancing AI for science: extracting and fusing cross-disciplinary expert knowledge with data to accelerate alloy discovery
High-entropy alloys are promising advanced materials for demanding applications, but discovering useful compositions is difficult and expensive due to the vast number of possible element combinations. Now, researchers have developed a novel AI-driven framework that integrates experimental data, computational modeling, and cross-disciplinary expert knowledge extracted from scientific literature. By combining these sources in a way that accounts for uncertainty, their approach can make reliable predictions even for poorly studied alloy compositions, outperforming conventional data-driven machine learning methods that rely on training data alone.
Scientists make microplastics glow to see what they do inside your body
Microplastics and nanoplastics are now found everywhere on Earth, from ocean depths to agricultural soils and even inside the human body. Yet scientists still struggle to understand what these particles actually do once they enter living organisms. A new study proposes an innovative fluorescence-based strategy that could allow researchers to track microplastics in real time as they move, transform, and degrade inside biological systems.
Science policy education should start on campus, say researchers
Although modern science has only been around for a few centuries, we've become quite adept at training students in the scientific method. But learning how to translate research insights into practical ...
Scientists have discovered one of elephants’ most sensitive secrets
Researchers have studied rat and mouse whiskers, but these key organs for elephants have been largely overlooked.
Earthquake data provide solid footing for AI foundation science model
There's been a seismic shift in science, with scientists developing new AI tools and applying AI to just about any question that can be asked. Researchers are now putting actual seismic waves to work, ...
Is low-carb or low-fat eating healthier for your heart? This study has the answer.
Both low-carb and low-fat diets can be heart healthy - but only if these ingredients are avoided, researchers found.
STAT Health Tech: Researchers take another look at Apple's hypertension feature
In this edition of STAT Health Tech: Fundraises by Talkiatry, Big Health, and the accuracy of Apple Watch hypertension feature.
These Proteins Harm Your Brain. Scientists Say They Might Also Help Form Your Memories.
Amyloid proteins are typically considered bad guys, but researchers been investigating whether a version may be key to forming long-term memories.
A New Study Challenges the Mental-Health Claims of “Gender-Affirming Care”
Hong Kong researchers found that “affirming” surgeries and hormones yielded no significant improvements in depression and anxiety.