Science Daily

Scientists find hidden “highways” guiding animal evolution

A sweeping analysis of thousands of animal genomes suggests that chromosomes do not evolve randomly but instead follow a limited number of irreversible “evolutionary highways.” These one-way genetic changes preserve clues to more than 600 million years of animal history and could even help researchers explore where evolution may head next.

science  Aug 25, 2026

Science Daily

NASA finds Earth microbes could survive on the Moon

NASA scientists found that microbes brought by astronauts could survive in cold, shadowed niches around the Moon’s South Pole, potentially complicating future searches for pristine lunar chemistry. Some refuges may be no larger than a footprint, while one hardy fungus could even withstand limited exposure to sunlight.

science  Aug 25, 2026

Science Daily

Depression may shut down the brain’s ability to make new neurons

A major study found that adults with depression show disrupted production of new neurons in the hippocampus, potentially weakening the brain’s ability to separate new experiences from painful memories. The researchers also identified broad molecular changes that could open the door to new treatments tailored to different biological forms of depression.

science  Aug 25, 2026

Science Daily

People who live past 110 have an unusual abundance of killer immune cells

People who reach 110 and beyond appear to have unusually large numbers of rare immune cells capable of killing abnormal cells. These CD4 cytotoxic T cells became more common with age and often expanded into large groups of nearly identical cells, suggesting the immune system was repeatedly responding to persistent threats.

science  Aug 25, 2026

The Guardian Science

Creatine: is there truth behind the hype? – podcast

Creatine has become the go-to supplement for anyone wanting to give their fitness a boost and build muscle. It’s even made it out of the gym, with influencers touting its cognitive benefits. But what’s the science behind creatine, and does the evidence stack up? Madeleine Finlay hears from science editor Ian Sample and Dr Justin Roberts, professor of nutritional physiology at Anglia Ruskin UniversityIs it true that … we should all be taking creatine?Athletes and fitness influencers use creatine,

science  Aug 25, 2026

Science Daily

Newton’s 300-year-old law just passed its biggest test yet

A massive test of gravity across the cosmos found that it behaves almost exactly as Newton and Einstein predicted, even across galaxy clusters hundreds of millions of light-years apart. The result weakens some modified-gravity explanations and strengthens the case that dark matter is behind the universe’s mysterious missing mass.

science  Aug 25, 2026

NASA News

NASA Sets Coverage for Roman Space Telescope Launch from Florida

Coverage plans are ready for NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope prelaunch and launch activities. Roman is NASA’s next-generation observatory designed to explore some of the universe’s biggest mysteries, including dark energy. NASA and SpaceX are targeting Roman’s liftoff for no earlier than 7:26 a.m. EDT Sunday, Aug. 30, aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket […]

science  Aug 24, 2026

NASA News

Perseverance Captures Another Phobos Transit

Description NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera to capture the silhouette of Phobos, one of the two Martian moons, as it crossed in front of the Sun on Aug. 12, 2026, the 1,948th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.  The animation has been tinted to simulate what a human would see if […]

science  Aug 24, 2026

NASA News

Starstruck: NASA Research Shows How Sun’s Ancient History Shaped Earth

At the center of our solar system, the Sun influences every planet that orbits it. In two recent NASA-funded studies, scientists uncovered how ancient events in the Sun’s history may have helped create Earth’s unique climate and driven previously unexplained climatic shifts.   In new research, scientists at NASA’s SHIELD (Solar Wind with Hydrogen Ion charge Exchange and Large-Scale Dynamics) center — one of […]

science  Aug 24, 2026

NASA News

NASA Astronaut Reid Wiseman at Freedom 250 Grand Prix

NASA astronaut and Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman is seen in the two-seat IndyCar as he prepares for driver Conor Daly to take him on a lap ahead of the start of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, Sunday, Aug. 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Image credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

science  Aug 24, 2026

NASA News

MAIA Air Sensor at Work in Addis Ababa

Description This roof-mounted air sensor in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is one of 10 used by NASA’s Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) to study the city’s air quality. MAIA’s air sensors provide a detailed look at particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter, also known as PM2.5, one of the world’s deadliest forms […]

science  Aug 24, 2026

NASA News

Mapping Air Pollution With MAIA Sensors in Addis Ababa

Description This map of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, shows the locations of 10 air sensors that NASA’s Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) mission is using to provide one of the most detailed looks ever at the city’s air pollution. Over the course of three years, these sensors measured particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometers or less […]

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Common medications may change your gut for years

Common medications may reshape the gut microbiome long after the last dose is taken. In a study of more than 2,500 people, researchers found lasting microbial changes linked not only to antibiotics, but also to antidepressants, beta-blockers, acid-reducing drugs, and benzodiazepines. Some effects were still detectable years later, suggesting past medication use may strongly influence the gut bacteria people carry today.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Bird flu is spreading. Your backyard feeder could make it worse

Backyard bird feeders could become unexpected hotspots for H5N1 as Australia’s bird flu outbreak spreads, bringing species together in ways that rarely occur naturally. Experts say stopping feeding is safest, while smaller amounts of food, no hand-feeding, and careful cleaning can reduce the danger.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

A ghostly ribbon of stars reveals hidden dark matter

A faint ribbon of stars around a distant galaxy has become the first globular cluster stellar stream ever identified beyond the Milky Way. Because the stars trace the galaxy’s gravity, researchers used the stream to estimate how much invisible dark matter surrounds it and how that matter is distributed. The breakthrough offers astronomers a promising new way to investigate one of the universe’s greatest mysteries.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

A tiny “rainbow on a chip” could help supercharge 6G networks

Researchers have created a tiny chip that produces a stable “rainbow” of light capable of generating multiple high-frequency signals at once, potentially boosting the speed and capacity of future 6G networks. Its extreme precision could also make it valuable for quantum timing, navigation, radar, and even space-based technologies.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Too much or too little sleep may make your body age faster

Both too little and too much sleep may be linked to faster aging throughout the body. Researchers analyzing 23 biological aging clocks found the lowest aging levels among people sleeping about 6.4 to 7.8 hours per day. Short or long sleep was also associated with numerous conditions affecting the brain, heart, lungs, metabolism, and digestive system.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Screen time at ages 1 and 6 may matter more than parents realize

More screen time during infancy and around the start of school was linked to poorer academic performance and weaker working memory years later. The findings suggest that early childhood may contain particularly sensitive windows when screen habits can have longer-lasting effects.

science  Aug 24, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists just imaged the hidden quantum shape of a molecule

Researchers have found a way to create a complete 3D image of a molecule’s wavefunction, one of quantum mechanics’ most fundamental yet elusive features. By combining advanced photoelectron measurements with newly designed algorithms, the University of Göttingen team reconstructed the molecular orbital of a nanometer-sized organic molecule in remarkable detail, even resolving features smaller than the spacing between its carbon atoms.

science  Aug 24, 2026

The Guardian Science

‘Cookies’ made from plastic may be on the menu for future astronauts

Nasa-funded project uses yeasts to recycle plastics and other waste into food shaped into biscuits by 3D printersCookies produced from upcycled plastic may sound like something straight out of a dystopian sci-fi plot. But researchers say that they have succeeded in creating such a product as part of a Nasa-funded project aimed at feeding astronauts on future space missions.The technology uses specially designed yeasts to transform plastics and agricultural waste into edible proteins, fats and fl

science  Aug 24, 2026