Science Daily

Your fingers may hold a secret of human brain evolution

A study of 225 newborns suggests prenatal estrogen may have played a role in the evolution of larger human brains. Boys with finger-length patterns linked to higher estrogen exposure before birth tended to have larger head circumferences, which are strongly associated with brain size. The same connection was not seen in girls.

science  Jul 17, 2026

Science Daily

Koalas nearly went extinct before humans arrived, DNA study reveals

A major DNA study has rewritten the koala's evolutionary story, revealing that the species suffered a dramatic population collapse about 100,000 years ago, long before humans arrived in Australia. By calculating the koala's mutation rate for the first time and analyzing hundreds of genomes, researchers discovered that every living koala traces back to a small group that survived extreme climate shifts and later repopulated eastern Australia.

science  Jul 17, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists tested 39 sweeteners and found unexpected gut effects

A large laboratory study found that many commonly used sweeteners can directly change the growth of gut bacteria. Researchers identified more than 100 cases in which sweeteners behaved differently when combined with medications, caffeine, or flavorings. The combination of isosteviol and the antidepressant duloxetine was especially disruptive, reducing beneficial bacteria and overall microbial diversity.

science  Jul 17, 2026

The Guardian Science

Robert Laidlow: Reality Eaters album review

BBC Philharmonic/Havlat/Kaziboni/Piatti Quartet(NMC)Einstein’s field equations, Newton’s universal law and artificial intelligence are among the subjects of Laidlow’s ambitious orchestral worksRobert Laidlow is as at home in the realms of science and technology as he is in the world of classical music. As this NMC debut album demonstrates, his intricate, wildly imaginative work is eminently approachable, even if the core concepts are highly complex.Warp, a terse, 12-minute piano concerto, propos

science  Jul 17, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists built a camera that can track invisible particles in 3D

A new particle detector called PLATON could replace millions of tiny detector components with a single block of light-producing material. Using a light-field camera, highly sensitive photon sensors, and AI, it reconstructs particle paths in fast, detailed 3D. Simulations suggest it could match or surpass today’s best detectors while being far easier to scale. The technology may also lead to sharper PET medical scans.

science  Jul 17, 2026

Science Daily

New Alzheimer's drug repairs DNA damage and reduces brain inflammation

A drug originally developed for spinal cord injury may offer a fresh approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease. In mouse studies, KCL-286 repaired dangerous DNA damage, reduced inflammation, and targeted multiple disease-related pathways instead of focusing on just amyloid or tau. Since it has already cleared an initial human safety trial, researchers believe it could move more quickly into Alzheimer’s clinical testing.

science  Jul 17, 2026

NASA News

A Tide-Fueled Trove of Biodiversity in Guinea-Bissau

The expansive mudflats, sandy beaches, and mangrove forests of the Bijagós archipelago support an array of migratory shorebirds and large numbers of sea turtles.

science  Jul 17, 2026

Science Daily

New “living plastic” self-destructs in just 6 days without leaving microplastics

Researchers have created self-destructing living plastic that uses engineered bacteria to completely break itself down when activated. The material degrades in just six days without creating microplastics, offering a potential new solution for single-use plastic waste.

science  Jul 17, 2026

Science Daily

This sugar-coated therapy boosted survival against deadly brain cancer by 50% in mice

A new experimental treatment may have found a way to outsmart glioblastoma’s toughest defense: the blood-brain barrier. Researchers used sugar-coated nanoparticles to ferry genetic instructions that restore a key tumor-suppressing protein directly into brain cancer cells. In mouse studies, the therapy increased median survival by 50% while shrinking tumors without noticeable damage to other organs.

science  Jul 17, 2026

NASA News

NASA Welcomes Serbia as Newest Artemis Accords Signatory 

The Republic of Serbia signed the Artemis Accords Thursday during a ceremony hosted by NASA at the agency’s Headquarters in Washington, becoming the 69th nation to join a large community of like-minded nations committed to the peaceful, transparent, and responsible exploration of space. “Serbia’s connection to NASA reaches back to the Apollo program, when the […]

science  Jul 16, 2026

NASA News

NASA Study Finds Near-Earth Asteroid Is Actually Comet

New research led by scientists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California has revealed the identity of a puzzling near-Earth object by precisely tracking its motion through space and using powerful observatories that image faint celestial objects. This object has a dual personality: Past images hadn’t revealed obvious cometlike activity, suggesting it might be […]

science  Jul 16, 2026

The Guardian Science

Earth-like exoplanet could have life-supporting water on its surface

Scientists discover the first confirmed atmosphere in habitable zone outside our solar system on LHS 1140bThe search for life outside our solar system has taken another twist as researchers revealed they have discovered an atmosphere around an Earth-like planet 49 light years away that could have liquid water on its surface.Atmospheres have previously been found around gas giant exoplanets as well as “sub-Neptunes”. There have also been signs of such envelopes around rocky exoplanets that sit ou

science  Jul 16, 2026

The Guardian Science

Brain implant helps paralysed man to feed himself and drink from cup

Keith Thomas can move arms and hands, and feel sensation of touch after ‘double neural bypass’ and months of trainingA man who was paralysed from the chest down in a swimming accident six years ago has been able to feed himself and drink from a cup thanks to a brain implant that bypasses his spinal cord injury.Keith Thomas of Massapequa, New York, could not lift his arms off his wheelchair when he agreed to trial the technology in 2021, but after surgery to implant electrodes in his brain and ma

science  Jul 16, 2026

NASA News

Young Galaxy Cluster

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope takes us 4.4 billion years in the past with this July 3, 2026, image of a young galaxy cluster, MACS J0553.4-3342. The cluster is composed of two actively merging sub-clusters, roughly equal in mass. Each sub-cluster is anchored on an immensely bright and massive elliptical galaxy, easily identifiable as the […]

science  Jul 16, 2026

Science Daily

This ancient sea worm has “bio-metal” jaws unlike anything scientists have seen

An ancient sea worm may hold the secret to a whole new category of natural materials. Its jaws combine proteins and metal ions in a way that gives them metal-like strength and unusual mechanical behavior, yet they still differ from traditional metals. Researchers believe these "bio-metals" could open new directions in materials science while revealing just how sophisticated nature's designs can be.

science  Jul 16, 2026

Science Daily

This drug could help millions keep their kidneys working longer

An international study found that finerenone slows kidney function decline and reduces the risk of serious kidney and cardiovascular complications in people with chronic kidney disease who do not have diabetes. The results could open the door to a much-needed new treatment option for the majority of CKD patients who have long had limited choices.

science  Jul 16, 2026

Science Daily

Earth has a natural thermostat and scientists finally know how it works

Scientists have identified a hidden feedback loop that may explain how Earth has regulated its climate for tens of millions of years. As sea levels rose and fell, they changed how much phosphate reached the open ocean, affecting marine life and the amount of carbon buried beneath the seafloor. That burial removed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping cool the planet.

science  Jul 16, 2026

Science Daily

Sun-like star caught after eating one of its own planets

A distant Sun-like star appears to have devoured one of its planets, leaving behind a surprising chemical fingerprint. Researchers found an unusually high concentration of lithium, a strong sign that planetary material was mixed into the star. Careful comparisons with dozens of similar stars confirmed the signal is highly unusual, and scientists think a massive brown dwarf companion may have helped send the planet on its fatal plunge.

science  Jul 16, 2026

Science Daily

AI flags more than 250,000 suspicious cancer research papers

A powerful new AI tool has uncovered what could be one of the biggest integrity problems in modern science. After analyzing 2.6 million cancer research papers published between 1999 and 2024, researchers identified more than 250,000 studies with writing patterns resembling papers suspected of being produced by fraudulent "paper mills."

science  Jul 16, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists finally solved how a common gut bacterium triggers colon cancer

Researchers solved a long-standing mystery behind how a bacterial toxin associated with colorectal cancer damages the colon. The toxin first binds to a receptor called claudin-4, giving it access to attack the cells' protective barrier. After identifying this weak point, the team designed a decoy protein that successfully blocked the toxin in mice. The discovery could pave the way for new therapies to prevent inflammation and colon tumors.

science  Jul 16, 2026