Latest articles in Science
The James Webb Space Telescope has directly detected methane on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, the first time this molecule has been found on an object from outside our solar system. The methane-to-water ratio is surprisingly high, suggesting the comet formed around a different type of star in a distant planetary system.
NASA has declared its MAVEN Mars orbiter dead after losing contact with the spacecraft in December 2025. The $582 million probe spent 11 years studying Mars' atmosphere and how solar wind stripped the planet of its water. Only two NASA orbiters remain operational around Mars.
Researchers at the Institute for Neurosciences in Spain identified a specific population of neurons in the basolateral amygdala that triggers anxiety and social withdrawal when imbalanced. By restoring normal activity in this tiny brain circuit, they reversed anxiety-related behaviors in both genetically engineered and naturally anxious mice. The finding opens the door to more targeted treatments for anxiety disorders.
Astronomers detected winds coming from Sagittarius A*, the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, for the first time. The discovery shows that even quiet black holes generate powerful outflows. Separately, an AI-designed universal coronavirus vaccine passed its first human trial, and scientists discovered why Ozempic may not work for some people due to genetic variants causing GLP-1 resistance in about 10% of the population.
After 50 years of searching, astronomers have found evidence of a mild wind blowing from Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way. Using the ALMA telescope in Chile, researchers detected a cone-shaped gap in gas near the black hole, indicating a hot wind that has been pushing material away.
Scientists have discovered viable yeast strains in the remains of Ötzi the Iceman, the 5,300-year-old mummy found frozen in the Alps in 1991. Researchers extracted live yeasts from Ötzi's gut microbiome and successfully revived them in the lab. The finding provides new insights into the diet, food preservation techniques, and gut health of Copper Age humans. The yeasts may also have potential applications in modern brewing and baking.
Scientists at Monash University have built a tiny chip that generates, steers, and reads light-based information all in one device. The breakthrough uses atomically thin materials and nanoscale structures to control a quantum property of light called the valley degree of freedom. The chip operates at room temperature, unlike many quantum systems that require extreme cooling. The research team demonstrated the chip processing two separate images simultaneously, pointing to future applications in quantum computing, advanced imaging, and optical communications.
Scientists have developed a tiny chip that processes information using light instead of electricity. The photonic chip could dramatically reduce energy consumption in data centers and enable faster computing. Researchers also discovered hidden patterns beneath ancient continents that may reveal where rare earth deposits form.
NASA's Artemis 2 mission has produced stunning new images of the moon's far side, captured by commander Reid Wiseman in collaboration with astrophotographers. The photos reveal terrain features never seen in such detail. Meanwhile, NASA confirmed Artemis III will now focus on Earth orbit tests, with the first crewed lunar landing moved to Artemis IV, tentatively scheduled for 2028.
Stanford University scientists have built a room-temperature quantum device that uses twisted light to entangle photons and electrons. The breakthrough removes the need for extreme cooling that has limited quantum computers to specialized labs. The device could accelerate practical quantum computing for sensing, communication, and drug discovery.