ScienceDaily

FGF19 triggers the brain to burn more energy and activate fat-burning cells, offering a potential new path for obesity treatments. The hormone enhances thermogenesis and reduces inflammation, but only when the sympathetic nervous system is active. Researchers uncovered how cold exposure increases receptor expression for FGF19 in the hypothalamus, hinting at an evolutionary role in temperature reg…

SQUIRE aims to detect exotic spin-dependent interactions using quantum sensors deployed in space, where speed and environmental conditions vastly improve sensitivity. Orbiting sensors tap into Earth’s enormous natural polarized spin source and benefit from low-noise periodic signal modulation. A robust prototype with advanced noise suppression and radiation-hardened engineering now meets the requ…

New findings challenge the widespread belief that AI is an environmental villain. By analyzing U.S. economic data and AI usage across industries, researchers discovered that AI’s energy consumption—while significant locally—barely registers at national or global scales. Even more surprising, AI could help accelerate green technologies rather than hinder them.

Scientists have discovered that complex life began evolving much earlier than traditional models suggested. Using an expanded molecular clock approach, the team showed that crucial cellular features emerged in ancient anoxic oceans long before oxygen became a major part of Earth’s atmosphere. Their results indicate that early complexity developed slowly over an unexpectedly long timescale.

Scientists uncovered a surprising four-layer structure hidden inside the hippocampal CA1 region, one of the brain’s major centers for memory, navigation, and emotion. Using advanced RNA imaging techniques, the team mapped more than 330,000 genetic signals from tens of thousands of neurons, revealing crisp, shifting bands of cell types that run along the length of the hippocampus. This layered org…

SPHERE’s detailed images of dusty rings around young stars offer a rare glimpse into the hidden machinery of planet formation. These bright arcs and faint clouds reveal where tiny planet-building bodies collide, break apart, and reshape their systems. Some disks contain sharp edges or unusual patterns that hint at massive planets still waiting to be seen, while others resemble early versions of o…

Scientists have discovered how to electrically power insulating nanoparticles using organic molecules that act like tiny antennas. These hybrids generate extremely pure near-infrared light, ideal for medical diagnostics and advanced communications. The approach works at low voltages and surpasses competing technologies in spectral precision. Early results suggest huge potential for future optoele…

Researchers have uncovered a new species of wolf snake on Great Nicobar Island and named it Lycodon irwini in tribute to Steve Irwin. The glossy black, non-venomous snake grows up to a meter and appears confined to a small area. Scientists warn its limited habitat makes it vulnerable. The find underscores how much biodiversity in the region is still unexplored.

An immense Bronze Age settlement has emerged from the Kazakh Steppe, revealing a surprisingly urban and industrial society where archaeologists once expected nomadic camps. At Semiyarka, researchers uncovered massive residential compounds, a possible ceremonial or administrative building, and an entire industrial zone dedicated to producing tin bronze—an extremely rare discovery for the region. T…

A next-generation drug tested in yeast was found to extend lifespan and slow aging by influencing a major growth-control pathway. Researchers also uncovered an unexpected role for agmatinases, enzymes that help keep this pathway in balance. Diet and gut microbes may affect aging more than expected because they produce the metabolites involved.

Regular consumption of polyphenol-rich foods like tea, coffee, berries, nuts, and whole grains may significantly support long-term heart health. A decade-long study of more than 3,100 adults found that those who consistently ate polyphenol-packed diets had healthier blood pressure and cholesterol levels, as well as lower predicted cardiovascular risk.

A researcher from the University of Tokyo and a U.S.-based structural engineer developed a new computational form-finding method that could change how architects and engineers design lightweight and free-form structures covering large spaces. The technique specifically helps create gridshells, thin, curved surfaces whose members form a networked grid. The method makes use of NURBS surfaces, a wid…

Cedars-Sinai scientists have created a new experimental drug called TY1 that helps the body repair damaged DNA and restore injured tissue. The discovery came from studying tiny molecular messages released by heart cells that naturally support healing after injury. By identifying and recreating the most powerful of these messages, the team developed a synthetic RNA molecule that boosts the body’s …

A large study found that people with impaired kidneys tend to have higher Alzheimer’s biomarkers, yet they don’t face a higher overall risk of dementia. For those who already have elevated biomarkers, kidney problems may speed up when symptoms appear. The findings show that kidney health can change how Alzheimer’s blood tests are read. Doctors may need to consider both organs to get a clearer pic…

Kyushu University scientists have achieved a major leap in fuel cell technology by enabling efficient proton transport at just 300°C. Their scandium-doped oxide materials create a wide, soft pathway that lets protons move rapidly without clogging the crystal lattice. This solves a decades-old barrier in solid-oxide fuel cell development and could make hydrogen power far more affordable.