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Science News

Latest science news, discoveries and scientific developments.

Engineered nanoparticles sensitize gliomas to radiotherapy
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Engineered nanoparticles sensitize gliomas to radiotherapy

Gliomas are a major cause of cancer-related deaths in younger adults. About 7,000 patients harbor a common genetic mutation that affects the enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase 1. This mutated enzyme, called mIDH1, can produce a molecule that can reprogram both the tumor cells and the environment in which they grow. The molecule, known as 2-hydroxyglutarate, can also circulate in the blood and reprogram immune cells in the bone marrow.

📅 2026-09-21 20:20:01    •    Phys.org
Spaceflight may harm the reproductive system of astronauts' kids and grandkids, early mouse study suggests
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Spaceflight may harm the reproductive system of astronauts' kids and grandkids, early mouse study suggests

Lab mice who spend time in space seem to bear offspring with reduced reproductive capacity, a new study suggests. But what that might mean for human astronauts and their families is still unclear.The research, published June 30 in the journal PNAS, looked at female mice that had spent extended periods on the International Space Station (ISS). These mice had similar levels of fertility as Earth-bound mice. However, their children and grandchildren produced smaller-than-average litters, had fewer litters overall and had lower levels of key reproductive hormones, among other measurable differences. "The offspring of those that came back from space were altered in their behavior, their muscle, t...

📅 2026-09-21 20:10:00    •    Live Science
Definition of dyslexia updated for first time in 20 years
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Definition of dyslexia updated for first time in 20 years

A Texas A&M University researcher helped shape the first major update in more than two decades to the International Dyslexia Association's definition of dyslexia. The revised definition reflects advances in dyslexia research and could influence how schools, policymakers and others identify and support students with learning disabilities.

📅 2026-09-21 20:00:04    •    Phys.org
Scientists reveal how our cells conduct emergency repairs for DNA
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Scientists reveal how our cells conduct emergency repairs for DNA

Two new studies from Johns Hopkins University are providing scientists with an unprecedented view of how human cells repair one of the most dangerous forms of genetic damage: a break that severs both strands of the DNA double helix.

📅 2026-09-21 20:00:02    •    Phys.org
Earth's center of mass drifts less than we thought
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Earth's center of mass drifts less than we thought

Where is Earth's center of mass? The answer seems trivially obvious. It's right in the middle of the planet. Ah, but that kind of thinking won't get you a paper in the Geophysical Journal International. It's also not a trivial question. Knowing Earth's center of mass to within millimeters reveals some interesting facts about our planet.

📅 2026-09-21 19:40:06    •    Phys.org
New nanoparticle drug-delivery method may improve treatment for endometriosis
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New nanoparticle drug-delivery method may improve treatment for endometriosis

Researchers have engineered a drug treatment that shows rapid effectiveness against endometriosis in early testing, laying the foundation for a potential therapy for an incurable, chronic disease that affects 1 in 10 women. The targeted nanotherapy, developed by a team of scientists at Washington State University, reduced endometriosis symptoms and disease progression after a single dose in a mouse model.

📅 2026-09-21 19:40:02    •    Phys.org
Truckee River microplastics rise nearly tenfold during high spring flows
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Truckee River microplastics rise nearly tenfold during high spring flows

The ubiquitous plastics of modern life are degrading into tiny fragments and littering Earth's landscapes and waterways. Scientists are starting to examine and measure this phenomenon to better understand how microplastics move through the environment and ultimately affect human and environmental health. A new study focuses on the Truckee River, which stems from the clear blue waters of Lake Tahoe and traverses Reno and Sparks, Nevada, before reaching Pyramid Lake. The research sought to illuminate the concentrations and types of plastics accumulating throughout the river—which supplies drinking water to nearly half a million people.

📅 2026-09-21 19:30:02    •    Phys.org
How migrating cells build their leading edge: Master regulator may resolve long-standing debate
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How migrating cells build their leading edge: Master regulator may resolve long-standing debate

The ability of cells to move and change position is essential for various processes in our bodies. Immune cells move to sites of action, epithelial cells migrate during wound closure, and neurons extend their axons for signal transmission over long distances. In metastasis, cancer cells employ their motile machinery to spread throughout the body.

📅 2026-09-21 19:20:08    •    Phys.org
Developing lower-performing employees may annoy the go-getters
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Developing lower-performing employees may annoy the go-getters

When Martin Wiernsperger was a graduate student, he and fellow student Mackenzie Feinberg realized they both had family members in the health care field—and both had heard relatives complain about lower-performing employees getting more opportunities for training and professional development than their higher-performing peers.

📅 2026-09-21 19:20:04    •    Phys.org
Solar Orbiter catches the sun's missing high-speed vibrations
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Solar Orbiter catches the sun's missing high-speed vibrations

The sun's magnetic fields are a twisty, curvy, ever-changing mess. In particular, our star's polar regions host areas called polar coronal holes, which contain invisible magnetic highways that stretch into interplanetary space. But there's a lot we don't know about how those highways actually work, particularly how they give the particles that form the fast solar wind an extra "kick" that sends them zooming at hundreds of kilometers per second.

📅 2026-09-21 19:00:04    •    Phys.org
Scientists made a paper battery you can swallow to power internal medical devices
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Scientists made a paper battery you can swallow to power internal medical devices

Scientists built a swallowable paper battery that can power medical devices inside the body and then gradually break down after its job is done.So far, the battery has been tested only in pigs, in which it powered devices for up to three days. If proven safe and effective in people, the battery could someday power temporary devices inside the gut while avoiding surgery to retrieve a conventional battery from the body when the device is no longer needed."I'm very excited about this work," said Reza Ghodssi, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Maryland who was not involved in the study. "The battery is one component that takes up most of the space in an inge...

📅 2026-09-21 18:30:00    •    Live Science
A newly discovered mechanism helps cells prevent errors during DNA replication
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A newly discovered mechanism helps cells prevent errors during DNA replication

At the scale of individual cells, the human body is constantly in motion. Every second, millions of cells divide, particularly in tissues such as the bone marrow, intestine and skin; neurons and heart muscle cells divide far less frequently. All of this depends on the molecular machinery responsible for copying the billions of chemical units that make up DNA inside the nucleus.

📅 2026-09-21 18:20:05    •    Phys.org
STEM activities with family and educators expose students to diverse career paths
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STEM activities with family and educators expose students to diverse career paths

Activities children take part in with family and friends can help shape the fields of study and careers they pursue as adults. A new study published in the International Journal of STEM Education by FIU education researchers Chris Irwin and Zahra Hazari found that STEM activities and conversations with family, friends and teachers are among the strongest factors influencing students' motivations for pursuing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers.

📅 2026-09-21 18:20:01    •    Phys.org
Antarctica's lost mountains may have helped early life flourish
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Antarctica's lost mountains may have helped early life flourish

Beneath the vast frozen wastes of Antarctica lie the remains of ancient mountains that have long since eroded. Even though they're no longer standing, they can still reveal a few lost secrets. New research published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters suggests that these vanished peaks may have played a fundamental role in the evolution of complex life on this planet.

📅 2026-09-21 18:10:01    •    Phys.org
Lemur uses opera singer's trick to belt out forest songs
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Lemur uses opera singer's trick to belt out forest songs

We are often left open-mouthed in awe as an opera singer hits a soaring top note. Now, researchers at the University of Warwick have found that the indri, the world's only known singing lemur, appears to use a strikingly similar vocal technique to hit high notes.

📅 2026-09-21 18:00:01    •    Phys.org