Kyoto University researchers have developed a method to map thermospheric density at 482 km altitude by analyzing orbital drag data from 1,200 Starlink satellites, offering a new way to monitor the upper atmosphere using existing commercial infrastructure.
Vallabh Ramesh, an 18-year-old high school student, has created a thermo-responsive polymer gel that can be 3D-printed with affordable equipment, changing properties at body temperature, with potential applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and beyond.
A study in Puglia, Italy, found that installing photovoltaic panels over vineyards increased grape yields by 277% compared to full-sun vines. The system improved microclimate conditions, soil moisture, and energy generation, achieving a land equivalent ratio of 3.54.
A new study identifies stone tools at Jebel Katefeh 1 in Saudi Arabia's Nefud Desert as likely Neanderthal, suggesting the hominin group migrated deeper into the Arabian Peninsula than previously known around 55,000 years ago during a wetter climate period.
Researchers at the University of Sharjah have developed eco-friendly bricks using desert sand and industrial by-products. The bricks, cured at room temperature, demonstrate high sulfate resistance and potential to reduce reliance on high-emission Portland cement.
NASA's Orbital Clarity Challenge offers up to $500,000 for innovative, affordable technologies to measure thermosphere changes, improving predictions of atmospheric drag on satellites in low Earth orbit.
Palaeontologists have identified a new snake species, Hibernophis breithaupti, from 38-million-year-old fossils found in Wyoming. The discovery of four complete skeletons provides rare anatomical data and hints at ancient communal sheltering behavior.
Scientists have named a newly described non-venomous snake species from New Guinea Lielaphis slashi after Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash, honoring his lifelong interest in reptiles and natural history.
Researchers simulated using a 1-megaton nuclear device against a 160-metre asteroid to test nuclear disruption as a last-resort planetary defence option when early detection fails.
Examining Rebecca Skloot's book, a 2011 review highlights how Henrietta Lacks's immortal HeLa cells revolutionized biomedical research while raising profound ethical questions regarding consent and patient rights.
Archaeologists from the University of Bologna have uncovered a ritual well in the ancient Etruscan city of Kainua, Italy. The site contained bronze votive offerings and two human skeletons, marking the foundation and subsequent ritual closure of the structure.
Scientists at the Max Planck Institute have discovered that various animals, including marine worms and earthworms, possess enzymes capable of breaking down PHAs—natural microbial plastics—suggesting a widespread biological mechanism for carbon recycling in ecosystems.
Massachussets student Tina Jin developed a low-cost water filtration system using discarded animal bones, earning a patent and top awards at the 2026 Regeneron ISEF.
The 1919 scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow, Orkney, led to a unique source of pre-nuclear steel, now crucial for radiation-sensitive equipment in space exploration and medical imaging due to its low-background radiation.
Connor Hill, 17, wins $250,000 at the 2026 Regeneron Science Talent Search for classifying noble polyhedra, solving a long-standing geometry problem with a custom algorithm, identifying 146 isolated shapes and 2 infinite families.
A University of California, Riverside study reveals that Argentine ants react differently to thiamethoxam and boric acid pesticides, with the former causing increased outdoor activity before death and the latter inducing nesting and reduced foraging.
Canadian amateur astronomer Joël Lapointe discovered a 25km-wide meteorite impact crater named Uhackatik in Quebec's Côte-Nord region using Google Maps. Geologists confirmed the 390-million-year-old structure following an expedition in October 2025.
A University of Delhi study found a laboratory strain of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes showed a 97.91% mortality rate at the suggested diagnostic dose of α-cypermethrin, falling slightly below the 98% susceptibility threshold and signaling potential early resistance.
Russian and New Zealand researchers have developed a protein-enriched ketchup by adding algae proteins from Chlorella vulgaris, increasing protein content from 1.6% to 6.3% while maintaining taste up to 3% algae concentration.
A study in 'Plants, People, Planet' finds Nicaraguan avocado varieties are genetically distinct from commercial types, linked to South American populations, suggesting ancient human migration carried seeds northwards, potentially aiding future agriculture resilience.
Nearly 80 years after its initial discovery in the Arctic, a massive Triassic fossil has been identified as Arctobatrachus urdensis, a new species of ancient amphibian-like creature measuring 2.7 meters long.
A study of a 70-million-year-old fossilized shell in Oman reveals Earth's day was 23 hours and 31 minutes long during the late Cretaceous, with a 372-day year, and provides evidence of warmer ocean temperatures and a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic organisms.
Amateur archaeologist George Bird and Time Team excavations discovered a 3,700-year-old Bronze Age stone circle and ceremonial platform around a lone standing stone in Farley Wood, Derbyshire.
