SciTechDaily

A major international trial suggests an experimental anti-clotting drug may lower the risk of repeat strokes without the dangerous bleeding complications tied to many current treatments. For decades, stroke specialists have faced a frustrating tradeoff: stronger anti-clotting drugs can reduce the risk of another stroke, but they also raise the danger of serious bleeding. Now, [...]

Ancient genomes from northwest Europe show that farming, foraging, migration, and marriage shaped prehistory in ways far more complex than earlier models suggested. When ancient DNA research began drawing major attention a little over a decade ago, many geneticists came to believe that earlier ideas about how modern humans populated Europe needed to be reconsidered. [...]

A 59,000-year-old tooth hints that Neanderthals may have treated infections with stone tools. Long before modern dentistry, Neanderthals may already have understood something crucial about pain: where it came from and how to relieve it. A 59,000-year-old tooth discovered in Siberia contains evidence that one of our extinct relatives may have deliberately drilled into an [...]

A prehistoric Pyrenees cave may have been an early copper-processing camp repeatedly used for thousands of years, with archaeologists also uncovering child remains and symbolic jewelry. Archaeologists working high in the eastern Pyrenees have uncovered evidence that a prehistoric cave may have been used for early copper processing. The site contains numerous hearths filled with [...]

A new technology called LinCx allows scientists to create custom electrical connections between neurons with high precision. Researchers say it may help treat disorders caused by damaged brain circuits. Damage to brain circuits plays a major role in many neurological disorders. Researchers at Duke University School of Medicine have developed a custom biological “wire” that [...]

Climate scientists have formally challenged a US government report they say incorrectly downplayed clear evidence of human-driven warming. A leading climate scientist is challenging “demonstrably incorrect” claims in a major US government report that he says misrepresented his research and minimized the role of human activity in global warming. Prof Benjamin Santer, an Honorary Professor [...]

Scientists in Germany have found that microscopic plastic particles make up a measurable share of urban air pollution, with tire wear emerging as the dominant source. Airborne plastic pollution is attracting more scientific attention, but much remains unknown about where these particles are found and how they affect health. New chemical analyses from Leipzig now [...]

Scientists discovered that some of Earth’s supposed earliest animal fossils were actually giant ancient microbes. Ancient microfossils discovered in Brazil are changing scientists’ understanding of early life on Earth. Structures once believed to be traces left behind by tiny marine animals have now been identified as fossilized communities of microscopic bacteria and algae instead. The [...]

Researchers have uncovered an unexpected biological process that may allow the body to directly control stored sugar, challenging decades of scientific understanding. Researchers at WEHI have identified a previously unknown way the body controls sugar storage, a discovery that challenges long-standing biology concepts and could open new directions for disease treatment. Published in Nature, the […

Warm, deep water is shifting closer to Antarctica, threatening ice shelves and altering global ocean circulation, with implications for sea level and climate. A long-term analysis of ocean data has revealed that heat stored deep in the ocean is moving closer to Antarctica, raising concerns about the stability of the ice shelves that surround the [...]

Curiosity just found molecules on Mars tied to the chemistry of life, hinting at a more habitable past. NASA’s Curiosity rover has discovered a wide variety of organic molecules on Mars, including compounds often viewed as essential ingredients for the origin of life on Earth. These results come from a chemical experiment carried out on [...]

A common ornamental flower may hold untapped potential as a heat-stable, functional protein source.h3> Rising demand for protein-rich diets has fueled a surge in plant-based ingredients, but most come from crops grown specifically for that purpose. Researchers are now looking at a different opportunity: turning overlooked plant materials into useful nutrients. One candidate is the [...]

A new study links fatty acid metabolism to rheumatoid arthritis treatment, revealing a natural compound that disrupts inflammation by targeting a previously overlooked enzyme. A compound derived from a traditional medicinal plant may offer a new way to treat rheumatoid arthritis by targeting how the body processes fats rather than simply suppressing the immune system. [...]

A tiny ancient reptile just revealed the moment breathing as we know it began — and it changed life on Earth forever. Every breath you take traces back to a deep evolutionary past. The steady rise of your chest, the muscles between your ribs expanding outward, and the flow of air into your lungs feel [...]

Scientists discovered a tiny wall-dwelling spider that preys on common urban pests and may aid natural pest control. Its resemblance to a distant Galapagos species suggests a possible evolutionary link. Researchers from several South American institutions have expanded understanding of the Pikelinia spider genus with the discovery of a new crevice weaver species, Pikelinia floydmuraria. [...]

A cluster of unexplained illnesses in northern Burundi has prompted an urgent public health response. Health officials in Burundi are racing to identify the cause of a still-unexplained illness that has killed five people and sickened 35 others in Mpanda district in the country’s north. The outbreak, first flagged on March 31, 2026, appears to [...]

A little-known receptor may reshape how scientists approach bone loss. Scientists at Leipzig University have identified a little-studied receptor that could open the door to a new way of treating osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bones and raises the risk of fractures. The condition affects about six million people in Germany, most of them women, [...]

A newly discovered beetle on campus has led to the first major update in Japanese ladybird classification in 50 years. A routine look at a campus pine tree has led to an unexpected scientific discovery. At Kyushu University in Japan, researchers have identified a previously unknown species of ladybird beetle living in plain sight, underscoring [...]

Researchers report that methane absorption has increased under shifting climate conditions, based on a long-term study conducted in Germany. Forest soils play a key role in regulating the climate by removing large amounts of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere. A research team from the University of Göttingen and the Baden-Württemberg Forest Research [...]

A subtle shift in the periodic table reveals a complex and largely unexplored layer of biology. On the far right side of the periodic table, just beneath oxygen, sits a lesser-known group of elements called the chalcogens, or “ore-forming” elements. While sulfur is widely recognized for its role in biology, its heavier relatives, selenium and [...]