Science Scholar

· 1w ago

Two New Stick Insect Species Have Been Discovered in Australia—and Another One Was Hiding in Plain Sight https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/two-new-stick-insect-species-have-been-discovered-in-australiaand-another-one-was-hiding-in-plain-sight-180989575/ #science

Two New Stick Insect Species Have Been Discovered in Australia—and Another One Was Hiding in Plain Sight

The new discoveries emphasize that scientists have a lot left to learn about insect diversity, even in areas with many observations

· 1w ago

“We just need to go back” – Uranus’ moon Ariel may have hidden a 100-mile-deep ocean Ariel, one of Uranus’ moons, may once have contained a subsurface ocean more than 100 miles deep beneath its fractured icy shell. The finding, combined with similar evidence from Miranda, suggests the distant Uranian system could harbor multiple hidden ocean worlds. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/09/260923035951.htm #science

“We just need to go back” – Uranus’ moon Ariel may have hidden a 100-mile-deep ocean

Ariel, one of Uranus’ moons, may once have contained a subsurface ocean more than 100 miles deep beneath its fractured icy shell. The finding, combined with similar evidence from Miranda, suggests the distant Uranian system could harbor multiple hidden ocean worlds.

· 1mo ago

A New Personalized Cancer Vaccine Could Keep Skin Cancer From Coming Back, Drugmakers Say https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-personalized-cancer-vaccine-could-keep-skin-cancer-from-coming-back-drugmakers-say-180989382/ #science

A New Personalized Cancer Vaccine Could Keep Skin Cancer From Coming Back, Drugmakers Say

The results, announced this week by Moderna and Merck, could pave the way for a new generation of treatments tailored to individual tumors

· 3mo ago

Scientists just discovered how queen bees are really made For decades, scientists thought royal jelly was the secret ingredient that turned an ordinary honeybee larva into a queen. New research reveals the process is far more remarkable: young worker bees create special “royal cribs” made from customized wax, carefully regulate warmth and humidity, and dedicate entire teams of attendants to raising future queens. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/06/260623083101.htm #science

Scientists just discovered how queen bees are really made

For decades, scientists thought royal jelly was the secret ingredient that turned an ordinary honeybee larva into a queen. New research reveals the process is far more remarkable: young worker bees create special “royal cribs” made from customized wax, carefully regulate warmth and humidity, and dedicate entire teams of attendants to raising future queens.

· 2mo ago

Chimpanzees and Bonobos Use Hugs, Kisses and Friendly Pats to Keep the Peace, Just Like Humans, a New Study Suggests https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chimpanzees-and-bonobos-use-hugs-kisses-and-pats-to-keep-the-peace-just-like-humans-a-new-study-suggests-180989192/ #science

· 2mo ago

Coffee May Protect the Liver in More Ways Than Scientists Realized https://scitechdaily.com/coffee-may-protect-the-liver-in-more-ways-than-scientists-realized/ #science

Coffee May Protect the Liver in More Ways Than Scientists Realized

Coffee’s apparent liver benefits may extend beyond caffeine.

· 3mo ago

Scientists Found The Driving Force Behind Your Darkest Impulses, And It's More Widespread Than Thought https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-found-the-driving-force-behind-your-darkest-impulses-and-its-more-widespread-than-thought #science

Scientists Found The Driving Force Behind Your Darkest Impulses, And It's More Widespread Than Thought

Psychologists call it the dark triad: an intersection of three of the most malevolent tendencies of human nature – psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism.

· 3mo ago

Humans And Neanderthals Shared a Culture For 20,000 Years, Cave Discovery Suggests https://www.sciencealert.com/humans-and-neanderthals-may-have-shared-a-culture-for-20000-years #science

Humans And Neanderthals Shared a Culture For 20,000 Years, Cave Discovery Suggests

We know from the traces left behind in our DNA that Homo sapiens met and mingled with Neanderthals long before our species eventually came to dominate.

· 2mo ago

There May Be 170 Million Black Holes Lurking in The Milky Way's Graveyard https://www.sciencealert.com/there-may-be-170-million-black-holes-lurking-in-the-milky-ways-graveyard #science

There May Be 170 Million Black Holes Lurking in The Milky Way's Graveyard

Black holes are sneaky.

· 4mo ago

Boosted by @Dragofix@veganism.social

Widely criticized keto diet study retracted https://retractionwatch.com/2026/05/22/widely-criticized-keto-diet-study-retracted/ #Science #ScienceCommunications

Retraction Watch

Widely criticized keto diet study retracted

Aamulya/iStock A 2025 paper claiming the keto diet does not promote the formation of arterial plaques has been retracted after widespread criticism of the study’s methods and claims. The journal fo…

· 2mo ago

‘The Child Is Terrified’: Measles Doctors Speak Out https://www.wired.com/story/the-child-is-terrified-measles-doctors-speak-out/ #science

· 2mo ago

Common antidepressant may ease long COVID’s crushing fatigue A low-cost antidepressant may offer new hope for people struggling with long COVID fatigue. In a randomized clinical trial involving 399 adults, fluvoxamine significantly reduced fatigue and improved quality of life compared with a placebo, making it one of the first medications to show meaningful benefits for this disabling condition. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/07/260718010158.htm #science

Common antidepressant may ease long COVID’s crushing fatigue

A low-cost antidepressant may offer new hope for people struggling with long COVID fatigue. In a randomized clinical trial involving 399 adults, fluvoxamine significantly reduced fatigue and improved quality of life compared with a placebo, making it one of the first medications to show meaningful benefits for this disabling condition.

· 2mo ago

Moss Is Generating Electrical Waves That Look Startlingly Like a Neural Network https://www.sciencealert.com/moss-behaves-a-little-like-a-really-slow-brain-scientist-discovers #science

Moss Is Generating Electrical Waves That Look Startlingly Like a Neural Network

Mosses are some of the earliest plants that appeared in the fossil record, but they're anything but simple.

· 2mo ago

Even Mild Sleep Deprivation May Lead to Weight Gain https://www.wired.com/story/even-mild-sleep-deprivation-may-lead-to-weight-gain/ #science

· 4mo ago

This Microscopic Fungus Survived NASA's Sterilization Protocols—and Is Hardy Enough to Potentially Contaminate Mars https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-microscopic-fungus-survived-nasas-sterilization-protocols-and-is-hardy-enough-to-potentially-contaminate-mars-180988728/ #science

This Microscopic Fungus Survived NASA's Sterilization Protocols—and Is Potentially Hardy Enough to Contaminate Mars

The microbe was gathered from the agency's clean rooms, where experts build spacecraft in carefully controlled environments. The findings reveal gaps in the agency's procedures to prevent durable hitchhikers

· 2mo ago

Boosted by @VeroniqueB99@mastodon.social

“Weird Clams” Reveal a New Invasion Along the U.S. Northeast Coast https://scitechdaily.com/weird-clams-reveal-a-new-invasion-along-the-u-s-northeast-coast/ #science

“Weird Clams” Reveal a New Invasion Along the U.S. Northeast Coast

A research team found reproducing populations of Manila clams in Cape Cod and Boston Harbor.

· 2mo ago

Chemistry From Another World Found in The Famous Hillsborough Meteorite https://www.sciencealert.com/chemistry-from-another-world-found-in-the-famous-hillsborough-meteorite #science

Chemistry From Another World Found in The Famous Hillsborough Meteorite

In July 2024, residents of the New York metropolitan area were treated to a rare spectacle as a fireball exploded in the sky, rattling the region with a sonic boom.

· 2mo ago

New Wearable Patch Boosts REM Sleep Without Drugs or Surgery https://scitechdaily.com/new-wearable-patch-boosts-rem-sleep-without-drugs-or-surgery/ #science

New Wearable Patch Boosts REM Sleep Without Drugs or Surgery

A wearable bioelectronic device increased REM sleep in real-world trials without invasive surgery or medication.

· 2mo ago

First-Ever Footage of Haunting Barreleye Fish Captured Deep Beneath The Atlantic https://www.sciencealert.com/first-ever-footage-of-haunting-barreleye-fish-captured-deep-beneath-the-atlantic #science

First-Ever Footage of Haunting Barreleye Fish Captured Deep Beneath The Atlantic

Deep beneath the oceans' crashing waves lies a hidden landscape more alien than many of us could ever dream.

· 3mo ago

Breakthrough Diabetes Treatment Reprograms the Immune System Instead of Replacing Insulin https://scitechdaily.com/breakthrough-diabetes-treatment-reprograms-the-immune-system-instead-of-replacing-insulin/ #science

Breakthrough Diabetes Treatment Reprograms the Immune System Instead of Replacing Insulin

An engineered stem cell therapy reversed new-onset Type 1 diabetes in mice by shifting the immune system away from attacking insulin-producing cells.

· 4mo ago

Potatoes Didn't Just Feed Ancient Indigenous Communities in the Andes—the Tasty Tubers Also Reshaped People's DNA https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/potatoes-didnt-just-feed-ancient-indigenous-communities-in-the-andes-the-tasty-tubers-also-reshaped-peoples-dna-180988732/ #science

· 4mo ago

Scientists Solve 320-Million-Year Mystery of Reptile Skin Armor https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-solve-320-million-year-mystery-of-reptile-skin-armor/ #science

Scientists Solve 320-Million-Year Mystery of Reptile Skin Armor

Skin bones evolved multiple times in lizards, with goannas showing a rare case of lost armor returning.

· 4mo ago

Researchers Discovered the Remnants of a Secret, Illegal Whisky Distillery in a Stunning Scottish Park https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-discovered-the-remnants-of-a-secret-illegal-distillery-in-a-stunning-scottish-park-180988718/ #science

· 4mo ago

Giant 11,000-Carat Ruby Found in Myanmar Could Be Worth a Fortune https://www.sciencealert.com/giant-11000-carat-ruby-found-in-myanmar-could-be-worth-a-fortune #science

Giant 11,000-Carat Ruby Found in Myanmar Could Be Worth a Fortune

A huge 11,000-carat ruby has been discovered in Myanmar, state media reported Friday, one of the largest ever found in the country renowned for its precious gemstones.

· 2mo ago

Microsoft Reports a Massive 25 Percent Jump in Emissions https://www.wired.com/story/microsoft-25-percent-jump-in-carbon-emissions/ #science

· 3mo ago

The Arctic Ocean May Have Passed a Crucial Tipping Point That Could Harm Food Webs and Worsen Climate Change https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-arctic-ocean-may-have-passed-a-crucial-tipping-point-that-could-harm-food-webs-and-worsen-climate-change-180989083/ #science

· 3mo ago

Parasite Affecting 1 in 3 People Is a Serious Risk to Human Health, Scientists Warn https://www.sciencealert.com/parasite-affecting-1-in-3-people-is-a-serious-risk-to-human-health-scientists-warn #science

Parasite Affecting 1 in 3 People Is a Serious Risk to Human Health, Scientists Warn

There's a fair chance you've not heard of the risks of the Toxoplasma gondii parasite – and a lack of awareness around it is a dangerous problem, scientists warn.

· 3w ago

Boosted by @kcarruthers@infosec.exchange

A 3-Year-Old's Metastatic Cancer Disappeared After Two Doses of Experimental Therapy https://www.sciencealert.com/a-3-year-olds-metastatic-cancer-disappeared-after-two-doses-of-experimental-therapy #science

A 3-Year-Old's Metastatic Cancer Disappeared After Two Doses of Experimental Therapy

A powerful advance in cancer-fighting medicine has achieved an extraordinary new milestone.

· 2mo ago

The Hidden Tradeoff Behind Today’s Most Powerful Weight-Loss Drugs https://scitechdaily.com/the-hidden-tradeoff-behind-todays-most-powerful-weight-loss-drugs/ #science

The Hidden Tradeoff Behind Today’s Most Powerful Weight-Loss Drugs

Researchers say treatment decisions should be individualized by weighing expected benefits, potential harms, treatment burden, cost, availability, and patient preferences.

· 2mo ago

Inside the Wild Rescue Mission That Took 4 Beluga Whales to Chicago https://www.wired.com/story/inside-the-wild-rescue-mission-that-took-4-beluga-whales-to-chicago/ #science

· 3mo ago

The Milky Way’s Mysterious Glow May Be Dark Matter After All https://scitechdaily.com/the-milky-ways-mysterious-glow-may-be-dark-matter-after-all/ #science

The Milky Way’s Mysterious Glow May Be Dark Matter After All

Scientists have taken a fresh look at the Milky Way's mysterious gamma-ray glow using machine learning and uncovered evidence that reshapes a long-running debate.

· 2mo ago

Now, 240: More than a decade later, journals are still retracting Joachim Boldt’s papers https://retractionwatch.com/2026/07/15/joachim-boldt-retractions-journals-more-than-decade-later/ #Science #ScienceCommunications

Retraction Watch

Now, 240: More than a decade later, journals are still retracting Joachim Boldt’s papers

Martin Tramèr was editor-in-chief of the European Journal of Anaesthesiology during what he once called in print “The Boldt debacle.” The misconduct scandal involving hundreds of papers by Joachim …

· 3mo ago

Scientists Identify Swaths of Coral Reefs That Might Be Able to Withstand Climate Change, Offering New Avenues for Conservation https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-identify-swaths-of-coral-reefs-that-might-be-able-to-withstand-climate-change-offering-new-avenues-for-conservation-180988976/ #science

Scientists Identify Swaths of Coral Reefs That Might Be Able to Withstand Climate Change, Offering New Avenues for Conservation

New research has mapped more than 64,000 square miles where the crucial habitat seems to be somewhat protected from the impacts of the warming ocean

· 2mo ago

Temperatures forecast to drop this weekend but heatwave continues

BBC Weather

Temperatures forecast to drop this weekend but heatwave continues

The sizzling heat continues into next week despite a drop in temperatures over the weekend.

· 2mo ago

Experts Met at MIT to Discuss The Possibility of Alien Tech Around Black Holes. Here's What Was Discussed. https://www.sciencealert.com/experts-met-at-mit-to-discuss-the-possibility-of-alien-tech-around-black-holes-heres-what-was-discussed #science

Experts Met at MIT to Discuss The Possibility of Alien Tech Around Black Holes. Here's What Was Discussed

Last June, while most of us were sweating it out and scrolling socials, more than two dozen of the best scientific minds in the world headed to MIT.

· 2d ago

Boosted by @kcarruthers@infosec.exchange

AI May Seem Human-Like, but That Doesn’t Mean People Think It’s Conscious https://scitechdaily.com/ai-may-seem-human-like-but-that-doesnt-mean-people-think-its-conscious/ #science

AI May Seem Human-Like, but That Doesn’t Mean People Think It’s Conscious

A new study suggests that people do not equate human-like AI behavior with human-like consciousness.

· 2mo ago

A.I. Music Is Already Here. To Protect Human Artists, the Record Industry Proposes New Labels, Like Those for Explicit Lyrics https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ai-music-is-already-here-to-protect-human-artists-the-record-industry-proposes-labels-for-it-like-those-for-explicit-lyrics-180989128/ #science

· 3mo ago

Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder Share 70% of Their Genetic Roots, Landmark Study Finds https://www.sciencealert.com/schizophrenia-and-bipolar-disorder-share-70-of-their-genetic-roots-landmark-study-finds #science

Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder Share 70% of Their Genetic Roots, Landmark Study Finds

Researchers are beginning to realize that even vastly different psychiatric disorders can share startlingly similar genetic roots.

· 3mo ago

Strange Spheres Washed Ashore on an Australian Beach. Authorities Say They're Probably 'Space Balls'—Empty Fuel Vessels From a Rocket https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/strange-spheres-washed-ashore-on-an-australian-beach-authorities-say-theyre-probably-space-balls-empty-fuel-vessels-from-a-rocket-180989082/ #science

Strange Spheres Washed Ashore on an Australian Beach. Authorities Say They're Probably 'Space Balls'—Empty Fuel Vessels From a Rocket

The shiny objects—each roughly twice the size of a basketball—began to appear on July 3. Authorities initially worried that they were hazardous but have since determined that they're likely safe bits of space junk

· 3mo ago

How to See the Giant Asteroid That Will Pass by Earth This Weekend https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-see-1997-nc1-asteroid-pass-by-earth-this-weekend/ #science

· 2mo ago

Journal, university investigations launched into gene-editing death following Science-Retraction Watch reporting https://retractionwatch.com/2026/07/30/nature-university-china-investigations-gene-editing-death-science/ #Science #ScienceCommunications

Retraction Watch

Journal, university investigations launched into gene-editing death following Science-Retraction Watch reporting

Nature is investigating concerns surrounding a paper at the heart of a news story published last week on the death of a 6-year-old girl following a gene therapy treatment in China. The paper, publi…

· 2mo ago

A British Museum Is Searching for a Rare 1940s Housecoat From a Fashion Brand That Dressed the Queen—and, on Special Occasions, Ordinary Women Too https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-british-museum-is-searching-for-a-rare-1940s-housecoat-from-a-fashion-brand-that-dressed-the-queen-and-ordinary-women-on-special-occasions-180989296/ #science

· 3mo ago

Please provide the text you would like me to summarize. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/08/science/russia-captured-chernobyl-the-wildlife-cameras-kept-recording.html

nytimes.com

· 4mo ago

Cannabis Use Disorder Strongly Linked to Major Depression, New Review Finds https://www.sciencealert.com/cannabis-use-disorder-strongly-linked-to-major-depression-new-review-finds #science

Cannabis Use Disorder Strongly Linked to Major Depression, New Review Finds

Cannabis use disorder has been strongly linked with major depressive disorder in a new review of existing research.

· 2mo ago

An orbiting disco ball gave Einstein’s theory its most precise test yet https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/07/an-orbiting-disco-ball-gave-einsteins-theory-its-most-precise-test-yet/ #science

arstechnica.com

· 2mo ago

Quantum Mechanics May Not Need Imaginary Numbers After All https://scitechdaily.com/quantum-mechanics-may-not-need-imaginary-numbers-after-all/ #science

Quantum Mechanics May Not Need Imaginary Numbers After All

Physicists have shown that imaginary numbers may not be fundamentally required in quantum mechanics.

· 2mo ago

Cancer-fighting chewing gum cuts HPV levels by up to 93% A specially engineered chewing gum reduced HPV by up to 93% and nearly eliminated two bacteria linked to head and neck cancer. The treatment preserved beneficial mouth bacteria, raising hopes for a safer and more affordable therapy. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260803080917.htm #science

Cancer-fighting chewing gum cuts HPV levels by up to 93%

A specially engineered chewing gum reduced HPV by up to 93% and nearly eliminated two bacteria linked to head and neck cancer. The treatment preserved beneficial mouth bacteria, raising hopes for a safer and more affordable therapy.

· 1mo ago

Australia’s red soil may be hiding a massive clean energy source Researchers have discovered that Western Australia’s iron-rich rocks can naturally generate hydrogen and that the process may be boosted to produce much larger amounts. If it can be scaled up, the vast formations beneath the Pilbara could become a major new source of low-emission energy for Australia and potentially the world. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/08/260829035214.htm #science

Australia’s red soil may be hiding a massive clean energy source

Researchers have discovered that Western Australia’s iron-rich rocks can naturally generate hydrogen and that the process may be boosted to produce much larger amounts. If it can be scaled up, the vast formations beneath the Pilbara could become a major new source of low-emission energy for Australia and potentially the world.

· 2mo ago

Scientists Have Found Evidence That Dark Matter May Not Be Playing by the Rules https://scitechdaily.com/scientists-have-found-evidence-that-dark-matter-may-not-be-playing-by-the-rules/ #science

Scientists Have Found Evidence That Dark Matter May Not Be Playing by the Rules

Possible interactions between dark matter and neutrinos may help explain a persistent mismatch in how cosmic structure evolved.

· 3w ago

Healthy Foods Like Spinach May Worsen Gut Inflammation in IBD https://scitechdaily.com/healthy-foods-like-spinach-may-worsen-gut-inflammation-in-ibd/ #science