A new analysis of data collected over three years by the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) collaboration provides even stronger evidence than the group’s previous datasets that dark energy, long thought to be a “cosmological constant,” might be evolving over time in unexpected ways. Dr. Mustapha Ishak-Boushaki, professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas, is co-chair of the DESI working group that interprets cosmological survey data gathered by the international collaboration, which includes more than 900 researchers ...

The fate of the universe hinges on the balance between matter and dark energy: the fundamental ingredient that drives its accelerating expansion. New results from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) collaboration use the largest 3D map of our universe ever made to track dark energy’s influence over the past 11 billion years. Researchers see hints that dark energy, widely thought to be a “cosmological constant,” might be evolving over time in unexpected ways. DESI is an international experiment with more than 900 researchers from over 70 institutions around the world and is managed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley ...

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) is mapping millions of celestial objects to better understand dark energy: the mysterious driver of our universe’s accelerating expansion. Today, the DESI collaboration released a new collection of data for anyone in the world to investigate. The dataset is the largest of its kind, with information on 18.7 million objects: roughly 4 million stars, 13.1 million galaxies, and 1.6 million quasars (extremely bright but distant objects powered by supermassive black holes at their cores).  While the experiment’s ...

A recent study conducted by researchers from Arizona State University has uncovered alarming levels of Fusarium mycotoxins in illicit cannabis samples seized in Arizona and California.   The study found that 16% of the 118 samples tested positive for harmful mycotoxins, posing potential health risks to consumers. This groundbreaking research highlights the unregulated and dangerous nature of black-market cannabis.   The study, led by Arizona State University professor Maxwell Leung, analyzed cannabis samples obtained between November 2023 and June 2024 from law enforcement seizures. The samples ...

MINNEAPOLIS — For women in their 80s, experiencing increasing sleepiness during the day over a five-year period is associated with double the risk of developing dementia during that time, according to a study published on March 19, 2025, online in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study does not prove that daytime sleepiness causes dementia; it only shows an association. “Sleep is essential for cognitive health, as it allows the brain to rest and rejuvenate, enhancing our ability to think clearly and remember information,” said study author Yue Leng, PhD, of the University of California, San Francisco. “However, ...

A study in Neurology, led by Yue Leng, PhD, and Sasha Milton, followed the sleep patterns of 733 older female participants to see if specific patterns of change were associated with a higher risk of dementia. The participants, whose average age was 83, were monitored by wrist devices that track movement and time spent asleep. They had normal cognition at the start of the study. What They Discovered  At the end of the study, five years later, 13% had developed dementia. This included 25 participants (8%) with stable sleep patterns, 39 (15%) ...

Scientists from South Africa and China have successfully established the world’s longest intercontinental ultra-secure quantum satellite link, spanning 12,900 km. Using the Chinese quantum microsatellite Jinan-1, launched into low Earth orbit, this milestone marks the first-ever quantum satellite communication link established in the Southern Hemisphere. In this demonstration, quantum keys were generated in real-time through Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), enabling the secure encryption of images transmitted between ground stations in China and South Africa via one-time pad encryption—considered unbreakable. The results from this pioneering ...

A joint research team from Southeast University and Shenzhen University has developed a novel function of semiconductor-ionic conductor (SIC) using a Cu-Sm co-doping ceria (SCDC). By enhancing ionic and electronic conductivity in the same time, the team is able to achieve superionic transport property and excellent fuel cell performance using the SIC electrolyte. It changes traditional pure ionic electrolyte to SIC with strong electron-ion coupling synergistic effect to obtain exceptional ionic conductivity and fuel cell performance. This study leads to a new way to develop advanced electrolytes and fuel cells in energy conversion technologies. Ceramic ...

NEW YORK, March 19, 2025 – Imagine a world where your phone stays cool no matter how long you use it, and it’s also equipped with tiny sensors that can identify dangerous chemicals or pollutants with unparalleled sensitivity and precision. Newly published research in the journal Nature demonstrates a new way of generating long-wave infrared and terahertz waves, which is an important step toward creating materials that can help realize these technological advances. The work, led by researchers at the Advanced Science Research Center at the CUNY Graduate Center (CUNY ASRC) paves the way for cheaper, smaller long-wave infrared light sources and more efficient device cooling. Phonon-polaritons ...

A team at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) led by Dr. Andrés Hidalgo has discovered a specialized population of neutrophils in the skin that produce extracellular matrix, helping to maintain the skin’s resistance and integrity. The study, published in Nature, demonstrates that the immune system not only targets pathogens, but also physically strengthens the skin to prevent them entering the body. Neutrophils are an important type of circulating immune cell. The specialized neutrophils described ...

A new study explains how a parakeet’s brain helps it to mimic human words. By recording for the first time the brain activity of parakeets as they made sounds, a research team at NYU Grossman School of Medicine found that their brains generate patterns seen before only in humans as they speak.  Published online March 19 in the journal Nature, the study mapped the activity of a group of nerve cells in the bird’s brain called the central nucleus of the anterior arcopallium (AAC), which is known to strongly influence the muscles in its vocal ...

By revealing for the first time what happens in the brain when an animal makes a mistake, Johns Hopkins University researchers are shedding light on the holy grail of neuroscience: the mechanics of how we learn. The team pinpointed the exact moment mice learned a new skill by observing the activity of individual neurons, confirming earlier work that suggested animals are fast learners that purposely test the boundaries of new knowledge. The federally funded work, which upends assumptions about the speed of learning and the role of the sensory cortex, and which the researchers believe will hold true across animal ...

For the first time, scientists have witnessed the very moment DNA begins to unravel, revealing a necessary molecular event for DNA to be the molecule that codes all life. A new study from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), published in Nature, captures the moment DNA begins to unwind, allowing for all the events that follow in DNA replication. This direct observation sheds light on the fundamental mechanisms that allow cells to faithfully duplicate their genetic material, a cornerstone for growth and reproduction.  Using cryo-electron microscopy and deep learning to observe the helicase ...

For the first time, scientists have systematically analysed somatic mutations in stomach lining tissue to unpick mutational processes, some of which can lead to cancer. The team also uncovered hints of a potential new cause of stomach cancer that needs further research. Researchers at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, the University of Hong Kong, and their collaborators sequenced the whole genomes of normal stomach lining samples from people with and without gastric cancer. The team ...

The cells that make up the walls of the finest of all lymphatic vessels have a lobate, oak leaf-like shape that makes them particularly resilient to changes in fluid volume. A similar cell shape also supports mechanical stability in plants. This has been shown by researchers from Uppsala University in a new article published in the journal Nature. The lymphatic system consists of a network of lymph vessels that maintains the body’s fluid balance and supports the immune system. The finest of all these lymphatic vessels are called lymph capillaries. They have walls that are made up of just a single layer of lymphatic endothelial ...

A vaccine's ability to generate long-lasting, high-affinity antibodies hinges on a delicate balance. Upon exposure to a vaccine or pathogen, B cells scramble to refine their defenses, rapidly mutating in hopes of generating the most effective antibodies. But each round of this process is a roll of the genetic dice—every mutation has the potential to improve affinity; far more often, however, it degrades or destroys a functional antibody. How do high-affinity B cells ever beat the odds? New research now suggests that B cells avoid gambling away good mutations by strategically banking successful ones. As described in Nature, ...

New geological data has given more insight into the rate and magnitude of global sea level rise following the last ice age, about 11,700 years ago. This information is of great importance to understand the impact global warming has had on the ice caps and on sea level rise. The findings have been published in the scientific journal Nature by researchers from Deltares, Utrecht University, TNO Netherlands Geological Service, Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), University of Leeds, University of Sheffield, University of Amsterdam, LIAG and BGR. Better ...

Germinal centers are high-speed evolution machines. Tiny clusters in the lymph nodes, germinal centers refine antibodies through mutation and expansion until they produce high-affinity B cells adapted to keep different pathogens in check. But rapid evolution should come at a cost. Most mutations are deleterious, so constant mutation during every cell division, coupled with unchecked proliferation, should be a recipe for disaster. How B cells somehow rapidly mutate and improve all at once was a long-standing mystery.  Now, advanced imaging techniques reveal the ...

Hyperuricemia (HU) is a metabolic disorder characterized by elevated uric acid (UA) levels in the bloodstream, commonly diagnosed when UA levels exceed 420 µmol/L (7 mg/dL) in men and 350 µmol/L (6 mg/dL) in women. Unlike other mammals, humans lack uricase, an enzyme that breaks down UA into a more soluble form, making them more susceptible to HU. The condition is influenced by genetic, dietary, and environmental factors, with contributors including purine-rich foods, metabolic dysfunctions, obesity, and ...

To uncover what drives sexual behavior in animals, researchers studied the brain activity of male mice throughout the series of actions involved in sex leading up to ejaculation. Their results, publishing in the Cell Press journal Neuron on March 19, show that the intricate dance in the brain area responsible for pleasure between two chemicals—dopamine and acetylcholine—controls the progression of sexual behavior. These findings could inspire treatments for disorders like premature ejaculation.   “Sexual behavior is a complex sequence of events,” says senior author Qinghua Liu of the National ...

About The Study: Although access to prescription stimulants is essential to addressing important clinical needs of patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), this study found that among U.S. adults ages 18 to 64 using prescription stimulants, one-fourth reported misuse, and nearly one-tenth had prescription stimulant use disorder. The findings may suggest potential progress in addressing the mental health care gap for middle-aged women and the need for evidence-based clinical guidance and training on benefits ...

About The Study: There is unlikely to be an increase in the very low incidence of suicide-related adverse events among individuals receiving glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) within the context of randomized clinical trials. While these findings may further ease concerns about these adverse effects, continued monitoring is warranted to identify particular patients who may be at risk as extended use of GLP-1 RAs expands.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Sean P. Heffron, MD, MS, MSc, email sean.heffron@nyulangone.org. To access the embargoed study: ...

Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute have found that the small intestine grows in response to pregnancy in mice. This partially irreversible change may help mice support a pregnancy and prepare for a second. The organs of many female animals are remodelled by reproduction, but the underlying mechanisms behind the response of the gut to pregnancy have only recently begun to be investigated. For example, scientists previously identified that the fruit fly gut expands during reproduction. In research published today in Cell, the same team found that pregnant mice had a longer small intestine from just seven days ...

Heavy alcohol consumption is a leading cause of gastrointestinal diseases, with binge drinking linked to increased intestinal permeability—a condition commonly known as "leaky gut." Despite the significant health impact of alcohol-associated gastrointestinal disorders, effective pharmacological treatments remain limited. A new study published in eGastroenterology explores the role of gut cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) in alcohol binge-induced intestinal permeability and reveals how its inhibition can help protect the gut barrier. The research, conducted by scientists from the National Institute ...

Environmental conditions can cause damaging stress to plants, posing challenges for home gardeners and farmers. Therefore, early detection — before leaves visibly discolor, wilt or wither — is crucial. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Sensors have created a wearable patch for plants that quickly senses stress and relays the information to a grower. The electrochemical sensor attaches directly to live plant leaves and monitors hydrogen peroxide, a key distress signal. Pests, drought, extreme temperatures and infections all cause stress ...