An array of 6100 ultracold caesium atoms controlled by lasers is the largest collection of qubits ever assembled, and researchers hope they can soon turn it into the world’s most advanced quantum computer ​An array of 6100 ultracold caesium atoms controlled by lasers is the largest collection of qubits ever assembled, and researchers hope they …

Device with 6100 qubits is a step towards largest quantum computer yet Read More »

What started as a frustrating kitchen challenge turned into award-winning science: Fabrizio Olmeda and his colleagues scientifically decoded the secret of creamy cacio e pepe and earned the Ig Nobel Prize. Their research showed how starch can stabilize Pecorino into a smooth sauce, turning a culinary mystery into physics-driven perfection. ​What started as a frustrating …

Scientists win Ig Nobel Prize for cracking the code to perfect cacio e pepe Read More »

Microplastics have been detected in human blood, brain tissue, and even bones, where they may weaken skeletal structure and accelerate cell aging. Recent studies suggest that these particles could worsen metabolic bone diseases like osteoporosis, a risk that’s especially concerning as fractures are projected to rise sharply in the coming decades. ​Microplastics have been detected …

Scientists discover microplastics deep inside human bones Read More »

Wildfires are no longer a seasonal nuisance but a deadly, nationwide health crisis. Fueled by climate change, smoke is spreading farther and lingering longer, with new research warning of tens of thousands of additional deaths annually by mid-century. The health costs alone could surpass all other climate damages combined, revealing wildfire smoke as one of …

Wildfire smoke could kill 70,000 Americans a year by 2050 Read More »

Alcohol-associated liver disease is becoming a massive health and economic burden, but researchers at UC San Diego may have uncovered a new way forward. They discovered that chronic alcohol use blocks a crucial protein that normally helps keep gut bacteria from leaking into the liver, worsening damage. Restoring this protein’s function, using drugs already in …

Alcohol’s hidden shortcut lets gut bacteria wreck the liver Read More »

MIT scientists have unraveled the hidden energy balance of earthquakes by recreating them in the lab. Their findings show that while only a sliver of energy goes into the shaking we feel on the surface, the overwhelming majority is released as heat—sometimes hot enough to melt surrounding rock in an instant. ​MIT scientists have unraveled …

Earthquakes release blistering heat that can melt rock in an instant Read More »

Warming Arctic permafrost is unlocking toxic metals, turning Alaska’s once-clear rivers into orange, acid-laced streams. The shift, eerily similar to mine pollution but entirely natural, threatens fish, ecosystems, and communities that depend on them—with no way to stop the process once it starts. ​Warming Arctic permafrost is unlocking toxic metals, turning Alaska’s once-clear rivers into …

Why Alaska’s salmon streams are suddenly bleeding orange Read More »