UC Berkeley researchers mapped the brain circuits that control growth hormone during sleep, uncovering a feedback system where sleep fuels hormone release, and the hormone regulates wakefulness. The discovery helps explain links between poor sleep, obesity, diabetes, and cognitive decline, while opening new paths for treating sleep and metabolic disorders. ​UC Berkeley researchers mapped the …

The sleep switch that builds muscle, burns fat, and boosts brainpower Read More »

Scientists discovered seven molecules in the blood linked to excessive daytime sleepiness, a condition that affects one in three Americans and raises the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. The study highlights the role of both diet and hormones, finding that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids may protect against drowsiness, while compounds like tyramine …

Seven blood molecules that could explain why you’re always sleepy Read More »

Tiny diatoms and their bacterial partners act as nature’s nutrient factories, fueling insects and salmon in California’s Eel River. Their pollution-free process could inspire breakthroughs in sustainable farming and energy. ​Tiny diatoms and their bacterial partners act as nature’s nutrient factories, fueling insects and salmon in California’s Eel River. Their pollution-free process could inspire breakthroughs …

Salmon’s secret superfood is smaller than a grain of salt Read More »

Once thought to be sailors’ myths, rogue waves gained credibility after a towering 80-foot wall of water struck the Draupner oil platform in 1995. New research shows that these extreme waves don’t need mysterious forces to form—they emerge when ordinary ocean behaviors like wave alignment and nonlinear stretching converge at the wrong moment. ​Once thought …

Scientists finally crack the mystery of rogue waves Read More »

Scientists at Stanford have found that hyperactivity in the brain’s reticular thalamic nucleus may drive autism-like behaviors. In mouse models, drugs and neuromodulation techniques that suppressed this overactive region reversed symptoms, hinting at new therapeutic pathways that overlap with epilepsy treatments. ​Scientists at Stanford have found that hyperactivity in the brain’s reticular thalamic nucleus may …

Autism symptoms vanish in mice after Stanford brain breakthrough Read More »

Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus has long fascinated scientists with its spectacular water plumes, which NASA’s Cassini spacecraft once revealed to contain organic molecules. Many hoped these molecules hinted at life-supporting chemistry in the moon’s hidden ocean. But new experiments suggest they may not come from the ocean at all—instead, radiation from Saturn’s magnetosphere could be …

Enceladus’s plumes may be fooling us about life Read More »

Scientists caution that asteroid deflection must be precise, as striking the wrong spot risks sending it through a gravitational keyhole that sets up a future collision with Earth. Using lessons from NASA’s DART mission, researchers are developing probability maps to guide safer impact strategies. ​Scientists caution that asteroid deflection must be precise, as striking the …

Hit the wrong spot and an asteroid returns on a collision course Read More »

Astronomers have directly spotted a rare young planet, WISPIT 2b, still forming within the gap of a dusty ringed disk around a star like our sun—something long theorized but never observed until now. ​Astronomers have directly spotted a rare young planet, WISPIT 2b, still forming within the gap of a dusty ringed disk around a …

Planet birth photographed for the first time Read More »

Orangutans, humans’ close evolutionary relatives, have developed remarkable strategies to survive in the unpredictable rainforests of Borneo. A Rutgers-led study reveals that these apes balance protein intake and adjust their activity to match food availability, avoiding obesity and metabolic disease. Unlike humans, who often overeat processed foods without adjusting energy use, orangutans switch between fruits, …

How orangutans thrive in feast and famine without gaining weight Read More »

Artificial intelligence is consuming enormous amounts of energy, but researchers at the University of Florida have built a chip that could change everything by using light instead of electricity for a core AI function. By etching microscopic lenses directly onto silicon, they’ve enabled laser-powered computations that cut power use dramatically while maintaining near-perfect accuracy. ​Artificial …

Light-powered chip makes AI 100 times more efficient Read More »