SCIENCES ENERGIES ENVIRONNEMENT

 

Dear olivier hartmanshenn,

To everyone who has already supported our work—thank you! Your contributions make a real difference and help us continue delivering accurate, reliable science news every day. Knowing that so many readers value what we do motivates us to keep improving and to stay focused on what matters most. If you haven’t had a chance to contribute yet, we’d be grateful for your support. Every donation—no matter the size—helps sustain independent science journalism and keeps our work accessible to all. Make a donation — Ad-free account included. — Andrew Zinin Lead Editor

Here is your customized Science X Newsletter for week 16: This nasal spray rewinds the aging brain, restoring memory and reversing inflammation in preclinical models A nasal spray delivering extracellular vesicles containing microRNAs reduced neuroinflammation, restored mitochondrial function, and improved memory in preclinical aging models. The treatment suppressed NLRP3 inflammasome and cGAS–STING pathways, with effects observed within weeks and lasting for months, and showed efficacy across both sexes.   Beneath this cemetery, 5.5 million wild bees form a giant underground city vital to spring pollination An estimated 5.5 million Andrena regularis ground-nesting bees inhabit a 1.5-acre cemetery, forming one of the largest known aggregations of wild bees. These bees are vital early spring pollinators for crops such as apples and benefit from undisturbed, pesticide-free habitats like cemeteries. The study highlights the ecological importance of solitary ground-nesting bees and the role of cemeteries in preserving biodiversity.   A new fruit wash removes pesticides and extends shelf life A biodegradable, plant-based fruit wash removed up to 96% of pesticide residues and formed an edible coating that slowed browning, reduced moisture loss, and inhibited bacterial growth. Treated fruit maintained higher quality and extended shelf life, with the wash introducing only safe levels of iron. The formulation is cost-effective and scalable for commercial and potential home use.   The Colorado River disappeared from the geological record for 5 million years: Scientists now know where it went Geochemical analysis of detrital zircons in sandstone indicates the Colorado River flowed into an upstream lake (Bidahochi Lake) east of the Grand Canyon for several million years before incising the canyon and reaching the Gulf of California around 5 million years ago. This transition marked the river's evolution into a continental-scale system, integrating regional ecosystems and sediment transport.   Antioxidant glutathione discovered to play a key role in proper protein folding Glutathione regulates protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by maintaining an optimal oxidized environment through the import of GSSG and export of GSH, a process mediated by the SLC33A1 transporter. Disruption of this balance impairs protein quality control, leading to protein misfolding and cell death, and is implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders and certain cancers.   Largest study of pregnancy sickness uncovers six new genetic links A genome-wide association study involving 10,974 women with hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) and 461,461 controls identified ten genes linked to HG, including six not previously associated with the condition. The strongest association was with GDF15, and other implicated genes relate to pregnancy hormones, appetite, nausea, metabolism, and brain plasticity. Some HG-associated genes also correlate with adverse pregnancy outcomes. These findings suggest new biological pathways and potential targets for HG treatment.   Not so dark with Alena Tensor: Math framework could explain dark matter without invisible particles The Alena Tensor mathematical framework generalizes spacetime curvature and matter interactions, reproducing phenomena attributed to dark matter and dark energy without invoking invisible particles. It models galaxy rotation curves by incorporating angular momentum transport and internal matter dynamics, matching or surpassing MOND in most tested cases. The framework also reinterprets dark energy as a field property and links quantum vortices to particle-like behavior, while remaining consistent with established physical mechanisms. Further empirical validation is required to assess its broader applicability in cosmology and quantum theory.   CRISPR takes a bold leap toward silencing Down syndrome's extra chromosome A modified CRISPR/Cas9 technique was used to insert the XIST gene into the extra chromosome 21 in human stem cells, resulting in partial silencing of the chromosome. Integration efficiency ranged from 20% to 40%, demonstrating proof-of-concept for chromosome-wide gene silencing in Down syndrome. Further studies are needed to assess off-target effects and therapeutic potential in animal models.   Platinum-free catalyst splits hydrogen from water for energy, running 1,000 hours at industry standards A platinum-free heterostructure catalyst composed of two phosphides demonstrated efficient hydrogen extraction in anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzers, outperforming state-of-the-art and platinum group metal benchmarks. The catalyst maintained stable operation for over 1,000 hours at industry standards, indicating high durability and fast hydrogen adsorption kinetics.   America's sewage and manure hold a $5.7 billion key to breaking synthetic fertilizer dependence Animal and human waste in the U.S. could supply up to 102% of agricultural nitrogen and 50% of phosphorus needs, potentially reducing reliance on synthetic fertilizers. Despite logistical challenges due to geographic mismatches, 37% of nitrogen and 46% of phosphorus can be used locally, with over half of surplus nutrients economically redistributed to nearby regions. Addressing coordination and infrastructure could enhance nutrient recycling and promote environmental justice.   Super magma reservoirs discovered beneath Tuscany Ambient noise tomography revealed a previously undetected magma reservoir of approximately 6,000 km3 at depths of 8–15 km beneath Tuscany. This discovery demonstrates the effectiveness of seismic imaging for identifying deep magmatic systems without surface indicators and has implications for locating geothermal, lithium, and rare earth element resources. The magma body currently poses no volcanic threat.   Blood test can predict Alzheimer's disease progression years before symptoms or brain scan changes Plasma pTau217 levels in cognitively healthy older adults predict future amyloid accumulation, tau pathology, and cognitive decline, often preceding detectable changes on amyloid PET scans. Individuals with low baseline pTau217 rarely developed significant amyloid pathology over several years, indicating the biomarker's potential for early Alzheimer's disease risk stratification.   Gravity follows Newton and Einstein's rules, even at cosmic scales Observations of galaxy clusters using the Atacama Cosmology Telescope show that gravity weakens with distance in accordance with Newtonian and Einsteinian predictions, even at cosmic scales. These results rule out modified gravity theories such as MOND as explanations for anomalous galactic motions, reinforcing the necessity of dark matter to account for the observed dynamics. The nature of dark matter remains unresolved.   Atlantic current system could be weakening faster than expected Refined modeling combining observations and CMIP6 climate models indicates the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) may weaken by approximately 51% by 2100, a 60% greater reduction than previous model-only estimates. This accelerated decline could significantly impact climate regulation, particularly affecting Europe and Africa.   Self-interacting dark matter may solve three cosmic puzzles Self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) clumps, each about a million solar masses, can account for anomalous gravitational effects observed in gravitational lenses, stellar streams, and satellite galaxies. SIDM allows dark matter particles to collide and form dense cores via gravothermal collapse, naturally producing high-density structures that the standard cold, collisionless dark matter model cannot explain.   Nature might have a universal rhythm Communication signals across diverse animal species commonly repeat at approximately 2 Hz, suggesting a shared biological constraint linked to neural processing efficiency. Neural circuits respond most strongly to signals in this tempo range, indicating that communication rhythms may have evolved to match optimal brain processing speeds. This pattern spans various modalities, including sound, light, and movement.   Fructose emerges as a key driver of metabolic disease Fructose exerts distinct metabolic effects compared to glucose, promoting fat synthesis, ATP depletion, and production of metabolites linked to metabolic dysfunction. Its metabolism bypasses key regulatory steps, contributing to obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk. Endogenous fructose production further broadens its impact on metabolic disease beyond dietary intake.   Scientists capture superconductivity's 'dancing pairs' for first time, revealing missing pieces in a decades-old theory Direct imaging of paired atoms in an ultracold Fermi gas revealed that the positions of these pairs are correlated, maintaining separation from other pairs—a phenomenon not predicted by conventional BCS theory. This finding indicates that inter-pair correlations are a missing component in the standard theory of superconductivity, providing new insights that may inform the development of higher-temperature superconductors.   Baby Neanderthals may have had a rapid growth spurt compared to modern babies Neanderthal infants exhibited significantly faster physical growth than modern human infants, with skeletal development at six months resembling that of a 14-month-old Homo sapiens. This rapid growth likely imposed high energy demands, suggesting Neanderthal groups were adept at providing sufficient nutrition. The accelerated development may have been an adaptation to challenging Paleolithic environments.   Could dark matter be made of black holes from a different universe? A cosmological model proposes that black holes formed before the big bang could have survived a cosmic bounce and now constitute dark matter. This scenario suggests that relic black holes, rather than undiscovered particles, may explain dark matter and account for early massive black holes observed by JWST. The model replaces the big bang singularity with a quantum transition, allowing structures from a previous universe to persist.