SciTechDaily

Ancient fossils from South China reveal the earliest bony fishes and shed new light on how jaws, teeth, and key vertebrate features evolved before the major fish lineages diverged. A research team led by Profs. Min Zhu, Jing Lu, and You’an Zhu from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) at the Chinese Academy [...]

Deep within Earth, subtle variations in how seismic waves travel are revealing a hidden pattern of deformation in the planet’s lowest mantle layer. Deep beneath our feet, Earth’s mantle is in constant motion. Vast currents of slowly circulating rock, driven by heat from the planet’s interior, help move tectonic plates across the surface. But these [...]

Deep beneath island arcs, new research suggests that gold enrichment originates from repeated, high-degree melting of a hydrous mantle rather than a single process. Far below the ocean floor, Earth’s “gold kitchen” is at work. Volcanic island arcs form above subduction zones, where one oceanic plate sinks beneath another, and these regions are often unusually [...]

Researchers examining consumption and well-being have found that lifestyle choices may shape happiness in ways that challenge conventional assumptions about wealth and material success. At a time when displays of extreme wealth dominate headlines and social media feeds, a new study suggests that more consumption does not necessarily translate into a better life. Research from [...]

A new mathematical investigation challenges long-held assumptions about how to model randomness. At any given moment, countless molecules are moving unpredictably through the air around you. Physicists rely on a principle called the Boltzmann distribution to make sense of this apparent randomness. Instead of tracking the exact position of each particle, this law describes the [...]

Rice may seem simple, but new research reveals a hidden layer of complexity within its smallest components. Rice is a staple food for more than half of the global population, yet its full nutritional profile is not completely understood. Over 85% of rice consists of starch, along with modest amounts of protein (around 10%), fat [...]

Efforts to extend life may be succeeding, but not equally. Extending life is only part of the goal in aging research. Scientists also want more people to reach old age in good health, with fewer differences in when individuals die. This ideal outcome is often described as “squaring the survival curve,” where most deaths are [...]

New research explores how hidden patterns in the human voice could serve as early indicators of disease. Cancer of the larynx, often called the voice box, remains a major global health concern. In 2021, about 1.1 million people were diagnosed worldwide, and roughly 100,000 died from the disease. Smoking, heavy alcohol use, and infection with [...]

Bright, colorful kids’ clothes may come with a hidden risk: toxic lead. Fast fashion has made it easier and more affordable to keep up with children who quickly outgrow their clothes. However, early research suggests that some of these garments may come with a hidden hazard: lead. After testing shirts from several retailers, undergraduate researchers [...]

A new approach to measuring low-frequency electric fields is emerging from the study of Rydberg atom systems. Measuring low-frequency electric fields with high precision remains a significant challenge. Existing sensing technologies often cannot deliver traceability, compact design, and the ability to detect field direction all in one system. Rydberg atoms are gaining attention in electric-field [...]

Native Americans were making and using dice more than 12,000 years ago, far earlier than previously thought. These Ice Age tools powered games of chance that hint at early forms of probabilistic thinking. A new study in American Antiquity, a leading North American archaeology journal published by Cambridge University Press for the Society for American [...]

A 150-year-old geometry rule has been overturned after mathematicians found two different torus surfaces with identical metric and curvature. For more than 150 years, a principle attributed to French mathematician Pierre Ossian Bonnet has guided surface theory. It states that if the metric and mean curvature of a compact surface are known at every point, [...]

Excess salt intake is linked to a range of chronic conditions and even cognitive decline, yet patterns of discretionary salt use remain poorly understood across populations. Salt has been used for thousands of years to flavor and preserve food. But modern diets often push intake far beyond healthy limits, raising the risk of high blood [...]

A hidden effect of statins on muscle cells may explain why some patients cannot tolerate them. For millions of people, statins are a daily safeguard against heart attacks and strokes. But for about 1 in 10 users, these widely prescribed drugs come with an unexpected tradeoff—persistent muscle pain, fatigue, and weakness that can be severe [...]

A new study raises important questions about widely used NAD+ supplements, suggesting that compounds often taken to boost energy and support healthy aging may have unintended consequences in cancer treatment. Millions of Americans take supplements like nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), nicotinamide riboside (NR), and nicotinamide (NAM) with the goal of boosting energy and supporting healthy aging. [...]

A team of chemists has uncovered an unexpected way to use phosphorus to perform chemical reactions typically reliant on rare and costly metals. UCLA chemists have uncovered an unexpected way to replace some of the most expensive ingredients in modern chemistry with something far more common. Their work shows that phosphorus, an element found widely [...]

A surprising property of rice has inspired the creation of a new class of engineered materials. Rice behaves in an unexpected way under pressure. When compressed quickly, it becomes weaker, but under slow pressure it stays strong. This insight is helping scientists develop a new material that could be used in “soft” robots that automatically [...]

A new materials-based approach is offering insight into one of the most persistent environmental challenges. PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” have quietly spread through groundwater, rivers, and even treated drinking water, exposing millions of people worldwide. These compounds are prized in industry for their resistance to heat, water, and oil, but those same properties make [...]

TOI-4616 b is an Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting an M-dwarf that offers a strong benchmark for studying atmospheric loss and planetary evolution. Astronomers have identified a rocky exoplanet that may become an important reference point for future research. The planet orbits an M-type star, a class of small, cool stars that are extremely common in our [...]

A fiery return from the Moon meets a perfectly timed ocean rescue in NASA’s high-stakes Artemis II finale. Liftoff! NASA’s Artemis II mission launched on April 1, 2026, carrying four Moonbound astronauts. After an approximately 10-day mission, Artemis II ends with a splash. Lili Villarreal, the recovery and landing director for Artemis II, leads the [...]