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A meteorite named Hillsborough, which crashed through a New Jersey home in July 2024, has yielded pristine fragments rich in amino acids and salts. Scientists say the sample, preserved by a quick-thinking homeowner, offers new insights into how brine-rich water could have seeded life on Earth. The finding appears in a Science Advances study published this week.
International researchers find inherited genetics influence how cancers evolve after DNA damage, affecting tumour growth and mutation patterns. The Edinburgh-led work, published in Nature, underlines implications for screening, diagnosis and personalised treatment across populations.
Scientists have linked a dust cloud from an asteroid impact to extreme climate effects that contributed to the end-Cretaceous mass extinction. New simulations show fine post-impact dust amplified atmospheric heating and wildfire risk, reshaping how we understand the extinction trigger and the environmental aftermath.
Scientists have tested a wearable radiation-shielding vest in lunar mission data, showing it could reduce an astronaut’s exposure by about 60% during severe solar events, with significant implications for long-duration missions to the Moon or Mars.
Biotech researchers are developing methods to alter gene expression without changing the DNA sequence, using epigenome editing to treat chronic diseases. The approach differs from traditional gene editing by targeting when and where genes are expressed in cells.
New analyses of bones from Sulawesi suggest foragers 7,600–25,000 years ago sucked betel nuts, with arecoline traces in teeth. This indicates early drug use predates farming and reshapes views on psychoactive history.
Scientists have identified a 222‑metre‑wide, up to 43‑metre‑deep crater on the Moon formed in spring 2024 and first spotted in LRO images in 2025. The impact churned material across more than 100 km, produced a roughly 7‑km cold spot and has provided rare data scientists say will inform risk assessments for planned lunar bases.
Scientists have used tooth enamel chemistry to estimate Tyrannosaurus rex’s body temperature at about 36°C, placing it among warm‑blooded animals. The research, based on clumped isotope thermometry, is published in Science Advances and relies on enamel from three teeth from Hell Creek Formation fossils.
The United States is accelerating its space and lunar defense posture as officials announce on-orbit space control weapons and a doubling of the Space Force. Leaders say operations will defend US interests from low Earth orbit to cislunar space, signaling a shift in the military balance in space ahead of potential actions around the Moon.
Aldabra Atoll hosts about 183,000 adult and sub-adult Aldabra giant tortoises, the highest count on record, according to a five-year study (2018–2022). The population appears stable despite climate pressures and invasive species. Conservationists say continued vigilance and invasive mammal eradication are essential to sustain gains.