Science advances with testable explanations and predictions, shaping how we understand the world.
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.
Researchers at Stanford and the Arc Institute have used generative genome models to design and synthesise bacteriophage genomes; 16 of the lab-made viruses proved viable and a cocktail of them rapidly killed E. coli strains resistant to natural phages. Experts have warned the work has raised urgent biosafety and biosecurity questions about AI-designed genomes.
AI startup releases its Model Hardware Standard (MHS) in a research preview, enabling developers in science, robotics, and manufacturing to test Claude’s interaction with hardware and build safeguards before broad release.
PISA 2025 data show England and some UK nations performing well in science, with Reading and Maths trailing in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. England leads in science; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland trail in reading and maths. A global trend shows declines in reading proficiency, linked to digital distraction and shifting reading habits.
The OECD has released 2025 PISA results showing a global drop in reading, math, and science scores among 15-year-olds, with the United States experiencing a widening gap between low and high performers. The data link increased AI and social media use with weaker performance, while a minority of countries buck the trend.
A Cambridge study finds that newborn girls spend more time watching a human face than boys do when shown side-by-side with a toy. The difference is present in infants aged eight hours to three days, suggesting biology and prenatal hormones may influence early attention patterns, though researchers caution the results don’t predict long-term development.