A systematic enterprise that builds knowledge through testable explanations of the universe.
Astronomers have detected helium escaping from LHS 1140b, a rocky 'super-Earth' 48 light-years away that orbits in its star's habitable zone. The finding has confirmed an atmosphere around a habitable-zone rocky exoplanet for the first time and has been published in Science; teams used ground-based infrared spectroscopy and modelling.
A new study explores defending Earth from large near-Earth asteroids. It analyzes a crater-based nuclear detonation approach, noting timing is critical and early warning is essential. Researchers say this method could be the most effective for very large rocks with short warning times, though it requires complex missions.
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.
The AI startup has introduced Model Hardware Standard (MHS) in a research preview to help scientists, roboticists, and manufacturers test Claude’s interaction with physical devices and build safeguards before broader release. MHS stores hardware knowledge so AI can understand devices without manuals.
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.
New evidence suggests girls among newborns show a stronger preference for human faces than boys at around 33 hours old. The Cambridge study points to biological factors, such as prenatal hormones, but notes that results are not yet predictive of long-term behavior and that further follow-up is needed.