Researchers have discovered that the brain's own immune cells, microglia, may be the hidden driver of sleep disturbances in Alzheimer's disease, a finding that could open new treatment pathways. The study found that targeting these immune cells restored up to two hours of sleep in animal models without clearing amyloid plaques. Separately, scientists identified a protein called SORLA that protects the brain from toxic tau tangles, offering another potential target for Alzheimer's therapy.
Astronomers have conducted an unusually powerful radio survey of exoplanet K2-18b, one of the most promising worlds in the search for extraterrestrial life, using both the VLA and MeerKAT telescopes. The scan represents one of the most comprehensive searches for technosignatures ever attempted. Separately, researchers found that eating chili peppers may raise the risk of esophageal cancer, and a new species of monkey was identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking only the fifth new monkey species found in Africa in 75 years.
Scientists have discovered a new species of monkey in the remote interior of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the fifth new monkey species found on the African continent in the past 75 years. The new Colobus monkey was identified through genetic analysis and physical observation. Separately, astronomers detected an atmosphere around a rocky exoplanet in the habitable zone for the first time, and a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mexico.
Researchers at King's College London have identified that KCL-286, an experimental drug originally developed for spinal cord injury, can repair DNA damage and reduce inflammation in the brains of mice with Alzheimer's disease. The drug targets multiple early biological changes in Alzheimer's rather than focusing on just amyloid or tau. KCL-286 has already passed Phase 1 safety trials, potentially accelerating the path to human testing for Alzheimer's. The findings offer a new avenue for treating a disease that affects over 55 million people worldwide.
NASA has begun the rollout of the largest section of its Space Launch System (SLS) core stage for the Artemis III mission, moving the top four-fifths of the rocket from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans to the Pegasus barge for transport to Kennedy Space Center. The four RS-25 engines are scheduled to ship from Stennis Space Center by the end of July. Artemis III aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface.
A new study published in Nature Neuroscience has upended decades of assumptions about how the brain makes decisions. Researchers at Columbia University found that the brain does not use a single 'decision center' but instead processes choices through a distributed network that operates differently depending on context. The discovery could reshape treatment approaches for conditions ranging from addiction to Parkinson's disease. Separately, scientists at CERN announced the Large Hadron Collider will undergo its most extensive upgrade since opening.
New research from Flinders University has revealed that the tau protein — best known for its role in Alzheimer's disease — is also essential for creating long-lasting memories. The study, published in ScienceDaily, found that tau helps organize the brain's memory-storing cells, determining which neurons are selected to encode an experience into a lasting memory trace. When tau is absent, memories fade quickly. The discovery upends the conventional view of tau as solely a pathological agent and suggests that abnormal tau in Alzheimer's may disrupt both the formation of new memories and the recall of existing ones by hijacking the protein's normal function.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured the first clear evidence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of a planet outside our solar system - not as gas, but as exotic ice clouds. The discovery on a massive exoplanet offers new insights into planetary chemistry and the variety of atmospheric phenomena beyond Earth. The findings deepen understanding of how different molecules behave under extreme conditions on distant worlds.
Scientists have confirmed the cause of Earth's largest mass extinction — the Permian-Triassic event that wiped out 90% of species 252 million years ago. A new study published in Nature Geoscience pinpoints massive volcanic eruptions in Siberia as the trigger, with the release of carbon dioxide and methane causing rapid ocean acidification and oxygen depletion. The findings have implications for understanding current climate change trajectories.
Astronomers using the Very Large Telescope have observed a star 1,300 light-years away consuming a brown dwarf 22 times the mass of Jupiter. The star TOI-5882 appears to have engulfed TOI-5882-b, providing direct observation of a planetary engulfment event. Separately, Nobel-winning chemist Omar Yaghi announced he will leave UC Berkeley to direct an AI materials institute in China, raising concerns about US scientific talent drain.