Game Development

Scientists have uncovered evidence that glioblastoma cells can retain a lasting mechanical memory of their surroundings. Glioblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer, spreads by sending tumor cells into surrounding healthy tissue. Along the way, those cells encounter an unusual physical challenge: fluid at the tumor’s invasive edge can be about eight times […]

On an early Earth exposed to intense ultraviolet radiation, the evolution of DNA may have depended on an unexpected molecular advantage. Early life on Earth faced intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun without the protection of an ozone layer. Yet DNA came to rely on thymine, a chemical building block that is more prone […]

Researchers have discovered a previously unrecognized electrical signal in the heart that could help predict sudden cardiac death before it strikes. Sudden cardiac death can strike without warning, killing people who appear healthy and have no known history of heart problems. For decades, doctors have struggled to identify who is most vulnerable, even though a […]

Museum specimens are helping scientists trace a deadly fungus linked to mysterious frog disappearances in Brazil nearly half a century ago. Frog species that escaped a wave of population declines in Brazil carried widespread infections with a deadly fungus. Yet museum specimens from the species that suffered the steepest losses showed no detectable infection. These […]

Scientists have solved a decades-old biological mystery, revealing an unexpected dual role for a key inflammatory signaling pathway. Scientists have uncovered a surprising function of a molecule that controls inflammation: It not only recruits immune cells to fight infections but also helps protect healthy tissue from damage. The discovery, published October 7 in Nature, solves […]

Salk Institute researchers have created a molecular map of how healthy mice respond to exercise, offering clues that could help improve performance and reduce injury risk. Exercise can help the body resist disease and dysfunction and recover from illness. Studies have also linked it to more than 30 percent lower mortality from all causes, cardiovascular […]

Tiny aquatic plants are attracting scientific attention for their untapped potential as future food sources, including for space missions. Some of the world’s smallest flowering plants have found a way to fit the basic architecture of much larger species into a body just a few millimeters (about 0.1 inch) across. Researchers at the University of […]

Antarctica’s sea ice has plunged from record highs to its third-lowest winter peak, revealing a dramatic reversal in the frozen continent’s recent history. Antarctic sea ice reached one of its lowest winter peaks ever recorded in 2026, continuing a striking shift in ice coverage around the frozen continent. Its annual maximum was the third lowest […]

A dangerous El Niño-driven wildfire cascade has reached the Amazon, and NASA scientists warn that the worst may still be ahead as hidden fires spread beneath the rainforest canopy. El Niño is fueling a chain reaction of wildfires across the tropics, with fires first emerging in equatorial Asia before spreading to the central and eastern […]

Reading for pleasure may offer surprising benefits for the brain, with research linking the habit to better mental health, stronger cognitive abilities, and a lower risk of dementia. Reading for pleasure may do far more than provide entertainment. A scientific review published in Psychological Medicine links the habit to better mental health, stronger cognitive abilities, […]