The Guardian Science

Story of dinosaur-killer meteorite impact told in vivid detail

Two scientists have described the bright fireball, crackling noise and sonic boom of the impact 66m years agoWhat would it have been like to have lived through the meteorite impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 66m years ago? Writing in the Conversation, Michael Benton, of the University of Bristol, and Monica Grady, of the Open University, describe in vivid detail how it might have felt.The first sign that something was amiss would have been a new star visible for about a week before the event.

science  May 27, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists are raising new questions about vitamin B12 and cancer

Vitamin B12 has long been seen as a health hero, helping the body make red blood cells, repair DNA, and keep nerves functioning properly. But scientists are discovering that the story may be more complicated than simply “more is better.” While too little B12 can damage DNA and raise cancer risk, some studies suggest that extremely high levels — especially from long-term high-dose supplements — may also be linked to certain cancers or poorer outcomes in cancer patients.

science  May 27, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists create supercharged vitamin K that helps the brain heal itself

Scientists in Japan have created powerful new vitamin K-based compounds that may help the brain regenerate lost neurons — a breakthrough that could one day change how diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are treated. By combining vitamin K with components related to vitamin A, the researchers developed compounds that were about three times more effective at turning neural stem cells into neurons than natural vitamin K alone.

science  May 27, 2026

The Guardian Science

Women’s faces rated more attractive even by other women, study finds

‘Gender attractiveness gap’ appears across cultures and over centuries but difference fades away with ageWomen’s faces are rated as more attractive than men’s, even by other women, but the perceived gap declines with age and all but vanishes by the time people reach their 80s, researchers have said.The work appears to confirm the existence of a “gender attractiveness gap”, an observation reflected in centuries of language that present women as “the fairer sex”, “das schöne Geschlecht”, “le beau

science  May 26, 2026

The Guardian Science

Climate crisis is accelerating antibiotic resistance across world, study says

Experts say climate change linked to 10% rise in salmonella antibiotic resistance genes between 1940 and 2023The climate crisis is accelerating a global increase in antibiotic resistance that poses a serious threat to human health, experts have said as figures show a rise in salmonella antibiotic resistant genes.Antibiotic resistance is one of the fastest-growing threats to global health. It can affect people of any age in any country and already kills more than 1 million people a year, accordin

science  May 26, 2026

The Guardian Science

Nasa selects Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin for first of three uncrewed lunar missions

Three lunar landings are planned for this year in preparation for the construction of a $20bn moon baseSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailNasa announced on Tuesday ambitious plans for three uncrewed lunar missions this year to kickstart construction of a $20bn moon base, and said it had chosen the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, ahead of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, to conduct the first.The revelation by Nasa’s administrator, Jared Isaacman, at a press conference in Washington DC m

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists say they’ve reversed brain aging with a simple nasal spray

Researchers at Texas A&M have developed a nasal spray that appears to reverse brain aging by calming inflammation and restoring the brain’s energy systems. After just two doses, memory and cognitive function improved for months, raising hopes for future treatments targeting dementia and brain fog.

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

Large Hadron Collider detects strange particle behavior that could rewrite physics

Scientists working at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider may be seeing the strongest hints yet of physics beyond the Standard Model — the decades-old theory that explains the fundamental particles and forces of the universe. By studying incredibly rare particle transformations called “penguin decays,” researchers found behavior that doesn’t fully match theoretical predictions, raising the possibility that unknown particles or forces are influencing the results.

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

AI-powered spectrometer chip shrinks lab technology to the size of a grain of sand

A new AI-powered chip from UC Davis can analyze light and chemicals using a device tiny enough to fit almost anywhere. By combining smart silicon sensors with machine learning, it achieves lab-style spectral analysis without the bulky equipment.

science  May 26, 2026

The Guardian Science

Red-light masks: can they really slow ageing? – podcast

Home red-light therapy devices have exploded in popularity as masks, body wraps and mittens promise to reduce wrinkles, redness and even acne. But do the claims stack up, and what other benefits are scientists investigating? Ian Sample hears from his co-host, Madeleine Finlay, and the consultant dermatologist Dr Jonathan Kentley. Kentley explains how the potential benefits of red light were discovered, how it is thought to interact with collagen in our skin, and what science has to say about its

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists create global treasure map pointing to hidden rare earth deposits

Scientists have created a global “treasure map” for rare earth elements by uncovering where the strange volcanic rocks that contain them are most likely to form. By combining thousands of rock samples with seismic images of Earth’s deep interior, the team discovered that these metal-rich rocks tend to appear along the ancient, thick roots of continents. These unusual rocks, once seen as geological oddities, are now incredibly important because they hold many of the materials used in smartphones,

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

Queenless wasp colonies explode into chaos but hidden helpers save them

When a queen wasp suddenly disappears, her colony doesn’t calmly choose a successor — it erupts into chaos. Researchers found that female wasps immediately begin battling for power, shattering the colony’s social order in a frenzy of aggression. But while some fight for the throne, others quietly become the colony’s unsung heroes, stepping up to gather food and care for the young so the society doesn’t collapse.

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

Deadly fungus and lung parasites are hammering wild rattlesnakes

A sweeping new study of wild snakes in the southeastern US has revealed a hidden health crisis slithering beneath the surface. Researchers found that many snakes are carrying multiple infections at once, with a dangerous fungal disease called ophidiomycosis — or snake fungal disease — emerging as one of the biggest threats. Pygmy rattlesnakes appeared especially vulnerable, frequently infected with both the fungus and a parasitic “snake lungworm.”

science  May 26, 2026

The Guardian Science

Scientists create wearable ultrasound to continuously monitor babies in womb

Team hope the UPatch – at present a proof-of-concept device – will aid early detection of complications and prevent stillbirthsScientists have created a wearable ultrasound patch that can continuously monitor babies in the womb, with the hope that such devices could aid the early detection of complications during pregnancy.The team behind the work say ultrasound-based techniques in place now have drawbacks: continuous monitoring of the baby’s heart rate and contractions of the womb using current

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

Venomous Himalayan pit viper was actually 5 different species all along

Hidden deep in the towering mountains of the Himalayas, one of Asia’s most mysterious venomous snakes has been keeping a major secret for over 160 years. Scientists have now discovered that the so-called Himalayan pit viper is not just one species, but actually five separate species — including three completely unknown to science until now.

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft uses Mars as a giant slingshot toward a mysterious metal world

NASA’s Psyche spacecraft just used Mars as a giant gravitational slingshot to continue its journey toward a strange metal rich asteroid. The close flyby boosted the spacecraft’s speed by about 1,000 mph while also producing rare crescent images of Mars glowing through its dusty atmosphere.

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists discover a giant “planet factory” beyond Jupiter

Scientists believe a dust-filled ring just outside Jupiter acted like a cosmic “planetesimal factory,” producing multiple generations of early space rocks with very different compositions. The discovery may finally explain the origins of several mysterious meteorite types that have survived since the birth of the Solar System.

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

Massive supercomputer simulations unlock cosmic magnetic mystery

Scientists used some of the most advanced plasma simulations ever created to uncover how the universe builds enormous magnetic fields out of turbulence. The discovery could reshape our understanding of stars, black holes, neutron star collisions, and dangerous solar eruptions.

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

USC scientists discover a hidden Alzheimer’s trigger and a possible way to shut it down

USC researchers have identified potential new drug compounds that may reduce the brain inflammation linked to Alzheimer’s disease, especially in people with the high-risk APOE4 gene. The compounds target cPLA2, an enzyme that seems to fuel harmful inflammation while also being important for normal brain activity.

science  May 26, 2026

Science Daily

Eating more beans and soy could slash high blood pressure risk by nearly 30%

Eating more beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, and other soy foods could be a surprisingly powerful way to fight high blood pressure. A major analysis of studies from around the world found that people with the highest intake of legumes were 16% less likely to develop hypertension, while those eating the most soy foods had a 19% lower risk.

science  May 26, 2026