The Guardian Science

Cancer is now a story of the good, the bad and the ugly – but also hope | Devi Sridhar

It’s natural to focus on breakthroughs, but there are many challenges in Britain and around the world. There is no magic bullet, but there’s room for optimismCancer causes nearly one in six deaths worldwide every year, some 10 million all told. That is a stunning number, but it also masks the reality that some cancers are more deadly than others. We have become remarkably good at detecting and treating melanoma and prostate cancer, for example, and today five-year survival rates for those cancer

science  Jun 1, 2026

The Guardian Science

‘I was getting ready to say goodbye’: cancer patient’s hope after smart drug success

Pat Brogan preparing to walk his daughter down the aisle after trial of treatment designed to stop disease from hiding• Smart drug that strips cancer cells of ‘invisibility cloak’ can shrink tumours by 30%, trial showsOne of the first patients to benefit from a pioneering smart drug that appears to melt away the “invisibility cloak” that can shield cancer cells from treatment is Pat Brogan, from Cowdenbeath, Scotland.The 68-year-old, whose tumours have shrunk by almost a third, is preparing to w

science  Jun 1, 2026

The Guardian Science

Smart drug that strips cancer cells of ‘invisibility cloak’ can shrink tumours by 30%, trial shows

Experimental tablet produces encouraging results in patients with world’s most common forms of disease• ‘I was getting ready to say goodbye’: patient’s hope after smart drug successA smart drug that stops cancer cells “hiding” from treatment can shrink tumours by at least 30% in six of the world’s most common forms of the disease, early trial results show.While immunotherapy treatments have improved survival rates for many patients, their effectiveness can stall or fail when tumour cells hide an

science  Jun 1, 2026

NASA News

Pretty in Pink

This image of Westerlund 2 released on March 19, 2026, features Chandra X-ray Observatory data (pink) and infrared data from NASA’S James Webb Space Telescope (red, orange, green, cyan, and blue). Scores of gleaming stars ringed in neon pink stretch across the frame, highlighting a cluster where stars are between one and three million years […]

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

Your kitchen sponge is releasing microplastics every time you wash dishes

Kitchen sponges release microplastics as they wear down during everyday use, with some sponge types shedding far more than others. Researchers estimated that millions of households could collectively release hundreds of tons of microplastics annually.

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

This common amino acid helped mice survive deadly inflammation

A Salk Institute study found that a simple dietary amino acid, methionine, dramatically improved survival in mice facing severe infections and inflammatory conditions. Rather than directly targeting the immune system, methionine boosted kidney filtration, helping the body flush out excess inflammatory molecules that can cause tissue damage, brain dysfunction, wasting, and death.

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

This drug delayed rheumatoid arthritis for years after treatment ended

A promising new study suggests rheumatoid arthritis may not be as inevitable as once thought for people at high risk. Researchers found that just one year of treatment with the immune-targeting drug abatacept delayed the onset of rheumatoid arthritis by up to four years, with benefits lasting long after treatment ended.

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists discover inherited traits that break Mendel’s Laws of genetics

A major mouse study found that some inherited traits are passed down through epigenetic changes that break the classic rules of genetics. Researchers discovered hundreds of cases where these chemical DNA marks behaved unexpectedly, including some that seemed to emerge out of nowhere. They also identified the first known naturally occurring paramutation in a mammal, hinting that environmental influences may play a larger role in inheritance than scientists realized.

science  Jun 1, 2026

NASA News

Space Out This Summer with Variety of NASA STEM Activities

Summer is “Go” for launch, and NASA has a universe of ways to help you to jump in, explore, and create! Whether you prefer to spend this season fueling your creativity, going outdoors into nature, or daydreaming about your future, NASA offers ways to take your interests to the next level.  Here are some opportunities […]

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

NASA’s X-59 is about to break the sound barrier for the first time

NASA’s futuristic X-59 jet is about to face its biggest challenge yet: breaking the sound barrier for the first time. After a successful series of test flights that pushed the aircraft to near-supersonic speeds, engineers are preparing to fly it faster than Mach 1 and eventually up to Mach 1.6 at 60,000 feet. The sleek experimental aircraft is designed to replace the thunderous sonic boom with a much quieter “thump,” a breakthrough that could help bring supersonic passenger travel back over popu

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

Hubble captures M88 on a perilous journey that could change it forever

A stunning spiral galaxy called Messier 88 is racing through the crowded Virgo Cluster on a journey that will dramatically reshape its future. At its heart lies a supermassive black hole about 100 million times the mass of the Sun, while its graceful spiral arms sparkle with young star clusters and dark clouds of dust. But as M88 plunges deeper into the cluster over the next few hundred million years, powerful forces will strip away much of the gas it needs to create new stars.

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

NASA’s Roman telescope could reveal 100,000 hidden worlds

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope could revolutionize the search for alien worlds by discovering around 100,000 exoplanets—far more than all previous missions combined. It will look deep into unexplored parts of the Milky Way, helping scientists compare planetary systems across very different galactic environments. The mission will also uncover rare Earth-sized planets, study thousands of exotic alien atmospheres, and provide a treasure trove of data that could reshape our understanding of how planet

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

The forgotten organ that could predict how long you live

A long-overlooked organ may hold surprising clues to healthy aging and cancer survival. Researchers at Mass General Brigham used AI to analyze CT scans from tens of thousands of adults and found that people with healthier thymuses—a small immune-system organ once thought to become largely irrelevant after childhood—lived longer and had substantially lower risks of heart disease, cancer, and death.

science  Jun 1, 2026

The Guardian Science

Big gains for little terns: how Lindisfarne reserve is helping a rare bird survive tourism

Seasonal wardens and netted fences are helping protect the rare ground-nesting birds that arrive each spring on the UK’s shoresOn Ross Sands in Northumberland, a little tern has caught sight of a group of people and is sprinting across the beach. “It wants us to follow it,” says Andrew Craggs, senior manager at Lindisfarne national nature reserve. “It’s a diversionary thing – it’s got a scrape and it wants to take us away because it thinks we’re predators.”Craggs is no predator, and he’s not aft

science  Jun 1, 2026

The Guardian Science

Bonnie & Clive review – cheerfully ridiculous Covid road trip

Bonnie has two days to get from south London to her grandparents’ house in Cornwall before lockdown in this super low budget British comedyNo offence to any Clives reading, but the intentionally naff title of this film does not inspire confidence – and turns out to be indicative of the cheerful ridiculousness of this super low budget British comedy. It is about a trio of twentysomethings on a road trip to Cornwall at the start of one of the Covid lockdowns; from the outtakes and behind the scene

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

Why Sweden’s wolverine conservation success story is unraveling

A world-famous conservation program that helped save Sweden’s endangered wolverines is now struggling as funding stagnates and local trust erodes. Researchers say the decline offers a cautionary lesson: protecting wildlife requires long-term commitment, not just early success.

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

This strange crystal acts like metal and glass at the same time

A remarkable crystal called molybdenum oxychloride could help make futuristic technologies like smart contact lenses and ultrathin AR glasses a reality. Scientists have created the first detailed experimental map of its optical properties, revealing the strongest light-bending effect ever measured in a natural material. The crystal can act either like a reflective metal or transparent glass, allowing it to manipulate light with extraordinary efficiency while being thousands of times thinner than

science  Jun 1, 2026

The Guardian Science

The enigmatic summer phenomenon shining from the edge of space

With no recorded sightings before 1885, noctilucent clouds have been linked to volcanoes, pollution or climate changeAs summer arrives in the northern hemisphere, so do the noctilucent clouds – hopefully. These high-altitude formations are as enigmatic as they are beautiful. Their name derives from Latin, meaning “night shining”.They appear during the summer months and glow with an electric-blue intensity against the darkening western sky. Look for them about half an hour after sunset. Continue

science  Jun 1, 2026

NASA News

Gravity Waves From Super Typhoon Sinlaku

Satellites observed striking upper-atmosphere phenomena generated by an intensifying tropical cyclone.

science  Jun 1, 2026

Science Daily

Scientists found the hidden switch fueling alzheimer’s brain inflammation

Scientists at Scripps Research have uncovered a molecular “switch” that appears to fuel the damaging brain inflammation seen in Alzheimer’s disease. They found that a protein called STING becomes chemically altered in a way that keeps the brain’s immune system stuck in overdrive, harming the connections between nerve cells.

science  May 31, 2026