One of the defining breakthroughs that set quantum physics apart from classical physics was the realization that matter behaves very differently at extremely small scales. Among the most important discoveries was wave-particle duality, the idea that particles can also act like waves. This concept became widely known through the double-slit experiment. When electrons were fired…
Researchers at MIT have identified an unexpected effect in optical physics that could lead to a faster and more detailed way to image living tissue. Under specific conditions, what normally looks like a scattered and disordered laser signal can reorganize itself into a narrow, highly focused “pencil beam.” With this self-formed beam, the team produced…
A strange object known as the “golden orb” puzzled scientists and captured public attention after it was collected during a 2023 NOAA expedition. More than two years later, researchers have finally identified what it is. The unusual golden mass, discovered at a depth of 3,250 meters (over 2 miles) in the Gulf of Alaska, turned…
DrAfter123/Digital Vision Vectors/Getty Images Like so many in her field, The Ohio State University oncologist Ning Jin is alarmed by the number of patients in their 30s and 40s with late-stage cancer in their lower digestive tract. It’s not just that these patients are decades younger than what had been typical for colorectal cancer; Jin…
Eastern Africa’s Turkana Rift is known both for its rich record of early human fossils and for intense volcanic activity driven by shifting tectonic plates. Now, scientists report that the crust beneath this region has thinned far more than previously understood, pointing to the long term breakup of the African continent and offering a fresh…
Scientists have increasingly recognized that the gut microbiome plays an important role in overall health, including the brain. However, researchers are still working to identify which specific bacteria are involved in disease and exactly how they influence the body. One bacterium in particular, Morganella morganii, has been linked in several studies to major depressive disorder….
With its bright yellow, cushion-like caps, the golden oyster mushroom has become a favorite among home growers and food lovers. It is widely available in grow-your-own kits and sold in grocery stores, farmers markets, and specialty shops. However, a University of Florida researcher warns that this appealing mushroom is quietly spreading into natural forests and…
For more than 25 years, researchers at Northwestern Medicine have been studying people age 80 and older known as “SuperAgers” to understand how some individuals maintain exceptional mental sharpness late in life. These individuals consistently perform on memory tests at levels similar to people at least 30 years younger, challenging the long-standing belief that cognitive…
Researchers at McGill University and the Douglas Institute have discovered that two distinct types of brain cells function differently in people with depression. The findings, published in Nature Genetics, offer important clues that could lead to new treatments designed to target these specific cells. They also provide a clearer understanding of depression, a condition that…
It seems as though stars have been shooting across the heavens far more than usual lately. In March, fireball after fireball coursed through the skies of North America and Europe. Some of the dazzling apparitions dropped meteorites in their wake. In Ohio, space shards set down in fields and forests. Other rocky visitors smashed through…
