Isosurface of the Dyson orbital, taken from Piccinelli, Samuele, et al., “Exploring paths towards quantum chemistry: the case of a molecule with a half-Möbius topology,” arXiv, 9 March 2026. arXiv:2603.08696 A recent paper in the journal Science announced the discovery of a truly new and surprising substance that could have a major impact on our … Read more
Summary: We have known for a long time that alcohol changes the way the brain works, but new research has discovered a surprising direct mechanism: alcohol does not only affect brain chemistry – its breakdown products (metabolites) directly control genes. The study shows that these epigenetic “rewrites” occur throughout the entire brain after long-term exposure, … Read more
If you live in England, you may have just got a new food waste caddy. Councils must now collect your separated food waste and turn it into fuel, compost or compost. So you can live comfortably knowing that your provisions for potatoes and stale bread will be put to good use instead of going to … Read more
Stuart Penkett’s discovery of the chemical processes that cause acid rain changed our understanding of atmospheric pollution and what was needed to deal with it. Penkett, who has died aged 87, and his colleagues at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) in Harwell, Berkshire, published a landmark paper in 1979 in the journal Atmospheric Environment, … Read more
During the first half of January, Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), the Mexican oil company, repaired a pipeline containing crude oil that was thought to contain more than 19 square kilometers (50 km2), which runs from one of the oil platforms in the Cantarell field to the Dos Bocas facilities. The location of the spill is one … Read more
It is a proven fact that forests and water are closely related. For decades, integrated water tests – a scientific method of evaluating the effects of land use on the quantity or quality of water – have shown that when we lose forests, the total amount of water flowing into our rivers tends to rise. … Read more
President Donald Trump’s war against Iran is clashing with US bond investors, who have shown little appetite for Treasury securities as they hope the war will end soon. This past week, auctions of two-, five- and seven-year Treasury notes all attracted weak demand, forcing yields higher than expected. That’s a big difference from last month, … Read more
24 new amphipods found at the Clarion-Clipperton Site, where the Trump administration is targeting deep-sea mining.National Institute of Oceanography, Southampton via Inside Climate News Get your information from a source other than the oligarchs. Register for free Mother Jones Everyday. This story was published by Climate Insider and is presented here as part of Department … Read more
The transition from water to land is a question that still puzzles scientists. Those ancient organisms would need to adapt to the many new challenges of life outside of water. So, how did they do that? In the 2025 study, my colleagues and I tried to understand the genetic basis of adaptation to life on … Read more
For thousands of years, people living high in the Andes of Argentina have relied on drinking water that could make many people sick. There, arsenic naturally occurring in the volcanic rocks seeps into the groundwater, contaminating local water supplies with levels of the toxic metalloid that can pose serious health risks to many people. But … Read more