News without the noise
Science news: discoveries, health, climate and space, from the journals and the labs, explained plainly.
752 articles · page 10 of 16 · The Science front page
Better Health Network will close its St Kilda clinic on October 23, redirecting vulnerable clients to services in Prahran and South Melbourne. The not-for-profit blames lease and landlord building issues and a forecast operating deficit, but former staff say the move dismantles community trust built over decades.
· 3 sourcesA mother in Staffordshire is urging parents to learn about the dangers cold sores can pose to newborn babies, after her 10-day-old daughter died from the herpes simplex virus. Meg Edmonds, 22, from Rugeley, said Magnolia was born healthy but later became ill and died in February.
Residents of Longyearbyen, one of the fastest-warming towns on Earth, have been told to stop drinking tap water after thawing permafrost exposed bedrock that is leaching heavy metals into the settlement's water supply.
Seabird populations along the Solent coast have rebounded sharply three years after avian flu devastated nesting colonies, with sandwich terns at Pagham harbour in West Sussex recovering from a complete wipeout in 2022 to 756 breeding pairs this year.
· 2 sources
The health secretary has asked the NHS to draw up urgent plans to end corridor care for children in England, saying no child should be treated in a corridor, as she announced £140m to prepare hospitals for what she called a more difficult winter than usual.
An NHS leader has warned that up to 20 maternity units in England will need to close or change their role to ensure safe care, as shortages of obstetricians and rising caesarean section rates make smaller units unsustainable. Matthew Hopkins, the NHS Alliance's director for acute care, said consolidation of services into fewer hospitals was 'inevitable' and called on ministers to show 'courage' in backing the controversial changes.
· 2 sourcesEmergency doctors at Blenheim's Wairau Hospital say chronic understaffing is putting patients at risk, with the department at least three doctors short and staff sometimes working up to 17-hour shifts. Health New Zealand rejects claims the ED is on the brink of collapse but says it is recruiting permanent staff.
Tropical Cyclone Wati has partially destroyed Aitutaki's main port, leaving the newly upgraded Arutanga Harbour and Marina causeway underwater as the Category 2 storm moves through the Southern Cook Islands. No injuries had been reported by Monday afternoon.
Indonesia is fighting its most severe wildfire season in a decade, the BBC reports from the front line in Central Kalimantan. A toxic haze is choking millions across the region, with air pollution levels classified as hazardous to human health. The crisis has been linked to hundreds of thousands of respiratory illnesses in Indonesia and has spread across borders to Singapore and Malaysia.
· 2 sourcesKenya has confirmed its eighth case of Ebola just two weeks after the country detected its first infection, as the deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to expand. The virus has killed at least 4,000 people in DRC since May, with the disease now reaching an eighth province.
Kenya has confirmed a ninth Ebola case, a 24-year-old man already in quarantine and a close family member of the country's first patient, health officials said Tuesday, while the wider outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to an eighth province and surpassed 9,400 cases.
· 3 sourcesA team led by researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has found compelling evidence of pair density waves (PDWs) on the surface of uranium ditelluride, a metal that becomes superconducting at very low temperatures. In an unexpected twist, the PDWs persisted at temperatures above the material's superconducting transition point, a phenomenon never before observed. The results, published in PNAS, confirm a theoretical prediction from 2007 and could help scientists understand how Cooper pairs form in unconventional superconductors, bringing the goal of higher-temperature superconductivity closer.
A Japanese spacecraft has successfully launched on a mission to collect dust from the surface of Mars' moon Phobos and return it to Earth, in what would be a historic first for planetary science. The Mars Moons Exploration (MMX) mission lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center at 0441 local time on 20 October, according to the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA). The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Phobos in August 2027 and return a sample capsule to the Woomera desert in South Australia in 2031.
· 5 sourcesA dinosaur fossil that sat unexamined in a London museum drawer for more than 100 years has been identified as a new species. The small carnivorous dinosaur, named Invictibellatrix amberina, is the first megaraptoran ever discovered in Europe and the smallest known from this group of two-legged predators.
Scientists have identified hidden changes in the immune system that can appear up to 10 years before a person is diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to research presented at UEG Week 2026. The findings suggest that certain antibody patterns in the blood could eventually help doctors identify people at risk and predict how severe their disease might become.
· 3 sourcesAccredited practising dietitian Susie Burrell has identified healthier fast food options for Australians eating on the run, highlighting menu items that deliver at least 30 to 40 grams of lean protein for 400 to 600 calories, while avoiding high-fat sauces, fried ingredients and processed carbs.
· 3 sources
The Landscape Recovery Foundation is asking Tasmania's native orchid photographers to balance their passion with care, warning that repeated visits to the same sites, amplified by social media, can damage plants, seedlings and the soil fungi orchids depend on. With more than 200 orchid species recorded in the state and 77 listed as threatened, the foundation has run a workshop for photographers and published guidance covering everything from staying on formed tracks to keeping rare locations off social media.
· 2 sources
NSW Health has sounded the alarm over a sharp increase in patients arriving at emergency departments after injecting unapproved peptides, with data showing 1180 presentations between July 2025 and September 2026, including more than 217 in September alone. The rise is linked to a booming black market for injectables promoted by online wellness influencers.
· 2 sources
The critically endangered Norfolk Island hairy snail has begun reproducing in captivity at Taronga Zoo, raising hopes for the species' survival after a rapid population decline in the wild. Zookeeper Tarryn Williams Clow reported that all 30 hairy snails collected from the island in August have adapted well and started to give birth to live young.
· 4 sources
The search for Amelia Earhart's missing aircraft has ended on the Pacific atoll of Nikumaroro with what researchers describe as 'new discoveries' but no 'smoking gun.' The expedition, led by Purdue University and the US-based Archaeological Legacy Institute, fell short of its main goal of identifying a shape in the lagoon that some believe could be the wreck of her Lockheed Electra, though the team said it would not return empty-handed.
· 3 sources
A review of 41 studies involving millions of people across East Asia and the United Kingdom has found a link between long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution and increased risk of glaucoma and cataracts. The findings were presented in September at the 44th Congress of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons in London.
A review from Texas A&M University highlights the potential of salogels, polymer gels loaded with hydrated salts, to passively regulate building temperatures. The materials absorb heat by day and release it at night, a cycle that could substantially reduce the energy buildings consume for heating and cooling.
An international team of researchers led by the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy has found compelling evidence of two supermassive black holes locked in a tight orbit at the centre of the galaxy Markarian 501. Analysing over two decades of radio observations revealed a hidden second jet and an Einstein ring, pointing to a binary system whose components are so close they could merge in as little as 100 years. If confirmed, this would be one of the closest known supermassive black hole binaries, offering an unprecedented window into their final growth stages.
Scientists have discovered that skin stem cells in female mice coordinate their behaviour in synchronised waves, while male stem cells act more independently, a difference driven by sex hormones that helps explain why skin wounds heal faster in females. The finding, published in Nature, could lead to more personalised treatments for wound healing, burns and skin cancer.
Physicists have identified a third fundamental class of magnetism, known as altermagnetism, overturning an understanding of magnetic behavior that had stood for more than a century. The European Physical Society has named Professor Jairo Sinova, Dr. Libor Šmejkal and Professor Tomas Jungwirth as recipients of the 2026 Europhysics Prize for establishing altermagnetism as a distinct magnetic order alongside ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism.
Physicists have discovered a strange new quantum state called a fractional Fermi sea, in which ultracold cesium atoms locked into a highly excited state maintain a hidden order that defies conventional descriptions. The theoretical framework, published in Physical Review Letters by researchers from the University of Innsbruck and CNRS, opens a new frontier for quantum simulation by pushing particles beyond their normal equilibrium conditions.
The Black Death killed more than a third of Europe's population in the 14th century, and new research shows that as farmland was abandoned, plant biodiversity plummeted by about 40 percent. But the loss was temporary: within 150 years, as populations recovered and human disturbances returned, biodiversity climbed back to slightly above pre-plague levels. The study, published in Ecology Letters, reveals that medieval farming practices, far from being uniformly harmful, created patchwork landscapes that sustained a rich variety of plants.
A large observational study of nearly 90,000 French adults has found that people with the highest intake of a sugar naturally present in red meat face a 63% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, researchers reported at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes in Milan. The findings lend support to the idea that chronic inflammation, rather than body weight alone, helps explain the long-standing link between red meat and diabetes.
A study published October 1 in the American Journal of Psychiatry by researchers at Mount Sinai has identified three white matter pathways in the brain that are consistently associated with lasting improvement in patients receiving deep brain stimulation (DBS) for severe, treatment-resistant depression. The findings highlight that the precise targeting of these connections through electrode placement could be critical for successful treatment, with millimeters in positioning potentially determining outcomes.
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Joint Quantum Institute (JQI) have demonstrated a new chip-based frequency comb that generates precise optical measurements without requiring bulky laboratory equipment. The breakthrough could enable portable atomic clocks for ultraprecise mobile timekeeping, providing navigation signals for drones, cars, submarines and other vehicles when GPS is unavailable or has been jammed.
New guidance from NHS England requiring trans people to use single-sex wards based on biological sex could lead to delays and greater risk of corridor care, according to an internal impact assessment seen by the Guardian. The report highlights potential adverse impacts on trans people's physical and mental health, including fears of discrimination and avoidance of healthcare.
Researchers from Rockefeller University have used artificial intelligence to analyze medical records from over 100,000 cancer patients, finding that those with detectable brown fat were less likely to have type 2 diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, or depression. The study also identified the blood pressure drug losartan as a potential activator of brown fat, raising the possibility of new treatments for metabolic and mental health conditions.
A major fuel leak has seen kerosene spread along almost four kilometres of the River Taff in South Wales, prompting warnings from Natural Resources Wales and Public Health Wales for residents to keep windows and doors shut. The leak, first reported on Saturday, has led to fire crews deploying absorbent booms, while NRW investigates the source and continues to collect evidence.
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned as "a disgrace" NHS staff who accessed the medical records of victims of the Nottingham attacks and a man killed by a tiger, and said offenders should be sacked or swiftly suspended while investigations take place. Her comments came as Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust confirmed it had dismissed 15 staff and Yorkshire Ambulance Service launched an investigation into possible breaches involving a separate patient.
· 3 sourcesA five-year-old Western Australian girl has been stroke-free for more than four months after complex brain surgery guided by a $1 million AI-powered neuro-microscope. Riley Shawcross from Margaret River was born with a rare genetic condition that had caused more than 25 mini-strokes since July 2024.
· 4 sourcesScientists have obtained the clearest images yet of Pa 30, the explosive aftermath of a supernova recorded by medieval astronomers nearly 850 years ago, and found that its firework-like filaments are not smooth streams but chains of tiny gas knots. The observations, led by the University of Warwick's Timothy Cunningham, were published in The Astrophysical Journal.
New Zealand health officials are urging high school students to ensure they are fully vaccinated against measles to prevent a repeat of last year's outbreak that saw unvaccinated students sent home during NCEA exams, with an immunisation expert warning the virus can cause serious complications including brain damage.
A wave of homemade synthetic drugs is reshaping the US opioid crisis, with fentanyl now routinely mixed with animal tranquillisers that render the standard overdose reversal drug naloxone ineffective, and stimulant users increasingly dying after unknowingly consuming fentanyl-laced crack, according to a BBC investigation and data from a CDC drug sampling programme.
· 2 sources
New research suggests Earth's molten metallic core has been leaking hydrogen since the planet's formation, with the element migrating upwards to form water in the mantle. The finding, published in Science Advances by a team from the University of Science and Technology of China, offers a potential explanation for the presence of water deep inside the planet.
Astronomers have discovered a universal rule that appears to determine when black holes unleash powerful jets of material into space, regardless of whether they weigh 10 times the Sun or millions of times more. Published in Nature Astronomy, the finding emerged from studying how supermassive black holes tear stars apart, and it links their behaviour to the same feeding-cycle trigger already known in much smaller black holes.
Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered that a protein long known to help cancer grow can, when activated in immune cells, make them more effective at attacking tumors. The finding, published in Nature Immunology, raises the prospect of new treatments for colorectal cancer, which has become the leading cause of cancer-related death among people under 50.
White dwarf stars come in a far wider range of colours than their name suggests, including pink, green, cyan, purple and yellow, according to a new study published in the journal RAS Techniques and Instruments. The research has identified what scientists say is the first known green star and the reddest star ever found.
Sydney's Canterbury Hospital has apologised after more than 3,000 unread emails, including elective surgery referrals dating back to late 2025, were discovered in an unchecked inbox, delaying surgeries for 16 patients.
· 5 sources
Arizona has joined Nevada in a legal challenge against the Trump administration's proposed cuts to their shares of the Colorado River, escalating a dispute over how to manage the drought-stricken waterway's shrinking supply.
A scientist leading the digitisation of hand-written climate records stored in an archive in Yangambi, Democratic Republic of Congo, has revealed the true scale of warming in the Congo Basin, according to a study published in Earth System Dynamics. The records, many of which were written on paper before the 1950s, had been inaccessible to international researchers until now.
Scientists at the University of Southern California have discovered a method to generate a potentially limitless supply of cancer-fighting immune cells, a breakthrough that could address two of the biggest challenges in cell-based cancer immunotherapy: manufacturing enough cells and keeping them active inside the body for long enough to work.
Physicists have observed a quantum phenomenon predicted nearly a century ago by Hans Bethe, detecting bound clusters of particles — known as Bethe strings — in a line of ultracold atoms. The findings, published in Nature Communications, offer new insight into the collective behavior of interacting particles in quantum systems.
Archaeologists working at a 13,800-year-old site in interior Alaska have unearthed what may be the oldest dwelling ever found in the Western Hemisphere, along with thousands of artifacts that include the possible earliest domesticated dog bones and earliest needles in the Americas, as well as stone tools linking the site to cultures across the Bering Land Bridge.