Good news, everyone!

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and University of Michigan have created the world's smallest fully programmable, autonomous robots: microscopic swimming machines that can independently sense and respond to their surroundings, operate for months and cost just a penny each.

An international team of astronomers has achieved a first in probing the early universe, using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), detecting a supernova—the explosive death of a massive star—at an unprecedented cosmic distance.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere. In fact, each reader of this article could have multiple AI apps operating on the very device displaying this piece.

For the first time, scientists have observed the iconic Shapiro steps, a staircase-like quantum effect, in ultracold atoms.

In Beijing's central district, trees are everywhere: in parks, along roadsides and in courtyards inside people's houses. Many have only been planted in recent decades.

The gut microbiome is intimately linked to human health and weight. Differences in the gut microbiome—the bacteria and fungi in the gut—are associated with obesity and weight gain, raising the possibility that changing the microbiome could improve health. But any given person's gut contains hundreds of different microbial species, making it difficult to tell which species could help.

Tiny tubes of carbon that emit single photons from just one point along their length have been made in a deterministic manner by RIKEN researchers. Such carbon nanotubes could form the basis of future quantum technologies based on light.

Graphene is often described as a wonder material. It is strong, electrically conductive, thermally efficient, and remarkably versatile. Yet despite more than a decade of excitement, many graphene-based technologies still struggle to move beyond the laboratory.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center's Ludwig Center developed a new treatment that selectively targets TRBC2-positive T-cell cancers, expanding a precision approach they established in 2024 for TRBC1-positive tumors.

A collaboration between the University of Huddersfield's Archaeogenetics Research Group and the University of Southampton's Center for Maritime Archaeology, has clarified the first settlement of New Guinea and Australia by modern humans, Homo sapiens—refining our understanding of the origins of seafaring and maritime mobility.

Five minutes of training can significantly improve people's ability to identify fake faces created by artificial intelligence, research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science shows.

In a study published in Latin American Antiquity, Dr. Julien Hiquet and Dr. Rémi Méreuze analyzed the remains of a unique mosaic-style patolli game board discovered in the Classic Period city of Naachtun, Guatemala.

Scientists have discovered the single largest dinosaur track site in the world in Carreras Pampa, Torotoro National Park, Bolivia. The tracks were made about 70 million years ago, in the late Cretaceous Period, by theropods—bipedal three-toed dinosaurs—with bird tracks also present in this ancient beach scene.

The Maryland Commission on Climate Change released its 2025 annual report on Dec. 23, offering a new set of recommendations aimed at helping the state meet aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals while preparing communities for the growing impacts of climate change.

A team led by investigators at Mass General Brigham and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has developed and validated an artificial intelligence (AI)–based noninvasive tool that can predict the likelihood that a patient's oropharyngeal cancer—a type of head and neck cancer that develops in the throat—will spread, thereby signaling which patients should receive aggressive treatment.

Over 70 million Americans wear digital activity trackers (DATs) to record their sleep, steps and heart rate. A new study from Scripps Research found that these devices could also provide insight into even more, including individual health risks like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and high blood pressure.

From morning glories spiraling up fence posts to grape vines corkscrewing through arbors, twisted growth is a problem-solving tool found throughout the plant kingdom. Roots "do the twist" all the time, skewing hard right or left to avoid rocks and other debris.

A small, icy moon of Saturn called Enceladus is one of the prime targets in the search for life elsewhere in the solar system. A new study strengthens the case for Enceladus being a habitable world.

Hydrogen peroxide is widely used in everyday life, from disinfectants and medical sterilization to environmental cleanup and manufacturing. Despite its importance, most hydrogen peroxide is still produced using large-scale industrial processes that require significant energy. Researchers are thus seeking cleaner alternatives.

A new study published in Science Translational Medicine by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center details a therapeutic vulnerability in patients with an aggressive subtype of triple-negative breast cancer.

The secret to a healthier and "younger" heart lies in the vagus nerve. A recent study coordinated by the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa and published in Science Translational Medicine has shown that preserving bilateral cardiac vagal innervation is an anti-aging factor. In particular, the right cardiac vagus nerve emerges as a true guardian of cardiomyocyte health, helping to preserve the longevity of the heart independently of heart rate.

A newly developed artificial intelligence (AI) model is highly accurate in predicting blood loss in patients undergoing high-volume liposuction, reports a study in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery journal.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, our skin tissue—and in fact many types of epithelial tissue that lines and covers the body's organs—can respond to death and destruction with a burst of regeneration. This phenomenon, known as compensatory proliferation, was first described in the 1970s in fly larvae, which regrew fully functional wings after their epithelial tissue had been severely damaged by high-dose radiation. Since then, this surprising ability has been documented in many species, including humans, yet its molecular basis has remained unclear.

Imaging technology has transformed how we observe the universe—from mapping distant galaxies with radio telescope arrays to unlocking microscopic details inside living cells. Yet despite decades of innovation, a fundamental barrier has persisted: capturing high-resolution, wide-field images at optical wavelengths without cumbersome lenses or strict alignment constraints.

Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have discovered a practical way to detect and fix common labeling errors in large radiographic collections. By automatically verifying body-part, projection, and rotation tags, their research improves deep-learning models used for routine clinical tasks and research projects.

Research published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society demonstrates a new way to make carbon-based battery materials much safer, longer lasting, and more powerful by fundamentally redesigning how fullerene molecules are connected.

Prescription stimulants, such as Ritalin and Adderall, are widely used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), including in children. In the U.S., about 3.5 million children aged 3 to 17 take an ADHD medication, a number that has increased as more children have been diagnosed with the neurodevelopmental disorder.

For over a century, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been considered irreversible. Consequently, research has focused on disease prevention or slowing, rather than recovery. Despite billions of dollars spent on decades of research, there has never been a clinical trial of a drug for AD with an outcome goal of reversing disease and recovering function.

Scientists have found a way to push zinc–bromine flow batteries to the next level. By trapping corrosive bromine with a simple molecular scavenger, they were able to remove a major barrier to the performance and lifespan of flow batteries.

Astronomers have used the Keck Observatory's DEIMOS multi-object spectrograph to observe a nearby galaxy cluster designated RXC J0032.1+1808. As a result, they found that the cluster undergoes a major merging event. The finding was presented in a research paper published December 16 on the pre-print server arXiv.

Tuberculosis (TB) patients who smoke will recover far more quickly if they can quit—and help could come from their mobile phones, according to new research.

Astronomers have confirmed the first known triple system in which all three galaxies host actively feeding, radio-bright supermassive black holes.

Researchers have developed experimental drugs that encourage the mitochondria in our cells to work a little harder and burn more calories. The findings could open the door to new treatments for obesity and improve metabolic health.

Italian regulators ordered Meta on Wednesday to open its WhatsApp chat platform to rival AI chatbots as it and EU authorities pursue a probe that the US tech giant is abusing its dominant market position.

Suze Lopez holds her baby boy on her lap and marvels at the remarkable way he came into the world.

What's the value of one animal? When a wild animal is found badly injured, the most humane option is often euthanasia to prevent further suffering. That's what usually happens, and often for good reason. Even when the resources to rescue one animal are available, a rehabilitated animal brought back into the wild might be rejected by its group, or struggle to find food or escape predators. If it does survive, it may fail to reproduce, and leave no lasting mark on the population.

During mating season, when male white-tailed deer want to get noticed by the opposite sex and warn off rivals, they rub their antlers against trees and scrape the forest floor. Then they pee on these patches. But there is more to these physical and scent markers than meets the eye—or nose. According to a new study published in the journal Ecology and Evolution, they also glow so that other deer can see them when it's dark.

A federal judge on Tuesday blocked a Texas law that would have required age verification and parental consent for minors downloading mobile apps, ruling the measure likely violates free speech protections.

A large Swedish study reported a lower risk of dementia among middle-aged and older adults who consumed higher amounts of full-fat cheese and cream. The findings may sound like welcome news but they need careful interpretation.

Today's sporting landscape increasingly accepts that athleticism doesn't end when motherhood begins. High-profile athletes such as middle-distance runner Faith Kipyegon and rugby player Abbie Ward have helped redefine what's possible after giving birth.

Four people sat at a table, coloring with crayons and singing along as rock music played from a TV behind them. First Lynyrd Skynyrd, then The Eagles.

Could an electric vehicle travel from Seoul to Busan and back on a single charge? Could drivers stop worrying about battery performance even in winter? A Korean research team has taken a major step toward answering these questions by developing an anode-free lithium metal battery that can deliver nearly double driving range using the same battery volume.

A multicenter study led by UC Davis Health has tested a new treatment designed to improve care for people with a rare liver disease called primary sclerosing cholangitis. Researchers learned that an anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic monoclonal antibody known as nebokitug was safe and showed potential efficacy in patients with PSC.

A standard reference thermoelectric module (SRTEM) for objectively measuring thermoelectric module performance has been developed in Korea for the first time. A research team led by Dr. Sang Hyun Park at the Korea Institute of Energy Research developed the world's second standard reference thermoelectric module, following Japan, and improved its performance by more than 20% compared with existing modules, demonstrating the excellence of Korea's homegrown technology. The findings are published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Since his postdoctoral days at MIT, Hang Yu, associate professor of materials science and engineering, has been wrestling with the challenge of creating a shape-memory ceramic that can be manufactured at scale without breaking. Now, in tandem with Ph.D. student Donnie Erb '15, M.S. '18 and postdoctoral researcher Nikhil Gotawala, he's had a breakthrough.

Robots are becoming part of our everyday lives, from health care to home assistance. But for humans to truly trust and collaborate with them, robots need more than technical skill—they need to understand us.

Large language models (LLMs) such as GPT and Llama are driving exceptional innovations in AI, but research aimed at improving their explainability and reliability is constrained by massive resource requirements for examining and adjusting their behavior.

A novel dye-sensitized photocatalyst developed at Science Tokyo enables the capture of long-wavelength visible light for efficient hydrogen conversion, surpassing conventional photocatalysts.

From disaster zones to underground tunnels, robots are increasingly being sent where humans cannot safely go. But many of these environments lack natural or artificial light, making it difficult for robotic systems, which usually rely on cameras and vision algorithms, to operate effectively.

MIT researchers have developed a new method for designing 3D structures that can be transformed from a flat configuration into their curved, fully formed shape with only a single pull of a string.

A new battery technology has been developed that delivers significantly higher energy storage—enough to alleviate EV range concerns—while lowering the risk of thermal runaway and explosion.

Most of the plastic products we use are made through injection molding, a process in which molten plastic is injected into a mold to mass-produce identical items. However, even slight changes in conditions can lead to defects, so the process has long relied on the intuition of highly skilled workers.

Whether you're a scientist brainstorming research ideas or a CEO hoping to automate a task in human resources or finance, you'll find that artificial intelligence (AI) tools are becoming the assistants you didn't know you needed. In particular, many professionals are tapping into the talents of semi-autonomous software systems called AI agents, which can call on AI at specific points to solve problems and complete tasks.

For people, matching what they see on the ground to a map is second nature. For computers, it has been a major challenge. A Cornell research team has introduced a new method that helps machines make these connections—an advance that could improve robotics, navigation systems, and 3D modeling.

Google's corporate parent on Monday announced an agreement to buy data center energy specialist Intersect for $4.75 billion as part of its effort to secure the vast amounts of electricity needed to power artificial intelligence technology.

Researchers have developed a new way to compress the memory used by AI models to increase their accuracy in complex tasks or help save significant amounts of energy.