Sam's News — science — 2026-09-18¶
Climate¶
8 Switzerland's Glaciers Hit Earliest Loss Day on Record, Signaling Alpine Crisis¶
Swiss glaciers reached their 2026 loss day on June 29, the earliest on record, as accelerated melting signals a critical reckoning for Alpine ice masses.
Sources: Phys.org RSS
7.5 WMO report reveals global water cycle imbalance driving extreme weather¶
The World Meteorological Organization's 2025 report on global water resources documents an increasingly unbalanced water cycle resulting in extreme droughts and floods worldwide.
Sources: Phys.org RSS
Conservation¶
7.5 New cat species discovered in Bolivia after more than 100 years¶
Researchers have identified a new wildcat species from a Bolivian forest, marking the first feline species discovery in more than 100 years.
Sources: Phys.org RSS, The Washington Post RSS, CBS News RSS, The New York Times RSS
Materials Science¶
7.5 Warwick chemists reveal complex crystal structure in 40-year-old superconductor assumption¶
University of Warwick scientists have discovered that a material long treated as a uniform superconductor is actually a patchwork of different crystal structures throughout its bulk.
Sources: Phys.org RSS
Health¶
7.5 Restoring Brain Protein Menin Reverses Signs of Aging in Mice¶
Scientists found that restoring the brain protein Menin reversed multiple aging signs in mice, including inflammation, cognitive decline, and physical deterioration. The mechanism involves a disrupted chemical pathway where Menin loss reduces D-serine, an amino acid critical for learning and memory.
- Menin declines with age in the ventromedial hypothalamus, a brain region controlling metabolism
- Menin loss triggers lower bone mass, thinner skin, cognitive decline, and shorter lifespan
- D-serine, an amino acid, mediates the connection between Menin and cognitive function
- Published March 16, 2023, in PLOS Biology by researchers at Xiamen University
Sources: ScienceDaily AI Web Searched, ScienceDaily — Health RSS, ScienceDaily — Fitness RSS, ScienceDaily — Nutrition RSS
7 Scientists Identify Cells That Survive Programmed Death and Rebuild Damaged Tissue¶
Weizmann Institute scientists identified a population of cells that can initiate apoptosis, survive it, and then rebuild damaged tissue with increased resistance to future injury. The discovery reveals an unexpected role for caspase enzymes in cell survival rather than just cell death.
- Caspase enzymes can help cells survive programmed death and become more resistant to injury
- Mechanism enables rapid tissue repair observed in compensatory proliferation
- Published in Nature Communications
- Potential concern: cancer cells may exploit this survival mechanism for aggressive regrowth
Sources: ScienceDaily AI Web Searched, ScienceDaily — Health RSS
Space¶
7.5 NASA's Roman Space Telescope Could Operate for 22+ Years, Double Original Design Life¶
Precise trajectory corrections and fuel savings mean NASA's Roman Space Telescope may function for over 22 years instead of its planned 10-year mission duration.
Sources: ScienceDaily RSS Update to: NASA's Roman Space Telescope mission extended to 22 years with precision engine burn
7.5 NASA Orbiter Identifies 728-Foot Lunar Crater from 2024 Impact, Largest New Formation¶
NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has confirmed a 728-foot-wide crater on the Moon formed in 2024, marking the largest newly formed crater ever documented in the solar system.
Sources: ScienceDaily RSS, Engadget RSS Update to: NASA discovers massive lunar crater from undetected impact two years ago
Neuroscience¶
7 Cambridge researchers discover brain defense mechanism against abnormal glycogen¶
University of Cambridge and MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology scientists have identified a previously unknown cellular defense system that protects the brain from harmful glycogen accumulation linked to neurological disorders.
Sources: Phys.org RSS
Astrophysics¶
7 International team measures krypton-88 reaction critical to stellar strontium formation¶
An international research collaboration has conducted the first experimental investigation of a nuclear physics reaction essential for understanding how strontium is produced in stellar environments.
Sources: Phys.org RSS