New Scientist (Pay Wall)Mystery of the ancient giant stone jars of Laos may have been solvedIn central Laos, the landscape is littered with enormous stone jars, some 3 metres high, and we may be closer to understanding how and when they were usedMay 19, 2026
SciTech DailyToo Much Sleep May Age Your Body Faster, New Study WarnsResearchers discovered that sleeping too little or too much is linked to accelerated aging in organs throughout the body. The study also connected abnormal sleep patterns to mental health, cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic...May 19, 2026
Nature.comChina moves AI brain implants from trials towards real-world useNature, Published online: 19 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01468-xChinese start-up firms are supercharging their efforts to develop algorithms for brain–computer interfaces that help people to walk and talk.May 19, 2026
NASA Breaking NewsCuriosity Blog, Sols 4893-4899: Drilling at Campo Marte and a Visit From the Psyche SpacecraftCuriosity Navigation Curiosity Home Mission Overview Where is Curiosity? Mission Updates Science Overview Instruments Highlights Exploration Goals News and Features Multimedia Curiosity Raw Images Images Videos Audio Mosaics...May 19, 2026
MIT Technology ReviewHere’s why Elon Musk lost his suit against OpenAIOn Monday, the jury in Musk v. Altman dealt Elon Musk a major blow—reaching a unanimous advisory verdict that he had sued OpenAI too late and, as a result, his claims are barred by the applicable statutes of limitations. US District Judge...May 19, 2026
Universe TodayAstronomers Find New Circumbinary "Tatooine-like" Planet CandidatesThere's a distinct category of exoworlds out there that orbit two stars. They're called "circumbinary" planets and up until recently, astronomers had only found about 18 of them among the 6000+ other known exoplanets and candidates. Now, a...May 19, 2026
PsyPostScientists discover that dopamine receptors act as traffic signals to guide migrating brain cellsThe assembly of a healthy brain requires new cells to travel incredibly long distances to arrive at their correct final destinations. A recent laboratory mouse study reveals that dopamine receptors located on stationary support cells act...May 19, 2026
Sci.NewsInsects May Feel Pain, New Study SuggestsWhen an antenna of the house cricket (Acheta domesticus) is touched with a heated probe, something curious happens: the insect turns its attention to the burned spot, grooming it repeatedly, for far longer than it would after a harmless...May 19, 2026
Universe TodayA Brief-ish History of SETI. Part V: The First Interstellar MessengersDuring the 1970s, the first interstellar probes were launched, carrying messages specifically designed to be intelligible to extraterrestrial species. The messages were essentially a "message in a bottle" intended for an advanced...May 18, 2026
Discover Magazine (Pay Wall)Gabi, an AI Robot, Has Been Ordained and Is Now a Buddhist MonkLearn how a religious order in South Korea is embracing AI and robotics and what that could mean for religion around the world. May 18, 2026
Discover Magazine (Pay Wall)Neanderthals Snacked on Shellfish During the Winter, a Seasonal Pattern Later Seen in HumansLearn how Neanderthals living in Southern Europe knew when to collect and eat shellfish, displaying a seasonal strategy just like modern humans.May 18, 2026
Science NewsA ‘jar’ jammed with human bones may solve Laos’ ‘Plain of Jars’ mysteryThe remains of at least 37 people in an ancient stone 'jar' in northeastern Laos suggest that thousands similar jars were used in burials.May 18, 2026
Sci.NewsFormicine Ants Produce Hidden Arsenal of Venom Peptides, Study FindsEntomologists have discovered that carpenter ants -- the largest genus within the stingless ant subfamily Formicinae -- produce dozens of previously unknown venom peptides with antifungal properties. The post Formicine Ants Produce Hidden...May 18, 2026
STAT NewsSTAT+: White House taps Amazon, GoodRx, and Mark Cuban to bolster TrumpRxWASHINGTON — The White House announced an expansion of its prescription drug discount platform, TrumpRx, on Monday, adding more than 600 generic drugs to the website. The expansion comes via a partnership with entrepreneur Mark...May 18, 2026
STAT NewsSTAT+: Maryland state affordability board places a price cap on OzempicThe Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board agreed to set an upper payment limit for the Ozempic diabetes treatment, marking the second time that the state panel has taken such a step in recent weeks. The board, which is designed to...May 18, 2026
SciTech DailyNew Study Reveals How Vitamin D Could Calm Gut InflammationVitamin D supplementation may help rebalance immune responses to gut bacteria in people with IBD, though larger controlled studies are needed. Vitamin D supplements may influence how the immune system reacts to gut bacteria in people with...May 18, 2026
SciTech DailyScientists Uncover Promising New Strategy To Stop Parkinson’s in Its TracksA newly identified immune-related protein may help drive the spread of Parkinson’s disease in the brain. A protein tied to the brain’s immune system may be helping Parkinson’s disease spread from cell to cell, and scientists believe...May 18, 2026
PsyPostPolitical loser perceptions alter white American views on wealth distributionWhite Americans who feel they are on the losing side of politics are more likely to oppose economic redistribution programs. This effect only appears when people compare their political standing directly to that of racial minorities. The...May 18, 2026
Discover Magazine (Pay Wall)3D Imaging Reveals How a Taste Receptor Detects Coffee’s Bitter CompoundsLearn how compounds in coffee ‘turn on’ bitter taste receptors, contributing to the drink’s distinctive flavor.May 18, 2026
NASA Breaking NewsJohnson Photographers Honored for Award-Winning Portraits Three photographers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center who inspire the world through visual storytelling earned top honors in the portrait category at the 2025 NASA Imagery Experts Program Annual Awards. “Congratulations to all three on...May 18, 2026
Scientific AmericanEbola outbreak triggers U.S. ban on travelers from three African nationsAt least six Americans are believed to have been exposed to the Ebola virus, and one person who appears to have contracted the virus has been evacuated to GermanyMay 18, 2026
SciTech DailyExperts Reveal the Surprising Cancer Link Behind a Common VitaminVitamin B12 is essential, but more is not always better. Researchers say extremely high levels may signal underlying illness, while balanced intake is key for long-term health. We’ve all heard the advice: eat plenty of fruits and...May 18, 2026
STAT NewsWith no approved vaccine for Ebola outbreak, experts weigh testing a long shotThe latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was only confirmed to be underway at the end of last week, is already the fourth largest on record. The deadly virus is spreading in a conflict zone where recent...May 18, 2026
Discover Magazine (Pay Wall)Garlic May Stop Mosquitoes and Fruit Flies From Mating, and Could Inspire New Pest ControlsLearn how the common vegetable deters mating behavior in winged insects — and why it could be an eco-friendly and affordable form of pest control.May 18, 2026
Discover Magazine (Pay Wall)73-Million-Year-Old Teeth Reveal Three New Mammal Species That Lived in the Arctic, Among DinosaursLearn more about the newly identified species from the Arctic that were part of one of the longest living mammal groups on the planet. May 18, 2026
Universe TodayIron and Ice: Earth's Passage Through the Interstellar CloudOur Solar System is currently passing through the Local Interstellar Cloud, a region of highly diluted gas and dust between the stars. On its path, Earth continuously accumulates iron-60, a rare radioactive isotope of iron produced in...May 18, 2026
PsyPostMidlife hobbies like travel and music may offset genetic risk for Alzheimer’s diseaseEngaging in stimulating hobbies during middle age tends to protect brain health better than minimizing medical risks alone, providing evidence of a strong defense against cognitive decline. Activities like playing the piano, traveling...May 18, 2026
Sci.NewsDo Europa’s Water Plumes Really Exist? New Study Reopens DebateNew research led by planetary scientists from Southwest Research Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology suggests that evidence for vapor erupting from Jupiter’s icy moon Europa may be less conclusive than once believed. The post...May 18, 2026
STAT NewsSTAT+: Trump’s CMS to allow skimpier plans on ACA exchangesThe Trump administration is opening the floodgates for Affordable Care Act exchanges to feature plans that offer bare-bones coverage and fewer protections, but which have lower monthly premiums. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid...May 18, 2026
Science FocusThis is the easiest weight-loss hack nutrition scientists wish everyone knewWhen you sit down at the dinner table, do you wolf down your meal with three bites and a burp, or pick your way through with tiny nibbles? We all instinctively know how quickly we eat. But what you may not have realised is that your...May 18, 2026
New Scientist (Pay Wall)Floatation tanks deployed to combat PTSD after devastating wildfiresMaui in Hawaii experienced some of the worst wildfires in US history in 2023. Amid concerns of a PTSD epidemic, floatation tanks are being deployed to the island to help restore people's mental healthMay 18, 2026
Ars TechnicaAustralian Aboriginals cared for a dingo's grave for decadesA thousand years ago, the ancestors of today's Barkindji people carefully buried a dingo (or garli, in the Barkindji language) in a mound of shells. Archaeologists recently studied the burial in what's now New South Wales, Australia. They...May 18, 2026
MIT Technology ReviewWhat to expect from Google this weekThis story originally appeared in The Algorithm, our weekly newsletter on AI. To get stories like this in your inbox first, sign up here. When Google opens its doors tomorrow for its annual developer conference, I/O, it will do so as...May 18, 2026
Popular ScienceNeanderthals dined on shellfish much earlier than humansFor decades, many paleoarchaeologists believed Neanderthals went extinct largely because they just weren’t intelligent enough to compete with their Homo sapien relatives. However, mounting historical evidence suggests this was far from the...May 18, 2026
SciTech DailyNASA’s Roman Space Telescope Could Finally Find the Milky Way’s Missing Neutron StarsNASA’s Roman Telescope could finally expose the Milky Way’s hidden population of invisible neutron stars. Astronomers believe neutron stars should be scattered throughout the Milky Way, left behind after massive stars explode in supernova...May 18, 2026
Sci.NewsRegular Grape Consumption is Beneficial for Skin Health, New Study ShowsGrape consumption may improve the skin’s barrier against environmental damage by rewriting gene activity, according to new research led by Western New England University. The post Regular Grape Consumption is Beneficial for Skin Health,...May 18, 2026
Scientific AmericanHidden copy of the oldest known poem in the English language leaves researchers ‘speechless’Researchers discovered the copy of the 1,300-year-old poem lurking inside a historical text in an Italian libraryMay 18, 2026
Scientific AmericanHow scientists developed a hantavirus PCR test in a weekendResearchers at the Nebraska Public Health Laboratory worked round the clock to develop a test for the Andes virus at the center of the deadly cruise ship outbreakMay 18, 2026
NASA Breaking NewsNASA’s MAVEN Makes 1st Discovery of Atmospheric Effect at MarsIn December 2023, scientists looking at Mars data stumbled across something completely unexpected — observations of an atmospheric effect never before seen in the Red Planet’s atmosphere. Using instruments aboard NASA’s MAVEN (Mars...May 18, 2026
STAT NewsSTAT+: Why the WakeMed – Atrium Health hospital merger mattersThis is the online version of STAT’s weekly email newsletter Health Care Inc. Sign up here. Thanks for being here! So much to read, including a new series from my colleagues Lev Facher and Isa Cueto. They delved into the perils of...May 18, 2026
Nature.comExclusive: Race begins to trial Ebola drugs amid current outbreakNature, Published online: 18 May 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01607-4Clinical trials for treatments against Ebola Bundibugyo virus are ‘in a strong position’ to be launched quickly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.May 18, 2026
Ars TechnicaPompeii victim ID'd as a likely doctorArchaeologists used a combination of advanced CT scans and 3D digital reconstruction to identify one of the Pompeii victims who died in 79 CE during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius as most likely having been a Roman doctor, according to an...May 18, 2026
New Scientist (Pay Wall)How I used psychology to come back from the worst year of my lifeWork, illness, divorce: life is riddled with stressors out of your control. But research is revealing new ways to cope with these challenges and find hope instead of despairMay 18, 2026
New Scientist (Pay Wall)What is love? Even a meeting on the subject can't find the answerScientists recently gathered for a conference called Love, Actually and in Theory, but didn't settle on a definition of the topic at handMay 18, 2026
PsyPostPrenatal air pollution linked to ADHD symptoms in school-age children, but not clinical diagnosisA study of children from Tarragona, Spain, found that higher prenatal exposure to air pollution (PM10 and PMcoarse particles, NO2, and NOx gases) was associated with modestly higher teacher-reported ADHD symptom scores in school-age...May 18, 2026
Universe TodayAsteroid 2022 OB5 Spins Too Fast For Current Prospectors Highlighting the Divide Between "Accessible" and "Exploitable"Asteroid mining seems simple in theory. A spacecraft flies up to a giant rock in space, scoops out some material, and either processes it on site or returns it back to a huge central processing facility. But in practice, it is certainly...May 18, 2026
Science FocusThe most powerful climate phenomenon on record could hit the US in 2026, experts warnScientists are watching the Pacific Ocean closely as what could be one of the most powerful climate events in recorded history rapidly builds beneath its surface. According to the most recent forecasts from the National Oceanic and...May 18, 2026
Singularity HubThe Fully Anesthetized Brain Can Still Track a PodcastA new study challenges the idea that consciousness is necessary to make sense of language. Our brains keep on whirling long after we drift off to sleep. Each night, the hippocampus, a major hub for learning, replays experiences from the...May 18, 2026
Discover Magazine (Pay Wall)Customized Nutritional Drinks May One Day Help Fuel Astronauts Who Travel to MarsLearn how scientists are tackling the nutritional challenges of space exploration.May 18, 2026
