Briefing

Exoplanet Gj 504 b was found using the Strategic Explorations of Exoplanets and Disks with Subaru (SEEDS) Project

The first hints that a new strain of avian illness is emerging could be found on this beach on Delaware Bay, where migrating birds flock. Here’s what virus detectives who return there every year know right now.

Scientists at the University of Amsterdam discovered that our brains automatically understand how we can move through different environments—whether it’s swimming in a lake or walking a path—without conscious thought. These “action possibilities,” or affordances, light up specific brain regions independently of what’s visually present. In contrast, AI models like ChatGPT still struggle with these intuitive judgments, missing the physical context that humans naturally grasp.

Scientists at NIST and the University of Colorado Boulder have created CURBy, a cutting-edge quantum randomness beacon that draws on the intrinsic unpredictability of quantum entanglement to produce true random numbers. Unlike traditional methods, CURBy is traceable, transparent, and verifiable thanks to quantum physics and blockchain-like protocols. This breakthrough has real-world applications ranging from cybersecurity to public lotteries—and it’s open source, inviting the world to use and build upon it.

In a remarkable twist of science, researchers have transformed a fungus long associated with death into a potential weapon against cancer. Found in tombs like that of King Tut, Aspergillus flavus was once feared for its deadly spores. Now, scientists at Penn and several partner institutions have extracted a new class of molecules from it—called asperigimycins—that show powerful effects against leukemia cells. These compounds, part of a rare group known as fungal RiPPs, were bioengineered for potency and appear to disrupt cancer cell division with high specificity.

Despite widespread fears, early research suggests AI might actually be improving some aspects of work life. A major new study examining 20 years of worker data in Germany found no signs that AI exposure is hurting job satisfaction or mental health. In fact, there s evidence that it may be subtly improving physical health especially for workers without college degrees by reducing physically demanding tasks. However, researchers caution that it s still early days.

Researchers in Sweden have developed a powerful new material that dramatically boosts the ability to create hydrogen fuel from water using sunlight, making the process eight times more effective than before. This breakthrough could be key to fueling heavy transport like ships and planes with clean, renewable energy.

New images from ESA’s Biomass satellite reveal forests, volcanoes, deserts and glaciers in striking detail, hinting at what’s still to come.

SpaceX launched 70 different payloads — including a special memorial capsule carrying cremated remains and DNA samples — today (June 23) on the Transporter 14 rideshare mission.

In just 10 hours of observing the night sky, the powerful new telescope detected more than 2000 new asteroids, including a few that will pass near Earth