Briefing

MIT scientists have built a tiny, ultra-efficient 5G receiver that can thrive in noisy wireless environments ideal for smartwatches, wearables, and sensors that need to sip power and still stay reliably connected. The chip s unique design uses clever capacitor-switch networks and barely a milliwatt of power to block interference 30 times better than typical receivers. This tech could shrink and strengthen the next generation of smart devices.

A common diabetes drug may be the next big thing for migraine relief. In a clinical study, obese patients with chronic migraines who took liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, experienced over 50% fewer headache days and significantly improved daily functioning without meaningful weight loss. Researchers believe the drug s ability to lower brain fluid pressure is the key, potentially opening a completely new way to treat migraines. The effects were fast, sustained, and came with only mild side effects.

A century-old mystery of a stubborn cold patch in the North Atlantic is finally being unraveled. A new study links this anomaly to a long-term weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) a massive ocean current system that regulates climate across the Northern Hemisphere. Using over 100 years of temperature and salinity data, researchers showed that only models with a weakening AMOC could recreate the observed changes. The implications are vast, influencing everything from European weather to marine ecosystems, and casting doubt on many recent climate models that underestimated this oceanic shift.

Researchers in South Korea have developed a powerful and affordable new material for producing hydrogen, a clean energy source key to fighting climate change. By fine-tuning boron-doping and phosphorus levels in cobalt phosphide nanosheets, the team dramatically boosted the efficiency of both sides of water-splitting reactions. This advancement could unlock scalable, low-cost hydrogen production, transforming how we generate clean fuel.

King Charles is the first monarch to take part in the annual BBC broadcast, which sends a morale-raising message to scientists on remote research bases.

Sea spiders living near deep-sea methane seeps appear to cultivate and eat bacteria on their exoskeletons

A new study is turning heads by challenging the popular belief that seed oils are harmful to health. Researchers analyzed blood markers from nearly 1,900 people and found that higher levels of linoleic acid — an omega-6 fat commonly found in seed oils — were linked to lower inflammation and better cardiometabolic health. The study used direct biomarkers instead of diet surveys, making its findings more robust. These results support a growing body of evidence that seed oils, far from fueling disease, may actually help protect against heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

A stunning breakthrough in solar physics reveals ultra-fine magnetic structures on the Sun’s surface, thanks to the NSF’s Inouye Solar Telescope. Researchers captured never-before-seen bright and dark stripes—called striations—within solar granules. These features behave like magnetic curtains rippling across the Sun, reshaping our understanding of magnetic field dynamics at microscopic scales. By achieving a resolution of just 20 kilometers, scientists could match real observations with simulations, revealing subtle magnetic fluctuations that alter how we see the solar surface. These discoveries illuminate not only solar activity but also magnetic behaviors in faraway cosmic environments, with implications for predicting space weather on Earth.

Fresh concerns have emerged about the platelet studies underpinning the FDA approval of ticagrelor, AstraZeneca’s multibillion-dollar heart drug. A new BMJ investigation reveals data discrepancies, missing lab readings, and questions about the integrity of the trial process. Notably, key results reported in a major cardiology journal were inaccurately presented, and some study contributors were omitted or denied involvement. With generics on the horizon, critics say these revelations highlight potential dangers, including severe rebound effects and bleeding risks, that were never properly disclosed.

Quantum computing just got a significant boost thanks to researchers at the University of Osaka, who developed a much more efficient way to create “magic states”—a key component for fault-tolerant quantum computers. By pioneering a low-level, or “level-zero,” distillation method, they dramatically reduced the number of qubits and computational resources needed, overcoming one of the biggest obstacles: quantum noise. This innovation could accelerate the arrival of powerful quantum machines capable of revolutionizing industries from finance to biotech.