Briefing

Nature, Published online: 13 June 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01862-x

Earth’s magnetic field seems to correlate with conditions that helped complex life to thrive — a discovery that could aid the search for life on distant exoplanets.

Nature, Published online: 13 June 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01629-4

As the Trump administration steps up attacks on US universities and scientific institutions, the European Union is campaigning hard to attract scientists from the United States. But how many can the bloc take?

Less than a day after its last batch reached low Earth orbit, SpaceX again added to its Starlink megaconstellation on Friday, June 13, 2025.

Director James Gunn goes for the gusto when his superhero sensation arrives on July 11 in theaters and IMAX

Space visionaries, scientists, entrepreneurs and students from around the world are set to gather in Florida next week for this year’s International Space Development Conference.

A team at UC Davis has made a major leap in neurotechnology, enabling a man with ALS to speak again through a brain-computer interface that converts thoughts into speech in real time. Unlike prior systems that translated neural signals into text, this one synthesizes actual voice with tone, pacing, and even melody, creating a near-conversational experience. The device interprets neural signals via implants and advanced AI, making it possible for users to speak new words, ask questions, and express emotions vocally. Though still early-stage, this breakthrough offers real hope for those silenced by neurological conditions.

Tufts University scientists are aiming to revolutionize the future of weight loss drugs by engineering a new compound that targets four gut hormones instead of the usual one to three. These next-gen tetra-functional peptides may overcome the limitations of current drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro especially their nausea, muscle loss, and rebound weight gain.

Surveying nearby galaxies in the process of merging with other galaxies, astronomers have identified massive, dense star factories, unlike any found in the Milky Way. The findings provide a rare glimpse into processes shaping galaxies in the very early universe and possibly the Milky Way a few billion years from now.

Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown type of molecular motion inside DNA-based droplets: instead of spreading randomly, guest molecules advance in an organized wave. This surprising discovery opens the door to understanding how cells might organize internal processes without membranes. Using customizable DNA condensates as experimental models, the team showed how molecular waves emerge through precise DNA interactions. These insights could not only transform our grasp of cellular signaling but may even lay groundwork for treating neurodegenerative diseases by influencing how molecules behave inside aging cells.

Where do microplastics really go after entering the environment? MIT researchers discovered that sticky biofilms naturally produced by bacteria play a surprising role in preventing microplastics from accumulating in riverbeds. Instead of trapping the particles, these biofilms actually keep them loose and exposed, making them easier for flowing water to carry away. This insight could help target cleanup efforts more effectively and identify hidden pollution hotspots.