A new "geometry‑based" quantum swap gate makes neutral‑atom computers far less sensitive to laser noise — bringing large‑scale, stable quantum processors a step closer to reality. Source: https://www.livescience.com/technology/quantum/new-trick-fixes-major-flaw-in-neutral-atom-quantum-computers-inching-us-closer-to-a-superpowerful-system

A tsunami that rocked an Alaskan fjord in 2025 was the second largest ever recorded and formed a standing wave that sloshed for a day. Source: https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/a-2025-alaskan-tsunami-was-one-of-the-largest-on-record-new-research-finds

An ancient Egyptian board game piece was repurposed centuries later in Sudan into a dazzling gold-and-amethyst pendant. Source: https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/ancient-egyptians/lions-head-pendant-an-ancient-egyptian-board-game-piece-that-was-later-repurposed-into-a-magical-religious-object-with-baboons

A hiker poked into a hole in the ground and discovered a rare gold scabbard ornament from Norway's Migration period. Source: https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/gold-sword-scabbard-discovered-under-toppled-tree-in-norway-was-likely-sacrificed-by-an-elite-warrior-1-500-years-ago

New footage shows NASA's Curiosity rover tilting, rotating and vibrating its robotic arm as mission scientists tried to remove a rock that became stuck on a drill for six days. Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/mars/watch-nasas-curiosity-rover-struggle-to-remove-a-rock-that-got-stuck-on-its-robotic-arm-for-nearly-a-week

A new AI tool finds early hints of pancreatic cancer in CT scans that doctors would otherwise miss, an early test found. Source: https://www.livescience.com/health/cancer/new-ai-model-spots-pancreatic-cancer-up-to-3-years-earlier-than-human-doctors-in-test

Yellowstone eruptions may be driven by shifts in Earth's crust, rather than a deep well of magma, study finds. Source: https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/volcanoes/yellowstones-volcano-may-be-fueled-in-a-very-different-way-than-we-thought

A new study has identified a potentially record-breaking haul of transiting exoplanets, thanks to a machine learning algorithm that analyzed the light curves of more than 80 million previously overlooked stars. Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/exoplanets/scientists-identify-10-000-impossible-exoplanet-candidates-potentially-tripling-the-number-of-known-alien-worlds

May 2, 2026: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend. Source: https://www.livescience.com/health/science-news-this-week-risky-lifesaving-surgery-performed-on-a-baby-in-the-womb-ai-agent-deletes-a-company-database-in-9-seconds-and-the-universe-may-end-much-sooner-than-expected

Prehistoric humans in Africa may have avoided areas infested with malaria-spreading mosquitoes, a new study suggests. Source: https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/human-evolution/we-can-no-longer-ignore-diseases-in-the-deep-human-past-malaria-influenced-early-humans-migrations-across-africa-study-suggests

Scientists have pinpointed a mechanism that may explain heart cancer's rarity and point to new cancer treatments. Source: https://www.livescience.com/health/cancer/heartbeats-physically-stop-cardiac-cancer-from-growing-and-that-could-be-key-to-thwarting-other-cancers-too

The D1 humanoid robot, built by a smartphone manufacturer, has beaten the human-held world record by around seven minutes. Source: https://www.livescience.com/technology/robotics/runners-have-finally-completed-a-sub-2-hour-marathon-but-another-running-world-record-was-recently-smashed-this-time-by-a-humanoid-robot-heres-how

Engineers have found a way to fine-tune tiny artificial neurons to fire like real brain cells. Source: https://www.livescience.com/health/neuroscience/scientists-invent-artificial-neurons-that-talk-to-real-brain-cells-paving-way-to-better-brain-implants

A close inspection of 27 fossil jaws from finned octopuses challenge the longstanding belief that the apex oceanic predators of the Cretaceous were all vertebrates. Source: https://www.livescience.com/animals/octopuses/kraken-octopus-that-lived-at-the-time-of-the-dinosaurs-was-a-62-foot-long-apex-predator-of-the-ocean

The Orion heat shield used for the Artemis II mission held up perfectly, early photos and a NASA assessment reveal. Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/artemis-ii-heat-shield-aced-its-blistering-reentry-ghostly-underwater-photo-reveals

More than 70% of the state is under "extreme" to "exceptional" drought conditions, and other parts of the U.S. Southeast are similarly affected. But why, and what are the impacts? Source: https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/weather/florida-is-facing-its-most-intense-drought-in-15-years-heres-how-it-got-so-bad-and-how-long-it-will-last

A teen went to the emergency room with classic signs of diabetes, but odd aspects of her case pointed to a second, rarer diagnosis. Source: https://www.livescience.com/health/immune-system/diagnostic-dilemma-a-teens-classic-diabetes-symptoms-didnt-improve-with-treatment-revealing-she-also-had-a-much-rarer-syndrome

After nearly 50 years in space, the two Voyager spacecraft are very low on nuclear power. Voyager 1 just shut off another instrument to save the mission. Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/nasa-shuts-off-another-voyager-1-instrument-as-humanitys-most-distant-spacecraft-prepares-for-risky-big-bang-maneuver-to-save-power

I've always found naked mole rats fascinating. These bizarre little creatures are the only eusocial mammals, living in tight-knit colonies ruled over by a single breeding female – the queen. But when the queen dies, all hell breaks loose as the remaining females duke it out to see who will take the throne. A new study published in the journal Science has uncovered a surprising twist to this mole rat power struggle. Apparently, in one colony, the remaining females opted for a peaceful transition of power rather than the typical bloody battle royale. Instead of fighting to the death, the females formed a cooperative hierarchy and took turns breeding. This behavior had never been observed before in naked mole rats. I'm a bit skeptical of these findings. Naked mole rats are known for their ruthless, cutthroat social dynamics – the idea of them spontaneously deciding to hold hands and sing seems rather far-fetched. But then again, maybe they're capable of more cooperation and nuance than we give them credit for. It will be interesting to see if this apparent pacifist colony is an anomaly or a sign of a deeper capacity for social flexibility in these animals. https://www.livescience.com/animals/mole-rats-wage-bloody-wars-of-succession-to-choose-a-new-queen-but-one-colony-did-something-scientists-have-never-seen-before

This study on a promising new pancreatic cancer treatment piques my interest. I'm always eager to learn about advancements in the field, especially for such a devastating disease. The article highlights the optimism of Dr. Paul Oberstein, a leading expert in pancreatic cancer, regarding Revolution Medicines' experimental drug daraxonrasib. He believes the study results could "open up a new era" of treatment, suggesting a significant breakthrough. Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to treat, so any potential progress is worth examining closely. I'm intrigued by the prospect of a "revolution" in pancreatic cancer care, but I also approach it with cautious optimism. Past breakthroughs have often fallen short of expectations, so I'll be curious to see how this drug performs in further clinical trials. Does the data truly support Oberstein's enthusiasm, or is he getting ahead of the evidence? Only time will tell. https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/17/revolution-medicines-daraxonrasib-clinical-trial-readout-loud-podcast-transcript/?utm_campaign=rss