Phys.org
How cells decide when to react could shape future treatments for cancer and fibrosis
Cells do not react to physical pressure instantly — they weigh signals over time before committing to a response, according to new research. This decision-making mechanism plays a critical role in diseases like cancer and fibrosis, where abnormal cellular reactions to mechanical forces drive disease progression. Understanding the rules governing this process could help researchers develop targeted therapies that interrupt faulty signaling at its source.
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A rush for critical minerals echoes oil extraction injustice as harms fall on world's most vulnerable, scientists warn
The global race to mine lithium, cobalt, and other critical minerals is inflicting severe environmental and health costs on vulnerable communities — harms that largely go untracked and unaddressed, according to a new UN University report. Scientists warn the pattern mirrors historical injustices from oil extraction, where profits flow elsewhere while local populations bear the damage. As demand for green technology accelerates, the report argues the world cannot claim a sustainable future while ignoring the destruction required to build it.
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A forgotten drug is giving new hope to kids with a rare disease
Eflornithine, a decades-old drug developed to treat African sleeping sickness, is emerging as a potential lifeline for children with Bachmann-Bupp syndrome, an ultra-rare genetic disorder with few treatment options. Early results suggest the drug targets the syndrome's underlying molecular malfunction, reducing severe symptoms in a small but encouraging group of patients. Regulatory and logistical barriers have slowed the path forward, but researchers are pressing ahead with what could be a rare win for an overlooked disease.
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MIT study finds children more vulnerable to cancer-causing chemical in water
Children face dramatically higher cancer risks from NDMA exposure than adults, according to new MIT research that tracked DNA damage and tumor development in mice across age groups. The culprit is biological: rapidly dividing cells in young bodies convert initial DNA damage into permanent, cancer-causing mutations before repairs can occur. The findings raise urgent questions about current safety standards for drinking water and medications, which are largely based on adult risk models.
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NASA's Artemis II moonship returns home to its launch site after historic voyage
NASA's Orion spacecraft has returned to Kennedy Space Center following the Artemis II mission, which carried four astronauts on a historic loop around the moon. The voyage marked a major milestone in NASA's broader effort to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time in over 50 years. The capsule's homecoming signals the program is moving steadily toward its next, even more ambitious phase.
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