Dying Stars May Birth New Universes, Not Black Holes

Dying star could spawn a new universe instead of collapsing into a black hole Physicists have developed the first dynamic solution to Einstein's equations showing how a collapsing star might give birth to a tiny expanding universe, forming an exotic object called a gravastar rather than a black hole. 1

Gene deletion strips colon cancer's invisibility cloak, enabling immunotherapy attack Removing a single gene makes treatment-resistant colon cancer cells vulnerable to immunotherapy by preventing them from secreting a protein that confuses the immune system, a fundamental breakthrough reported by University of Calgary researchers. 2

AI model accurately places missing hydrogen atoms in crystal structures A generative AI model can fill in missing or incorrectly placed hydrogen atoms in inorganic crystal structures, improving simulations and aiding the design of new materials like superconductors where traditional x-ray diffraction falls short. 3

Quantum 'mini universe' shows time emerges from entropy, not an external clock An experiment with ultracold atoms demonstrates that the passage of time can emerge from internal system dynamics and entropy changes, supporting theories that time is not a fundamental property of the universe. 4

Moon impact 3.5 billion years ago reveals hidden era of solar system bombardment Tiny crystal grains in a meteorite forged by a massive lunar impact 3.5 billion years ago provide evidence that the inner solar system experienced prolonged asteroid bombardment long after the basin-forming epoch was thought to have ended. 5

Galaxy cluster survey sets 5× precision record, easing cosmic clumpiness tension The eROSITA X-ray telescope's catalog of 12,247 galaxy clusters has constrained matter density and clumpiness to five times the precision of prior experiments, finding agreement with early-universe predictions and easing the S8 tension. 6

Starburst galaxy 'Shadow Blaster' identified as hidden source of high-energy neutrinos A dusty, gravitationally lensed galaxy 11 billion light-years away has been linked to a high-energy neutrino event, suggesting that starburst galaxies—not just black holes—contribute to the universe's neutrino background. 7

Caltech simulation maps chemical reaction that could have sparked life's building blocks Researchers computationally modeled how benzene and hydrogen cyanide could react under early Earth conditions to form precursors of DNA and RNA nucleobases, offering a new chemical mechanism for the origin of life. 8

Animals use sophisticated cross-species communication to coordinate cooperation A review of birds, fish, insects, and mammals reveals that interspecies signals—calls, body postures, and visual displays—are crucial for synchronizing behavior and managing risks in cooperative relationships like cleaning or honey-hunting. 9