Astronomers detect first true sugar in interstellar space, a clue to life's origins

Raspberry sugar erythrulose found in interstellar space for first time The four-carbon sugar was detected in a giant molecular cloud near the Milky Way's center using radio telescopes. This discovery suggests that complex organic molecules essential for life can form in space and later seed planets. 123

Hubble and JWST find first of 10,000 missing black holes in star cluster The stellar-mass black hole, named oMEGACat BH-2, was detected by tracking the motion of a star orbiting it in Omega Centauri 17,700 light-years away. It is the first such black hole found in the massive cluster, confirming long-held suspicions. 45

World's first cyclic quantum heat engine built using superconducting circuits Researchers at Aalto University demonstrated a heat engine that operates on a single transmon qubit near absolute zero, producing measurable work in an Otto cycle. The device uses a tunable quantum-circuit refrigerator and confirms theoretical models of quantum thermodynamics. 6

SNU develops ultra-precise adenine base editor that corrects single DNA letters Using the RNA editing enzyme ADAR, the team created a base editor that avoids bystander mutations, achieving up to 50% correction in human cells and mice. The work published in Nature Biotechnology expands gene therapy options for monogenic diseases. 7

Experimental stem cell therapy shows zero mortality in newborns with severe brain injury Axiom Biosciences reported Phase 1 results for Wharton's Jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells in infants with intraventricular hemorrhage and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The treatment achieved 0% mortality at 12 months vs. 46% historical, with improvements in cognitive and motor outcomes. 8