Bacteria Found Building DNA From Protein Templates, Upending Biology's Central Dogma

Bacterium builds DNA from a protein template, reversing life's information flow In a newly discovered bacterial defense system, two reverse transcriptases generate complementary DNA strands — one from RNA, the other using amino acids in a protein as the template. The finding upends the usual DNA→RNA→protein direction of genetic information. 1

Drug silences master switch driving aggressive triple-negative breast cancer NUS Medicine researchers identified a drug that turns off a 'master switch' fueling tumor growth in triple-negative breast cancer, a subtype that disproportionately affects women under 40 and lacks the receptors targeted by standard therapies. The discovery could enable more personalized treatment for one of the hardest-to-treat breast cancers. 2

Heart builds its own bypass after attack via capillary rewiring A study in Science shows that after a heart attack, endothelial cells in tiny capillaries — not larger arteries — do the main work of rerouting blood flow, essentially upgrading capillaries into artery-like bypasses. The mechanism mirrors neonatal heart development and could be boosted to improve recovery. 3

Record-breaking cosmic laser detected 8 billion light-years away South Africa's MeerKAT telescope spotted the most distant hydroxyl megamaser ever observed, emanating from a violently merging galaxy when the universe was less than half its current age. It opens a new window on galaxy collisions and extreme star formation in the early cosmos. 4

Helium atoms emit X-rays beyond long-standing quantum energy cutoff Researchers at TU Wien and UC San Diego detected coherent X-rays from helium at energies above the cutoff predicted by standard high-harmonic theory. The effect arises when the atom's two electrons act together, releasing energy simultaneously. 5

Quantum oscillations persist in topological material at 60 tesla In zirconium pentatelluride, electrical resistance kept oscillating under magnetic fields strong enough to push electrons to their quantum limit — behavior conventional theory says shouldn't happen. The results point to a topological origin and suggest these materials can transport electron spin as well as charge. 6

Supercharged natural killer cells infiltrate and slow solid tumors Stanford Medicine researchers transformed natural killer cells into a tissue-resident form that penetrates solid tumors far better than conventional NK cells and slowed tumor growth in mice. Paired with antibody therapy, the effect was stronger, and the cells could offer a more accessible cell therapy for hard-to-treat cancers. 7

Rocky exoplanet 23 times Earth's mass defies gas-giant expectations Astronomers found GJ 523b, a dense rocky world about 23.5 times Earth's mass and 2.55 times its width, that should have accreted a thick gas envelope but didn't. The discovery challenges planetary formation models, which predict cores around 20 Earth masses become gas giants. 8

Ancient shark graveyard reveals seven species in Egyptian desert Paleontologists found 14 more shark teeth on Egypt's Abu-Tartur Plateau, adding five previously unknown species to the site and bringing the total to at least seven. The assemblage points to a nutrient-rich Cretaceous sea along the northern edge of Africa. 9

Mushroom leather production gets major upgrade with plastic-free sheets Finnish researchers produced mycelium sheets 20 cm wide and 8 meters long with durability and strength comparable to traditional leather. The process could make ethical, plastic-free vegan leather commercially viable. 10