Skull Bone Marrow Hosts Immune Hubs That Defend the Brain

Skull bone marrow hosts immune hubs that defend the brain WashU researchers found lymph node-like structures in mouse skull marrow that respond to brain tumors before neck lymph nodes; disrupting them made glioblastoma grow faster and killed mice sooner. Similar cells exist in human skulls, but their organization and function remain unproven. 1

Brain organoids kept alive for years track a developmental clock NIH-funded researchers sustained cerebral cortex organoids for nearly six years, with neurons maturing, connecting, and firing on timelines resembling human brain development. The work opens long-term studies of later-stage neurodevelopment and diseases. 2

Three supermassive black holes found in one early-universe galaxy Light from galaxy J0148-4214 has traveled 12.5 billion years, showing three actively accreting black holes just 1.2 billion years after the Big Bang. The find suggests early galaxies efficiently brought black holes together for future mergers. 3

First globular cluster stellar stream found beyond the Milky Way Astronomers detected a faint ribbon of stars from a disrupted globular cluster inside an ultra-diffuse galaxy, published in Nature. Such streams can trace dark matter in other galaxies. 4

Dying star's first flash captured, but its gamma-ray burst never escaped Einstein Probe caught the X-ray flash of SN 2026gzf, a stripped-star supernova 500 million light-years away, but follow-up found no jet. Astronomers think the jet was smothered inside the star, making this the faintest flash yet matched to this class. 5

Quantum signals travel 13 miles through open air in New York Brookhaven and Stony Brook researchers sent quantum states of light across 21 kilometers in a daytime demonstration, adding a wireless link to the nation's longest quantum network. Open-air transmission could reach wavelengths fiber networks can't carry. 6

NASA finds hardy microbes can survive the Moon's coldest regions Three bacteria and two fungi survived temperatures near minus 200°C in lunar cold traps by entering a frozen sleep. The results raise planetary-protection questions for upcoming Moon missions while offering a natural laboratory for extreme-life studies. 7

Hydrogen-bond catalyst sustains water splitting for over 3,400 hours A NiFe(Se)OH-BO anode with a hydrogen-bond network ran anion exchange membrane electrolysis at 1 A/cm² for more than 3,400 hours, cutting hydrogen cost to $2.28 per kg. That beats the European Commission's 2030 target. 8

Atomic ordering keeps platinum-nickel electrolysis catalyst stable for 3,000 hours KIMS-led team suppressed nickel leaching in an ordered PtNi catalyst, limiting degradation to under 2% in a practical AEMWE stack. The design addresses a major durability bottleneck in green hydrogen production. 9

Curiosity photographs tiny Martian polygons that may be ancient mud cracks The rover found a field of centimeter-scale polygon fractures in Valle Grande, similar to features linked to repeated wet-dry cycles in Gale Crater. Scientists are analyzing their chemistry and geometry to pin down how they formed. 1011

New compiler cuts quantum simulation circuit depth 2.5-fold Pavia researchers used fan-out parallelization to reshape NMR spin-simulation circuits from narrow and deep to wide and shallow, reducing depth 2.5-fold for the largest molecule tested. The approach also builds in error detection via repetition-code registers. 12

Microsoft's Skala AI model joins CP2K for quantum simulations Skala, an AI-based exchange-correlation functional from Microsoft Research, is now available in the CP2K ecosystem, improving accuracy for larger molecular systems while staying efficient. The collaboration aims to extend it to solids and liquids. 13

China's fusion program advances with massive magnet and EAST records A 582-tonne superconducting toroidal-field magnet and record EAST plasma confinement show China's 'artificial sun' moving from physics to engineering. Analysts say the progress could eventually reshape energy geopolitics. 14

Motor neurons may actively direct movement, not just trigger it New findings suggest motor neurons play a role in shaping motion rather than passively relaying brain commands, adding a new dimension to motor control. The work could refine understanding of movement disorders. 15