Saturday, May 16, 2026

Researchers have uncovered compelling evidence that 66-million-year-old dinosaur fossils still contain traces of original collagen proteins, using mass spectrometry and protein sequencing on an Edmontosaurus specimen from South Dakota.^[1]

A large clinical trial found that older adults taking daily multivitamins for two years showed slower biological aging across several DNA-based epigenetic clocks compared to those taking a placebo.^[2]

A genetic study of more than 3,200 Japanese genomes has identified evidence for a previously overlooked third ancestral group, challenging the long-held "dual origins" theory of Japanese ancestry and revealing connections to Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA.^[3]

Using the DAMPE space telescope, scientists discovered that all cosmic ray particles—from protons to heavy iron nuclei—fade away at the exact same energy threshold, revealing a universal pattern that may help explain how these particles are accelerated across the galaxy.^[4]

UC Davis researchers created psychedelic-like compounds by shining UV light on amino acid molecules; these compounds activated serotonin receptors linked to brain plasticity but did not cause hallucinations in animal tests, potentially opening new treatment pathways for depression and PTSD.^[5]

NASA issued a Request for Proposal seeking industry collaboration on the Mars Telecommunications Network, which will use high-performance orbiters at the Red Planet to support future surface, orbital, and human exploration missions.^[6]

NASA's planet-hunting TESS satellite released its most complete view of the night sky to date, with nearly 6,000 colored dots marking confirmed or candidate exoplanets identified during the mission's eight years of observations.^[7]

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina resigned after a coalition party withdrew support following her dismissal of the defense minister over Ukrainian drones repeatedly straying into the country's airspace.^[8]

A French-led team of scientists will depart Brittany on June 15 to map more than 200,000 barrels of radioactive waste dumped in the northeast Atlantic over five decades, assessing their condition and impact on marine ecosystems.^[9]