Imagine charging your phone just by walking outside—or powering entire buildings without wind, sun, or plugs. Thanks to a team of engineers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, this futuristic idea might be closer to reality than you think.

Turning Air into Energy
Researchers at UMass Amherst have figured out how to pull electricity out of the air 24/7, using almost any material. The magic ingredient? Tiny holes—called nanopores—less than 100 nanometers wide (that’s about 1,000 times smaller than a human hair!).

When you’re diagnosed with cancer, everyone wants to help. Friends, family, even strangers start sending you articles about the latest breakthrough therapies, miracle cures, and alternative treatments. It’s overwhelming — and not all of it is helpful.

Jeff Stewart, a molecular biologist with over 15 years of experience consulting for drug companies, knows this world inside out. He’s worked with both big pharma and small biotech firms, analyzing cancer drug data for a living. But last year, cancer got personal: Jeff was diagnosed with stomach cancer at age 50.

A low-cost, recyclable powder can kill thousands of waterborne bacteria per second when exposed to sunlight. Stanford and SLAC scientists say the ultrafast disinfectant could be a revolutionary advance for 2 billion people worldwide without access to safe drinking water.

At least 2 billion people worldwide routinely drink water contaminated with disease-causing microbes.

We’ve always been told that our body’s internal clock—or circadian rhythm—is controlled by the brain. But new research shows your liver might have a bigger say in that schedule than we thought.

A study led by Associate Professor Frédéric Gachon from the Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), in collaboration with Dr. Serge Luquet from Université Paris Cité in France, has found that liver cells actually influence your circadian rhythm. This surprising discovery could change how we understand the body’s sleep-wake cycle and even how we treat some common health issues.

A quiet but powerful gathering is underway in Lisbon, Portugal, where top leaders in tech, business, and politics are meeting behind closed doors. The annual Bilderberg Meeting, known for its secrecy, kicked off with a big focus this year: artificial intelligence (AI).

Depression rates in the U.S. have reached an all-time high, with more adults than ever reporting they are either currently depressed or getting treatment for it, according to a new Gallup survey.

The numbers are striking: nearly 18% of U.S. adults—that’s more than 1 in 6—say they’re battling depression or receiving care. Even more concerning, almost 3 in 10 adults say they’ve been diagnosed with depression at some point in their lives. Both figures are the highest since Gallup began tracking them in 2015.

A new study shows that children who suffer abuse, neglect, or trauma are far more likely to become involved in crime as teenagers—and the more trauma they experience, the greater the risk.

The research, led by Associate Professor Dr. Wendy Li from James Cook University, looked into how early negative life experiences affect young people who end up in the criminal justice system. The findings are clear: tough childhoods are closely linked to criminal behavior later in life.

Texas lawmakers have passed a controversial bill that would ban gender-affirming medical care for minors. The bill, known as S.B. 14, now heads to Governor Greg Abbott’s desk and is expected to be signed into law.

If signed, Texas would become the largest state in the U.S. to restrict this type of healthcare for transgender youth.

What the Bill Does
The bill bans medical treatments such as:

- Hormone therapy
- Puberty blockers
- Gender-affirming surgeries

These treatments would no longer be allowed for anyone under the age of 18 in Texas.

A new clinical trial has begun testing an experimental mRNA-based universal flu vaccine — and it could be the key to ending yearly flu shots.

The vaccine, called H1ssF-3928 mRNA-LNP, was developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The goal is to create a vaccine that protects against a wide variety of flu strains, not just the few expected to circulate each year. This trial marks a major step in that direction.

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the biggest medical mysteries of our time. It slowly robs people of their memory and identity, and while some medications can ease symptoms, there’s still no cure.

But now, scientists are turning to a powerful new tool—artificial intelligence (AI)—to find fresh answers.