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September 11, 2026 11:08 PM

More US lawmakers seek new AI rules after Anthropic researchers warn of human extinction

Growing numbers of U.S. lawmakers are calling for new rules to govern AI systems after dire warnings from two Anthropic researchers that rapidly progressing artificial intelligence could lead to the extinction of the human race in the not-too-distant future. Alarm about the potential harm from AI grew this week when Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon said he had resigned, and that the "people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade." Anthropic scientist E...

April 17, 2026 7:26 PM

Researchers eye potential Down syndrome fix via advanced gene editing

Researchers have developed a modified version of the CRISPR gene-editing tool that in early laboratory experiments suggests it may have the potential to “silence” the extra chromosome that causes Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome are born with an extra copy of chromosome 21, giving them 47 chromosomes instead of the usual 46. “Because of this extra copy, many genes are disrupted and contribute to the cognitive impairment and early-onset Alzheimer's disease” associated with the c...

April 15, 2026 3:23 PM

50 researchers reveal 5 steps to combat drug‑resistant fungi

A team of researchers said on Wednesday that an increasing number of fungi are becoming resistant to medication, posing serious risks for patients with weakened immune systems. Under the leadership of Paul Verweij, medical microbiologist and professor at Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc) in the Netherlands, 50 researchers from 16 organisations worked together, according to a paper published in Nature Medicine. They gathered global data and developed a five‑step plan to better mo...

February 11, 2026 8:15 PM

Researchers discover how severe flu damages the heart

Researchers believe they now understand how severe cases of influenza damage the heart, providing an explanation for the annual uptick in heart attacks during flu season. “We have known for years that the frequency of heart attacks increases during flu season, yet outside of clinical intuition, scant evidence exists of the underlying mechanisms of that phenomenon,” study leader Filip Swirski of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai said in a statement. Studying tissue samples from ho...

February 4, 2026 5:57 PM

Indian researchers develop eco-friendly, self-powered photodetector for next generation electronics

Researchers in India have developed a novel lead-free and environmentally friendly photodetector that operates without external power and delivers stable, long-term performance, opening new possibilities for its use in consumer electronics, industrial monitoring, security systems and biomedical imaging. The breakthrough has been achieved by researchers at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad - an autonomous institute under the Depa...

February 4, 2026 5:50 PM

Researchers trace Kaziranga’s evolution as the last great refuge of the one-horned rhinoceros

A new scientific study has traced how Assam’s Kaziranga National Park (KNP) evolved into the world’s most important refuge for the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, revealing a story shaped by climate change, shifting vegetation, human pressure and the decline of megaherbivores across the subcontinent. Scientists from the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), have reconstructed the first long-term palaeoeco...

January 22, 2026 10:34 PM

How obesity leads to uncontrolled inflammation discovered

Researchers say they have finally discovered the pathway by which obesity causes runaway inflammation that can lead to a host of health issues such as diabetes and liver disease. “It’s been known for a long time that obesity causes uncontrolled inflammation, but no one knew the mechanism behind it. Our study provides novel insights about why this inflammation occurs and how we might be able to stop it,” study leader Zhenyu Zhong of UT Southwestern said in a statement. It was already know...