Because Science

The Simons Foundation has announced a $15 million program aimed at helping mathematicians adapt to the rapid rise of artificial intelligence in their field. The initiative is intended to support the mathematics community as AI tools reshape research methods, collaboration and training, and it has drawn attention as a notable philanthropic response to AI's growing impact on fundamental science.

New research reported by ScienceDaily suggests a type of plastic previously considered safe may contribute to the development of fatty liver disease. The finding raises fresh concerns about everyday plastic exposure and its possible metabolic effects, and is drawing attention on science discussion forums.

The Royal Swedish Academy has awarded the 2026 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences to work described as a new model for a stable economy. Details beyond the announcement title have not yet circulated widely, so the laureates and the specifics of the model remain unclear. Attention is expected once the citation and winners are fully reported.

A NASA-funded study finds that climate change is slowing Earth's rotation, lengthening the days. Melting ice and shifting water towards the equator redistribute mass on the planet, which alters its spin. The finding highlights how human-driven warming affects not only the climate but also fundamental planetary processes like the length of a day.

WIRED reports that artificial intelligence systems, having already made striking progress on mathematical problems, are now being turned toward the broader sciences. The article suggests AI tools that can reason, prove and model are poised to assist research in physics, biology, chemistry and beyond, raising questions about how scientists will work alongside machines.

Google, Meta and the U.S. government are joining the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub in a $1.8 billion initiative to use artificial intelligence for biology research. The partnership will focus on building large-scale biological data resources to accelerate scientific discovery. The unusual combination of big tech companies and federal government backing has drawn attention to the growing role of AI in life sciences.

President Trump awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation and the National Medal of Science to a group of leading technology figures, including Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Dell founder Michael Dell. The White House ceremony recognised contributions to science, innovation and US technological leadership, drawing wide attention given the prominence of the honourees and their ties to the administration.

CERN and French AI company Mistral have announced a partnership to build AI foundation models for physics research. The collaboration aims to apply large-scale machine learning to data from particle physics experiments, marking a notable pairing of a leading European research organisation with one of Europe's main AI firms. Further details on the scope and funding of the project have not yet been made public.

The World Science Festival has published an explanation of the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physics, breaking down the awarded research and its significance for audiences. The item has drawn heavy engagement as viewers seek a clear account of who won, what they discovered, and why the work matters to the field.

Donald Trump is set to present science honors to Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, according to Bloomberg. Meanwhile, Reuters reports Musk said he will rename SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI, while TSMC shares rallied on chatter about a potential 'Terafab' chip project. The overlap of government recognition and Musk's corporate reshuffling has kept him a leading topic of conversation across US news and search.

CERN and French AI company Mistral have announced a partnership to build Flare, a new artificial intelligence model designed for physics research. The collaboration pairs Europe's particle physics laboratory with one of the continent's leading AI startups, and the project is being closely watched as a sign of AI's growing role in fundamental science.

Chan Zuckerberg Biohub is partnering with the Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health in a $1.8 billion initiative to fund large-scale biological data collection for training AI models. The effort aims to give researchers access to vast biological datasets, positioning AI as a core tool for biomedical and energy-related science.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that climate change should be treated as an established factor in every extreme weather event, rather than something that must be repeatedly demonstrated. The commentary questions why attribution science still faces demands for proof when the underlying link between warming and severe weather is well established, urging a shift in how media and policymakers frame climate-related disasters.

A professor at the Indian Institute of Science is drawing wide attention after describing the disruption caused by artificial intelligence to education and work as 'a civilisational crisis'. He argues AI is forcing a rethink of how students are taught and what skills will matter as jobs change, comments that have struck a chord with audiences debating AI's impact on the future of learning and employment.

U.S. science leaders are pushing back against a shift in White House priorities toward artificial intelligence and technology by defending the central role of the American university in research and innovation. Writing in STAT, they argue that universities remain essential to scientific progress even as federal attention and funding tilt toward AI and the tech sector.

Biologists analyzed DNA methylation across 864 dogs enrolled in the Dog Aging Project, looking at how genes are regulated rather than the genes themselves. The work, covered by Popular Science, aims to explain why large dog breeds tend to have shorter lifespans than smaller ones, a long-standing puzzle in canine biology.

JPMorgan has set a price target of 61.00 euros for Bayer shares, drawing attention among German investors. The verdict from the US bank is being picked up by financial news outlets and market watchers tracking the pharmaceutical and crop science group's stock performance.

A family in Mumbai has spent more than ₹50 lakh over four years to preserve the body of an 80-year-old man in a frozen state, hoping that future medical advances could one day revive him. The unusual case has drawn wide attention in India, with many debating the science of cryonics, the enormous cost involved, and whether the practice offers real hope or false comfort to grieving relatives.

New research reported by Science Daily suggests that eating late at night is associated with up to a 30% higher risk of developing liver disease. The finding adds to growing evidence that meal timing affects metabolic health, prompting discussion among health experts and the public about how eating habits beyond diet content influence the liver.

A study published in Science analysed 1,543 human milk samples from Canada, Pakistan and Burkina Faso. Researchers found shared molecular patterns connecting maternal nutrition, mammary gland function and infant growth, and identified seven candidate biomarkers. The findings suggest milk composition reflects more than a baby's diet and could inform future research on maternal and infant health.

The Ocean Pavilion is returning to the UN climate negotiations for a fifth consecutive year at the summit dubbed the "Blue" COP, led by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and partners. The pavilion serves as a dedicated space for ocean science and policy at the talks, reflecting growing recognition of the ocean's role in climate regulation and marine conservation.

A new study, reported by Danish science site Videnskab.dk, used DNA extracted from a strand of hair believed to be Thomas Jefferson's — reportedly found between the pages of an old Bible in a museum — and compared it with DNA from descendants of two of Sally Hemings's children. The findings feed into the long-running debate over Jefferson's relationship with Hemings, the enslaved woman at Monticello, and his fatherhood of her children.

Zendaya has been cast in the next film from Alex Garland, the director of Civil War, in what will be her first science-fiction role since the Dune series. The project pairs one of Hollywood's most in-demand actresses with a filmmaker known for ambitious genre work, though plot details and a release date have not yet been announced.