Science writing for curious people who want the real story, not the press release.https://science-junkies.com/https://science-junkies.com/post/andean-people-evolved-a-gene-to-safely-process-arsenic-9d5a08/https://science-junkies.com/post/andean-people-evolved-a-gene-to-safely-process-arsenic-9d5a08/A population in the Argentinian Andes carries a gene variant that helps them metabolize arsenic more safely after thousands of years of exposure.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/calcium-and-vitamin-d-supplements-may-not-prevent-fract-d54bb4/https://science-junkies.com/post/calcium-and-vitamin-d-supplements-may-not-prevent-fract-d54bb4/A major review of 69 clinical trials found that calcium and vitamin D supplements offer little meaningful protection against fractures or falls in most adults.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/cape-leopards-are-genetically-unique-and-smaller-for-a--10d2cc/https://science-junkies.com/post/cape-leopards-are-genetically-unique-and-smaller-for-a--10d2cc/A whole-genome study reveals South Africa's Cape leopards form a distinct genetic group, isolated for 20,000 years and adapted to smaller prey.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/dying-cells-leave-viral-breadcrumb-trails-that-spread-i-a68ed7/https://science-junkies.com/post/dying-cells-leave-viral-breadcrumb-trails-that-spread-i-a68ed7/Researchers discovered a new type of vesicle released during cell death that viruses can hijack to spread infection while evading the immune system.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/euclid-telescope-captures-60-million-stars-at-the-milky-470457/https://science-junkies.com/post/euclid-telescope-captures-60-million-stars-at-the-milky-470457/The Euclid space telescope has imaged the Milky Way's center in extraordinary detail, revealing more than 60 million stars in a single view.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/europes-first-synchrotron-tes-spectrometer-opens-at-bes-9ad55a/https://science-junkies.com/post/europes-first-synchrotron-tes-spectrometer-opens-at-bes-9ad55a/A new TES spectrometer at BESSY II detects X-ray photons up to 1,000 times more efficiently than conventional instruments, enabling study of nanoscale and quantWed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/france-records-hottest-day-ever-as-europe-heatwave-inte-98203e/https://science-junkies.com/post/france-records-hottest-day-ever-as-europe-heatwave-inte-98203e/France logged its hottest day since records began in 1947 as a North African heat mass smothered western Europe, prompting red alerts across multiple countries.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/planetary-flybys-may-have-triggered-earths-worst-mass-e-86c55e/https://science-junkies.com/post/planetary-flybys-may-have-triggered-earths-worst-mass-e-86c55e/A physicist proposes that gravitational tides from passing dwarf planets could explain mass extinctions that lack asteroid impact evidence.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/summer-sun-not-enough-to-fix-vitamin-d-deficiency-study-21ae1e/https://science-junkies.com/post/summer-sun-not-enough-to-fix-vitamin-d-deficiency-study-21ae1e/New research finds high-risk groups in northern England remain vitamin D deficient year-round, even during summer months.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/wonderwerk-cave-fire-evidence-pushed-back-to-179-millio-336ad3/https://science-junkies.com/post/wonderwerk-cave-fire-evidence-pushed-back-to-179-millio-336ad3/Scientists found evidence of fire use in South Africa's Wonderwerk Cave dating back 1.79 million years, using a new luminescence technique on fossil bones.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/younger-generations-are-biologically-aging-faster-study-89f3b5/https://science-junkies.com/post/younger-generations-are-biologically-aging-faster-study-89f3b5/A new study finds recent generations are biologically older than previous ones at the same age, potentially explaining rising cancer rates in younger adults.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/bulls-eye-cloud-rings-appear-above-erupting-la-palma-vo-ee78c8/https://science-junkies.com/post/bulls-eye-cloud-rings-appear-above-erupting-la-palma-vo-ee78c8/A NASA satellite captured striking concentric cloud rings above La Palma's erupting Cumbre Vieja volcano in October 2021. The rings formed from a trapped plume Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/common-weedkiller-glyphosate-may-select-for-antibiotic--98984d/https://science-junkies.com/post/common-weedkiller-glyphosate-may-select-for-antibiotic--98984d/New research links glyphosate herbicide use to antibiotic resistance. Hospital superbugs also showed high resistance to the common weedkiller.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/earths-oldest-known-asteroid-crater-dated-to-3-billion--e2623b/https://science-junkies.com/post/earths-oldest-known-asteroid-crater-dated-to-3-billion--e2623b/A new analysis of ancient crystals confirms Australia's North Pole Dome as Earth's oldest known impact crater, at roughly 3.02 billion years old.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/genetic-research-reveals-new-bird-species-hidden-in-jap-2f5acc/https://science-junkies.com/post/genetic-research-reveals-new-bird-species-hidden-in-jap-2f5acc/DNA analysis has uncovered a previously unknown bird species in Japan, splitting what was thought to be one species into two distinct ones.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/hallucination-causing-mushroom-lacks-genes-for-known-ps-39c528/https://science-junkies.com/post/hallucination-causing-mushroom-lacks-genes-for-known-ps-39c528/A Chinese mushroom that causes visions of tiny people contains no known psychedelic compounds, suggesting it produces an entirely new substance.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/inside-the-space-station-lab-where-matter-almost-stops--626250/https://science-junkies.com/post/inside-the-space-station-lab-where-matter-almost-stops--626250/NASA's Cold Atom Lab aboard the ISS is cooling atoms to near absolute zero, producing a rare fifth state of matter impossible to study on Earth.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/liking-onions-may-be-linked-to-lower-diabetes-and-blood-82857e/https://science-junkies.com/post/liking-onions-may-be-linked-to-lower-diabetes-and-blood-82857e/A new study finds that a genetic preference for onions is associated with lower odds of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/losing-deep-sleep-after-60-raises-dementia-risk-by-27-p-b21d30/https://science-junkies.com/post/losing-deep-sleep-after-60-raises-dementia-risk-by-27-p-b21d30/A 2023 study found that adults over 60 who lose just 1 percent of slow-wave sleep per year are 27 percent more likely to develop dementia.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/new-feathered-dinosaur-may-have-preyed-on-ancient-birds-20bbe1/https://science-junkies.com/post/new-feathered-dinosaur-may-have-preyed-on-ancient-birds-20bbe1/A newly described dinosaur from China may explain mysterious clusters of shattered bird bones found at a major fossil site.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/new-zealands-million-year-cave-holds-a-bird-nobody-expe-f325f2/https://science-junkies.com/post/new-zealands-million-year-cave-holds-a-bird-nobody-expe-f325f2/A cave near Waitomo yielded fossils of 16 species from 1 million years ago, including a parrot that may have flown.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/queen-bees-need-more-than-royal-jelly-to-develop-55e3b0/https://science-junkies.com/post/queen-bees-need-more-than-royal-jelly-to-develop-55e3b0/New research shows queen honeybees require specially built wax chambers and dedicated worker bees, not just royal jelly, to develop properly.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/seti-search-finds-no-signals-from-interstellar-object-3-585934/https://science-junkies.com/post/seti-search-finds-no-signals-from-interstellar-object-3-585934/Scientists scanned interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS across millions of radio signals and found no evidence of extraterrestrial technology.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/sperm-whales-are-developing-distinct-dialects-in-the-me-e09723/https://science-junkies.com/post/sperm-whales-are-developing-distinct-dialects-in-the-me-e09723/Scientists have identified two distinct vocal dialects among Mediterranean sperm whales, offering rare evidence of cultural evolution in the wild.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/tea-type-shapes-kombuchas-chemistry-aroma-and-antioxida-41447b/https://science-junkies.com/post/tea-type-shapes-kombuchas-chemistry-aroma-and-antioxida-41447b/New research finds the type of tea used to brew kombucha significantly affects its chemical profile, aroma, and antioxidant properties.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/the-knee-procedure-giving-gardeners-their-ground-back-6d5665/https://science-junkies.com/post/the-knee-procedure-giving-gardeners-their-ground-back-6d5665/A minimally invasive treatment called GAE is cutting chronic knee pain in half - without major surgery.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/why-fitness-tech-keeps-optimizing-the-wrong-number-d775fb/https://science-junkies.com/post/why-fitness-tech-keeps-optimizing-the-wrong-number-d775fb/A Cambridge researcher argues protein and exercise guidelines target survival, not performance - and wearables are tracking the wrong thresholds.Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/dietary-fat-type-not-amount-may-drive-type-2-diabetes-r-b9342c/https://science-junkies.com/post/dietary-fat-type-not-amount-may-drive-type-2-diabetes-r-b9342c/A new review finds palmitic acid promotes metabolic disease while oleic acid, found in olive oil, may protect against type 2 diabetes.Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/ebola-and-hantavirus-what-healthcare-professionals-need-bdc739/https://science-junkies.com/post/ebola-and-hantavirus-what-healthcare-professionals-need-bdc739/New CMAJ articles outline key facts on Ebola and hantavirus, including symptoms, transmission risks, and infection control measures for healthcare professionalsMon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/farmland-tree-rows-reduce-open-habitat-birds-by-70-perc-740f86/https://science-junkies.com/post/farmland-tree-rows-reduce-open-habitat-birds-by-70-perc-740f86/New research finds shelterbelts help some birds but sharply reduce grassland and wetland species in Japanese agricultural wetlands.Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/james-webb-telescope-detects-galaxy-killing-wind-near-d-6c5ce3/https://science-junkies.com/post/james-webb-telescope-detects-galaxy-killing-wind-near-d-6c5ce3/JWST has detected powerful star-quenching winds from merging early galaxies. The finding may explain why so many ancient galaxies died young.Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/new-simulations-reveal-how-the-moons-largest-crater-for-c6b5f9/https://science-junkies.com/post/new-simulations-reveal-how-the-moons-largest-crater-for-c6b5f9/Scientists used computer simulations to reconstruct the ancient impact that created the Moon's South Pole-Aitken basin, uncovering clues for future Artemis missMon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/t-rex-took-40-years-to-reach-full-size-study-finds-ed985d/https://science-junkies.com/post/t-rex-took-40-years-to-reach-full-size-study-finds-ed985d/A new study of 17 fossils suggests T. rex kept growing for about 40 years, far longer than the 25 years scientists previously believed.Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/the-vitamin-that-may-change-what-glioblastoma-can-do-432a27/https://science-junkies.com/post/the-vitamin-that-may-change-what-glioblastoma-can-do-432a27/A clinical trial at the University of Calgary is testing high-dose niacin against glioblastoma, with early results that surprised the research team.Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/tropical-butterflies-may-hold-clues-to-slowing-the-agin-c8f554/https://science-junkies.com/post/tropical-butterflies-may-hold-clues-to-slowing-the-agin-c8f554/Heliconius butterflies live up to 25 times longer than close relatives and show little physical decline with age, offering new insights into longevity.Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/browning-lakes-are-reshaping-fish-populations-across-no-49584c/https://science-junkies.com/post/browning-lakes-are-reshaping-fish-populations-across-no-49584c/Freshwater browning is shrinking populations of trout, bass, and perch while boosting pike and walleye in lakes across North America and Europe.Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/family-genetics-study-uncovers-rare-variants-linked-to--8d6acf/https://science-junkies.com/post/family-genetics-study-uncovers-rare-variants-linked-to--8d6acf/Researchers studying long-lived families identified 12 rare genetic variants tied to extended healthspan, including one in a gene that regulates inflammation.Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/fda-approves-bemotrizinol-first-new-sunscreen-ingredien-22ab03/https://science-junkies.com/post/fda-approves-bemotrizinol-first-new-sunscreen-ingredien-22ab03/The FDA approved bemotrizinol on June 9, 2026 — the first new over-the-counter sunscreen ingredient permitted in the U.S. in over 25 years.Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/james-webb-telescope-captures-star-forming-cloud-in-ori-bb1a62/https://science-junkies.com/post/james-webb-telescope-captures-star-forming-cloud-in-ori-bb1a62/NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has imaged the OMC-2 molecular cloud, a stellar nursery 1,280 light-years away in the constellation Orion.Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/many-older-adults-improve-cognitively-and-physically-ov-2be7ad/https://science-junkies.com/post/many-older-adults-improve-cognitively-and-physically-ov-2be7ad/A Yale study found nearly half of adults 65+ improved in cognitive or physical function over 12 years, with positive aging beliefs playing a key role.Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/migrating-neurons-routinely-suffer-dna-damage-during-br-ea145b/https://science-junkies.com/post/migrating-neurons-routinely-suffer-dna-damage-during-br-ea145b/Neurons traveling through developing brain tissue sustain significant DNA damage. In healthy brains, this damage is rapidly repaired within 24 hours.Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/sodium-ion-battery-matches-tesla-lithium-cells-in-key-p-48ae9c/https://science-junkies.com/post/sodium-ion-battery-matches-tesla-lithium-cells-in-key-p-48ae9c/A Chinese sodium-ion battery has matched Tesla lithium cells in uniformity and power. Researchers say it could lower EV and grid storage costs.Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/tubulin-protein-may-protect-against-alzheimers-and-park-5df50a/https://science-junkies.com/post/tubulin-protein-may-protect-against-alzheimers-and-park-5df50a/Scientists find tubulin may prevent toxic protein clumps linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, offering a new therapeutic direction.Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/fish-stabs-man-through-throat-and-base-of-skull-42856f/https://science-junkies.com/post/fish-stabs-man-through-throat-and-base-of-skull-42856f/A man was stabbed through the throat and skull base by a fish. Doctors faced a complex diagnostic and surgical challenge to treat the unusual injury.Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/goblin-shark-filmed-alive-in-the-deep-sea-for-first-tim-dae511/https://science-junkies.com/post/goblin-shark-filmed-alive-in-the-deep-sea-for-first-tim-dae511/Scientists captured the first-ever deep-sea footage of the elusive goblin shark, filming two individuals in the South Pacific.Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/why-does-it-take-so-long-for-eyes-to-adjust-to-the-dark-93a5ae/https://science-junkies.com/post/why-does-it-take-so-long-for-eyes-to-adjust-to-the-dark-93a5ae/When the lights go out, your eyes slowly adapt to the darkness. Here's the science behind why that process takes so long.Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/bison-herd-defends-newborn-calf-from-wolf-attack-in-pol-ab39e4/https://science-junkies.com/post/bison-herd-defends-newborn-calf-from-wolf-attack-in-pol-ab39e4/A bison herd in Poland's Białowieża Forest was filmed closing ranks to protect a newborn calf from a wolf attack, showcasing remarkable group defense behavior.Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/denisovan-dna-still-shapes-immune-systems-of-modern-oce-a1804b/https://science-junkies.com/post/denisovan-dna-still-shapes-immune-systems-of-modern-oce-a1804b/A new study finds thousands of Denisovan genetic variants remain active in the immune systems of some people from Oceania today.Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/how-everyday-people-can-limit-ais-environmental-impact-fb3370/https://science-junkies.com/post/how-everyday-people-can-limit-ais-environmental-impact-fb3370/AI could consume 3% of global electricity by 2030. A UN report explains the scale of the problem and what individuals can do.Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://science-junkies.com/post/stone-age-posts-near-stonehenge-marked-solstices-before-c5a563/https://science-junkies.com/post/stone-age-posts-near-stonehenge-marked-solstices-before-c5a563/Ancient wooden posts aligned with the solstices predate Stonehenge itself, suggesting the site served as a temporary religious monument first.Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT