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New heart disease mechanism revealed: Next-generation targeted therapy shows benefit across mutation types

A study led by the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC), working in collaboration with an international research team, has identified a new molecular mechanism involved in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the most common inherited cardiovascular disease.

The research, published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, also demonstrates that mavacamten—the first targeted therapy available for this condition—is effective across different types of genetic mutations.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common inherited heart disease and the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young people and athletes.

Computer-guided electricity rapidly transforms flat nanofilms into 3D shapes on demand

Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have developed a method to form dome-shaped bumps on nanofilms in water using a computer-guided electron beam. The bumps form within 10 seconds and can be flattened, reshaped or repositioned as needed.

This method may enable computer-guided manipulation of nanomachines for uses such as microscale touch sensing, guiding cellular growth and direct assembly of colloidal particles. The findings were published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

Existing approaches each have drawbacks: Light-based techniques typically take 60 seconds or more per shape change, while electrical methods rely on fixed electrodes that restrict where reshaping can occur and limit the size of the change.

An experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows promise targeting a different brain protein, new study shows

WASHINGTON (AP) — An experimental drug might help slow early Alzheimer’s disease in a markedly different way than today’s treatments — by lowering levels of a brain protein called tau, researchers reported Tuesday.

Tau is one part of a toxic duo fueling Alzheimer’s but prior attempts to develop drugs that can target the protein have failed. Two Alzheimer’s drugs, lecanemab and donanemab, try to clear buildup of the better-known amyloid protein and can modestly slow cognitive decline.

The new findings suggest Biogen’s diranersen did more than lower tau levels. The study of about 400 people found signs that it also slowed cognitive decline, in one small subset enough to be comparable to amyloid therapy, according to results presented at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in London. Biogen is planning a larger study to try to prove the drug’s benefit.

Astronaut Captures Sparkling City Lights And Auroras From Space

The post showed Adenot’s appreciation for the view of Earth from space, where the planet appeared lit up during the night.

The stunning footage serves as a reminder of Earth’s beauty and fragility when viewed from space. From glowing city lights to shimmering auroras and a radiant moonrise, the video offers a rare perspective that highlights both the planet’s natural wonders and human presence.

Scientists discover molecular mechanism behind anesthesia-induced unconsciousness

Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine and Birkbeck, University of London, have identified a site where a commonly used anesthetic binds to sodium ion channels, revealing a molecular mechanism that may explain how these drugs dampen communication between neurons. Ion channels are proteins that regulate the flow of charged particles across cell membranes, enabling neurons to generate electrical signals. By reducing this signaling, inhaled anesthetics help suppress brain activity, producing unconsciousness and immobility during surgery.

The findings, published June 19 in Nature Communications, shed light on a longstanding mystery: For 175 years, doctors have safely used inhaled anesthetics to render patients unconscious, but didn’t fully understand how these drugs work.

“Sodium channels are critical for communication between neurons in the brain, and anesthesia breaks down that communication,” said Dr. Hugh Hemmings, senior associate dean for research and chair of the Department of Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell, who co-led the research. “So, there’s good reason to believe that the unconsciousness produced by volatile anesthetics is related to their effects on sodium channels.”

NASA selects four new Moon missions to build a permanent lunar base

NASA is ramping up its lunar ambitions by awarding nearly $600 million for four commercial Moon landings planned for late 2028. Each mission will carry the same trio of science instruments to improve lunar navigation, study dangerous dust kicked up during landings, and map the Moon's radiation environment. The agency also revealed plans for new rovers, communication satellites, and additional cargo missions as it lays the groundwork for a permanent Moon Base.

Testing the limits of what’s possible (and what isn’t) with AI

When can we trust the results we get from AI, and when is learning impossible? Researchers have shown that there are some problems that even the most powerful AI cannot reliably solve, no matter how much data it is given.

The researchers, from the University of Cambridge and the University of California, Santa Barbara, designed “adversarial” mathematical systems to fool any AI algorithm. Like ethical hackers stress-testing a network’s security, these adversarial systems were designed to map out exactly where and why AI prediction breaks down.

Many real-world systems—like those in the oceans, the human brain or robotics—are too complex to describe neatly with equations, so researchers often learn how they behave by using machine learning. But these AI methods don’t always work well, returning unreliable results or poor predictions.

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