Article Science

Science Highlights: Long COVID Treatment, Black Hole Discovery, and More

Today's science news spans medical breakthroughs, space discovery, and health research. Here are the top stories.

Antidepressant Shows Promise for Long COVID Fatigue

A randomized clinical trial of 399 adults found that the low-cost antidepressant fluvoxamine significantly reduced fatigue and improved quality of life in long COVID patients, offering a potential new treatment option for this debilitating condition.

James Webb Captures Supermassive Black Hole Feeding

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured unprecedented details of gas feeding a supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy NGC 4696, revealing how material spirals into an 800-light-year-wide disk at remarkable speeds.

Coffee Compounds May Activate Cellular Protection Switch

New research suggests that compounds in coffee may activate the NR4A1 receptor, a cellular switch that helps protect cells from stress, inflammation, and damage, potentially explaining coffee's association with healthier aging and lower disease risk.

Scientists Identify Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid

Researchers have determined that the asteroid responsible for the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event 66 million years ago was likely an exceptionally rare carbonaceous chondrite from the outer solar system, with new evidence suggesting that cooling dust and debris, rather than sulfur emissions, may have been the primary driver of the mass extinction.

Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Faster Brain Aging

Adults who consumed the highest amounts of artificial sweeteners experienced notably faster declines in memory and thinking, with cognitive aging accelerated by roughly 1.6 years compared to those with the lowest intake. The association was strongest among individuals under 60 and those with diabetes, though researchers caution that further studies are needed to establish causation.

OSIRIS-REx Sample Analysis Reveals Asteroid Bennu's Fiery and Icy Origins

NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, which successfully returned samples from asteroid Bennu in 2023, continues to yield insights into the early solar system. Scientists analyzing the collected material have discovered that Bennu's composition reflects a complex formation history involving both fiery and icy conditions. The samples contain minerals

Direct Oral Anticoagulants Show Significant Stroke Prevention Benefit in Atrial Fibrillation Patients

Study Highlights Potential for Wider Anticoagulant Use Patients with atrial fibrillation face an elevated risk of stroke, and managing this risk often involves anticoagulant medications. A new randomized clinical trial called SINGLE-AF has now provided robust evidence supporting the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in a patient population that

CRISPR Gene Therapy Shows Durable Cholesterol Reduction in Phase 2 Trial

Experimental CRISPR Therapy Achieves Year-Long Cholesterol Reduction A single injection of an experimental CRISPR gene-editing therapy has produced substantial and lasting reductions in "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides in patients with challenging-to-treat lipid disorders. The findings come from a Phase 2 clinical trial, where researchers observed that a

Antidepressant Shows Promise for Long COVID Fatigue

James Webb Captures Supermassive Black Hole Feeding

Coffee Compounds May Activate Cellular Protection Switch

Scientists Identify Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid

Artificial Sweeteners Linked to Faster Brain Aging

Read next