Bampot

The universe, vast and enigmatic, continues to provoke profound questions. Among them, a single query stands out for its sheer scale and implications: What lies beyond the universe? Although modern cosmology has greatly expanded understanding of space, time, and the nature of the universe itself, the boundary question—if such a boundary exists—remains one of the most debated and mysterious subjects in science.

Hyperspace and Higher Dimensions

Some models in contemporary theoretical physics propose the existence of dimensions beyond the familiar three spatial and one temporal. These ideas are especially prominent in string theory and its successors, such as M-theory, which suggest that reality might consist of up to 11 dimensions. Our universe could be a three-dimensional brane—short for membrane—existing within a higher-dimensional hyperspace.

In this framework, what lies beyond the universe could be more branes, each with their own physical characteristics. Universes might collide or interact within this higher-dimensional setting, potentially even leading to conditions similar to those present during our own Big Bang. While intriguing, these hypotheses have yet to be confirmed through observation or experimentation, largely because the proposed dimensions are compactified or otherwise inaccessible with current technology.

A lunar crater immortalized in one of the most famous photographs ever taken has just played a key role in the hunt for alien life in our solar system.

Stretching nearly 25 miles (40 kilometers) across the far side of the moon, the lunar impact crater formerly known as "Pasteur T" may be the most-viewed lunar crater in history. Countless Earthlings have seen it spreading prominently through the foreground of the iconic "Earthrise" photo snapped by American astronaut William Anders on Dec. 24, 1968, during the Apollo 8 mission. The majestic photo, which shows a half-lit Earth rising majestically above the lunar horizon, became so famous that the crater was renamed "Anders' Earthrise" in 2018.

Now, nearly 60 years after Anders' flyby put his eponymous crater on the map, another spacecraft has glimpsed it from orbit — this time, with extraterrestrial science in mind.

Ultrafine particulate matter, particularly particles with diameters of 0.3 micrometers or smaller, presents a significant health risk due to their ability to penetrate deep into the respiratory system and even enter the bloodstream. Traditional filtration systems, especially those based on synthetic materials, often face trade-offs between filtration efficiency, airflow resistance, and environmental impact. Wang and colleagues tackled this complex problem by developing a filter derived from naturally abundant biomass, thereby aligning high-performance air purification with principles of sustainability.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the joints (the synovium), causing pain, swelling, and progressive damage. Approximately 18 million people worldwide live with RA. Early diagnosis and treatment can relieve symptoms, slow disease progression, and help prevent disability.

Current therapies focus on reducing inflammation and preserving joint function, but up to 30% of patients do not respond well.

Key findings

Using gene expression data from single-cell analysis and clinical information, researchers analyzed individual helper T cells from the joint tissue of patients with RA. They identified a distinct subgroup known as Tph cells, which are closely linked to more severe disease.

Notably, these cells produce IGFL2 (Insulin-like Growth Factor-Like Family Member 2), a cytokine found only in primates. IGFL2 was exclusively expressed in helper T cells within synovial tissue, with the highest levels seen in Tph cells......

Taken together, these findings suggest that IGFL2 is not just a marker of disease activity but may also actively drive inflammation in RA, making it a promising target for new treatments.

Our knowledge of ancient literature comes to us through the hands of scribes. The works of Aristotle, Galen and Ptolemy survived only because generations of copyists reproduced them by hand.

But copying was not a straightforward process.

Scribes sometimes edited as they copied—smoothing out contradictions, inserting interpretations, merging readings from different sources and, sometimes, just making mistakes.

Over time, these small changes accumulate.

Summary

The trajectory of UAP investigation by the U.S. government reflects a broader evolution in threat assessment, scientific curiosity, and public accountability. From the early days of Project Sign and Project Blue Book, through decades of bureaucratic dormancy, to the rise of the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, the study of UAPs has transitioned from the fringes of pseudoscience to a matter of national significance.

AARO now stands at the intersection of science, defense, intelligence, and public policy. Whether future findings confirm unknown technologies, foreign adversarial systems, or as-yet unexplained natural phenomena, the evolution of these investigations signals that the U.S. government no longer treats UAPs as a taboo topic—but rather as an unresolved and legitimate area of inquiry.

At the crux of their findings lies the intricate interplay between host genetic factors and the pathological inflammatory responses that characterize these dental diseases. Pulpal and apical diseases arise when bacterial invasion triggers immune activation within the tooth’s pulp chamber and surrounding apex, leading to tissue necrosis and bone resorption. Yet, why some patients experience aggressive disease progression while others maintain resilience has been a long-standing mystery. The authors’ genomic data reveal that allelic variants in immune regulatory genes, extracellular matrix components, and cellular signaling pathways critically modulate susceptibility and outcomes.

One of the most striking discoveries involves variants in genes encoding toll-like receptors (TLRs), which are pivotal in pathogen recognition and initiation of innate immunity in the oral cavity. Alterations in TLR function can exacerbate or diminish inflammatory signaling cascades, thus shaping the host’s response to bacterial biofilms commonly found in dental caries and periodontal infection. This insight not only elucidates disease mechanisms but also opens avenues for targeted immunomodulatory therapies that may transform clinical management from reactive to preventative.

The body of Anne d'Alegre, who died in 1619, was discovered during an archaeological excavation at the Chateau de Laval in northwestern France in 1988.

Embalmed in a lead coffin, her skeleton – and teeth – were remarkably well preserved.

At the time, the archaeologists noticed that she had a dental prosthetic, but they did not have advanced scanning tools to find out more.

Thirty-five years later, a team of archaeologists and dentists have identified that d'Alegre suffered from periodontal disease that was loosening her teeth, according to a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.

A "Cone Beam" scan, which uses X-rays to build three-dimensional images, showed that gold wire had been used to hold together and tighten several of her teeth.

She also had an artificial tooth made of ivory from an elephant – not hippopotamus, which was popular at the time.

But this ornate dental work only "made the situation worse"

The gold wires would have needed repeated tightening over the years, further destabilizing the neighboring teeth, the researchers said.

D'Alegre likely went through the pain for more than just medical reasons. There was huge pressure on aristocratic women at a time when appearance was seen as related to value and rank in society.

At appropriate temperatures, the tops of many clouds can be composed of either ice crystals or liquid water droplets. This difference affects their radiative properties and their precipitation behavior, which are important factors for climate projections or weather forecasting. Villanueva et al. combined observations and laboratory measurements to demonstrate that the proportion of ice-topped clouds is correlated with the abundance of dust particles in them. This confirms a relationship that has long been suggested but never demonstrated.

Tiny shards of plastic called microplastics have been detected accumulating in human brains, but there is not yet enough evidence to say whether this is doing us harm, experts have said.

These mostly invisible pieces of plastic have been found everywhere from the top of mountains to the bottom of oceans, in the air we breathe and the food we eat. They have also been discovered riddled throughout human bodies, inside lungs, hearts, placentas and even crossing the blood-brain barrier.

The increasing ubiquity of microplastics has become a key issue in efforts to hammer out the world's first plastic pollution treaty, with the latest round of UN talks being held in Geneva next week.

The effects that microplastics and even smaller nanoplastics have on human health is not yet fully understood, but researchers have been working to find out more in this relatively new field.

The researchers discovered hibernator-specific DNA regions that regulate the FTO locus, tuning nearby genes up or down, likely to support rapid weight gain before hibernation, followed by long periods of fasting.

To test their theory, they edited these hibernator-specific DNA regions in mice (which don’t naturally hibernate). The result: changes in metabolism and behavior resembling that of hibernators, including altered weight regulation, body temperature control, and foraging instincts.

“When you knock out one of these elements — this one tiny, seemingly insignificant DNA region — the activity of hundreds of genes changes,” said co-author Susan Steinwand in the press statement. “It’s pretty amazing"