Science & Medicine
Here we bring you the latest on all things science from physical science, evolution, astronomy, space, physics, chemistry, and medicine.
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Schrödinger’s clock: Time could tick faster and slower at the same time
Stevens Institute of Technology / ScienceDaily
Few concepts in physics are as familiar, or as puzzling, as time itself. Einstein’s theory of relativity showed that time is not fixed or universal. Instead, it changes depending on speed and gravity. When scientists combine relativity with quantum mechanics, however, the picture becomes even stranger. Quantum theory suggests that time itself could exist in a superposition, meaning it may flow both faster and slower simultaneously.
A newly published study suggests researchers may soon be able to test this bizarre idea in the lab. The paper, titled “Quantum signatures of proper time in optical ion clocks,” appeared April 20, 2026 in Physical Review Letters. The research was led by Assistant Professor Igor Pikovski of Stevens Institute of Technology, working with experimental teams led by Christian Sanner at Colorado State University and Dietrich Leibfried at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Atomic Clocks and Quantum… The researchers explored how advanced atomic clocks could reveal hidden quantum effects connected to the flow of time. According to their findings, the same technologies being developed for next generation clocks and quantum computers may also allow scientists…Read more here.
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This Strange Molecular Signature May Be the Best Clue Yet to Alien Life
By Jules Bernstein, University of California – Riverside – ScitechDaily
Scientists may have found a hidden chemical signature that could help reveal alien life.
Scientists searching for life beyond Earth have long focused on finding the right molecules on distant planets and moons. But a new study suggests the most important clue may not be the molecules themselves, but the hidden patterns in how they are organized.
The research, published in Nature Astronomy, found that living systems produce distinctive statistical patterns in certain organic molecules that differ from those created through nonbiological chemistry.
“We’re showing that life does not only produce molecules,” said Fabian Klenner, UC Riverside assistant professor of planetary sciences and co-author of the study. “Life also produces an organizational principle that we can see by applying statistics.”
Hidden Chemical Patterns Linked to Life: The researchers discovered that amino acids in Read more here.
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A grad student’s wild idea sparks a major aging breakthrough
Mayo Clinic / ScienceDaily
One of the biggest challenges in aging and disease research is tracking down senescent cells. These cells — often called “zombie cells” — stop dividing but refuse to die off normally. Over time, they can build up in the body and have been linked to conditions including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and the aging process itself.
Scientists have been exploring ways to remove or repair these harmful cells, but there has been a major obstacle. Researchers have struggled to reliably identify senescent cells hiding among healthy cells in living tissue.
DNA Aptamers Help Researchers Identify Senescent Cells… A team at Mayo Clinic now says it has found a promising new strategy. Writing in the journal Aging Cell, the researchers describe a technique that uses molecules called “aptamers” to tag senescent cells.
Aptamers are short strands of synthetic DNA that naturally fold into complex three dimensional shapes. Those shapes allow them to attach to specific proteins found on the surfaces of cells. Read more here.
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NASA’s Psyche Spacecraft Is About To Fly Shockingly Close to Mars
By NASA – SciTechDaily
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is using a daring close flyby of Mars to slingshot toward one of the solar system’s strangest asteroids.
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is preparing for a close flyby of Mars that will help propel it farther into the solar system on its journey to the metal-rich asteroid Psyche. On Friday, May 15, the spacecraft will sweep just 2,800 miles (4,500 kilometers) above the Martian surface while traveling about 12,333 mph (19,848 kph). During the encounter, the spacecraft will use Mars’ gravity to increase its speed and redirect its path toward one of the solar system’s most unusual asteroids.
Launched on October 13, 2023, Psyche relies on solar-electric propulsion and xenon gas to gradually build speed over its long mission. By using a gravity assist from Mars, mission planners can conserve propellant while still giving the spacecraft the boost it needs. These planetary flybys also allow engineers and scientists to test systems and fine-tune scientific instruments before the…Read more here.
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