AI Briefing

Today's Science Briefing

Updated 11 hours, 52 minutes ago · 11 articles · 1 publishers
The human brain may not be what we thought. Stanford researchers now argue that what we call the brain is actually built from two distinct developmental systems, challenging a century of neuroscience dogma. That revelation arrives alongside a needle-thin brain implant that can record, stimulate, and deliver drugs simultaneously, offering a precision tool for studying epilepsy and other conditions. Stem cell transplants have restored movement in stroke-damaged mice, while a separate brain imaging study found the strongest evidence yet that long COVID fatigue and brain fog stem from damaged dopamine neurons. And for the millions on GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, new data warns that stopping them may sharply raise heart attack and stroke risk, suggesting these medications may need to be taken indefinitely. Across the cosmos, astronomers have identified a universal rule governing black hole jets, from stellar-mass to supermassive, hinting at a deep physical constant we haven't fully grasped. Closer to home, Oak Ridge researchers turned common polyethylene plastic into gasoline and diesel, a promising step toward circular waste-to-fuel systems. And NASA just powered up Roman's 300-megapixel infrared camera, bringing the telescope one milestone closer to surveying the universe at unprecedented scale. On the health front, a study of nearly half a million UK adults found that chronic everyday stress physically reshapes the heart, shortening lifespan even in people without traditional cardiovascular risk factors. It's a quiet but measurable toll that underscores how deeply mind and body are connected.
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Brain may be two organs

Stanford's finding could rewrite textbooks and reshape how we study neurological disorders.

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Ozempic stop risk confirmed

Discontinuing GLP-1 drugs may spike heart attack and stroke risk, making long-term use critical.

Black hole jets obey one rule

A universal scaling law for jets suggests a fundamental physics principle we haven't yet identified.

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Plastic turned into fuel

A new catalytic process converts polyethylene into gasoline and diesel, offering a waste-to-energy path.

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Stress leaves a physical mark

Chronic stress directly damages heart structure and shortens lifespan, independent of other risk factors.