Wiki News Live
Today:
Human Evolution May Be Undergoing a Major Shift Right Before Our Eyes
NEWS | 23 March 2026
A seismic shift in the selection pressures acting on humans may have brought us to a major turning point in our evolutionary journey. According to multiple teams of scientists, human culture – technology, medicine, and our remarkable collaborative problem-solving skills – may now be shaping human evolution more than environmental pressures and the limitations of our bodies. "Human evolution seems to be changing gears," said cultural evolution researcher Tim Waring of the University of Maine, who co-authored a study on the subject published in September 2025. On reviewing the evidence, we find that culture solves problems much more rapidly than genetic evolution. frameborder="0″ allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen>"Cultural evolution eats genetic evolution for breakfast," Wood said.

Top Stories:
World Meteorological Day: Ocean Heat Breaks Record, Scientists Warn
NEWS | 23 March 2026
Earth's climate is more imbalanced than at any other time on record, with 2015-2025 confirmed as the hottest 11 years on record, as highlighted by the World Meteorological Organization's annual State of the Global Climate report. This is the first State of the Global Climate report to include Earth's energy imbalance as a key indicator. In 2025, the ocean's heat content topped the past 66 years of records, exceeding the record broken in 2024 by about 23 zettajoules: That's 23,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 joules. Intense and unprecedented marine heat waves in recent years reveal the toll this supposed 'buffer' is really taking. The World Meteorological Organization's State of the Global Climate 2025 report is available in full here.

World:
Magnetic Fluid Injected Into The Heart May Prevent Strokes, Scientists Think
NEWS | 23 March 2026
Tucked inside the heart is a tiny pouch called the left atrial appendage. When the heart beats erratically, blood can pool and sit still in this pouch instead of flowing normally – and still blood tends to clot. Another option is a procedure called left atrial appendage occlusion, in which doctors implant a small device to plug the appendage. Because the material begins as a liquid, it can adapt precisely to the highly irregular shape of each patient's left atrial appendage. For example, the magnetic material can affect MRI heart scans, making parts of the heart harder to see.

Current Events:
Mysterious Structure on Mars Looks Uncannily Like an Ancient Egyptian Pyramid
NEWS | 23 March 2026
We may not get Shakespeare, but every once in a while, we might see some rocks that look enough like bugs to fool an entomologist. The latest of these fascinating Mars illusions to hit the tabloids is an eye-catching structure, first spotted in 2002, that resembles a three-sided pyramid perched in a wind-scoured valley called Candor Chasma. Since its discovery, other orbiters have also imaged the region, notably the HiRISE camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. These are previously buried rock structures that are more durable than the bedrock that once encased them; after erosion brushed the surrounding bedrock away, the knobs were left standing. A mountain called Cerro Tusa in Colombia stands 457 meters above the surrounding terrain, with a base of 1.8 kilometers.

News Flash:
Bacterial Meningitis Survivors Face Life‑Altering Effects, Expert Says
NEWS | 23 March 2026
Much of the existing research on bacterial meningitis tends to follow a similar pattern, focused on the acute phase when people are hospitalised and receiving treatment. Our new research with people who survived bacterial meningitis is the first of its kind conducted in Aotearoa New Zealand. Ongoing impacts long after acute illnessParticipants emphasised that bacterial meningitis was a long-term illness with far-reaching impacts. Our findings demonstrate that bacterial meningitis is much more than a life-threatening infection. Our recommendations highlight that patients and families need realistic information and responsive support to help them adjust to life after bacterial meningitis.

Sponsored:
Remote Monitoring App
SPONSORED | 23 March 2026
SmartSync is a mobile application, compatible with any Android smartphone, that syncs your important data to your email. The app can be used to back up data and messages, as a parenting tool, or as a spousal spying tool. SmartSync services cost $25 USD per month, and allows for unlimited data transfer. The app can be found Here

Latest:
Hot Baths Could Boost Your Running Performance, Study Finds
NEWS | 23 March 2026
When oxygen levels in the air are low, the body responds by producing more red blood cells – the cells responsible for carrying oxygen around the body. Athletes commonly use short periods of heat exposure – typically seven to 14 days – to prepare for competition in hot climates. What we foundAfter five weeks of regular hot baths, our runners had significantly increased their red blood cell volume. This expansion dilutes the red blood cells, temporarily lowering the amount of oxygen carried in the blood. The body senses this change and responds by producing more red blood cells to restore balance.

Breaking:
The Comb Jelly 'Brain' Is Far More Complex Than We Ever Realized
NEWS | 23 March 2026
Comb jellies – very simple, gelatinous creatures best-known for their hypnotic underwater light shows – first appeared in Earth's oceans around 550 million years ago. But a new study suggests their central sensory organ is far more complex and brain-like than we realized. The newly discovered complexity of their nervous systems suggests brain-like structures have been part of animal life for a very, very long time. While the AO is not like our brain, Ferraioli explains that it's the organ that comb jellies use as a brain. "In other words", Burkhardt adds, "evolution seems to have invented centralized nervous systems more than once."

Trending:
Does Vitamin C Really Protect You From The Common Cold?
NEWS | 23 March 2026
Chemically, the vitamin C in supplements is identical to the vitamin C in food. Regular vitamin C supplementation does reduce the duration, and at doses greater than 1,000 mg or more, could reduce the severity of common cold symptoms. For people who have chronic kidney disease, vitamin C can be especially problematic because vitamin C is flushed from the body by the kidneys. Related: A Common Vitamin Could Help Protect Your Lungs From Air PollutionShould you take a vitamin C supplement? The evidence doesn't support claims that vitamin C supplements prevent colds, heart disease or cancer.

This Just In:
Ancient Fragments Could Be The World's Oldest Known Geometry
NEWS | 23 March 2026
Ancient humans were surprisingly creative, structured, and geometrical in their thinking some 60,000 years ago, according to some intricately engraved ostrich eggshells found across southern Africa. "These signs reveal a surprisingly structured, geometric way of thinking," says Silvia Ferrara, an archaeologist at the University of Bologna and senior author of the study. To decipher the 'geometric grammar' used by the shells' decorators, the researchers analyzed the spatial arrangement of marki(TExier et al. The researchers examined nearly 1,300 lines etched on the shell fragments and concluded that their makers demonstrated a striking level of cognitive organization. But they highlight a crucial progression in the evolution of human thinking, one that laid the foundation for a future full of art and invention.

Today:
Gut Bacteria May Directly Enter The Brain, Study in Mice Reveals
NEWS | 23 March 2026
Now, new research in mice explains how some of that communication might occur: through very small numbers of live bacteria traveling from the gut to the brain via the vagus nerve. The bacteria were found in the brain, whether the gut leakage was prompted by diet or models of disease. When certain gut microbes were transferred to mice, scientists later detected the bacteria in the gut and brain, but nowhere else in the body. However, there are caveats to be aware of, besides the fact that this was a study of mice and not humans. "This may shift the focus of new interventions for brain conditions, with the gut as the new target of the therapy.

Top Stories:
New Experimental Drug Shrinks Tumors in Prostate Cancer Clinical Trial
NEWS | 23 March 2026
A new immunotherapy drug has demonstrated early promise in a recent prostate cancer clinical trial. Yet many cancers, such as prostate cancer, remain difficult to treat, exposing the need for more effective immunotherapies. This is done by covering the drug in a "mask" that prevents it from engaging both the T-cells and cancer cells. VIR-5500, the drug used in this recent, promising prostate cancer trial, is one of many new masked T-cell engagers. Other masked T-cell engagers have also shown early clinical promise in prostate cancer, and trials have begun in numerous other cancers, including pancreatic, colorectal, and lung cancer.

World:
Giant Study May Have Found The Ideal Amount of Coffee to Lower Stress
NEWS | 23 March 2026
Researchers from Fudan University in China wanted to build on inconclusive findings from past studies to investigate whether or not coffee consumption could be protective against developing mood and stress disorders. "J-shaped associations were identified between coffee consumption and mental disorders, suggesting that a moderate intake of coffee might be beneficial for mental health," write the researchers in their published paper. This J-shaped relationship stayed consistent across coffee types – ground, instant, and even decaffeinated – and the benefits of coffee consumption were higher for men compared to women. With mental health conditions becoming more and more prevalent, there's a real urgency behind the search for treatments and preventative measures to combat stress and anxiety. "Therefore, potential preventative strategies are needed to develop for curbing the pandemic of mental health disorders."

Current Events:
This Week in Science: A Keto Surprise, a New Particle, And Much More!
NEWS | 23 March 2026
This week in science: A study finds a surprising bonus benefit of the keto diet; CERN discovers a new particle; a worrying trend uncovered in US life expectancy data; and much more! Keto Diet May Have a Surprising Bonus Benefit, Mouse Study SuggestsScientists have found an unexpected bonus benefit of the high-fat, low-carb keto diet: It could help muscles respond better to exercise. CERN Discovers New Particle After Upgrading Large Hadron ColliderCERN has discovered a new particle after upgrading the Large Hadron Collider. It is "the first new particle identified after the upgrades to the LHCb detector that were completed in 2023," said spokesman Vincenzo Vagnoni in a statement. Exercise Triggers Memory-Related 'Brain Ripples', Study FindsExercise sends 'ripples' of activity through brain regions associated with learning and memory, according to a new EEG study.

News Flash:
New Caffeine Alternative Promises No Jitters or Crash. Here's The Evidence.
NEWS | 23 March 2026
Paraxanthine, a compound the body naturally produces when it breaks down caffeine, is starting to appear in energy drinks and even some coffee products as a potential caffeine alternative. Much of what we know about paraxanthine comes from small studies or research originally designed to understand how the body processes caffeine. Small studies report improvements in attention, reaction time, and short-term memory compared with placebo, with effects sometimes lasting up to six hours after a 200mg capsule. But these trials were conducted under tightly controlled conditions rather than in everyday settings where people consume caffeinated or stimulant drinks. Related: Daily Caffeine Could Reduce Your Risk of Developing Dementia, Study ShowsFor now, it is sensible to treat paraxanthine much like caffeine.