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Today:
Scientists Gave People Wings in VR, And It Triggered Changes in The Brain
NEWS | 19 May 2026
Diving into virtual reality (VR) can do some strange things to the brain, as a new study highlights. In an experiment, volunteers given VR wings for a couple of hours started thinking of these wings in a similar way as actual body parts. The researchers recruited 25 volunteers, who over the course of a week were given four 30-minute sessions to try out their virtual wings. In the VR world, the wings completely replaced the arms of the participants – so they could no longer see their arms, just wings where their arms should be. The OTC also communicated more strongly with other brain parts linked to planning coordinating movement, known as the frontoparietal regions.

Top Stories:
'AI Slop' Is Flooding Science Publishing, And One Major Site Is Fighting Back
NEWS | 19 May 2026
However, not everyone agrees that arXiv's response to the problem is appropriate – and the solution to the flood of AI slop research may involve more AI, not less. Last month, the journal Organization Science published a study of how the rise of AI has affected submissions and peer reviews since the release of ChatGPT in 2022. A common problem in AI-generated research writing is hallucinated citations: references to other research that does not exist. frameborder="0″ allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen>However, the peer review system was already struggling before AI. A study published in January (itself a preprint) estimated around 1 in 8 papers in biomedical science now contain AI-generated text.

World:
Cannabis Linked to Lower Weight And Reduced Diabetes Risk in Mouse Study
NEWS | 19 May 2026
For many years now, scientists have noticed that some cannabis users tend to have lower body weight and a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who don't use cannabis. Both groups of mice treated with THC showed weight loss when cannabis was introduced, while those not treated continued gaining weight. The entire cannabis plant contains hundreds of different cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals, which could have medicinal properties. Related: Cannabis Compounds May Reverse Fatty Liver Disease, Study SuggestsIn other words, there may be a whole other mechanism by which these compounds affect mammalian health that has yet to be discovered. "We need evidence-based approaches to fully understand both the risks and potential benefits of cannabis and its components," DiPatrizio says.

Current Events:
WATCH: A Spacecraft Is Launching to Study How Earth Survives Solar Storms
NEWS | 19 May 2026
Particularly fierce solar storms can knock out satellites, threaten astronauts – and create colorful auroras in the skies of northern and southern latitudes. To find out more about this little-understood space weather, the van-sized SMILE spacecraft is tasked with making the first-ever X-ray observations of Earth's magnetic field. When they arrive, Earth's magnetic field acts as a shield, deflecting most of the charged particles. Solar winds can now also pose a danger to satellites orbiting Earth, as well as astronauts sheltering inside space stations. On Tuesday, the spacecraft will be placed 700 kilometers above Earth before heading on an extremely elliptical orbit.

News Flash:
Ebola Emergency: Here's What We Know About This Deadly Outbreak
NEWS | 19 May 2026
An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo believed to have killed more than 90 people has been declared an international health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO). Few samples have been tested in a laboratory to date, and the reports are based mainly on suspected cases. No vaccineThe current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine or specific treatment is available. SpreadThe deadliest Ebola outbreak in the DRC claimed nearly 2,300 lives out of 3,500 cases between 2018 and 2020. Related: Deadly Ebola Outbreak Declared Global Emergency as Cases Spread in AfricaPeople infected by the Bundibugyo strain initially show symptoms similar to flu or malaria which can delay detection.

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SPONSORED | 19 May 2026
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Latest:
Fog Is Teeming With Life, And It May Be Doing Us a Surprising Favor
NEWS | 19 May 2026
There's something living in the fog – but you'll be glad to know that it's mostly friendly. Researchers at Arizona State University and Susquehanna University have found that bacteria are living and growing inside droplets of water in fog, at concentrations comparable to seawater. Bacteria were present in less than one percent of fog droplets. In a subsample of six fog events, the team found that even after the fog cleared, the air contained around 45 percent more bacteria than at the same location before the fog settled in. To check, the researchers incubated samples of fog water and measured how levels of these compounds changed over time.

Breaking:
Scientists Found a Remarkable Way to Help Kids Like Vegetables
NEWS | 19 May 2026
In addition to deepening our understanding of how much fetuses can absorb during pregnancy, there's potential here to reduce kids' aversion to vegetables before they're even aware of them. These same children had previously been exposed to carrots and kale through their mothers' diets. Overall, the three-year-olds showed fewer negative reactions to the vegetable they were exposed to in the uterus than to the other one. The bitter kale elicited more negative reactions overall, but early exposure seemed to reduce them. They could also account for other factors that influence dietary preferences, of which there are many, as the researchers acknowledge.

Trending:
Scientists Keep Finding Major Discoveries Lurking in Museum Backrooms
NEWS | 19 May 2026
For most of us, these edifices display rich collections of treasures and knowledge that transport us through time. For scientists, they're a treasure of a different kind. That's why so many discoveries are made not in the field, but in museum backrooms, among wonders half-forgotten for decades. To celebrate International Museum Day, here are some of our favorite recent discoveries that only emerged when the right person came along to make them. Many of these specimens are stunningly beautiful, but with opal being so valuable, they often have a checkered history.

This Just In:
Where You Live May Affect How Rapidly You Age, Sweeping Study Finds
NEWS | 19 May 2026
"For the first time, we have deeply profiled people from around the world," says geneticist Michael Snyder of Stanford University. This cross-section, therefore, consisted of groups of people with similar ancestral backgrounds who were now living in different parts of the world. People with shared heritage also shared a baseline of genetics, gut microbiome, and metabolism, no matter where in the world they were living. In particular, East Asians living outside East Asia showed faster biological aging than those living in the region. The researchers believe these differences may be driven by a combination of factors, including diet, exposure to pollution, healthcare access, stress, lifestyle, and changes in the gut microbiome after relocation.

Today:
Can't Stomach Energy Gels? There Are Other Ways to Match Their Benefits, Studies Show
NEWS | 19 May 2026
Thanks to decades of research, athletes today can use energy gels to provide fuel. So are gels really worth it, or should athletes stick to simpler, if less glamorous, sources of fuel? Fuelling with energy gelsWhen we eat a meal, our bodies steadily breakdown the carbohydrates from food in the stomach. frameborder="0″ allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen>In practical terms, energy gels offer a fast, convenient and concentrated source of carbohydrates that can be consumed mid-race without slowing down. How to use gels effectivelyIf your run is under 60 minutes, you probably don't need gels.

Top Stories:
Deadly Ebola Outbreak Declared Global Emergency as Cases Spread in Africa
NEWS | 19 May 2026
The World Health Organization declared an international health emergency on Sunday over an outbreak of an Ebola strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has killed more than 80 and for which there is no vaccine. WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed deep disquiet as the reported cases rise. Medical aid group Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it was preparing a "large-scale response", calling the rapid spread of the outbreak "extremely concerning". High risk of spreadIt is the 17th Ebola outbreak to hit the DRC, and officials warned of a high risk of spread. The previous outbreak of Ebola was last August in the region, with at least 34 people dying before it was declared eradicated in December.

World:
Scientists Discover Over 1,700 'Dark' Proteins Hidden in Human Cells
NEWS | 19 May 2026
An international team has found evidence that over 1,700 'dark' proteins, fundamental building blocks of the body, are produced from parts of the genome not usually thought to have this kind of biological machinery. Only a few of these dark proteins really resemble the conventional kind; many are much smaller. "We're just beginning to see what this ​dark proteome has to offer," says University of Michigan pediatric neuro-oncologist John Prensner. Since then, the team has settled on the term peptidein – microproteins or dark proteins that might graduate into actual proteins – and has identified one particular peptidein that performs a specific function. "Understanding their roles could transform how we study human disease, including cardiovascular disorders, and may reveal entirely new therapeutic opportunities."

Current Events:
Antarctic Sea Ice Enters 'Shock' Decline as Ocean Heat Breaks Through
NEWS | 19 May 2026
Unlike the Arctic, where sea ice declined rapidly as the planet warmed, Antarctic sea ice showed little overall loss. Since 2015, Antarctic sea ice has declined sharply. Scientists did expect Antarctic sea ice to shrink as the planet warmed, but not this quickly. Antarctic sea ice acts like a mirror, reflecting sunlight and helping keep the planet cool. But if low sea ice conditions persist, the Southern Ocean could start to accelerate global warming rather than limit it.

News Flash:
Ancient Roman Technique Discovered 8,000 Years Earlier, Study Says
NEWS | 19 May 2026
In a new study, researchers report that a sophisticated plaster-making technique long credited to the Romans was also used by Neolithic people about 8,000 years earlier. Ancient Rome is renowned for its engineering prowess, as seen in iconic projects like the aqueducts and the Pantheon. In addition to their design and construction skills, Roman builders likely benefitted from durable concrete and other high-quality materials. The earliest written record of dolomitic lime seems to come from the Roman architect and engineer Vitruvius during the first century BCE, the authors note. Given the difficulty of making dolomite-based plaster, plus the lack of earlier evidence, credit for its invention has long fallen to Ancient Rome.