Wiki News Live
Today:
DNA Study of 117-Year-Old Woman Reveals Clues to Long Life
NEWS | 05 January 2026
Scientists in Spain say they are now using these findings to "provide a fresh look at human aging biology, suggesting biomarkers for healthy aging, and potential strategies to increase life expectancy." She exceeded the average life expectancy of women in her home of Catalonia by more than 30 years. Branyas lived a mentally, socially, and physically active life, but she also lucked out on genetics. Related: 117-Year-Old Woman's Diet Could Help Us All Live LongerInterestingly, scientists noticed a "huge erosion" in Branyas' telomeres – the caps at the ends of her chromosomes. "These findings provide a fresh look at human aging biology," the team concludes, "suggesting biomarkers for healthy aging, and potential strategies to increase life expectancy."

Top Stories:
Unique 'Golden Shark' Caught Off Central America Diagnosed With Rare Condition
NEWS | 05 January 2026
The fearsome silent hunters of the deep – sharks – aren't usually hued like a traffic cone, but now and again, nature goes "Hold my beer." One spectacular example of this is a nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) caught and released by sports fishers off the coast of Costa Rica in August 2024. Not only was this shark not its usual brown cookie-dough color, but it was vividly orange-colored – with white eyes, to boot. Even more shockingly, this combined condition – known as albino-xanthochromism – doesn't seem to have hindered the shark's survival. Related: First-Ever Footage of a Newborn Great White Shark Has Scientists in a FrenzyThe encounter took place off the coast of Costa Rica near Tortuguero National Park on 10 August 2024.

World:
Blushing May Have Hidden Social Advantages, Experts Suggest
NEWS | 05 January 2026
But evolutionary science suggests blushing may actually have social advantages. This means more blood flows through to the skin and makes the face feel hot. (Stephen Okonkwo/Unsplash)The social role of blushingPeople blush when they are feeling highly self-conscious, which is generally brought on by unwanted social attention. Blushing can signal a non-verbal apology for a social misstep that can help to maintain social bonds after a transgression. The difference is that blushing in anger, for example, comes from arousal and frustration, while blushing from embarrassment comes from self-awareness and social emotion.

Current Events:
'Fish Mouth' Filter Removes 99% of Microplastics From Laundry Waste
NEWS | 05 January 2026
Inspired by these natural filtration systems, scientists in Germany have invented a way to remove 99 percent of plastic particles from water. Instead of hitting the mesh straight on, like other filtration systems, plastic particles 'roll' along the edge of the new device. The plastic particles are then caught outside the filter and flushed into a separate compartment that can be emptied every few dozen washes, like the lint filter in a dryer. Related: Microplastics Can Spread Dangerous Pathogens, Scientists WarnUnlike other plastic filtration systems on the market, this one reduces clogging by 85 percent. Unless we replace the materials in our clothing, high-efficiency plastic filtration systems will be essential for mitigating pollution in the future.

News Flash:
How Feasible Is Asteroid Mining? A New Study Investigates
NEWS | 05 January 2026
A few years ago, asteroid mining was all the rage. Nevertheless, the dream of asteroid mining and the "post-scarcity" future it would bring remains. The study also identified a type of asteroid rich in olivine and spinel bands as a potential target for mining operations. Related: Vast Reserves of Precious Platinum Could Be Hidden on The MoonIn any case, the benefits of asteroid mining are immense, which is why the subject has gained such traction in the past decade. While public enthusiasm for asteroid mining has cooled over the past decade, many ventures today are researching and developing the necessary technology.

Sponsored:
Remote Monitoring App
SPONSORED | 05 January 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:
Horror of Life on Roman Frontier Revealed in Gut-Wrenching Study
NEWS | 05 January 2026
Roman soldiers garrisoned at the fort of Vindolanda, located near Hadrian's Wall in northern England, were riddled with parasites that sapped their fighting fitness. This daily martial life would have revolved around guarding Hadrian's Wall, just north of the fort. Regardless, the soldiers still suffered from intestinal infections, including roundworms, whipworms, and potentially Giardia, a diarrhea-causing microscopic single-celled animal. Interestingly, the parasite profile at Vindolanda is similar to that from other Roman military sites, including those in Austria, the Netherlands, and Scotland. So, for all the modern romanticism surrounding Roman hygiene, the history is often dirtier and more fecal-infested than imagined.

Breaking:
Blocking One Protein Slows Cancer Growth in Mice, Scientists Discover
NEWS | 05 January 2026
Further tests on cancer cells in mice with normal immune systems then confirmed how vital TAK1 is for cancer: Tumors in mice without this protein grew more slowly, and the mice survived for longer, on average. "It is known that TAK1 promotes cancer cell survival and blocks cell death," says cancer cell biologist Anne Huber, from the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute (ONJCRI) in Australia. Specifically, it protects cancer cells from the activity of CD8⁺ T cells, immune cells that clear out damaged cells and kill deadly invaders like cancer cells. Knowing how this process works in detail could help scientists better harness it for cancer treatments. When TAK1 is removed, cancer cells are essentially trying to survive without one of their best bodyguards.

Trending:
This Week in Science: Reversing Alzheimer's, Solving a Tapestry Mystery, And More!
NEWS | 05 January 2026
This week in science: A promising Alzheimer's breakthrough as an experimental drug completely reverses mental decline in mice with advanced disease; a historian may have cracked the mystery of an ancient tapestry; astronomers spot three galaxies in the process of colliding; and much more! Promising New Drug Reverses Mental Decline in Mice With Advanced Alzheimer'sA drug candidate called P7C3-A20 has reversed the mental decline of Alzheimer's disease in promising tests on mouse models. The True Purpose of The Bayeux Tapestry May Finally Be RevealedA historian has proposed the mysterious, ancient Bayeux Tapestry was made for mealtime reading for monks at St Augustine's Abbey, England. In this context, the Bayeux Tapestry would have found a perfect setting," says historian Benjamin Pohl. Three Supermassive Black Holes Discovered on Collision Course in a Cosmic FirstAstronomers have spotted a trio of galaxies, all with active supermassive black holes at their centers, in the process of colliding.

This Just In:
Pouring The Wrong Things Down Your Sink Can Damage Cities. Here's How.
NEWS | 05 January 2026
And they add to the load on wastewater treatment plants. Wastewater treatment plants have large aerated tanks full of bacteria that decompose the organic matter in wastewater. And a higher organic load requires greater aeration and larger tanks, thereby increasing the cost and complexity of operating a wastewater treatment plant. Liquid dairy products, or any food item containing fat, oil and grease, including cooking oil, can block sewer pipes. Pouring your remaining paint or paint-brush cleaning water into the sink is not a good idea.

Today:
A Giant Telescope Searched 3I/ATLAS For Signs of Aliens. Here's Why.
NEWS | 05 January 2026
A dedicated scan for signs of radio-transmitting technology in interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has come back with absolute cometary radio silence. That's not a surprise – there's absolutely nothing about 3I/ATLAS that indicates anything other than "comet" – but, well, the Universe handed humanity this opportunity on a platter. Related: 4 Powerful Telescopes Agree: Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Really Is Bizarre3I/ATLAS was discovered on 1 July 2025, and calculations of its trajectory revealed it had come from outside the Solar System. frameborder="0″ allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen>Once the signals that appeared in other patches of the sky had been removed, the researchers were left with nine candidate radio signals. To be clear, that doesn't conclusively rule out the possibility that 3I/ATLAS may harbor alien technology.

Top Stories:
Controversial Ancestor Found to Have Done Something Eerily Human
NEWS | 05 January 2026
A controversial hominid that lived 7 million years ago may have walked on two legs after all, according to a new analysis of its fossilized bones. After its discovery in 2001, Sahelanthropus tchadensis (nicknamed Toumai) was considered one of the earliest human ancestors, but some scientists argue that it's a more distant cousin, not a direct human antecedent. Second, S. tchadensis seems to have had prominent buttock muscles, important for keeping the hips stable. That's not to say that S. tchadensis had completely given up its tree-climbing heritage, however. "Sahelanthropus tchadensis was essentially a bipedal ape that possessed a chimpanzee-sized brain and likely spent a significant portion of its time in trees, foraging and seeking safety," says Williams.

World:
Why You Always Seem to Get Sick Just as Your Holiday Begins
NEWS | 05 January 2026
And then tiredness descends, you feel the tickle in your throat, and you realise you're getting sick. While you may hear about leisure sickness online and anecdotally, studies on this phenomenon are very limited and often not well designed. The lack of quality research on leisure sickness means we don't fully understand its potential causes. How can I avoid getting sick? There's still a lot we don't understand about how or why leisure sickness might happen.

Current Events:
Something in Dark Chocolate Could Slow Aging on a Genetic Level
NEWS | 05 January 2026
Good news, dark chocolate lovers: the treat is rich in an ingredient that slows down biological aging in the body, according to a new study. Related: Microbe Recipe Could Be The Secret to Perfect ChocolateHowever, the study authors stopped short of permitting us to scoff as much dark chocolate as possible in an effort to extend our lives. "Our study finds links between a key component of dark chocolate and staying younger for longer," says Jordana Bell, an epigenomics researcher at KCL. "While we're not saying that people should eat more dark chocolate, this research can help us understand how everyday foods may hold clues to healthier, longer lives." Future studies can now look at theobromine more closely, and see how it might be conferring the benefits – perhaps in tandem with other dark chocolate ingredients, including polyphenols.

News Flash:
A Psychologist Explains Why New Year's Feels Harder Now – And What You Can Do
NEWS | 05 January 2026
We live in a world in which mental wellness is deteriorating, particularly among young people, and in which being asked to imagine change can be daunting. My own research at the DCU Centre for Possibility Studies focuses on what psychologists call possibility thinking. This pattern emerged in a December 2025 study I co-authored, which involved teachers taking part in a professional development programme meant to stimulate possibility thinking. Possibility thinking does not mean ignoring limits or pretending everything will improve. But in a world shaped by uncertainty and fatigue, renewal is unlikely to come from pressure to "start fresh" or try harder.