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Today:
Gigantic Wave in The Pacific Was The Most Extreme 'Rogue Wave' on Record
NEWS | 24 January 2026
A few years later, the four-story wall of water was confirmed to be the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded. Scientists define a rogue wave as any wave more than twice the height of the waves surrounding it. "Proportionally, the Ucluelet wave is likely the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded," explained physicist Johannes Gemmrich from the University of Victoria in 2022. "The potential of predicting rogue waves remains an open question, but our data is helping to better understand when, where, and how rogue waves form, and the risks that they pose." Unfortunately, a 2020 study predicted that wave heights in the North Pacific will increase with climate change, suggesting the Ucluelet wave may not hold its record for as long as our current predictions suggest.

Top Stories:
This Week in Science: A Cannabis Standard Measure, Bizarre Lifeforms, And More!
NEWS | 24 January 2026
This week in science: Scientists propose new standard measures for cannabis use; mysterious ancient lifeforms don't comfortably fit on the tree of life; the world's oldest rock art discovered; and much more! Scientists Figured Out a Standard Measure For Cannabis UseUK scientists have calculated a standard measure for cannabis as THC units, which can help users and doctors monitor intake. A 0.45-gram joint of strong herbal cannabis might contain 12.78 standard THC units, while weaker, seeded herbal cannabis can contain just 3.78 THC units, according to the new estimates. World's Oldest Rock Art Discovered in Indonesian CaveThe world's oldest known rock art has been discovered in a cave in Indonesia, dated to at least 67,800 years ago. Shingles Vaccine Linked to Slower Biological Aging, Study FindsThe shingles vaccine has been linked to slower aging and less inflammation, in a study of 3,800 people over the age of 70.

World:
Ever Felt 'Hangry'? Scientists Now Know The Surprising Reason Why
NEWS | 24 January 2026
So, with colleagues from the fields of psychology and mental health, I decided to investigate how different people respond to feeling hungry. To investigate the relationship between energy levels, hunger, and mood in people, we equipped 90 healthy adults with a continuous glucose monitor for a month. This suggests there is a key psychological middle step between a person's energy and mood levels, which scientists call interoception. This does not mean they never felt hungry – they just seemed better at keeping their mood levels stable. But it is possible to improve your interoceptive accuracy by allowing your inner systems to pay closer attention to your energy levels.

Current Events:
Study Reveals How Much Exercise You Need Weekly To Control Blood Pressure
NEWS | 24 January 2026
Research suggests that to protect yourself against high blood pressure in your twilight years, you need to keep your exercise levels up through middle age. Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a serious condition affecting billions of people worldwide. But most people with high blood pressure don't even know they have it – hence why it's often called the "silent killer". Yet there are ways to turn high blood pressure around: exercise is the focus of this study. At each clinical assessment, blood pressure was measured three times, 1 minute apart, and, for data analysis, participants were grouped into four categories by race and gender.

News Flash:
Scientists May Have Found a Blueprint to Revive Old Cells
NEWS | 24 January 2026
Related: Blood of Exceptionally Long-Lived People Reveals Crucial DifferencesThe team also tinkered with the levels of all four transcription factors in lab-grown human fibroblast cells. "By altering gene expression using the transcription factors we identified, old fibroblasts behaved as if they were younger, and improved the health of old mice," says biochemist Hao Li. To identify the four key transcription factors, the researchers first compared old and young human fibroblast cells using a computational model to see how gene expression differed with age. Having drawn up a shortlist of 200 transcription factors that could be controlling the 'youthfulness' of cells, they began systematically toggling them on and off – changing the transcription factors produced. Altering the levels of these factors in liver cells of mice and human fibroblast cells grown in plastic dishes shifted the cells towards a younger mode.

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SPONSORED | 24 January 2026
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Latest:
'Devastating' Flesh-Eating Parasite Is Spreading Toward The US, CDC Warns
NEWS | 24 January 2026
There are currently 601 animal cases active across Mexico, with eight in Tamaulipas – a state that borders Texas – leading the US CDC to issue a health advisory. Related: Rare, Flesh-Eating Parasite Confirmed in US in Concerning DevelopmentThe New World screwworm is a fly larva that lives in and feeds on the wounds and mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals. Cattle, horses, and pigs are the most common screwworm victims, but the parasite can also lay its eggs in the flesh of dogs, cats, and even humans. A facility in Panama – a country situated between North and South America, known for an inhospitable strip of wilderness called the Darien Gap – has been continuously releasing many more sterile screwworm flies to act as a barrier. According to the CDC, "unregulated cattle movement, increased movement through the Darien Gap, and new areas of farming contributed to rapid northward spread of NWS."

Breaking:
Blood Sugar Spikes Linked With 69% Higher Risk of Alzheimer's
NEWS | 24 January 2026
High blood sugar spikes after meals could be a contributing factor to Alzheimer's risk, according to a new study that gives us more insight into the relationship between diabetes, insulin resistance, and dementia. Instead of actually taking measurements of post-meal blood sugar, they looked for people with genes known to be associated with sugar spikes after eating. While there was a strong connection between post-meal blood sugar spikes and Alzheimer's, no link was found for standard glucose or insulin levels, or insulin resistance, for either Alzheimer's or dementia overall. "Our findings suggest that the genetic predisposition for this marker of postprandial glucose is also associated with an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease." "If validated, the study could pave the way for new approaches to reduce dementia risk in people with diabetes."

Trending:
Peptide Treatment Protects Brains After Stroke, Mouse Study Finds
NEWS | 24 January 2026
When someone is affected by a stroke, the standard treatment to restore blood flow to the brain can both save their life and cause additional damage – damage which a new, injectable nanomaterial promises to protect against. At the core of the treatment are supramolecular therapeutic peptides (STPs), nicknamed 'dancing molecules' because of how dynamically their biological parts can move. That inflammation is a real risk as the body continues to react to the initial blood flow blockage. After clots block blood flow to the brain to cause the stroke, restoring that flow is crucial, but collateral damage and even long-term disability can follow. With further development, we could be looking at a secondary treatment that can be applied alongside the restoration of blood flow (known as reperfusion).

This Just In:
Human Penis Size Evolved For 2 Purposes, New Study Finds
NEWS | 24 January 2026
"Size matters" sounds like a tabloid cliché, but for evolutionary biologists the size of the human penis is truly a puzzle. Until now, we didn't know if the human penis size might also serve such a dual function. However, there was a diminishing effect: beyond a certain point, further increase in penis size or height offered smaller returns. Note, however, that the effect of penis size on attractiveness was four to seven times higher than its effect as a signal of fighting ability. We varied male height, penis size, and body shape, but in the real world, characteristics such as facial features and personality are also major factors in how we rate others.

Today:
The US Is Bracing For a Major Winter Storm. Here's Where It Hits First.
NEWS | 24 January 2026
Related: Dangerous Winter Storm Hammers Millions in The USForecasters are warning that the damage, especially in areas pounded by ice, could rival a hurricane. About 160 million people were under winter storm or cold weather watches or warnings – and in many places, both. Winter weather is forecast to impact a large part of the country in the coming days. Greg Abbott said Thursday that it won't happen again, saying the power system "has never been stronger, never been more prepared." 🥶January may be ready to fade, but the latest outlook shows the cold weather likely will not in the East as the month closes out.

Top Stories:
Earthquake Sensors Detect Sonic Booms From Incoming Space Junk
NEWS | 24 January 2026
Scientists have just found a new way to track the uncontrolled reentry of falling space junk. Space debris is an escalating concern. Objects entering Earth's atmosphere from space often fall faster than the speed of sound, reaching supersonic and even hypersonic velocities. However, the researchers reasoned these instruments might be able to track the acoustic Mach cone of falling space debris, too. frameborder="0″ allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen>On 2 April 2024, the discarded Shenzhou-15 orbital module reentered Earth's atmosphere over southern California.

World:
Ancient DNA Reveals Twisted Roots of Syphilis Go Back 5,500 Years
NEWS | 24 January 2026
A 5,500-year-old skeleton discovered at an archaeological site in Colombia has now offered up DNA from the spiral-shaped bacterium Treponema pallidum. It seems to have split off before other subspecies responsible for diseases like syphilis, yaws, bejel, and pinta emerged and spread around the world. Today, genomic researchers are picking apart these deep and twisted roots using ancient DNA. Growing evidence from ancient bones suggests that syphilis-like diseases were present in the Americas long before their likeness emerged in Europe. Besides, there's even a chance that the expression of syphilis and other treponemal diseases is environmentally and socially determined.

Current Events:
Giant Kangaroo Fossils Reveal a Surprise About How They Moved
NEWS | 24 January 2026
The image of kangaroos hopping their way across the Australian outback is iconic – and it turns out it might have been an even more impressive sight during the Pleistocene. As in many other parts of the world, Australian animals were much bigger in the past. The largest known kangaroo species, Procoptodon goliah, may have stood 2 meters (6.6 feet) tall and weighed up to 250 kilograms (550 pounds) – which would have made the modern kangaroo's 90-kilogram frame seem puny. Researchers analyzed the limb bones of 63 kangaroo and wallaby species, both living and extinct, including 94 modern specimens and 40 fossils. Then, they checked the heel bones to see if they had the right attachments for tendons of that size.

News Flash:
Scientists Tried to Spread The Flu, Only to Discover Something Unexpected
NEWS | 24 January 2026
They played games, shared objects, and exercised together in conditions designed to help the virus spread. The unexpected finding comes from a well-designed study that set out to answer a basic question: how does flu really spread? The aim was simple: see whether flu would spread under conditions designed to favour transmission. By using naturally infected "donors", the researchers hoped to better reflect how flu spreads outside the laboratory. When in doubt, it is safest to assume you could either catch or spread flu and to follow public health guidance, including vaccination and mask use where appropriate.