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As a quantum physicist, my work has led me to believe we could drastically enhance human consciousness, the inexplicable machinations that make you feel like you. It explains everything from your most profound revelations to how you decide which snack you’re hungry for, and yet scientists still struggle to understand it. In my view, there are certain biological limitations to human creativity, and if my theory is correct, we could one day create “enhanced humans” that could experience parts of reality that are otherwise hidden—expanding on our very consciousness. My idea hinges on an equally mysterious topic: quantum physics, or the study of how the universe works at the smallest levels. The late American physicist David Bohm, PhD, argued that the basic features of quantum physics—like superposition, interference, and entanglement—are an extension of the workings of our brain. Bohm was here echoing one of the founders of quantum physics, the Dane Niels Bohr, PhD. Bohr belie...

Scientists have identified a new Amazonian species from an ancient lineage of cycads. The new species thrives year-round in permanently flooded forests, even with part of its stem underwater Its unusual survival in oxygen-starved swamps expands where such ancient seed plants are known to live and intensifies pressure to protect the wetlands that sustain them. Life in flooded forests In the permanently flooded forests of Peru’s northern Loreto region, the new species of cycad stood rooted in saturated soil where most of its relatives would fail to survive During fieldwork in 2025, Dr. Ricardo Zarate-Gomez from the Peruvian Amazon Research Institute (IIAP) documented healthy specimens growing with their lower stems submerged, confirming that this lineage endures conditions once thought inhospitable to it. Unlike other members of its group that depend on well-drained ground, this species remained viable in soil that stays waterlogged throughout the year. That extreme habitat n...

Plants fight disease every day, but that fight often comes at a cost. When a plant turns on its immune system, growth usually slows down. For farmers who depend on strong, healthy crops, this trade-off can mean lower food production Now, researchers at Colorado State University have found a way to help plants stay protected without sacrificing growth. This discovery could shape the future of global food production PLANTS GET SICK TOO Plants have a defense system, just like people do. When insects attack or a disease infects a plant, the plant quickly turns on its protection system. To fight the threat, it releases certain hormones that help it survive But there is a catch. When the plant focuses on protecting itself, it invests less energy into growing. It is similar to how a person might feel weak or tired while fighting an illness. Food crops like wheat, corn, and soybeans need to keep growing steadily to produce a large harvest. If growth slows down because the plant is ...

Researchers used a product made by native stingless bees to recover bioactive compounds, including caffeine, from chocolate manufacturing waste. The method increases the nutritional and commercial value of a material that is typically discarded. Researchers at the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in São Paulo, Brazil have created a new product that blends honey from native stingless bees with cocoa bean shells, a byproduct of chocolate manufacturing. The resulting mixture can be eaten on its own or incorporated into foods and cosmetic formulations. Their findings were published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, which highlighted the study on its cover Turning cocoa waste into value Instead of using conventional chemical solvents, the team relied on native bee honey as an edible extraction medium. Using an ultrasound-assisted process, they were able to draw out stimulant compounds such as theobromine and caffeine from cocoa bean shells. These compounds ar...

Saint Francis of Assisi’s skeleton is going on full public display from Sunday for the first time, in a move that is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors. Inside a nitrogen-filled case with the Latin inscription “Corpus Sancti Francisci” (the body of Saint Francis), the remains are being shown in the Italian hillside town’s Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. St Francis, who died on 3 October 1226, founded the Franciscan order after renouncing his wealth and devoting his life to the poor Giulio Cesareo, the director of communications for the Franciscan convent in Assisi, said he hoped the display could be “a meaningful experience” for believers and non-believers alike. Cesareo, a Franciscan friar, said the “damaged” and “consumed” state of the bones showed that St Francis “gave himself completely” to his life’s work. His remains, which will be on display until 22 March, were transferred to the basilica built in the saint’s honour in 12...

Scientists have used lab-grown microbes to bind loose desert sand into a thin, stable layer that wind cannot easily blow away. That stronger surface gives restoration teams time to plant shrubs and grasses before harsh winds and heat wipe out young plants A CRUST TAKES HOLD On straw checkerboards laid across northwest China, a dark film spread over treated sand and stayed after seasonal dust storms. Tracking those plots through heat and frost, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) documented how fast the film hardened In trials near the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang in northwest China, CAS teams saw crusts stabilize sand within 10 to 16 months. Even with that speed, planners focused on building the soil base first, so later plants could survive without constant replanting. MEET ANCIENT CIANOBACTERIA Long before forests existed, cyanobacteria, sunlight-powered bacteria that thrive in harsh places, likely appeared about 3.5 billion years ago. Using sunlight and air, many stra...

If you go to the gym often, you might have been told you shouldn't lift weights in runners. The common belief is it is bad for your performance and can lead to injuries. But is this really the case? Let's unpack the science What your feet are doing when you lift Your feet are key to exercising safely and effectively. When you walk and run, they act like a springs and  help propel  you forward with each step. Your feet also help you  maintain balance  by supporting your weight. When you lift any amount of weight (for example, doing compound exercises such as squats) your feet are working hard to keep you stable – even if you're not thinking much about them. Researchers have also suggested having a stable foot helps you push more  efficiently into the ground . This may increase the amount of weight you can safely lift. But what you wear on your feet may also contribute to this. Can't I just wear runners? Unsurprisingly, given their name, running shoes ...