Smartwatch AI Detects High Blood Pressure Without a Traditional Cuff

Researchers have demonstrated that artificial intelligence can identify signs of hypertension using an ordinary consumer smartwatch, potentially making cardiovascular screening more accessible. The system analyzes optical sensor signals collected at the wrist rather than directly measuring blood pressure with an inflatable cuff. In a validation study involving 196 participants, researchers compared its performance with conventional office measurements, using 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring as the reference standard. The smartwatch detected hypertension with 65.8% sensitivity, compared with 55.3% for office screening, although the difference was not statistically significant. Both methods achieved approximately 90% specificity. Published in Nature and reported November 6, the findings suggest that wearables could help identify people who might otherwise remain undiagnosed. The technology cannot yet replace standard blood pressure measurements. (Medical Xpress)

Ancient Siberian Tomb Reveals Possible Evidence of Cannabis Use 2,800 Years Ago

Archaeologists investigating a royal burial mound in southern Siberia have uncovered evidence suggesting that people consumed cannabis for its psychoactive effects approximately 2,800 years ago. Excavations at the Scythian-era Tunnug 1 site revealed more than 1,000 cannabis seeds deliberately deposited in a tomb, alongside preserved human hair containing chemical evidence interpreted as indicating cannabis exposure. Published in Science and reported November 6, the findings could push back the earliest documented psychoactive cannabis use in the region by roughly 300 years. However, the interpretation remains contested. Some specialists argue that chemical traces in the hair might reflect environmental contamination rather than consumption. Researchers also cannot determine whether the cannabis was smoked, inhaled through other means or ingested. The discovery offers a potentially important glimpse into ancient ritual and cultural practices. (AP News)

Quantum Computer Recreates a Fundamental Effect of Electromagnetism

Physicists at the University of Oxford have used a trapped-ion quantum computer to simulate the Aharonov–Bohm effect, a remarkable quantum phenomenon in which particles respond to electromagnetic potentials even when traveling through regions without a local magnetic field. The researchers constructed a miniature lattice gauge theory using two trapped ions, with their electronic states representing gauge fields and their vibrations representing matter. By creating a closed loop and encoding magnetic flux in entangled qubits, they demonstrated how the flux changes a particle’s interference pattern. Published in Nature Physics and discussed November 7, the experiment represents progress toward quantum simulations of the fundamental forces governing matter. Although the current system is small enough to simulate classically, larger versions could eventually tackle calculations beyond the reach of conventional computers. (Phys.org)

Warming British Seas Could Disrupt Entire Marine Food Webs by 2050

Climate change could fundamentally reorganize marine ecosystems around Britain and the northeastern Atlantic, according to a four-year study led by the UK’s Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. Researchers combined long-term ecological observations with machine-learning models to project how warming waters might affect different marine organisms. Under a scenario reaching approximately 3°C of global warming by 2100, fish and seabed invertebrate diversity could increase by roughly 12% by mid-century, while phytoplankton diversity declines by 3% and zooplankton diversity falls by 7%. This imbalance could leave more predators competing for a less diverse food supply, threatening fisheries and ecosystem stability. Reported November 5, the findings challenge assumptions that rising biodiversity in temperate seas necessarily improves ecological health. The projections remain dependent on future emissions and environmental conditions. (The Guardian)

NASA’s Swift Telescope Falls to Earth After 22 Years Studying Cosmic Explosions

NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has reentered Earth’s atmosphere, ending a 22-year mission that transformed astronomers’ understanding of some of the universe’s most violent events. The spacecraft, launched in 2004 for an expected two-year mission, returned to Earth on November 4 near North Sumatra, Indonesia, after increased solar activity accelerated its orbital decay. Equipped with gamma-ray, X-ray and ultraviolet/optical instruments, Swift observed thousands of cosmic explosions, including gamma-ray bursts produced by collapsing massive stars and merging compact objects. Its rapid detection and alert system enabled telescopes around the world to study fleeting astronomical events before they disappeared. A planned robotic mission to boost its orbit did not succeed. Although Swift is gone, its extensive observations will continue supporting research into black holes, stellar explosions and the changing universe. (NASA ScienceAP News)

Scientists Discover Autism-Linked Genetic Changes in Overlooked DNA Regions

Researchers at the University of Toronto and collaborating institutions have identified previously overlooked genetic regions that may help explain autism spectrum disorder. Analyzing more than 100 terabytes of RNA sequencing data, scientists discovered over 1,500 previously unidentified microexons, tiny gene segments that influence how proteins are assembled. Nearly 300 showed brain-specific activity. The team then developed a machine-learning model to predict how genetic variants affect microexon regulation. Applying the model to genomic data from thousands of autistic individuals and their siblings revealed rare variants associated with altered microexon splicing, particularly among people without previously identified genetic explanations. Published in Nature and reported November 6, the findings could improve understanding of autism’s complex genetic architecture. However, the predictions require further functional validation before clinical applications become possible. (University of Toronto)

Ancient Maya Civilization Left Behind Widespread Mercury Pollution

Scientists have discovered evidence that toxic mercury contamination was more widespread across ancient Maya settlements than previously recognized. Researchers analyzed sediment cores from lakes near Cobá and Xcach on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, identifying several periods of elevated mercury concentrations between approximately AD 125 and 820. The contamination likely originated from cinnabar, a mercury-rich red mineral widely used in ceremonial objects, murals and burials. Biological evidence preserved in the sediments revealed declines or disappearances among bacteria, algae, cyanobacteria, shelled organisms and aquatic insects, suggesting contamination affected multiple levels of the food web. Published in Science Advances and reported November 6, the findings raise questions about ancient environmental health and possible human exposure through water and fish. Researchers caution that mercury pollution cannot currently be linked directly to the collapse of Maya cities. (Reuters)

Genetic Discovery Suggests Anorexia May Also Originate Outside the Brain

A newly identified genetic association suggests that anorexia nervosa may involve biological processes outside the brain, challenging traditional explanations focused primarily on psychiatric and neurological mechanisms. Researchers working with Michigan State University examined the protein-coding DNA of 154 patients with anorexia who had strong family histories, difficult treatment courses or unusual clinical characteristics. Seventeen patients, approximately 11%, carried rare potentially damaging variants of PLIN4, compared with about 3% of a reference population. The gene is primarily active in fat and muscle tissue and helps regulate cellular fat storage. Published in Frontiers in Psychiatry and reported November 5, the findings suggest altered energy metabolism may contribute to susceptibility in some individuals. However, the selected patient group was small, and independent replication is essential before drawing broader conclusions. (MSUToday)

New Imaging Technique Reveals Exoplanet Hidden in James Webb Data

Astronomers have developed a new computational technique that can reveal planets concealed by the overwhelming brightness of their host stars. The method, called Physics-based Learning for Imaging Planets, or FLIP, combines physical models of telescope optics with machine-learning techniques to remove residual starlight and instrumental distortions from James Webb Space Telescope observations. Researchers tested the approach using observations of three stars and successfully recovered the giant exoplanet 51 Eridani b, approximately 97 light-years from Earth. Although the planet had previously been discovered using ground-based telescopes, it had remained obscured in Webb’s observations. Published November 4 in Nature and reported November 6, the advance could improve astronomers’ ability to detect faint planets resembling those in our Solar System. No previously unknown planet was confirmed in this demonstration. (Live Science)

Chemists Solve 60-Year Mystery by Creating Once-Elusive Molecules

Chemists have succeeded in isolating stable examples of oxoboranes, unusual boron-oxygen compounds that researchers had struggled to capture for more than six decades. Scientists at Germany’s University of Würzburg, collaborating with computational chemists at India’s Tezpur University, discovered the compounds unexpectedly while investigating reactions between a diboracumulene and ordinary ketones. Instead of producing only the anticipated products, the reactions generated orange and yellow solids containing the elusive molecules. The researchers successfully prepared three different oxoboranes featuring an unusual triple bond between boron and oxygen. Published in Nature Chemistry and reported November 6, the achievement resolves a longstanding problem in molecular chemistry and opens opportunities to investigate previously inaccessible bonding arrangements. Whether these compounds will have practical applications remains unknown, but the synthesis could inspire methods for creating other unusual molecules. (ScienceDaily)

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