Scientists have discovered a remarkable “Pac-Man enzyme” that helps bacteria devour certain types of plastic and may offer new hope in the fight against plastic pollution. Researchers found that several biodegradable plastics completely broke down in soil within about a year, while conventional plastic remained largely unchanged.| More info

Scientists have uncovered a surprising secret behind a mushroom disease that has frustrated growers for more than a century: It involves more than 17 species of harmful bacteria, not just one. The discovery could explain why treatments have struggled to stop the disease and open the door to more effective, eco-friendly solutions.| More info

Scientists have discovered that E-cadherin, a protein best known as the “glue” holding cells and tissues together, has a surprising second job: helping epithelial cells swallow nearby dead cells. Using live zebrafish and mouse embryos, researchers found that cells can dramatically reshape their lower surfaces to engulf cellular debris while keeping their upper surfaces stable, allowing protective barriers to remain sealed.| More info

Scientists probing life’s deepest origins have uncovered evidence that the first free-living cells may have emerged not once, but twice. The findings suggest a striking possibility: life may share one ancient genetic code, yet have undergone two separate transitions into free-living existence.| More info

Before seedlings can photosynthesize, they depend on fatty acids—and on peroxisomes to process them. Researchers discovered that the protein PEX11 not only helps these structures divide but also controls their size during early growth. When key genes were altered, peroxisomes grew abnormally large, suggesting internal vesicles normally keep them in balance. Remarkably, a yeast version of the protein fixed the problem, pointing to a deeply conserved mechanism across species.| More info

Nanowerk's expanded gift guide features 38 unusual science gifts, from glowing plankton and ferrofluid to real meteorites and scientific curiosities.| More info

Simulations reveal how temperature changes the vapor chemistry of silicon carbide, offering a way to optimize crystal growth for power electronics while reducing costly trial-and-error experiments.| More info

A new review explores how artificial intelligence, advanced simulations, and inverse design could enable larger optical metasurfaces for next-generation lenses, holography, and imaging systems.| More info

Flexible films combining conductive nanomaterials achieve electromagnetic shielding above 100 decibels, demonstrating a scalable approach to protecting sensitive electronics from electromagnetic interference.| More info

A quantum gas microscope reveals Mott insulating behavior and competing magnetic correlations in the first three-component Hubbard system with tunable interactions, advancing quantum simulations of complex materials.| More info