Mining the CRBN target space redefines rules for molecular glue–induced neosubstrate recognition - Science | AAAS

Scientists have identified a remarkable protein switch that influences whether cells burn fat or store it. Disabling this protein increases fat consumption and interferes with the formation of new fat cells, raising the possibility of a different approach to treating obesity. Subsequent research has strengthened the discovery, revealing that the same protein helps regulate how much energy the body burns. What if one of the keys to fighting obesity lies not in suppressing appetite, but in changing how the body's cells use energy?

The tiny remains of the Laurentide Ice Sheet began getting somewhat less tiny. Baffin Island is a good location for ice sheets to spend their retirement.

New aquabot offers a way to design small, efficient “biohybrid” robots. Continue reading MIT’s paper-thin robot swims with power from living cells on Tech Explorist .

Five spooky skywatching targets perfect for naked eye stargazing this Halloween!

s reveals how a severely bleached coral can regain its colour, offering a fascinating glimpse into the recovery processes of these vulnerable marine animals. The images, captured over nine weeks by underwater photographer and researcher Danny Collins, document the transformation of a coral from a ghostly white appearance to a rich golden-brown, with its individual polyps becoming increasingly visible.

Oct 24, 2026 5:00 AMThe Webb telescope sees tiny red dots everywhere. Astronomers can’t agree on what they are, but some believe they may be enormous stars with black holes inside. Courtesy of Mark Belan/Quanta MagazineThe original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. Astronomers built the James Webb Space Telescope to pick up faint light from the first billion years after the Big Bang, a chaotic era when vast swaths of hydrogen and helium gas gathered into the chains of galaxies we see today. Even in the telescope’s first images, astronomers could see a whole zoo of mysterious smears of light. One batch of objects proved especially difficult to interpret. They glowed blindingly bright, emitting red light with long wavelengths and shining as brilliantly as a whole galaxy. They were tiny, spanning just a pixel. And they were everywhere. A couple appear in almost every image Webb takes. In 2023, researchers started calling them “little red dots.” Astronomers have repeatedly pointed Webb toward the little red dots, wringing precious new information from these pixels of light. Initially, researchers thought the dots looked kind of like galaxies.