Secret to a healthy liver found in a young microbiome

human microbiome inside gut
Credit: AI-generated image

Restoring the gut microbiome to its youthful state may hold the key to slowing aging and preventing liver cancer, one of the fastest-growing cancers worldwide, according to a study to be presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW 2026).

Researchers collected fecal samples from eight young mice and transplanted them back into the same mice when they were older, a process called fecal microbiota transplantation, or FMT. The eight controls received sterilized fecal slurry, and a small group of similar young mice provided additional baseline data.

None of the mice with the restored microbiome developed liver cancer by the end of the study, while liver cancer was found in 2 out of 8 aging controls...

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AI has crossed a threshold. What Claude Mythos means for the future of cybersecurity

Frontier AI Sandbox
Credit: Image generated by the editorial team using AI for illustrative purposes.

The limit of what artificial intelligence can achieve, known as frontier AI, has crossed another threshold. AI can now plan and execute sophisticated cyber operations with minimal guidance at speeds far beyond human capability.

That, at least, is the evidence from an independent test of Claude Mythos Preview, the latest and most advanced model in the Claude family of AI systems, developed by US tech firm Anthropic. Similar to ChatGPT, these can understand and generate human-like text, analyze information, and solve complex problems.

The finance sector is alarmed. It relies on highly interconnected digital systems that are especially attractive targets for sophisticated cyber-attacks...

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3I/ATLAS contains 30 times more semi-heavy water than comets in our solar system

This artist’s impression compares the semi-heavy water content of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS (left) and Earth (right). Insets illustrate the relative abundance of deuterated water (HDO) molecules, showing that 3I/ATLAS contains over 30 times more HDO than is found in Earth’s oceans. This elevated ratio suggests the comet formed in an extremely cold environment, very different from the conditions that shaped our Solar System.
Credit: NSF/AUI/NSF NRAO/M.Weiss

New observations of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS include the first measurement of the abundance of deuterated water relative to ordinary water in an interstellar object...

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Scientists discover skincare compound that kills drug-resistant bacteria

A popular Korean skincare ingredient may be far more powerful than anyone realized. Scientists have discovered that madecassic acid—derived from the herb Centella asiatica—can stop antibiotic-resistant bacteria in their tracks, including dangerous strains of Ecoli. By targeting a bacterial protein that humans don’t have, the compound disrupts the microbes’ ability to survive, making it a promising new type of antibiotic.

Madecassic acid is widely known in Korean skincare as a calming “hero ingredient,” but new research suggests it may have a much bigger role to play. Scientists at the University of Kent have found that this plant-derived compound could help fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria, one of the most pressing global health threats.

Working with colleagues at Uni...

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