Science Daily

1. The deep ocean has a missing link and scientists finally found it

   Scientists have uncovered why big predators like sharks spend so much time in the ocean’s twilight zone. The answer lies with mid-sized fish such as the bigscale pomfret, which live deep during the day and rise at night to feed, linking deep and surface food webs. Using satellite tags, researchers tracked these hard-to-study fish for the first time. Their movements shift with water clarity, potentially altering entire ocean food chains.

2. Zombie worms are missing and scientists are alarmed

   When researchers lowered whale bones into the deep ocean, they expected zombie worms to quickly move in. Instead, after 10 years, none appeared — an unsettling result tied to low-oxygen waters in the region. These worms play a key role in breaking down whale remains and supporting deep-sea life. Their absence hints that climate-driven oxygen loss could unravel entire whale-fall ecosystems.

3. A rare cancer-fighting plant compound has finally been decoded

   UBC Okanagan researchers have uncovered how plants create mitraphylline, a rare natural compound linked to anti-cancer effects. By identifying two key enzymes that shape and twist molecules into their final form, the team solved a puzzle that had stumped scientists for years. The discovery could make it far easier to produce mitraphylline and related compounds sustainably. It also highlights plants as master chemists with untapped medical potential.

4. Hidden heat beneath Greenland could change sea level forecasts

   Scientists have built the most detailed 3D models yet of temperatures deep beneath Greenland. The results reveal uneven heat hidden below the ice, shaped by Greenland’s ancient path over a volcanic hotspot. This underground warmth affects how the ice sheet moves and melts today. Understanding it could sharpen predictions of future sea level rise.

5. How Earth endured a planet-wide inferno: The secret water vault under our feet

   When Earth was a molten inferno, water may have been locked safely underground rather than lost to space. Researchers discovered that bridgmanite deep in the mantle can store far more water at high temperatures than previously believed. During Earth’s cooling, this hidden reservoir could have held water volumes comparable to today’s oceans. Over time, that buried water helped drive geology and rebuild the planet’s surface environment.