Researchers at Kyushu University have found that stars in the early universe may have formed from “fluffy” molecular clouds. Using the ALMA telescope to observe the Small Magellanic Cloud—whose environment is similar to the early universe—they observed that about 60% of the observed clouds had the common filamentary structure, while the remaining 40% had a “fluffy” shape. Thes results could provide new insights into the formation of stars in the universe.

The melting ice from glaciers worldwide is leading to an increased loss of regional freshwater resources. And it is causing global sea levels to rise at ever-greater rates. Since the year 2000, glaciers have been losing 273 billion tons of ice annually, according to estimates by an international research community led by researchers of the University of Zurich.

The 2025 Finalists of the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the United Kingdom were announced today. They include:

­­­Life Sciences Finalists

Nicholas R. Casewell, PhD - Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine – a toxinologist, uses molecular and biochemical approaches to understand variations in snake venom toxins to identify new treatment strategies for snakebite envenoming, a neglected tropical disease.

Andrew M. Saxe, PhD - University College London – a neuroscientist, has developed mathematical analyses illuminating learning mechanisms in artificial and biological systems, advancing AI understanding and insights into memory-related neurological diseases.

Christopher Stewart, PhD - Newcastle University – a microbiologist, has developed novel microbiome-based approaches to prevent necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), the leading cause of death in preterm infants around the world.

Chemical Sciences Finalists

Liam T. Ball, PhD - University of Nottingham – an organic chemist, is developing efficient methods for the safe and sustainable synthesis of molecules vital to healthcare and agriculture.

Brianna R. Heazlewood, PhD - University of Liverpool – a physical chemist, has developed instruments that characterise complex chemical reactions at extremely cold temperatures, providing new insights into the chemistry of space and other challenging environments.

Chunxiao Song, PhD - University of Oxford – a chemical biologist, is developing a state-of-the-art sequencing method to detect DNA and RNA modifications, enabling early cancer detection and leading to the founding of a $410 million biotech company.

Physical Sciences & Engineering Finalists

Benjamin J.W. Mills, PhD - University of Leeds – a biogeochemist, is developing long-timescale models of the Earth, linking geology and biology and giving insight into our planet's connected atmospheric and geologic history, co-evolution of life and the Earth, the future of our planet, and the habitability of other worlds.

Hannah Price, PhD, University of Birmingham – a theoretical physicist, has authored groundbreaking theories and innovative experimental collaborations employing synthetic analogues to simulate higher dimensions, giving insight into physics with more than three spatial dimensions, including the fourth dimension.

Filip Rindler, DPhil – The University of Warwick – a mathematician, has developed the first rigorous theory describing how crystalline materials, like metals, deform through microscopic defects called dislocations. This theory advances foundational mathematics and opens new research avenues in materials science.

Astrophysicists used the JWST to observe central supermassive black hole for 48 hours total across one year. They found the accretion disk is constantly emitting flares without periods of rest. Shorter, faint flares and longer, bright flares appear to be generated by separate processes.

Astronomers have peered through the atmosphere of a planet beyond the Solar System, mapping its 3D structure for the first time. By combining all four telescope units of the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT), they found powerful winds carrying chemical elements like iron and titanium, creating intricate weather patterns across the planet’s atmosphere. The discovery opens the door for detailed studies of the chemical makeup and weather of other alien worlds.

Lobster-eye satellite Einstein Probe captured the X-ray flash from a very elusive celestial pair. The discovery opens a new way to explore how massive stars interact and evolve, confirming the unique power of the mission to uncover fleeting X-ray sources in the sky.