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1. Most effective migraine drugs revealed by review of trial data
   A meta-analysis of 137 clinical trials finds triptan drugs are among the most effective for treating migraines, while newer ditan and gepant drugs were rated less highly
2. Giant rats trained to sniff out illegal wildlife trade
   African giant pouched rats proved adept at detecting four commonly trafficked products derived from endangered species including rhino horn and elephant ivory
3. The cactus family’s surprising evolutionary journey
   We are finally untangling the ancient history of the cactus family, revealing some surprising forces that shaped these plants – ­­­­­­and prompting concern for their future
4. Strange binary star system has three Earth-sized exoplanets
   Exoplanets in binary star systems usually orbit both stars, but astronomers have now spotted three planets orbiting one or the other star in a pair
5. Bird flu virus that infected a person in Missouri had a rare mutation
   Genetic analysis of a bird flu virus detected in a person in Missouri who didn’t previously have contact with animals offers more details on the case, but experts say there isn’t substantial evidence to suggest human-to-human transmission is happening
6. Light has been seen leaving an atom cloud before it entered
   Particles of light can spend "negative time" passing through a cloud of extremely cold atoms – without breaking the laws of physics
7. A Declaration on Future Generations could bring the changes we need
   Committing countries to safeguarding the needs and interests of the citizens of tomorrow, a new Declaration on Future Generations could be as transformational as 1948's Universal Declaration of Human Rights, says Thomas Hale, author of Long Problems
8. Current laws cannot protect civilians in space if something goes wrong
   As the space industry evolves, we need a new set of international regulations to decide who is responsible for safety, the number of satellites in space, and more
9. Ig Nobel prizes 2024: The unexpected science that won this year
   From drunk worms to mammals that breath through their anuses, founder Marc Abrahams on the winners of this year's Ig Nobel prizes, for science that "makes people laugh, then think"
10. We physicists could learn a lot by stepping beyond our specialisms
    A recent atomic physics workshop was outside my dark matter comfort zone, but learning about science beyond my usual boundaries was invigorating, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein