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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 8 hours ago

Scientists achieve record-breaking low temperature on China's space station, paving the way for new physics experiments
A rubidium Bose–Einstein condensate produced in an optical trap aboard Tiangong reached an equivalent temperature of 9.7 picokelvin, about four times below the previous record. Its expansion was tracked for 7 seconds, extending observation times for quantum experiments in microgravity.

Wei Xiong et al., Quantum gases below 10 picokelvin in space, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aea5324

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 8 hours ago

Noise pollution changes biology or behaviour in 80% of animal species studied

We live in a noisy world. Whether it is the roar of traffic, the rumble of ships or the hum of heavy industry, there is often no escaping noise unless you are a hermit on a desert island.
Noise pollution is already known as a health risk to humans and has been linked to heart attacks, type 2 diabetes and other conditions. But it is also bad news for the animal kingdom, as a new study published in the journal Science reports.

Earlier studies have demonstrated how noise can affect individual animals, causing problems such as stress and changes in communication. What has been missing, though, is a clear understanding of how it affects entire animal populations and food webs.

To try and understand the bigger picture, researchers gathered data from 214 experimental studies covering 177 species. This included information on how noise affects body functions, development, behaviour, survival and reproduction, abundance, and predator-prey interactions.

They analyzed studies comparing animals exposed to human-made noise with control groups, while accounting for evolutionary relationships among species. This was important because closely related animals often react similarly just because they share a family tree. They needed to make sure those shared traits didn't skew the results.
They found that in 80% of the species studied, noise affected at least one aspect of body function, development or behavior. For example, the paper notes that noise can trigger increased cellular stress and elevated stress hormones in animals and alter physical development. But there were some positive findings too.

"These responses can create winners and losers among species, reshaping ecosystem dynamics," wrote the researchers in their study. They explained that these shifts can alter the balance of nature, which could change how different creatures survive and interact in a louder world.

For example, a loser would be a struggling predator missing out on a meal because noise interferes with its hunting success. But a winner could be another predator benefiting when noise drives prey animals out of their shelters and into the open, making them easier to catch.

Despite some advantages, the overall effect of noise pollution on the animal kingdom appears to be a negative one. To tackle this, the researchers point to a possible solution. "Targeted acoustic management such as low-noise zones creating acoustic refugia offers actionable pathways for mitigating these impacts."

Hansjoerg P. Kunc et al., Echoes of the Anthropocene: Noise pollution as a global threat, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.adu9593

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 8 hours ago

However, computer simulations strengthened the suggestion of cause and effect. Their models showed that when suspended microplastics were present in the water, they scattered light in ways that produced a brightening pattern consistent with what satellites observed. This occurred in just 3% of simulations involving only natural changes, compared with 13% when microplastics were also included.

The researchers note that while natural changes in plankton populations or dissolved organic matter could theoretically cause a similar colour shift, doing so would require unusually drastic ecological changes.

If the microplastics are contributing to the colour change, the researchers think satellite ocean-colour measurements could be a valuable diagnostic tool to assess and monitor their accumulation from space. "Clear evidence of the scale of microscopic pollution is essential to address the growing use and mismanagement of plastics."

Shea Cheatham et al., The ocean's color is changing near the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, Communications Earth & Environment (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-026-04071-0

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 8 hours ago

Microplastic pollution could be changing the colour of the Pacific Ocean

Our oceans have effectively become trash dumps where massive quantities of plastic end up. So much so, in fact, that the largest offshore plastic accumulation zone has been labelled the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

In new research published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, scientists investigated whether decades of plastic pollution are changing the color of the ocean near this patch. And what they found could give us a new way to monitor plastic pollution at sea.

Microplastics are formed when larger plastic items break down over time or are intentionally manufactured at that microscopic size. Either way, tracking them is remarkably difficult. While it is relatively easy to spot large floating debris from far away, microplastics can be as small as a fraction of a micrometer. They are nearly impossible to scoop out at scale or detect using standard satellite infrared tools. So a completely different strategy is needed.
Instead of trying to spot floating litter directly, scientists realized they could look at the colour of oceans. That's because it is influenced by what is dissolved or suspended in the water, including plankton, organic matter and potentially plastic particles.
Building on this idea, researchers examined three separate 20-year sets of satellite data (from 2002 to 2022) covering the region around the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, located in the eastern North Pacific Ocean.

The research team found that areas in and around this zone had become progressively brighter in blue and green light over time. This was noticeably different from waters farther away, which did not show the same shift.
That being said, they could not link the color change directly to microplastics from the satellite images alone. "The observation of spectral brightening consistent with a modeled increase in suspended microplastic concentration does not, in itself, indicate that microplastics are the root cause of the perceived brightening," wrote the study authors.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Why do blind people and musicians hear pitch better? New research suggests they have less internal noise
Early-blind participants showed better pitch discrimination, but not tone detection in noise, than sighted participants. Modelling linked enhanced pitch discrimination in early blindness and musical training to lower internal noise, indicating more consistent auditory processing rather than greater frequency selectivity.

original article.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Hot homes cause heart strain in older people
In 47 adults aged 65 or older, indoor temperatures ≥26°C were associated with heart rate increases of 1.3 beats/min per °C, nearly twice the rate below this threshold. Cardiovascular strain persisted for hours after heat exposure. Indoor temperature, rather than humidity, was the main correlate of strain.

Indoor temperatures above 26°C (79 degrees Fahrenheit) increased cardiovascular stress in older adults, with their heart rate increasing almost twice as rapidly as it did at temperatures below 26°C (79 degrees Fahrenheit).

The research provided real-world evidence that hot homes were a health issue, not just a comfort issue.
Indoor heat exposure can place substantial strain on the heart and can remain this way for up to several hours after exposure, suggesting cardiovascular strain accumulates and persists even after the mercury begins to fall.
The results reinforced the World Health Organization's temperature recommendations and highlighted the need for improved housing design, affordable cooling solutions, targeted heat-health messaging and support for heat-vulnerable populations.

Fergus K. O'Connor et al., Indoor temperatures above 26 °C impose disproportionate cardiovascular strain on older adults, Temperature (2026). DOI: 10.1080/23328940.2026.2750778

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

Replacing dairy products with unfortified plant-based alternatives could lead to deficiencies in certain nutrients
UK dietary modelling indicated that replacing dairy with plant-based alternatives at current fortification levels reduced iodine, calcium, riboflavin and vitamin B12 intakes. Fortifying alternatives prevented these declines, while adding iodine-fortified bread further reduced iodine inadequacy.

The impact of replacing dairy products with plant-based dairy alternatives on iodine and other micronutrients: a modelling study and evaluation of policy options to support population intake, The Lancet Planetary Health (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.lanplh.2026.101515

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

AI helps scientists discover new sugar substitutes

Machine learning and molecular docking screened 50.7 million compounds and prioritized 92 potential sweeteners while filtering out predicted bitterness. Many candidates differ structurally from known sweeteners. Their sweetness, safety and suitability for food use require experimental validation.

Shayma El-Atawneh et al., Ligand-based prediction of novel sweetener candidates, Food Chemistry (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2026.151732

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

A self-charging toothbrush that generates electricity to kill bacteria while you brush

A lot of time and effort goes into toothbrush technology, whether changing bristle angles or tweaking and improving electric models. No matter the developments, they all essentially still do the same thing to a greater or lesser degree, which is using a mechanical scrubbing motion to clean teeth.
But an upgrade could soon be on the way. Scientists have developed a battery-free toothbrush that generates its own electricity to help kill plaque-causing bacteria as you clean.

To make a brush that produces its own electricity, the team first had to find the right material. They settled on a smart plastic called PVDF, which generates tiny electrical charges every time it bends and flexes. These microbursts of electricity react with water in the mouth to produce substances that are harmless to human cells but deadly to bacteria.
In their tests, the results were impressive. Plaque scores fell by about 40% in people using the experimental brushes, compared with roughly 15% in those using standard nylon brushes.
Volunteers using the experimental brushes also showed reduced gum inflammation and bleeding, along with a lower relative abundance of several disease-associated bacteria.

Yanhui Lu et al., Self-charged toothbrush facilitates tooth healthcare maintenance, Science Advances (2026). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aeg5744

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa yesterday

The difference was even greater for noncalcified plaque, the softer, fat-rich deposits more prone to rupture, which shrank by 28.2% versus 20%. Noncalcified plaque regressed in 51 out of 52 patients receiving combination therapy, compared with 39 people on standard treatment. Calcified plaque volume, however, increased modestly in both groups, which indicated plaque stabilization, where dangerous soft-core lipids are depleted and replaced by stable calcium deposits.

The results show that existing artery plaque is not necessarily permanent and can be reversed with aggressive cholesterol-lowering treatment, but only further investigation can tell whether the greater reduction translates into fewer cardiovascular events.

Martin Bødtker Mortensen et al., Intensive vs More Intensive Lipid-Lowering Therapy and Plaque Regression in Statin-Naive Patients, JAMA Cardiology (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamacardio.2026.4788

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