New research suggests the immune system has its own daily cycle

The brain's immune defenses, particularly in the olfactory bulb, exhibit daily rhythms, with antiviral gene expression peaking around dusk. Immune responses and microglial activity vary depending on the time of pathogen exposure, indicating that circadian timing influences susceptibility to respiratory infections and related neurological effects.
New research reveals that the brain's immune defenses operate on a daily schedule, a finding with potential implications for how we think about respiratory infections and their neurological consequences.
The study shows that the mouse olfactory bulb, a brain region directly connected to the nasal cavity and a known entry point for viruses like influenza and herpes simplex, rhythmically ramps up antiviral gene expression around dusk, and mounts markedly different immune responses to a nasal viral mimic depending on time of day.
The team also found distinct subpopulations of microglia, the brain's resident immune cells, whose responses varied with the timing of the challenge.
The findings suggest that when a person is exposed to a respiratory pathogen, it may matter as much as the pathogen itself and could help explain why shift workers and others with disrupted circadian rhythms face elevated risks of infection and inflammatory disease.

Gregory L. Pearson et al, Time of day alters olfactory bulb immune state with ramifications for intranasal inflammatory challenge, Cell Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117133

Study suggests people are losing 338 spoken words every year and have been for at least 15 years
Analysis of spoken word counts from 2005 to 2019 indicates a consistent annual decline of 338 words per person, with daily averages dropping from about 16,000 to 12,700 words. The reduction is more pronounced in younger adults and is attributed to fewer incidental face-to-face interactions, likely influenced by technology. The trend is observed in Western societies, with unknown global applicability.

Valeria A. Pfeifer et al, Sliding Into Silence? We Are Speaking 300 Daily Words Fewer Every Year, Perspectives on Psychological Science (2026). DOI: 10.1177/17456916261425131

Quantum physics can confirm where someone is located

Scammers and spies beware: Scientists have uncovered a way to verify someone’s location using the weird world of quantum mechanics. The experimental technique makes use of a phenomenon called entanglement, in which properties of two subatomic particles are linked no matter how much distance lies between them.
How does quantum verification work? The method involves two people who are seeking to verify the location of a third party in between them. The verifiers each send the person a random number, and one verifier sends half of an entangled pair of photons. The person being checked out needs to use the random numbers to measure their photon at the same time as the verifier. If this person is where they claim to be, a series of such measurements should show a strong correlation with measurements of the photons taken by the verifier. If an imposter at a different location intercepts the photon, the correlation won't be as strong, indicating that something is awry.
Reliably verifying someone’s location from afar is no easy task in the modern era. If this method pans out, one day quantum weirdness could help prevent certain types of phishing attacks, or it could ensure that only people inside a secure facility can send certain messages or commands.

Abigail Gookin et al. Device-Independent Quantum Position Verification. Global Physics Summit, Denver, March 18, 2026.

G.A. Kavuri et al. Quantum Position Verification with Remote Untrusted Devices. arXiv:2601.16892. Submitted on January 23, 2026.