Scientists decipher how two bacterial species cooperate to avoid being eaten
Pseudomonas and Paenibacillus bacteria cooperate to evade amoeba predation by modifying the lipopeptide syringafactin. Pseudomonas produces syringafactin, which Paenibacillus activates via DL peptidases, converting it into an amoeba-toxic compound. This mechanism highlights a specific enzymatic cleavage of D/L-configured lipopeptides, aiding future natural product analysis and anti-infective development.

Shuaibing Zhang et al, Microbial _DL-Peptidases Enable Predator Defense and Facilitate Structure Elucidation of Complex Natural Products, Journal of the American Chemical Society (2026). DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5c17955

How did humans develop sharp vision? Lab-grown retinas show likely answer
Sharp human vision develops in early fetal life through the combined action of retinoic acid, which limits blue cone formation, and thyroid hormones, which convert blue cones into red and green cones in the foveola. This process establishes the unique cone distribution essential for high-acuity vision and may inform future therapies for retinal diseases.

Katarzyna A. Hussey et al, A cell fate specification and transition mechanism for human foveolar cone subtype patterning, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2510799123

Science academies failing to put women at the top
Women now comprise about 19% of science academy members, up from 12% in 2015, but leadership roles remain largely male-dominated, with only one in five academies chaired by a woman and nearly half lacking women as vice-presidents or co-chairs. Women are 2.5 times more likely than men to report discrimination or harassment, and institutional mechanisms to address misconduct are often viewed as inadequate.

National science organizations may have more women members today than a decade ago, but representation at the highest level has failed to keep pace, according to analysis published on International Day of Women and Girls in Science.

The International Science Council (ISC), InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and Standing Committee for Gender Equality in Science (SCGES) looked at data from 136 scientific organizations and surveyed nearly 600 scientists to get a picture of gender equality across science academies and unions worldwide.

They found that women made up around 19% of science academy members in 2025–up from 12% in 2015. But only one in five academies was chaired by a woman and almost half had no women as vice-presidents or co-chairs, representing a "very limited increase" in the last decade and no progress in the last five years, according to their report.

Science academies play a role in shaping research agendas and standards across different disciplines and advising policymakers.

On paper, most science organizations promote themselves as open and inclusive, with election procedures based on academic merit. But informal networks persist that determine who is put forward for leadership roles, the report suggests.

Additionally, women are 2.5 times more likely than men to report experiences of discrimination or harassment within scientific organizations and show less confidence in organizational mechanisms to address misconduct, it says.

Towards gender equality in scientific organization: assessment and recommendations. www.interacademies.org/publica … -and-recommendations

Carolina Espinosa Luna et al, Economías de legitimidad abusiva: explicación sociológica de la violencia académica contra mujeres, Estudios Sociológicos de El Colegio de México (2026). DOI: 10.24201/es.2026v44.e2873