Comment

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 2, 2026 at 9:39am

The paper identifies two specific groups of researchers most likely to use AI for their writing. These were research teams from non-native English-speaking institutions and new entrants to the field with little experience of submitting to journals. However, using AI was associated with higher rejection rates.

Even some top business schools were not immune to getting some AI help. In fact, academics from institutions under strong pressure to publish showed a greater increase in AI-assisted submissions.

But it wasn't just the authors turning to AI. More than 30% of expert reviews submitted to the journal also used language models, a sharp increase from before ChatGPT.

The task force noted that these types of reviews are often narrower and less insightful than those written by humans. This is putting editors under more pressure as they have to spend time filtering out low-quality work. "AI is placing the peer-review system under stress that shows no signs of decreasing."
To improve the system, the journal suggests an overhaul of how research is valued. The focus should not be on the number of papers published but on the quality of the ideas.

Claudine Gartenberg et al, More Versus Better: Artificial Intelligence, Incentives, and the Emerging Crisis in Peer Review, Organization Science (2026). DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2026.ed.v37.n3

Part 2

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 2, 2026 at 9:38am

A leading journal finds that AI is flooding academic publishing with lower quality work

Artificial intelligence can undoubtedly help scientists with their academic papers by summarizing research and helping to improve writing. However, one downside is that it has led to a wave of poorly written submissions and reviews, according to a new study published in Organization Science.

The authors didn't pull their punches about what they are seeing: "AI language models, combined with strong publish-or-perish incentives, are pushing our field to produce more rather than better research."

This leading journal in the social sciences receives papers from authors at major universities, non-native English-speaking institutions, and research teams worldwide. Concerned by the impact of AI on the quality of submissions, the journal's AI task force, which is composed of some of its editors, conducted a sweeping review of its content.

The team analyzed nearly 7,000 submissions and more than 10,000 reviews from 2021 to 2026. They started the study in 2021, two years before the launch of ChatGPT, so they could easily compare the writing quality before and after the arrival of AI.

To look for AI's hand, they used the Pangram Ai detection tool, which identifies characteristic traces in the writing. Each paper was assigned a score from 0 (entirely human) to 1 (entirely AI). As well as examining published papers, the study also considered every submitted draft and private review written by other scientists. The task force also measured the quality of the writing using standard tests that check for readability and style.

The study found that since the arrival of ChatGPT, the volume of submissions had risen by 42%, and most of this appears to be a direct result of AI. By early 2026, a majority of manuscripts used AI to some degree. However, writing quality, which was measured by Flesch Reading Ease, had dropped, and papers were becoming harder to read.

Part 1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 2, 2026 at 6:33am

'Universal statistical laws governing culinary design', arXiv:2604....
Researchers analyzed over 100,000 recipes from around the world and found something quite surprising: cooking follows hidden statistical laws, much like language. Just as a few words dominate how we speak, a small set of ingredients appears again and again across cuisines. And as new recipes are created, they mostly reuse familiar ingredients rather than constantly introducing new ones. Even the structure of recipes shows a consistent pattern--longer recipes tend to use simpler ingredients. What this tells us is that cooking is not just a creative expression; it is a complex system shaped by universal principles. In a sense, every recipe is part of a shared ‘language of food’ that connects cultures across the world.”

Here is a plain-language explanation of the work: https://gist.science/paper/2604.28021?na=1 

and

https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.28021

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 1, 2026 at 12:21pm

Why feeling sick may be important for surviving infection
Sickness behaviors such as fatigue, loss of appetite, and social withdrawal may represent an adaptive, integrated immune response coordinated by brain–immune communication, rather than mere byproducts of infection. Disruption of this brain–immune axis is implicated in chronic conditions like long COVID and neuropsychiatric disorders. Understanding these mechanisms could inform more precise treatment strategies by distinguishing when symptom suppression is beneficial or detrimental to recovery.

https://www.cell.com/trends/immunology/fulltext/S1471-4906(26)00076-1

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 1, 2026 at 12:19pm

When promising cures collapse before they reach patients
Effective drug development and delivery depend on strong alignment between biotech innovators and pharmaceutical partners, particularly in experience, decision-making, and operational processes. Mismatched partnerships can cause delays or failures in bringing promising therapies to patients, while well-matched collaborations, as seen with Pfizer and BioNTech, facilitate rapid and successful drug deployment.

Stephan M Wagner et al, Experiences, Experience Gaps, and the Moderating Role of Technology Co-Development in Biotech–Pharma Partnerships, Production and Operations Management (2026). DOI: 10.1177/10591478261419268

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 1, 2026 at 12:13pm

The fascinating regional differences in birdsong
Birdsong exhibits both individual and regional variation, with many species displaying distinct dialects or "accents" based on geography and local learning. Song differences arise from learning processes, environmental factors such as urban noise and artificial light, and, in some cases, historical population changes. Urban birds often sing at higher pitches, with altered timing and structure compared to rural counterparts.

original article.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 1, 2026 at 12:00pm

Report links biodiversity collapse to risks for financial systems and food security
Biodiversity loss, climate shocks, and geopolitical conflicts are destabilizing food systems, increasing food prices, and threatening long-term food security and financial stability. Chronic pressures such as soil degradation, water scarcity, and pollinator decline reduce crop yields, while acute shocks like trade disruptions and extreme weather exacerbate volatility. Urgent integration of nature-related risks into financial and policy decisions is recommended to prevent systemic crises.

Planetary Solvency: Tipping into the wild unknown. actuaries.org.uk/planetary-sol … nto-the-wild-unknown

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 1, 2026 at 11:56am

Diabetes flips immune cells from repair to inflammation in peripheral artery disease, study finds

Type 2 diabetes can turn immune cells that help with tissue repair and anti-inflammatory responses into triggers of chronic inflammation. A recent study investigated why people with type 2 diabetes are at a higher risk of severe complications from peripheral artery disease (PAD).

PAD is a common circulatory condition in which plaque buildup narrows the arteries, reducing blood flow, usually in the legs. This can lead to lower extremity infections and the formation of non-healing ulcers in people with diabetes.

Using RNA-sequencing and gene mapping, researchers discovered that diabetes causes certain immune cells called macrophages that express the protein TREM2 to reprogram their behaviour from helping cells repair to causing harmful inflammation and preventing blood vessels from healing.

In this study, the researchers decided to intercept cell-to-cell communication within the blood vessels to make sense of how diabetes changes it, particularly the interactions between endothelial cells (ECs) and macrophages (MPs).

To do so, they studied human arteries from donors with and without type 2 diabetes. They used single-cell RNA sequencing to zoom in on individual cell types and identify which genes were switched on or off in each. To pinpoint exactly where this activity occurred, they turned to spatial transcriptomics, which helped them create a map of genetic activity within cells of the arterial structure.

In arteries from donors with type2 diabetes, MPs and ECs exhibit elevated expression of the TREM2 receptor. The genetic testing revealed a two-way signalling loop between ECs and MPs, in which both cell types continuously activate one another. This sustained cross-talk promoted the transition of TREM2+ macrophages, a subpopulation of the immune cells, from a protective, anti-inflammatory state to proinflammatory foam-like cells, thereby increasing inflammation.

As these MPs shifted, they began to influence ECs, changing their behaviour and prompting them to release chemicals that make blood vessel walls more sticky, which not only draws inflammatory cells into the vessels but also hinders healing.

Naseeb Kaur Malhi et al, Diabetes-induced TREM2–endothelial cell signaling impairs ischemic vascular repair, Science Translational Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adu3761

Michael D. Chang et al, Programming peripheral artery disease in diabetes, Science Translational Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aef8756

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on May 1, 2026 at 11:43am

Evolution has reused the same genes for 120 million years, study shows

Scientists have shown that evolution has been using the same genetic "cheat sheet" for over 120 million years, suggesting that life on Earth may be more predictable than first imagined. The international team, studied several distantly related South American rainforest butterfly and moth species that sport similar wing colour patterns that warn away predators, a phenomenon known as mimicry.

The aim of the study was to discover the genes controlling these similar mimicry color patterns among seven distantly related species.

The scientists, including researchers from a number of South American countries, found that despite being very distantly related to each other, the various butterfly and moth species reused the same two genes—ivory and optix—to evolve near identical color patterns.

The genetic changes in the different butterfly species did not happen in the genes themselves, but in similar "switches" that turn the genes on or off. The moth species surprisingly used an inversion mechanism—a large chunk of DNA flipped backwards—a near identical genetic trick used by one of the butterflies.

Convergent evolution, where many unrelated species independently evolve the same trait, is common across the tree of life. But we rarely have the opportunity to investigate the genetic basis of this phenomenon.

Investigating seven butterfly lineages and a day-flying moth,  researchers show that evolution can be surprisingly predictable, and that butterflies and moths have been using the exact same genetic tricks repeatedly to achieve similar colour patterns since the age of the dinosaurs.

The research, published in the journal PLOS Biology, shows that evolution isn't always a roll-of-the-dice, but can be more predictable than previously thought.

PLOS Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003742

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa on April 30, 2026 at 9:44am

The research team also says the evidence suggests yawning is a way for the body to regulate the temperature in and around the brain.

In humans, the brain tissue can be up to 1°C warmer than the rest of the body, and venous blood leaving the brain is typically about 0.2–0.3°C warmer than the arterial blood entering it.
So when someone yawns, we can now see an increase in the cooler arterial blood flow into the skull, compensating for the coupled outflow of CSF and venous blood, and therefore we can surmise there may be a thermoregulatory process happening there.

"We could speculate that perhaps yawning is a way that the brain helps to cool itself down, but again we would need to do more research to state that with certainty.

"We do know that a hot brain is not a good thing because there is a risk of cell damage, seizures and cerebral swelling. And there is actually a very narrow band temperature-wise where the brain is steady and balanced, what is known as homeostasis.

"That's likely the reason why there are so many mechanisms—such as blood flow and sweating—that help regulate temperatures in the brain.

"We don't fully know what the level of contribution yawning may play in that, but this research opens up some interesting avenues for further investigation in that area as well."
The researchers also say they have identified for the first time that people appear to have a unique signature to their individual yawn, which can be identified by the complex way their tongue moves during the action.

Another interesting thing they found is that each person yawns in a unique way—so the tongue motion during the yawn is different between people, but very consistent for each person.
And it's not a simple motion. It's a very complex movement of the tongue during a yawn. It's almost like a fingerprint, so you could possibly identify someone just based on how they yawn.

Adam D. Martinac et al, Biomechanics of contagious yawning: Insights into cranio-cervical fluid dynamics and kinematic consistency, Respiratory Physiology & Neurobiology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2026.104575

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