Researchers carried out two studies that compared the responses of human participants to two distinct LLMs, namely GPT-4 and GPT-4o, respectively.
The human participants and LLMs were tested on two different types of tasks: spatial and linguistic tasks. Spatial tasks entail the arrangement of shapes or structures in specific ways, while linguistic tasks require respondents to choose or generate specific texts following a set of instructions.
They found that both the human participants and the LLMs they examined exhibited an addition bias. However, this bias was less pronounced in humans and more pronounced in LLMs on tasks where subtracting information was clearly the more efficient strategy to tackle a problem.
Humans made fewer additive choices when subtraction was more efficient than addition (compared to when both were equally efficient), whereas GPT-4's output showed the opposite pattern.

Lydia Uhler et al, Influence of solution efficiency and valence of instruction on additive and subtractive solution strategies in humans, GPT-4, and GPT-4o, Communications Psychology (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s44271-026-00403-0.

part 2

Some glaciers can suddenly surge forward—with dangerous consequences

A small fraction of glaciers undergo sudden surges, advancing rapidly for months or years due to meltwater accumulation beneath the ice, which reduces friction. These surges, affecting about 1% of glaciers but 16% of global glacier area, can accelerate ice loss and create hazards such as floods and infrastructure damage. Climate change is altering surge frequency and unpredictability worldwide.

https://theconversation.com/some-glaciers-can-suddenly-surge-forwar...

India plans AI 'data city' on staggering scale

India is developing a large-scale "data city" in Visakhapatnam to accelerate its AI infrastructure, supported by major investments exceeding $175 billion, including projects from Google and other global firms. The initiative aims to establish a comprehensive AI ecosystem, targeting six gigawatts of data center capacity, and leverages strategic incentives and infrastructure to attract technology companies.

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-india-ai-city-staggering-scale....

How one genome creates two distinct fungal bodies

Creatures that can change from one form to another ?

Yes,  Nature, too, has its shapeshifters, such as dimorphic fungi. While scientists have known for some time that they can reversibly transition between yeast and mycelium forms, a paper recently published in the journal Nature Communications explains how.

Some fungi, such as members of the Mucorales order, can live as yeasts, tiny single-celled organisms, or as mycelium, multicellular branching filaments. Triggers for the morphological switch include oxygen levels and glucose concentrations.  How can a single genome encode two different body plans and could switch between them?

To find out, scientists grew the fungus (Mucor lusitanicus) under oxygen-rich conditions to promote mycelial growth, and under low-oxygen, high-carbon-dioxide conditions to induce the yeast form. Once the fungus had changed shape, the team collected samples and examined the active genetic instructions, specifically the RNA, to see which were being used in each form.

The team found that instead of using the same genes for both forms, the fungus uses paralogs. These are closely related genes that share a common ancestor and arise when a gene is duplicated within a single genome.

In total, they found 490 dimorphic gene families. Although each twin pair has similar functions, there is a specific version for yeast and one for mycelium. For example, a gene responsible for iron absorption in the yeast form has a nearly identical counterpart that performs the same function in the mycelium form.

They are organized in a very elegant way in the genome. The scientists discovered that two related genes are positioned back to back on the DNA and share a bidirectional promoter. These regulate gene expression and so act like control switches. It means the promoters can easily turn one off and the other on without getting them mixed up.

At the heart of the operation, according to the researchers, are two master regulator genes, dkl and dfl. When the team deleted them, the fungus could no longer control its switches and lost its ability to change shape.

The findings identify an evolutionary mechanism that integrates and optimizes the genetic information required for two distinct life forms within a single organism.

One of the most exciting aspects of this research is the potential for new antifungal treatments. Knowing how a fungus switches to its invasive mycelial form gives scientists a clear target to stop the transformation and therefore the spread of fungal infections.

Ghizlane Tahiri et al, Coordinated gene family evolution shapes the genome of dimorphic Mucorales, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-68866-7

Deer inhibit trees but raise plant diversity, 18-year study reveals

At high densities, white-tailed deer inhibit growth of trees but increase the overall diversity of smaller plant and weed species, according to a long-term study published recently.
High densities of white-tailed deer suppress tree regeneration and reduce tree presence in both above-ground vegetation and the soil seedbank, limiting natural forest regrowth. However, deer browsing increases the diversity and evenness of smaller plant and weed species by preventing dominance by a few species. Active management is likely required for successful reforestation in areas with abundant deer.

A. Sophie Westbrook et al, Deer impact seedbanks and plant communities over 18 years of post-agricultural succession, PLOS One (2025). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0339466

Deep-sea fish larvae rewrite the rules of how eyes can be built

Deep-sea fish larvae possess unique hybrid photoreceptor cells that combine structural features of rods with the molecular machinery of cones, enabling enhanced vision in the dim twilight zone. Unlike the typical vertebrate pattern where cones precede rods, these larvae use rod-like cones early in development, with some species retaining them into adulthood. This challenges established models of vertebrate retinal development.

https://theconversation.com/deep-sea-fish-larvae-rewrite-the-rules-...

Injured birds seeking medical help

Injured seabird desperately pecks at hospital door for help

An injured seabird sought help by pecking at the door of an emergency room at a hospital in Germany until medical staff noticed it and called firefighters to help with its rescue.

The cormorant, a shiny black waterbird, had a triple fishing hook stuck in its beak when it made its presence known at the glass door of the Klinikum Links der Weser hospital in the northern city of Bremen on Sunday.

In a joint effort, medical staff and firefighters removed the fishhook and treated the wound, the Bremen firefighter department said in a statement. The bird was later released back into nature on the grounds of the hospital park.

"When an injured cormorant does approach humans, it is usually an animal in extreme distress that has lost its natural shyness," the statement said.

A cormorant is a large bird with a long neck, wedge-shaped head and a distinctive sharp beak with a hooked tip. A fishhook in the bird's beak would be extremely dangerous for the animal. Infections, pain and even starvation are possible, the firefighter department said.

Source: News agencies

**

Want a tall, smart child? How IVF tests are selling a dream

Genetic tests marketed to IVF parents claim to predict traits like height and intelligence using polygenic risk scores, but these predictions are highly uncertain and offer minimal benefit—typically only a few IQ points or centimeters in height. Environmental and lifestyle factors play a much larger role in child development, and using such tests poses ethical, psychological, and medical risks without proven advantages.

https://theconversation.com/want-a-tall-smart-child-how-ivf-tests-a...

Yes, men have a biological clock too. But it's not just age that affects male fertility

Male fertility declines with age, with sperm count, motility, morphology, and semen volume decreasing from the early 20s, and genetic damage in sperm increasing, raising miscarriage and birth defect risks. Environmental and lifestyle factors, such as oxidative stress, toxins, smoking, obesity, and certain medical conditions, also impact male fertility. New guidelines recommend simultaneous fertility assessment for both partners.

https://theconversation.com/yes-men-have-a-biological-clock-too-but...

The Universe throws surprises at us all the time!

Bacterial strain from 5,000-year-old cave ice shows resistance against 10 modern antibiotics

Bacteria have evolved to adapt to all of Earth's most extreme conditions, from scorching heat to temperatures well below zero. Ice caves are just one of the environments hosting a variety of microorganisms that represent a source of genetic diversity that has not yet been studied extensively. Now, researchers tested antibiotic resistance profiles of a bacterial strain that until recently was hidden in a 5,000-year-old layer of ice of an underground ice cave—and found it could be an opportunity for developing new strategies to prevent the rise of antibiotic resistance and study how resistance naturally evolves and spreads. They reported their discovery in Frontiers in Microbiology.

The Psychrobacter SC65A.3 bacterial strain isolated from Scarisoara Ice Cave, despite its ancient origin, shows resistance to multiple modern antibiotics and carries over 100 resistance-related genes. But it can also inhibit the growth of several major antibiotic-resistant 'superbugs' and showed important enzymatic activities with important biotechnological potential.

Psychrobacter SC65A.3 is a strain of the genus Psychrobacter, which are bacteria adapted to cold environments. Some species can cause infections in humans or animals. Psychrobacter bacteria have biotechnological potential, but the antibiotic resistance profiles of these bacteria are largely unknown.

Studying microbes such as Psychrobacter SC65A.3 retrieved from millennia-old cave ice deposits reveals how antibiotic resistance evolved naturally in the environment, "long before modern antibiotics were ever used".

The team drilled a 25-meter ice core from the area of the cave known as the Great Hall, representing a 13,000-year timeline. To avoid contamination, the ice fragments taken from the core were placed in sterile bags and kept frozen on their way back to the lab. There, the researchers isolated various bacterial strains and sequenced their genome to determine which genes allow the strain to survive in low temperatures and which confer antimicrobial resistance and activity.

They tested for resistance of the SC65A strain against 28 antibiotics from 10 classes that are routinely used to or reserved for treating bacterial infections, including antibiotics that have previously been identified to possess resistance genes or mutations that give them the ability to resist drug effects. This way, they could test whether predicted mechanisms translated into measurable resistance.

The 10 antibiotics they found resistance to are widely used in oral and injectable therapies used to treat a range of serious bacterial infections in clinical practice.

Diseases such as tuberculosis, colitis, and UTIs can be treated with some of the antibiotics that the researchers found resistance to, including rifampicin, vancomycin, and ciprofloxacin.

Part 1

SC65A.3 is the first Psychrobacter strain for which resistance to certain antibiotics—including trimethoprim, clindamycin, and metronidazole—was found. Those antibiotics are used to treat UTIs, infections of lungs, skin, or blood, and the reproductive system. SC65A.3's resistance profile suggests that strains capable of surviving in cold environments could act as reservoirs of resistance genes, which are specific DNA sequences that help them survive exposure to drugs.
Bacterial strains like the one examined here hold both a threat and a promise. "If melting ice releases these microbes, these genes could spread to modern bacteria, adding to the global challenge of antibiotic resistance.
On the other hand, they produce unique enzymes and antimicrobial compounds that could inspire new antibiotics, industrial enzymes, and other biotechnological innovations.
In the Psychrobacter SC65A.3 genome, the researchers found almost 600 genes with unknown functions, suggesting a yet untapped source for discovering novel biological mechanisms. Analysis of the genome also revealed 11 genes that are potentially able to kill or stop the growth of other bacteria, fungi, and viruses.
These ancient bacteria are essential for science and medicine.

First genome sequence and functional profiling of a Psychrobacter SC65A.3 preserved in 5,000-year-old cave ice: frominsights into ancient resistome, to antimicrobial potential and enzymatic activities, Frontiers in Microbiology (2026). DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2025.1713017

Part 2

Beyond 'survival' of fittest: Evolution works in teams
Natural selection operates at multiple levels of biological organization, not just at the individual level. Empirical evidence from diverse species demonstrates that traits can be favoured or suppressed through both individual and group-level selection, sometimes in opposing directions. Recognizing multilevel selection provides a more comprehensive understanding of evolutionary processes and has practical implications in fields such as medicine and agriculture.
The common view of natural selection is based solely on the individual: A trait allows an organism to out-compete its rivals and is thus passed down to its offspring. To suggest otherwise can provoke the ire of certain segments of the scientific community.
But a bibliometric review of 280 scientific studies shows that natural selection can occur on multiple levels of biological organization simultaneously, and not just in social species.
The idea of looking at selection at multiple levels is to measure whether a trait is adaptive for individuals within a group. And does the frequency or existence of that trait within a group change the way the group functions in comparison with other groups?
The studies examined by the researchers spanned more than a century, covering everything from viruses to human beings. All attempted to account for multilevel selection (MLS), which provides a broader view of natural selection than individual benefit.
Why does multilevel selection remain controversial? Scientific culture. Since the 1960s, key scientists have observed that claims of group benefits weren't subject to rigorous measurement and shouldn't be taken seriously. Some scientists openly banned discussion of group selection in their classrooms, calling it naïve; others claimed that it was exceedingly rare or another term for kin selection.
If you measure the average increase in the frequency of a trait over generations and then say it's favoured by natural selection, you're not wrong
But what's the mechanism for the slow increase in that trait over here and the rapid increase over there?
If you had looked at different levels, you might see that group competition is more important in one place, or cooperation within groups in another.
Part 1

Imagine that there are two human tribes. In one, members are solely focused on their individual success. In the other, members are willing to sacrifice themselves for the good of the whole; however, this altruism may cost them time and resources that they could expend on their own children and personal survival.

Which tribe is more likely to survive a crisis, such as an attack from another group? The second.
Paradoxically, the willingness for an individual to sacrifice for the group can lead to better survival outcomes. That doesn't mean that everyone in a group will become self-sacrificing, but that groups with self-sacrificing individuals may have a survival advantage.
To take a broader view, individuals not only live in communities but are communities. We are composed of trillions of cells, which comprise our tissues and organs, along with the bacteria in our microbiome and the viruses that afflict us. We live in families, neighborhoods, and countries, as well as ecosystems that bring us into contact with other species.

Every single one of these systems can change over time in response to stimuli, shifting and adapting in response to one another. Groupings can also influence individual success; consider, for example, the case of a family struggling with systemic poverty, or the impact of a troubled neighborhood on the individuals within it.Cancer is another interesting example, as are viral illnesses. On one hand, cancer cells no longer cooperate with the rest of the body, subverting the communal good for their individual benefit. But the situation isn't so cut-and-dry.

"In some cases, cancer cells act as a cooperative group in their own right; the ways they spread are strategic. You can also get competition between diseases for host resources
But what happens within a host is not the whole story; the host's environment is critical, too. If a communicable disease exists in a host population with frequent and predictable contacts, rapid growth with damage to a host may evolve, because this will not stop the host from passing it on.

However, such diseases would soon die out in populations of more isolated individuals; in the second scenario, more benign versions would have the advantage, because longer surviving hosts would give the host—and its virus or bacteria—time to find another host. Thus, selection within hosts may favor disease organisms that reproduce faster, but selection between the groups of disease organisms defined by each host may be in the exact opposite direction.
Multilevel selection complicates the picture because you have to consider all the places where selection could be occurring, and it's possible that selection on one level is headed in a different direction than selection on another level
Part 2

There is a real benefit to having a fuller picture of natural selection, particularly in medicine and agriculture. The role that widespread antibiotic use plays in shaping a bacterial arms race is a well-known example.

Another example involves chickens. In one famous study, the agricultural scientist William Muir focused on selecting for egg productivity of hens housed in battery cages. In one experiment, he selected the most productive hen within each cage to breed the next generation of hens (within-group selection). The result? A hyper-aggressive strain of hens that achieved their productivity at the expense of others, resulting in a decline in productivity at the cage level.

In a parallel experiment, Muir selected the most productive cages and used all the hens within the cages to breed the next generation of hens (group-level selection). The result? A docile strain of hens that didn't interfere with each other and achieved a 160% increase in productivity at the cage level in five generations. Based on this and other experiments, group-level selection has become standard practice in animal and plant breeding.

We can also apply the theory to ourselves, keeping Muir's chicken experiments in mind: Are we creating situations that reward competitive or even selfish behaviors? Consider a classroom that grades students on how many questions they ask, penalizing those who are quiet or slow to raise their hands. In that case, the class has selected for rapid responders rather than innovators or deep thinkers

Abundant empirical evidence of multilevel selection revealed by a bibliometric review, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution (2026). doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2026.1752597

Part 3

**

Not all humans are 'super-scary' to wildlife, animal behaviour study suggests
Humans have climbed to the top of the food chain by skillfully hunting, trapping, and fishing for other animals at scales that far exceed other predators, altering how the animals behave and earning the tag of a "super-predator." But a new study led by the Center for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), suggests that there is a bit more nuance to this idea. While animals clearly respond with fear to humans who hunt or kill, they are far less consistent in how they react to non-lethal human presence.

Zoos and eco-tourist spots? YES!

Wild animals show strong fear responses to lethal human activities like hunting, becoming more vigilant and reducing foraging, but react less consistently to non-lethal human presence. Human structures can sometimes decrease animal vigilance by providing perceived refuges. These behavioural changes influence survival, reproduction, and ecosystem dynamics, highlighting the need for nuanced conservation strategies.
A comprehensive meta-analysis, published in Ecology Letters, analyzes three decades of research on how wild animals change their behavior in response to different types of human interactions. The study examined behavioural shifts in foraging, vigilance, and movement across species and ecosystems to look into whether humans are always super-scary.

"The short answer is: no, not always"
Researchers found strong evidence that lethal humans such as hunters and fishers are indeed perceived as threatening. Animals in areas exposed to lethal humans tend to be more vigilant and spend less time foraging. In contrast, responses to non-lethal humans such as tourists or researchers are weaker and more variable.
The study's findings broadly support the "risk allocation hypothesis," which suggests that animals adjust their behaviour based on how intense and predictable a threat is. When danger is high and consistent, animals stay cautious. When risk is low or predictable, they can afford to relax.
Beyond individual behaviour, the researchers point to a bigger picture. Changes in fear and behaviour can cascade through ecosystems, altering grazing, predation, and ecological balance.

Shawn Dsouza et al, Are Human Super‐Predators Always Super‐Scary? A Meta‐Analysis of Wild Animal Behavioural Responses to Human Interactions, Ecology Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1111/ele.70287

 Rescuing Antibiotics?

Myopia is driven by how we use our eyes indoors, new research suggests

For years, rising rates of myopia—or nearsightedness—have been widely attributed to increased screen time, especially among children and young adults. But new research by scientists suggests the story may be more complicated—and more human.

In a new study published in Cell Reports, researchers propose that myopia may be driven less by screens themselves and more by a common indoor visual habit: prolonged close-up focus in low-light environments, which limits how much light reaches the retina.

Myopia (nearsightedness) is a visual disease that blurs vision at far distance and is becoming a world epidemic, affecting nearly 50% of young adults in the United States and Europe and close to 90% in parts of East Asia. While genetics play an important role, rapid increases over just a few generations suggest environmental factors are also critical.

The findings suggest that a common underlying factor may be how much light reaches the retina during sustained near work—particularly indoors.

Myopia progression is linked to prolonged near work in dim indoor lighting, which reduces retinal illumination due to excessive pupil constriction. This mechanism may unify how various factors—such as time outdoors, lens use, and atropine—affect myopia. Effective control likely requires bright light exposure and limiting accommodative pupil constriction during near tasks.

The disease can be induced in animal models with visual deprivation or negative lenses, and the two induction processes are thought to involve different neuronal mechanisms.

Clinicians also control myopia progression with a variety of approaches that are thought to engage multiple mechanisms (multifocal lenses, ophthalmic atropine, contrast-reduction, promoting time outdoors, and others). Scientists at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry propose a unifying neuronal mechanism in their article to explain all current approaches to myopia induction and control.

The research offers a new hypothesis that could help explain a long-standing puzzle in vision science—why so many seemingly different factors, from near work and dim indoor lighting to treatments like atropine drops, multifocal lenses, and time spent outdoors, all appear to influence myopia progression.

Part 1

In bright outdoor light, the pupil constricts to protect the eye while still allowing ample light to reach the retina. When people focus on close objects indoors, such as phones, tablets, or books, the pupil can also constrict, not because of brightness, but to sharpen the image. In dim lighting, this combination may significantly reduce retinal illumination
According to this mechanism, myopia develops when poor retinal illumination fails to generate robust retinal activity because the light sources are too dim and pupil constriction is too excessive at short viewing distances. Conversely, myopia does not develop when the eye is exposed to bright light and the pupil constriction is regulated by image brightness instead of viewing distance.

The new study demonstrates that negative lenses reduce retinal illumination by constricting the pupil through a process known as accommodation (i.e., an accommodative increase in the lens power of the eye when focusing on images at short distances). Such pupil constriction becomes stronger when accommodation is increased by shortening viewing distance or wearing excessively-strong negative lenses.

Moreover, pupil constriction becomes even stronger when lens accommodation is sustained for prolonged periods of time (e.g., tens of minutes), and even stronger when the eye becomes myopic. The study also demonstrates additional myopia disruptions of eye turning with accommodation and eye-blink efficacy at constricting the pupil.
If proven correct, the mechanism proposed could lead to a paradigm shift in our understanding of myopia progression and control. According to this mechanism, myopia can be controlled by exposing the eye to safe bright light levels under limited accommodative pupil constriction.

Accommodative pupil constriction can be limited by reducing accommodation strength with lenses (multifocal or contrast-reduction), blocking directly the muscles driving pupil constriction (atropine drops), or by simply spending time outdoors without engaging accommodation (looking at far distances).

Perhaps most importantly, the new mechanism predicts that any approach to myopia control will fail if the eye is exposed to excessive accommodation indoors under low light for prolonged periods of time.

Human accommodative visuomotor function is driven by contrast through ON and OFF pathways and is enhanced in myopia, Cell Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2026.116938. www.cell.com/cell-reports/full … 2211-1247(26)00016-1

Part 2

Does the cold really 'seep into your bones?'
Bones themselves do not directly sense cold, as they lack temperature-sensitive receptors found in skin. However, nerves in the periosteum, the bone’s outer layer, can detect temperature changes and mechanical strain, potentially causing pain. Prolonged cold exposure may reduce bone density and thickness. Cold also stiffens joints, tendons, and ligaments, and low vitamin D in winter increases pain sensitivity.

https://theconversation.com/does-the-cold-really-seep-into-your-bon...

Chitosan-nickel biomaterial becomes stronger when wet, and could replace plastics

A new study led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) has unveiled the first biomaterial that is not only waterproof but actually becomes stronger in contact with water. The material is produced by the incorporation of nickel into the structure of chitosan, a chitinous polymer obtained from discarded shrimp shells. The development of this new biomaterial marks a departure from the plastic-age mindset of making materials that must isolate from their environment to perform well. Instead, it shows how sustainable materials can connect and leverage their environment, using their surrounding water to achieve mechanical performance that surpasses common plastics.

 The use of biomaterials as substitutes for conventional plastics has long been explored. However, their widespread adoption has been limited by a fundamental drawback: Most biological materials weaken when exposed to water. Traditionally, this vulnerability has forced engineers to rely on chemical modifications or protective coatings, thereby undermining the sustainability benefits of biomaterial-based solutions.

Now, a recent study led by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), in collaboration with the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), has overturned this paradigm. Inspired by the arthropod cuticle, the researchers adapted chitosan—the second most abundant organic molecule on Earth after cellulose—to create a biointegrated material that resists hydration and increases in strength to values well above those of commodity plastics when wet.

The method, published in Nature Communications, demonstrates the potential for a paradigm shift in manufacturing, with zero-waste production of both consumables and large objects that could meet the global demand for plastic.

Crucially, the process does not alter the biological nature of chitosan.

Stronger when wet: Aquatically robust chitinous objects via zero-waste coordination with metal ions, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69037-4

Brainwaves of mothers and children synchronize when playing together—even in an acquired language

Interbrain synchrony is the simultaneous activity of neural networks across the brains of people who are socially interacting—for example, talking, learning, singing, or working together. Having brains that are thus synchronized or "in tune" can help people boost their emotional connection, improve communication, and align their attention.

Neural synchrony is thought to be important for healthy bonding between parents and children. And now, a team of scientists  has found that neural synchrony doesn't appear to get "lost in translation." The results are published in Frontiers in Cognition.

The researchers showed that the brains of bilingual moms and their kids stay just as 'in sync' through neural synchrony irrespective of whether they play in the mom's native language or in an acquired second language.

This is an important finding because it suggests that using a second language doesn't disrupt the brain-to-brain connection that supports bonding and communication.

Second-language speakers often report a sense of emotional distancing when using their non-native language, which may influence how they express affection, discipline, or empathy in parent-child interactions.

But the results of this work done on immigrants in the UK  showed that brain synchrony was equally strong when participants played in English as when they played in the mother's native language.

The researchers concluded that talking in an acquired language didn't impinge on a mom's ability to synchronize her brain activity with that of her child during interactive play. These results suggest that this key condition for effective learning and bonding can be met irrespective of language.

The Impact of Language Context on Inter-Brain Synchrony in Bilingual Families, Frontiers in Cognition (2026). DOI: 10.3389/fcogn.2025.1695132

Too many satellites? Earth's orbit is on track for a catastrophe—but we can stop it

The rapid expansion of satellite megaconstellations, with over a million satellites proposed, threatens to permanently alter the night sky, increase light pollution, disrupt astronomy, and raise collision and environmental risks. Current regulations overlook cultural and environmental impacts. A Dark Skies Impact Assessment is recommended to systematically evaluate and mitigate these effects before deployment.

https://theconversation.com/too-many-satellites-earths-orbit-is-on-...

Junk to high-tech: India bets on e-waste for critical minerals
India is increasingly extracting critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel from e-waste to reduce import dependency and support technological ambitions. While formal recycling capacity is growing, over 80% of e-waste is still processed informally, leading to loss of valuable materials and hazardous conditions. Integrating informal workers into formal supply chains could improve recovery and safety.
Source: News agencies

Restored woodlands show only partial ability to bounce back after fire
Restored Banksia woodlands exhibit only partial recovery after fire, with seed-regenerating species rebounding well but resprouting species showing limited recovery, especially in younger sites. This incomplete resilience suggests that restored ecosystems may lack key plant groups essential for long-term stability, highlighting the need for targeted planning and monitoring in restoration efforts.

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-woodlands-partial-ability.html?utm_so...

Our brains may learn more from rare events than from repetition

Associative learning in the brain relies more on the timing and rarity of cue-reward pairings than on repetition. Mice learned associations just as effectively from infrequent, widely spaced rewards as from frequent ones, with dopamine responses emerging after fewer rare events. These findings suggest that rare or intermittent experiences can drive rapid learning, challenging traditional repetition-based models.
More than a century ago, Pavlov trained his dog to associate the sound of a bell with food. Ever since, scientists have assumed the dog learned this through repetition. The more times the dog heard the bell and then got fed, the better it learned that the sound meant food would soon follow.
Now, scientists are upending this 100-year-old assumption about associative learning. The new theory asserts that it depends less on how many times something happens and more on how much time passes between rewards.
It turns out that the time between these cue-reward pairings helps the brain determine how much to learn from that experience.
When the experiences happen closer together, the brain learns less from each instance and this could explain why students who cram for exams don't do as well as those who studied throughout the semester.
Scientists have traditionally thought of associative learning as a process of trial and error. Once the brain has detected that certain cues might lead to rewards, it begins to predict them. Scientists have postulated that at first the brain only releases dopamine when a reward like tasty food arrives.

But if the reward arrives often enough, the brain begins to anticipate it with a release of dopamine as soon as it gets the cue. The dopamine hit refines the brain's prediction, the theory goes, strengthening the link with the cue if the reward arrives—or weakening it if the reward fails to appear.
The findings could shift the way we look at learning and addiction. Smoking, for example, is intermittent and can involve cues—like the sight or smell of cigarettes—that increase the urge to smoke. Because a nicotine patch delivers nicotine constantly, it may disrupt the brain's association between nicotine and the resulting dopamine reward, blunting the urge to smoke and making it easier to quit.

Dennis A. Burke et al, Duration between rewards controls the rate of behavioral and dopaminergic learning, Nature Neuroscience (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02206-2

Air pollution may directly contribute to Alzheimer's disease—new study
Higher exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, independent of other risk factors such as high blood pressure, stroke, and depression. PM2.5 particles, primarily from fossil fuel combustion and wildfires, may contribute to brain inflammation and oxidative stress. Global regions with elevated PM2.5 levels face rising dementia rates.

https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.p...

Heart attack study reveals 'survival paradox'
Analysis of over 900,000 heart attack patients shows that while severe frailty is more common in women, frail men have a higher one-year mortality risk. This "sex-frailty paradox" indicates that frailty impacts outcomes differently by sex, challenging current risk assessments and highlighting the need for sex-specific care pathways and frailty assessment tools in acute myocardial infarction management.

New Research challenges the "one-size-fits-all" approach to heart attack care, adding critical nuance to the debate on sex disparities. A new study involving more than 900,000 patients has revealed a "sex-frailty paradox" in heart attack outcomes, challenging the prevailing narrative that high clinical risk is predominantly a female issue.
While considerable focus has rightly been placed on addressing the fact that women are often undertreated compared to men after a heart attack, this new research, published in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe, highlights a hidden and profound vulnerability in men.
The study found that while severe frailty is indeed more common in women following a heart attack (acute myocardial infarction, or AMI), the actual risk of dying within one year is significantly higher for frail men.

This creates a complex picture where women face inequalities in access to care, but frail men face a "malignant" prognosis that current standard treatments are failing to address.

The study is the largest of its kind, analyzing national data over a 15-year period to disentangle the relationship between sex, frailty, and survival.
It challenges current risk assessments including patient frailty and age used by clinicians to determine treatment strategies, highlighting the need for sex informed care pathways to be included.

Patient frailty has long been an indicator of poorer outcomes, including mortality, rehospitalization and recurrent cardiovascular events, with frailty scores underpinning treatment decisions.

Hasan Mohiaddin et al, Sex–specific associations between frailty and long-term outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction: a national population-based study, The Lancet Regional Health - Europe (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2026.101612

Second pregnancy uniquely alters the female brain

Researchers have discovered that a second pregnancy alters the female brain. Previous research from the same group had already demonstrated the impact of a first pregnancy on the female brain. The new results are published in Nature Communications. The research demonstrates that both a first and a second pregnancy have strong and unique impacts on mothers' brains.

A previous study  was the first to show that pregnancy changes the structure of the human brain. The research group also discovered that pregnancy changes brain functioning. For this follow-up study, the researchers tracked 110 women: some became mothers for the first time, others had their second child, and a third group remained childless. Repeated brain scans allowed them to see exactly what changed in the women's brains.

This new work have shown for the first time that the brain not only changes during the first pregnancy, but also during a second. During a first and second pregnancy, the brain changes in both similar and unique ways. Each pregnancy leaves a unique mark on the female brain.

The greatest changes during a first pregnancy occurred in the structure and activity of the so-called default mode net-work. This part of the brain is important for many functions, including self-reflection and social processes. During a second pregnancy, this network changed again, but less strongly. However, during a second pregnancy, there were more changes in brain networks related to directing attention and responding to stimuli.

It appears that during a second pregnancy, the brain is more strongly altered in networks involved in reacting to sensory cues and in controlling your attention.

These processes may be beneficial when caring for multiple children.

The researchers also found a link between changes in the brain and the bond between mother and child. This link was more prominent during a first pregnancy than during a second. In addition, the researchers observed connections between structural brain changes and peripartum depression, both during a first and a second pregnancy, providing the first evidence that the changes taking place in a woman's cortex during pregnancy relate to maternal depression.

For women who became mothers for the first time, this was especially visible after childbirth. For women having their second child, this was particularly the case during their pregnancies.

The effects of a second pregnancy on women's brain structure and function, Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-69370-8

Why some objects in space look like snowmen: Gravitational collapse may shed light on contact binaries

Astronomers have long debated why so many icy objects in the outer solar system look like snowmen.

Researchers now have evidence of the surprisingly simple process that could be responsible for their creation.
Contact binaries—objects in the Kuiper Belt shaped like two connected spheres—form naturally through gravitational collapse. Simulations show that as pebble-sized materials aggregate, binary planetesimals can spiral inward and gently fuse, retaining their shapes. This process accounts for about 10% of Kuiper Belt planetesimals and does not require rare or exotic events.

Far beyond the violent, chaotic asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter lies what's known as the Kuiper Belt. There, past Neptune, you'll find icy, untouched building blocks from the dawn of the solar system, known as planetesimals. About one in 10 of these objects are contact binaries, planetesimals that are shaped like two connected spheres, much like Frosty the Snowman. 

Researchers created the first simulation that reproduces the two-lobed shape naturally with gravitational collapse. 

Planetesimals are the first large planetary objects to form from the disk of dust and pebbles. Much like individual snowflakes that are packed into a snowball, these first planetesimals are aggregates of pebble-sized objects pulled together by gravity from a cloud of tiny materials.

Occasionally, as the cloud rotates, it falls inward on itself, ripping the object apart and forming two separate planetesimals that orbit one another. Astronomers observe many binary planetesimals in the Kuiper Belt. In this present simulation, the orbits of these objects spiral inward until the two gently make contact and fuse together while still maintaining their round shapes.

How do these two objects stay together throughout the history of the solar system? Because they're simply unlikely to crash into another object. Without a collision, there's nothing to break them apart. Most binaries aren't even pocked with craters.

Direct contact binary planetesimal formation from gravitational collapse, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2026). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stag002

Red blood cells soak up sugar at high altitude, protecting against diabetes

Red blood cells at high altitude absorb increased amounts of glucose under low-oxygen conditions, reducing blood sugar levels and potentially lowering diabetes risk. This adaptation enhances oxygen delivery and persists after returning to normal oxygen levels. A drug mimicking this effect reversed high blood sugar in diabetic mice, suggesting a novel approach for diabetes treatment.

Red Blood Cells Serve as a Primary Glucose Sink to Improve Glucose Tolerance at Altitude, Cell Metabolism (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2026.01.019. www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/f … 1550-4131(26)00018-5

Scientists discover 'bacterial constipation,' a new disease caused by gut-drying bacteria
Chronic constipation can result from two gut bacteria, Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, which degrade the protective colonic mucin layer, leading to dry, immobile stool. Elevated levels of these bacteria are found in Parkinson’s disease patients with constipation. Inhibiting bacterial sulfatase activity preserves mucin and may offer a new therapeutic approach.
Scientists have found two gut bacteria working together that contribute to chronic constipation. The duo, Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, destroy the intestinal mucus coating essential for keeping the colon lubricated and feces hydrated. Their excess degradation leaves patients with dry, immobile stool. This discovery, published in Gut Microbes, finally explains why standard treatments often fail for millions of people with chronic constipation.
Notably, the study shows that Parkinson's disease patients, who suffer from constipation decades before developing tremors, have higher levels of these mucus-degrading bacteria. While constipation in Parkinson's disease has traditionally been attributed to nerve degradation, these findings suggest that bacterial activity also plays a crucial role in the development of their symptoms.

Mucin-degrading intestinal commensal bacteria cause constipation, Gut Microbes (2026). DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2025.2596809

Virus co-opts protein-making equipment

Scientists have identified a giant virus that can hijack a host cell’s protein-making machinery to churn out copies of itself — the first experimental evidence that viruses can co-opt this particular system, which is typically associated with cellular life. To take control, the virus attaches a three-protein complex to the host’s ribosomes — part of the apparatus cells use to make proteins — which gives viral RNA preferential access. Researchers suggest that the virus makes this protein complex using genes that it ‘stole’ from hosts early in its evolutionary history.

https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(26)00055-3?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0092867426000553%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

A New Light Therapy For Hair Loss

A new form of light therapy can lower markers of hair loss in cell experiments by more than 90 percent.

Scientists in Korea want to use their invention to make a comfortable ‘hair loss’ hat, which can be worn out in public with ease and style.

The light technology is specifically tuned to stimulate hair-regenerating cells at the base of follicles.

Compared with standard red-light treatments, this new tech is 92 percent more effective at reducing a key marker of hair loss.
It also doesn’t have to sit in a hard helmet. The light platform can be slid into a flexible cap that fits closer to the scalp.

With so few effective treatments for hair loss, this new invention is rejuvenating hope for improved hair regrowth.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-68258-3

Atom-thin electronics withstand space radiation, potentially surviving for centuries in orbit

Atom-thick layers of molybdenum disulfide are ideally suited for radiation-resistant spacecraft electronics, researchers have confirmed. In a study published in Nature, they put a communications system composed of the material through a gauntlet of rigorous tests—including the transmission of their university's Anthem—confirming that its performance is barely affected in the harsh environment of outer space.

Beyond the protection of Earth's magnetic field, the electronic components of modern spacecraft are extremely vulnerable to constant streams of cosmic rays and heavy ions. While onboard systems can be shielded with radiation-protective materials, this approach takes up valuable space and adds weight to spacecraft. That extra mass drives up launch costs and can limit the payload available for scientific instruments or communications hardware. A far better solution would be to fabricate the electronics themselves from materials that are intrinsically resistant to radiation damage.

One particularly promising route forward involves highly conductive, ultra-thin materials such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂). Just a single layer of atoms thick—around 0.7 nanometers—the material has already proven remarkably robust against radiation-induced defects in previous laboratory studies.
In their latest work, the research team subjected the material to its most rigorous test yet. They began by growing monolayer MoS₂ using it to fabricate a transistor-based, radio-frequency communications system. The circuits were then exposed to powerful bursts of gamma rays, delivering doses comparable to those experienced by electronics operating in space.
To assess the effects of this irradiation, the researchers used a suite of cutting-edge imaging and spectroscopy techniques to compare the condition of the MoS₂ before and after exposure.
Transmission electron microscopy provided high-resolution images of the material's cross-section, while energy-dispersive spectroscopy mapping allowed the team to probe any changes in its chemical composition.
After irradiation, Raman spectroscopy measurements at multiple sites across the film were used to examine its structural integrity in detail. Taken together, this exhaustive analysis revealed no clear signs of structural or chemical damage in the atom-thin film.
The team then turned to the circuit's electrical performance. Encouragingly, it remained virtually unchanged after irradiation, with ultra-high on–off ratios and very little current leaking when a voltage was applied. The MoS₂ devices also maintained low power consumption, an important advantage for energy-limited spacecraft.

Liyuan Zhu et al, Radiation-tolerant atomic-layer-scale RF system for spaceborne communication, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-10027-9

Pregnancy complications may have helped wipe out Neanderthals

Neanderthals disappeared from the fossil record approximately 40,000 years ago. Their extinction was a gradual process over thousands of years, and theories as to why include competition with modern humans and rapid climate change. However, there may have been other contributory factors: preeclampsia and eclampsia.

A new study published in the Journal of Reproductive Immunology suggests that these potentially life-threatening pregnancy complications may have been more severe in our extinct cousins.

Human fetuses are exceptionally energy-demanding owing to their large brains. To meet this demand, the placenta needs to embed deeply into the mother's uterine wall so that blood can flow freely to the fetus. However, if it does not invade deeply enough or remodel the mother's arteries, blood flow is reduced. It then sheds microscopic debris into the mother's blood, signaling that it is under stress.

The mother's body may react by raising its blood pressure, which can lead to complications, but not always. In many cases, when the placenta fails to invade deeply, the mother does not get preeclampsia. For reasons not yet fully understood, the body ignores the placenta's stress signals, which help protect the mother from developing high blood pressure. The baby may be born small as a result, but the mother stays healthy.

In this new study, an international team of physicians and researchers proposes that Neanderthal women lacked this protective mechanism. Consequently, struggling pregnancies may have triggered life-threatening high blood pressure or seizures, significantly reducing reproductive success.

The scientists based this idea on a comparison between modern medical records and ancient Neanderthal DNA. They identified genetic differences that may have affected how pregnancy-related blood pressure is regulated.
They also suggest that because Neanderthals lived in small, isolated populations, they had very low genetic diversity, so the parents were often genetically very similar. This may have affected how the mother's immune system tolerated the fetus, potentially increasing the risk of pregnancy complications.

The study authors also used modern clinical data to estimate how higher maternal mortality might have affected ancient populations, suggesting it could have contributed to their decline.

Pierre-Yves Robillard et al, Why reproduction has probably been very problematic in Neanderthals: The fabulous history of (pre)eclampsia, Journal of Reproductive Immunology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jri.2026.104852

The bouba-kiki effect

When we hear certain sounds, our brains often pair them with specific shapes. For example, most people will associate a sharp-sounding word with a jagged, pointed shape, while a soft, rolling word is linked to something smooth and curved. This fascinating phenomenon is known as the bouba-kiki effect.

The name comes from a classic psychology experiment where people are shown two drawings: one is rounded and bulbous and the other is sharp and spiky. When asked which shape is bouba and which is kiki (both invented words that have no actual meaning), the majority of people choose the round shape for bouba and the spiky one for kiki.

For a long time, scientists have debated whether this is an association we learn as we grow up and begin to speak. However, a recent paper published in the journal Science showed that baby chicks can also spontaneously match these sounds to shapes. It suggests that the ability may be at least partly innate rather than a learned human skill.

Maria Loconsole et al, Matching sounds to shapes: Evidence of the bouba-kiki effect in naïve baby chicks, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.adq7188

Marcus Perlman et al, In search of meaning, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aee8641

Why chronic pain lasts longer in women: Immune cells offer clues

Chronic pain lasts longer for women than men, and new research suggests differences in hormone-regulated immune cells, called monocytes, may help explain why.

"The difference in pain between men and women has a biological basis. It's not in your head, and you're not soft. It's in your immune system."

In a new paper in Science Immunology, researchers  found a subset of monocytes release a molecule to switch off pain. These cells are more active in males due to higher levels of sex hormones such as testosterone, the team found.

Females, however, experienced longer-lasting pain and delayed recovery, because their monocytes were less active.

The researchers discovered the same pattern in both mouse models and human patients.

These findings could mean those immune cells can be manipulated into producing more signals to calm pain. While a new treatment is likely decades away, the researchers hope this research could one day help millions of people experience relief with non-opioid treatments—and ensure women's pain is taken seriously.

Monocyte-derived IL-10 drives sex differences in pain duration, Science Immunology (2026). DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adx0292

Birds change altitude to survive epic journeys across deserts and seas
Small migratory birds adjust flight altitude when crossing deserts and seas, flying higher over deserts (2,500–4,000 m) to avoid heat and lower over seas, sometimes below 50 m. Wing morphology and plumage color influence these strategies, with larger wings and darker plumage linked to higher flights. These behaviors have implications for bird conservation and offshore wind farm planning.

Paul Dufour et al, Ecological barrier crossing strategies in small migratory birds depend on wing morphology and plumage color, iScience (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.114466

Gene variants help explain why food allergies run in families
Comprehensive genetic analysis reveals that nearly 40% of individuals with multiple food allergies carry rare loss-of-function mutations in genes linked to allergy risk, particularly FLG, which affects skin barrier integrity. Advanced sequencing detects more relevant mutations than traditional methods, especially in non-European populations, supporting the value of genetic testing for precise diagnosis and treatment.

Anas M. Khanshour et al, Exome sequencing reveals rare loss-of-function mutations in FLG and immune genes in patients with multiple food allergies, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2026.01.001

Closing in on a universal vaccine: Nasal spray protects mice from respiratory viruses, bacteria and allergens
A novel intranasal vaccine in mice provides broad, months-long protection against diverse respiratory viruses, bacteria, and allergens by sustaining both innate and adaptive immune responses in the lungs. This approach bypasses antigen specificity, instead mimicking immune signaling, and could potentially simplify and expand respiratory disease prevention in humans.

Haibo Zhang et al, Mucosal vaccination in mice provides protection from diverse respiratory threats, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aea1260. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aea1260

Maternal infections during pregnancy increase the risk of suicidal behaviors in their offspring, study finds

Past medical research consistently showed that specific events unfolding during pregnancy can influence the health of their offspring after birth.

Researchers carried out a large-scale study investigating the possible connection between maternal infections during pregnancy and the risk that offspring will exhibit suicidal behaviour later in life. Their findings, published in Molecular Psychiatry, suggest that children who were exposed to an infection while they were still in their mother's womb are at a higher risk of attempting suicide.

Infections caused by an exposure to specific viruses or bacteria activate an immune response known as inflammation. 

Inflammation at crucial stages of brain development has previously been linked to a higher risk of developing some mental health disorders.

As part of their recent study, the researchers analyzed a large amount of data extracted from Denmark's national health registers. The dataset analyzed by them is remarkably large, as it contains information relating to over 2 million individuals. This ultimately allowed the researchers to reliably search for associations between maternal infections and suicidal behaviours, which would be difficult to uncover within smaller datasets.

The researchers analyzed the health records of all individuals above the age of 10 in the period spanning from 1987 to 2021. They specifically looked for maternal and paternal infections, before, during and after they were expecting a child, as well as their children's hospital visits after the age of 10.

Based on their analyses, the researchers estimated that if a mother was exposed to a bacterial or viral infection while she was pregnant, her child had a 46% higher risk of attempting suicide. This percentage appeared to be higher if infections occurred during the second or third trimester. Surprisingly, the risk of offspring attempting suicide was also higher when mothers contracted an infection before or after their pregnancy than if they contracted no infection at all, which could suggest either long-lasting effects of infections or the presence of residual confounding factors.

Interestingly, the researchers found that while maternal infections were linked to a higher risk of suicide attempts in offspring, paternal infections were not. This suggests that the link they observed is unlikely to be a result of social or family-related factors, as it would also hold true for paternal infections, but that it is instead rooted in fetal brain development.

The results of this recent study suggest that women's health before, during and right after pregnancy could be very important for the prevention of mental health-related issues and the reduction of suicide rates.

Massimiliano Orri et al, Association between maternal infections during pregnancy and offspring suicide risk: A national cohort study, Molecular Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41380-025-03430-1.

Large dogs release two to four times more airborne microbes than humans

Unseen but all around us, the air we breathe in enclosed spaces is crucial to our health and well-being. Indoor air is not simply outdoor air that has been run through a filter: it has its own chemical makeup and a unique combination of particles, gases and microorganisms. Because indoor air has many sources of its own, concentrations of many pollutants can be as high as—or higher than—outdoor levels, especially during everyday activities like cooking or cleaning.
The composition of indoor air, even in well-ventilated spaces, depends on the room's occupants and what they're doing, as well as any objects located there.
In a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology, a team of researchers measured the gases, particles of different sizes and microorganisms that dogs give off, through experiments run under tightly controlled conditions.

Large dogs emit two to four times more airborne microbes than humans, primarily through the release of particles during movement or interaction. Both dogs and humans produce similar amounts of CO2 and ammonia, though dogs have a higher ammonia-to-CO2 ratio, likely due to diet and metabolism. Dogs generate fewer ozone byproducts than humans, and their presence significantly alters indoor air microbiology.

The researchers discovered that the ammonia-to-CO₂ ratio is higher in dogs than in humans. In other words, a dog exhaling the same amount of CO₂ as a human will be producing significantly more ammonia. This difference is probably a function of their more protein-rich food, their unique metabolism and their fast breathing, which is one of the ways they control their body temperature.

When it comes to air pollutants, dogs make their biggest impact through the tiny solid and liquid particles that they send up into the air.

When shaking themselves off, scratching themselves or simply being petted, dogs release sizeable quantities of relatively large particles: dust, pollen, plant debris and microbes.

Part 1

Every time the dogs in the study moved, sensors picked up "puffs" of indoor pollution, with large dogs giving off two to four times more microorganisms than the humans in the same room do. Many of these particles are fluorescent: when exposed to ultraviolet light, they glow ever so slightly, betraying their biological origin.

Shen Yang et al, Our Best Friends: How Dogs Alter Indoor Air Quality, Environmental Science & Technology (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c13324

Part 2

2-month-olds see the world in a more complex way than people thought: study

A new study suggests that babies are able to distinguish between the different objects they see around them at 2 months old.

The findings, published this week in Nature Neuroscience, may help doctors and researchers better understand cognitive development in infancy.

It really tells us that infants are interacting with the world in a lot more complex of a way than we might imagine.

The study looked at data from 130 2-month-olds who underwent brain scans while awake. The babies viewed images from a dozen categories commonly seen in the first year of life, such as trees and animals. When babies looked at an image like a cat, their brains might "fire" a certain way that researchers could record. If they looked at an inanimate object, their brains would fire differently.

The technique—known as functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI—allowed scientists to examine visual function more precisely than in the past.

So even at 2 months of age, infants can distinguish between different objects, according to this new study.

Cliona O'Doherty, Infants have rich visual categories in ventrotemporal cortex at 2 months of age, Nature Neuroscience (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-025-02187-8. www.nature.com/articles/s41593-025-02187-8

How your body senses cold—and why menthol feels cool

When you step outside on a winter morning or pop a mint into your mouth, a tiny molecular sensor in your body springs into action, alerting your brain to the sensation of cold. Scientists have now captured the first detailed images of this sensor at work, revealing exactly how it detects both actual cold and the perceived cool of menthol, a compound derived from mint plants.

The study focused on a protein channel called TRPM8 which acts like a microscopic thermometer inside your body. It's the primary sensor that tells your brain when it's cold.

TRPM8 sits in the membranes of sensory neurons innervating the skin, oral cavity, and eyes. It responds to cold temperatures—roughly between 46°F and 82°F—by opening up and allowing ions to flow into the cell, which triggers a nerve signal to the brain. It's also the reason menthol, eucalyptus, and certain other compounds produce that characteristic cooling sensation.

Menthol is like a trick. It attaches to a specific part of the channel and triggers it to open, just like cold temperature would. So even though menthol isn't actually freezing anything, your body gets the same signal as if it were touching ice.

The researchers discovered that cold and menthol activate the channel through shared yet distinct allosteric networks: cold primarily triggers changes in the pore region (the part that actually opens to let ions through), while menthol binds a different part of the protein and induces shape changes that propagate to the pore. When cold is combined with menthol, the response is enhanced synergistically.

The findings have medical implications. When TRPM8 doesn't function properly, it has been linked to conditions including chronic pain, migraines, dry eye and certain cancers.

https://www.biophysics.org/news-room/scientists-show-how-your-body-....

158 giant tortoises reintroduced to a Galapagos island
A total of 158 giant tortoises, bred from individuals with high genetic similarity to Floreana Island’s extinct native species, have been reintroduced to Floreana after more than a century. These tortoises, important for ecosystem functions such as seed dispersal and habitat regeneration, underwent quarantine and microchipping before release as part of a broader rewilding effort.

Source: News Agencies

Rare genetic variant protects against malaria-causing parasite by making red blood cells bigger
Scientists have found that a special component in some people's blood provides them with natural protection against malaria. A recent study has demonstrated that a genetic variant named rs112233623-T reduces the activity of CCND3, a gene that normally helps control how red blood cells divide and grow. This change prompts the body to make fewer but larger-than-normal red blood cells and also leads to higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) inside the cells. Together, these factors create a hostile environment for the malaria parasite to thrive and replicate.
This genetic variant is present in 10% of the population in Sardinia, an island in the Mediterranean Sea, but is rare or absent elsewhere in the world. The researchers think this phenomenon to be positive selection—a trait that likely became common because it helped people survive the disease in areas where malaria had been a major problem for centuries.
As per the findings published in Nature, replicating the reduction in CCND3 and the resulting changes in red blood cells caused by the rs112233623-T genetic variant could provide a potential therapeutic strategy to combat malaria.

Maria Giuseppina Marini et al, Reduced cyclin D3 expression in erythroid cells protects against malaria, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10110-9

When influencers raise a glass, young viewers want to join them

Exposure to social media influencer posts featuring alcohol increases young adults' immediate desire to drink by 73% compared to similar posts without alcohol. This effect is amplified when influencers are perceived as trustworthy, honest, and knowledgeable. The findings highlight the subtle influence of everyday social media content on drinking intentions among young viewers.

Exposure to Alcohol-Related Social Media Content and Desire to Drink Among Young Adults, JAMA Pediatrics (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.6335

Why do falls rise with age? Study points to cerebellar neuron firing
Age-related declines in Purkinje cell firing in the cerebellum directly impair motor coordination, balance, and gait. Experimental reduction of Purkinje cell activity in young mice induced motor deficits, while enhancing firing in older mice improved performance. These findings highlight cerebellar neuron dysfunction as a key factor in increased fall risk with aging.
A new study has found a direct link between age-related declines in neuron activity in the cerebellum and worsening motor skills, including gait, balance and agility. While it is well known that these abilities diminish with age, this is the first research to pinpoint how changes in Purkinje cells—a key type of cerebellar neuron—drive this decline and translate into measurable changes in behaviour and physical function.
Purkinje cells process sensory input and internal signals from the body and send corrective messages that finetune movement. However, unlike other neurons, they can also spontaneously fire electrical signals. To test how aging affects this activity, the researchers examined motor coordination in mice ranging from young adults (two months old) to elderly (18 to 24 months old). Older mice performed worse on several coordination tasks, including crossing an elevated beam and staying on a rotating rod (Rotarod), mirroring motor decline in humans.
The team then recorded electrical activity from Purkinje cells and found significantly lower firing frequencies in older mice. To determine whether this caused the behavioral decline, they used a genetically targeted tool called a DREADD, a type of designer receptor that increases or decreases neuron excitability when activated.
When they turned on the DREADD for young mice, which made their Purkinje cells fire at lower rates, mimicking the older Purkinje cells, the researchers found that they jumped off the Rotarod sooner than young mice who did not have the DREADD.
The reverse was also true: when the researchers boosted neuron firing in older mice, those mice stayed on the Rotarod longer, suggesting improved motor coordination.
The researchers showed that spontaneous firing rates in older Purkinje cells are reduced, and if we reverse this, we improve coordination. This indicates that the change plays a direct role in the age-related decline of motor coordination.

Eviatar Fields et al, Cerebellar Purkinje cell firing reduction contributes to aging-related declining motor coordination in mice, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2525795122

Your gut microbes can be anti-aging—scientists are uncovering how to keep your microbiome youthful
The gut microbiome changes with age, typically losing diversity and increasing inflammation-promoting bacteria, which correlates with aging. Maintaining a youthful microbiome is linked to healthier aging and longevity. Diets high in fiber and regular exercise support a beneficial microbiome, while interventions like fecal transplants, postbiotics, and targeted drugs or phages are being explored to promote healthy aging.