This everyday plant protein may be quietly reshaping blood pressure risk in ways doctors cannot ignore
Higher intake of legumes (up to 170 g/day) and soy foods (60–80 g/day) is associated with a 16–19% lower risk of developing high blood pressure, with risk reduction plateauing beyond these amounts. The evidence suggests a probable causal relationship, potentially due to the potassium, magnesium, fiber, and isoflavones in these foods. Variability in study methods and definitions limits certainty, but findings support dietary recommendations to increase legume and soy consumption for blood pressure management.
And the optimal daily amount may be around 170 g of legumes, which include peas, lentils, chickpeas and beans, and 60 to 80 g of soy foods, examples of which include tofu, soy milk, edamame, tempeh, and miso, the findings indicate.

Legume and soy consumption and the risk of hypertension: a systematic review and dose–response meta-analysis of prospective studies, BMJ Nutrition Prevention & Health (2026). DOI: 10.1136/bmjnph-2025-001449

Nearly 3,000 peer-reviewed medical papers have fake citations, AI-assisted audit finds
An AI-assisted audit of 2.5 million biomedical papers identified 4,046 fake citations across 2,810 papers, with the rate of fake references increasing over 12-fold since 2023, particularly after mid-2024. Most affected papers had not received publisher action. Recommendations include mandatory reference verification, enhanced metadata, systematic tracking, and retroactive screening to maintain research integrity.
A new Columbia University School of Nursing AI-assisted audit reveals nearly 3,000 peer-reviewed medical papers have fake citations that do not exist in scientific databases. The results highlight an alarming trend in academic publishing as the use of AI grows.
The research letter, "Fabricated citations: an audit across 2·5 million biomedical papers," is published in The Lancet. (Research letters published in the Correspondence section include research findings and are externally peer-reviewed. Unlike Articles containing original data, research letters are shorter and the research they contain is usually preliminary, exploratory, or reporting on early findings.)

To conduct their analysis, the research team developed an automated verification system using AI that scanned 2.5 million papers published from January 1, 2023, to February 18, 2026, in PubMed Central's Open Access.

Among 97.1 million verified references, they identified 4,046 fake citations across 2,810 papers. The rate has grown more than 12-fold since 2023, with the sharpest increase beginning mid-2024, coinciding with the rise of AI writing tools.

This discovery directly impacts patients as medical professionals make treatment decisions based on clinical guidelines.
A medical professional or clinical guideline developer has no way of knowing that the evidence they are relying on does not exist. For example, one paper we reviewed had 18 out of 30 fake references. Some of those citations are already being cited by other papers and appear in systematic reviews that inform clinical care.
Based on their findings, the authors recommend publishers verify references with each paper submission. They also recommend that indexing services add metadata to records so that users can assess the accuracy of references.

Lastly, the research team urges major research integrity databases to establish a dedicated category for fake references to enable systematic tracking and accountability. They call on publishers to retroactively screen existing publications and issue corrections or retractions where fake references compromise a paper's conclusions. Notably, at the time of the audit, 98.4% of affected papers had not received any publisher action.

Maxim Topaz et al, Fabricated citations: an audit across 2·5 million biomedical papers, The Lancet (2026). DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(26)00603-3

Howard Bauchner et al, Fabricated references: a new threat to editorial integrity, The Lancet (2026). DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(26)00798-1

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Omega-3 supplements may be linked to faster cognitive decline in seniors, study finds
Omega-3 supplementation in older adults was associated with a more rapid decline in cognitive function over five years compared to non-users, independent of APOE ε4 genetic risk. Brain imaging indicated this decline was linked to reduced cerebral glucose metabolism rather than typical Alzheimer's pathology. The findings suggest potential adverse effects of omega-3 on synaptic function in aging brains.

Zheng-Bin Liao et al, The association between omega-3 supplementation and cognitive decline in older adults, The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.tjpad.2026.100569

Almost all plant-based meat alternatives contain mycotoxins, new research finds

New research into plant-based food and drinks has found a prevalence of mycotoxins—naturally occurring poisonous compounds produced by fungi—in hundreds of vegetarian and vegan products. A total of 212 plant-based meat alternatives (PMBAs) and plant-based beverages (PBBs) from UK shelves were tested—and all of them contained at least one of 19 mycotoxins, with multiple products containing more than one.
The study tested a broad spectrum of products readily available to UK consumers, such as burgers, vegetarian chicken pieces, vegan sausages, oat-, almond- and soy-based milks.

The study, "Mycotoxin contamination in plant-based beverages and meat alternatives: A survey of the UK market," is published in Food Control.

Mycotoxins are particularly prevalent in plant-based foods because the raw materials those foods are made from—such as grains, legumes and seeds—can be exposed to mold during cultivation and storage.

The research team found that mycotoxin levels in the UK foods that they tested were lower than the recommended EU guideline levels, reflecting the high quality standards of the UK food industry.

However, previous research studies have shown that even low levels, if consumed often, can build up exposure and lead to potential health concerns. So, while consuming these products in isolation is unlikely to pose issues, a diet solely based on plant-based foods could lead to a cumulative build-up of mycotoxins, potentially resulting in health problems if not managed properly.

Raquel Torrijos et al, Mycotoxin contamination in plant-based beverages and meat alternatives: A survey of the UK market, Food Control (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.foodcont.2025.111910

Contagious yawning begins in the womb

Yawning is incredibly contagious, and more often than not, seeing someone yawn right in front of us makes us instinctively do the same. It is often tied to social and emotional connection and brain mirroring, where we automatically align and simulate the emotions and actions of the people around us. A recent study published in Current Biology has found that this behaviour begins even before birth.

Researchers recorded the facial expressions of pregnant women while an ultrasound machine captured real-time images of their fetuses' faces. By comparing the two recordings, the researchers observed that fetuses were more likely to yawn after their mothers yawned, with a delay of about 90 seconds.

Yawning in humans begins far earlier than most people realize. Fetuses start yawning in the womb at around 11 weeks of development. Since there is no air for the foetus to draw in, during a yawn, they slowly open their mouths, perform movements that resemble breathing in and out, and then gently close their mouths again. For a long time, scientists thought that foetal yawning was thought to be driven purely by internal biological processes, but there wasn't enough evidence to prove it either right or wrong.

In this study, the researchers wanted to see if fetuses in the womb would catch a yawn from their mothers. For this, they recruited 38 pregnant women who were between 28 and 32 weeks along, all with healthy, uncomplicated pregnancies.

The experiments involved the mothers watching three different types of video in a quiet room: a yawning video, a mouth-movement video, and a still-face video. While a video camera monitored the mother's face, the researchers used a 2D ultrasound machine to provide a real-time view of the foetus's nose and lips.

Three experts, who didn't know what the mother was watching, reviewed the collected footage and verified the yawns. The researchers used an AI tool called DeepLabCut to precisely track subtle lip and nose movements, then trained a neural network to see whether a mother's yawn mirrored the movement pattern of her foetus's.

The researchers found that foetal yawning increased significantly only when the mother yawned, not when she simply opened and closed her mouth or kept her face still. They called this phenomenon prenatal behavioural contagion. The foetal yawns were not random either; they typically appeared about 90 seconds after the mother yawned, which is similar to the response time seen in contagious yawning among adults.

These findings suggest that foetal yawning may be part of an early mother-baby connection, where a mother's behaviour can influence how the foetus responds. 

Giulia D'Adamo et al, Prenatal behavioral contagion through maternal yawning and fetal resonance, Current Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2026.04.025

Meet the mosquito terminator—a spider that likes us and eats our enemies

Evarcha culicivora, a jumping spider species native to East Africa, preferentially preys on blood-fed mosquitoes, particularly those that have fed on humans. These spiders are attracted to human odors, such as worn socks, and can identify blood-carrying mosquitoes by sight or smell, indicating an innate prey preference. While not harmful to humans or effective for malaria eradication, they contribute to natural mosquito population control.

original article.

Hantavirus scare revives COVID-era conspiracy theories

An outbreak of the deadly hantavirus on a Dutch-flagged cruise ship is reviving conspiracy theories about vaccines, alleged depopulation campaigns and miracle cures that flourished during the COVID pandemic.

The recent hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship has triggered a resurgence of COVID-era conspiracy theories, including claims of intentional virus release, forced vaccination, and unproven cures such as ivermectin. There is no evidence linking hantavirus to COVID-19 vaccines or bioweapons, and no approved vaccines or cures exist for hantavirus. Misinformation is spreading rapidly online, fueled by political and financial motives.

The multilingual misinformation, which dominated online discourse and disrupted public health responses to the coronavirus, resurged even as the World Health Organization insisted that there remained minimal risk to the general public from passengers of the MV Hondius.
posts declared the outbreak a "plandemic"—borrowing from the title of a widely discredited pseudo-documentary from 2020 that pushed falsehoods about COVID.

A passenger is believed to have contracted the rare respiratory disease before boarding the ship in Argentina and infecting others on board.

Yet, expert analysis found widespread claims alleging a sinister plot to force vaccines on the masses, coerce people into lockdown, or sway America's November elections by justifying expanded use of mail-in ballots—a voting method that election deniers have insisted without evidence is rife with fraud.

The almost-immediate resurrection of COVID-19-era conspiracy theories is a reminder that misinformation doesn't simply disappear once the crisis that yielded them is over.
Posts pointed to past coverage of potential vaccines for hantavirus, COVID-era comments from billionaire Bill Gates and a fictional 1990s television show as evidence the hantavirus was intentionally released to reduce the population or make money for vaccine manufacturers.

Some further claimed the hantavirus was a side effect of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines, misrepresenting a document that showed only that it was one of many "adverse events of special interest" subjected to monitoring, not something caused by the shot.
There are no approved vaccines or known cures for the hantavirus, which is usually spread from infected rodents and can cause respiratory and cardiac distress as well as hemorrhagic fever.

But online, anti-establishment physicians and some politicians immediately touted the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin and other medications as cures.
Some are saying that the virus is a "bioweapon" unleashed so pharmaceutical companies could profit off "poison" vaccines.
There is extreme misinformation about ivermectin. Outside of laboratory tests, ivermectin has not proven effective in treating infections.
Amid anxiety and confusion over the outbreak, "online influencers, social media groups, or AI-operated users, may seize the chance to make some money."
Remember, we have warned you!
Source: Expert warnings and news agencies

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Why hantavirus is not the new COVID, according to experts
Hantavirus is an established pathogen primarily transmitted from rodents to humans, with human-to-human transmission being rare and requiring close contact. Unlike COVID-19, hantavirus outbreaks are limited by high lethality and rapid symptom onset, which restrict widespread transmission. No specific treatments or broadly effective vaccines exist for hantavirus, but its pandemic potential remains low compared to COVID-19.
The Andes hantavirus may be too rapidly fatal to spark a pandemic.
The Andes hantavirus is thought to have a mortality rate of around 40%.
COVID, on the other hand, "infects thousands of people and only later do deaths start to accumulate
"Everything happens much faster: One person transmits it, 10 people become infected, and they die if they do not receive proper treatment.
"That is why there is not as much chance of a hantavirus pandemic.
There are currently no treatments or vaccines specifically targeting hantavirus, so doctors treat the symptoms it causes, such as breathing problems.

"The faster people receive treatment, the better their prognosis

Hantavirus crisis: WHO recommendations
WHO recommends six-week quarantine and active monitoring for all high-risk contacts from the cruise ship outbreak, corresponding to the Andes virus's maximum incubation period. Countries are urged to strengthen contact tracing, surveillance, and transparent communication. No vaccine or treatment exists; early supportive care and strict infection control in healthcare settings are advised.
Why 42 days? That corresponded to the longest likely incubation period of Andes virus—the only hantavirus strain known to spread between humans—at the heart of the outbreak.
There is as of now no licensed treatment for hantavirus, which can have a fatality rate up to 50%.

But the WHO said "early supportive care and immediate referral to a facility with a complete ICU can improve survival".
Source: WHO

Invading cancer cells grip and rip their way into new tissues

Cancer cells invade new tissues by gripping and pulling apart protective barriers, rather than simply pushing through them. This process is mediated by integrin adhesion proteins, which transmit mechanical forces, causing tissue tension and eventual rupture. Cancer cells are already in a fluid-like state before invasion, and no stiff-to-fluid transition is required. Targeting these mechanical interactions may offer new therapeutic strategies.

Researchers have discovered that cancer cells do not simply push through surrounding tissues to spread, but instead actively grip onto protective tissue barriers and pull them apart, revealing a fundamentally new mechanism of cancer invasion that could open fresh avenues for therapeutic intervention.
Cancer cells can spread to distant tissues and organs, where they establish new tumors and ultimately lead to organ dysfunction and death. In ovarian cancer, clusters of tumor cells must break through a thin protective lining called the mesothelium, which covers the inner surface of the abdomen, in order to colonize new sites.

These tumor clusters are typically thought to forcibly push their way through such tissue barriers in a process termed "invasion."
Using laboratory-grown ovarian cancer cell clusters placed onto a mesothelial cell layer to mimic the invasion process, the research team discovered that instead of simply pushing through, both the interacting cancer cells and surrounding tissue behave in a manner akin to gripping with tiny claws, latching and pulling onto each other.

This intercellular behaviour is mediated by integrin adhesion proteins, which transmit mechanical forces through these connections.

Over time, this process causes the surrounding tissues interacting with the invading cancer cells to tighten and stretch, creating an opening that allows the invading cancer cells to spread and colonize new environments.
The prevalent explanation for cancer spread is that cancerous cells from tumors undergo a transition from stiff, solid-like forms to a more elastic, fluid-like state. This transformation allows cancer cells to push through tissues with ease. However, the new findings in this study change this understanding.

Using advanced three-dimensional cell tracking and artificial intelligence-based analysis, the team showed that instead of switching between stiff and fluid states, cancer cells are already in a fluid-like state even before invasion begins, and that no such transition is required.

Instead, the cancer cells interact and engage with the surrounding tissues by pulling at them, transmitting forces to these tissues, ultimately leading to tension build-up until the protective tissue gives way and tears apart.
These findings answer prevailing questions about the mechanisms by which cancer colonizes new organs.

Selwin K. Wu et al, Multiscale mechanisms driving tissue rupture by invading cells, Developmental Cell (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2026.01.016

Wine's leftovers could help wean chicken farms off antibiotics
Inclusion of 0.5% grape pomace in broiler chicken diets improved weight gain, feed efficiency, and gut health to levels comparable with antibiotic growth promoters, while reducing gut inflammation and harmful bacteria. Both raw and fermented grape pomace altered the gut microbiome favorably and increased butyrate production. Utilizing grape pomace as a feed additive could reduce reliance on antibiotics and repurpose a major agricultural byproduct.

Milan K. Sharma et al, Dietary grape pomace mitigates high-NSP-induced inflammation and production loss via microbiome-SCFA-immune mediated pathways, npj Biofilms and Microbiomes (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41522-026-00996-8

The fog is alive: Droplets host bacteria that clear toxins from our air

Fog droplets host active bacterial communities, notably methylobacteria, which grow and metabolize pollutants such as formaldehyde, converting it to carbon dioxide. These microbial processes contribute to air purification, indicating fog acts as a transient aquatic habitat with significant ecological and atmospheric implications. Fog water may require purification before use as a drinking source due to microbial presence.

Thi Thuong Thuong Cao et al, Growth and formaldehyde degradation of photoheterotrophic Methylobacterium within radiation fogs, mBio (2026). DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00463-26

In an ant colony, the queen isn't in charge. So who is?
Ant colonies function as self-organized systems without centralized leadership; the queen's primary role is reproduction, not governance. Complex colony behaviors, such as efficient transportation networks and intricate nest construction, emerge from simple individual rules, pheromone-based communication, and stigmergy. Collective problem-solving and coordination improve with group size in ants, contrasting with human group dynamics.

original article.

New study challenges the idea that testosterone drives risk-taking behavior
A meta-analysis of 52 studies with over 17,000 participants found no reliable association between testosterone levels and risk-taking behavior. The relationship between testosterone and risk-taking did not differ between men and women, and only weak links appeared in specific tasks such as lottery games. Risk-taking appears to result from a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors rather than testosterone alone.
A separate meta-analysis looking at sex differences found that testosterone's link to risk-taking behaviour is no stronger in men than in women.

Irene Sánchez Rodríguez et al, No relationship between testosterone and risk aversion: A meta-analytic review, Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2026.106575

Bitter herbal extracts spur stomach acid in human gastric cells, study finds

Bitter herbal extracts, particularly those rich in polyphenols, stimulate proton secretion in human gastric cells via activation of bitter taste receptors TAS2R4, TAS2R5, and TAS2R39, promoting gastric acid production. Combinations of multiple extracts produced stronger effects than individual extracts, suggesting synergistic interactions among various plant compounds.
Bitter-tasting herbal extracts have traditionally been used to support digestion, yet the molecular basis of their effects has remained largely unclear.
Researchers now gained new insights into this mechanism. Using a cellular model, its researchers demonstrated that herbal extracts can stimulate proton secretion in human gastric cells as a key mechanism of gastric acid production, with combinations of extracts showing particularly strong effects. Extracts rich in polyphenols proved especially potent. The study further identified three human bitter taste receptor subtypes as key mediators of this response.
The researchers investigated a commercially available herbal preparation commonly used to alleviate digestive complaints. The formulation consists of extracts from nine plants and is characterized by a pronounced bitter taste. Based on this, the scientists hypothesized that the bitter compounds it contains, including polyphenols, not only activate bitter taste receptors in the mouth, but also stimulate gastric acid secretion through extraoral bitter taste receptors located in the stomach. Roughly 25 different human bitter taste receptor subtypes are known.
Their experiments revealed that several extracts, especially those from masterwort, juniper, sage, and yarrow, enhanced proton secretion in human gastric cells. In contrast, extracts from plants such as dandelion and gentian did not produce significant effects within the tested concentration range of up to 300 micrograms per milliliter.

The study also found that extracts with particularly high polyphenol levels exerted the strongest stimulatory effects. The researchers therefore propose that these phytochemicals may play an important role in promoting gastric acid secretion. Additional molecular biology analyses further indicated that the bitter taste receptors TAS2R4, TAS2R5, and TAS2R39 are involved in mediating the observed increase in proton secretion.
The combination containing all nine plant extracts produced the strongest stimulation of cellular proton secretion. In contrast, the mixture composed of the four most active individual extracts showed a considerably weaker effect, while the blend of the five least active extracts triggered only a slight increase in proton secretion."

According to the researcher, the findings indicate that cellular response emerges through the interaction of multiple compounds that enhance one another's effects.
Apart from polyphenols, other plant constituents are also likely to contribute to this synergistic effect.
The study therefore offers a potential molecular explanation for why bitter-tasting herbal preparations have long been regarded as digestive aids. By activating bitter taste receptors in the stomach, these compounds may directly stimulate gastric acid secretion and thereby support digestive processes. The results also indicate that complex herbal mixtures can, in some cases, be more effective than isolated extracts.

Phil Richter et al, A Digestive Herbal Mixture Preparation Stimulates Proton Secretion in Human Parietal Cells through Phenolic Compounds Targeting Bitter Taste Receptors, Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (2026). DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.70443

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Your blood may already know what illness comes next—long before symptoms appear, study finds

Predicting who will develop common diseases is key to prevention, detection, and early treatment. Traditionally, clinicians have estimated risk based on age, sex, laboratory results, and lifestyle factors. Although these classical indicators provide important information, they do not necessarily reflect the multifaceted biological mechanisms underlying disease development.

Researchers are now peering deeper into the hidden molecular world inside us. Multi-omics, an advanced biological analysis approach that integrates data from multiple "omes," such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, provides a comprehensive view of biological systems. It is like opening several windows at once. Each layer adds a clue, each clue adds a story.

Of the different types of omics technologies, proteomics (the study of proteins) and metabolomics (the study of metabolites) have been especially promising. Nevertheless, despite the advances achieved through large-scale approaches in these areas of research, studies integrating both remain scarce, and each new study is another step forward toward personalized medicine.

Publishing in Nature Communications, the researchers studied almost 24,000 people from the UK BIOBANK  to see if adding detailed molecular information, like proteins (proteomics) and small molecules (metabolomics), could help predict disease risk.

They found that using this additional data improved prediction accuracy across all 17 diseases they studied, including cancers, heart problems, diabetes, brain disorders, and lung diseases. This worked better than relying only on standard clinical measures.

Metabolomics provides inexpensive measures of circulating metabolites and can outperform traditional risk factors in predicting health. Proteomics is the quantification of proteins in blood and tissues to characterize disease biology that enhances risk prediction. Large-scale studies that combine both are rare.

Combined utilization of these complementary strategies may lead to improved disease prediction, allowing early diagnosis, precise prognosis, and ultimately personalized treatment approaches.

Given this gap, researchers performed a large-scale analysis of 159 metabolites and 2,923 proteins from nearly 24,000 individuals in the UK Biobank (a key resource for grand-scale studies bridging molecular data with disease). To determine the added predictive value of metabolomics and proteomics data (versus conventional clinical variables), researchers evaluated different prediction models across 17 diseases using these additional omics parameters.

They also matched important molecular attributes of the disease to demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic variables, illuminating underlying features across populations related to variability in disease etiology and risk.

The authors said, "Proteomics-only models generally outperformed metabolomics-only models for 16 of the 17 diseases, and integrating both omics added little prediction power over proteomics-only models."
Part 1

Via this analysis, researchers identified key molecular markers such as the well-established prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in prostate cancer and new candidates such as PRG3 in skin cancer. Some of these proteins were stratified by medication use and also adjusted for socioeconomic status, demonstrating that omics data can correlate with individual risk factors, illuminate disease pathways, and potentially guide follow-up therapeutic targets.

The authors noted, "Our study not only develops better risk prediction models, but also provides insights into a wide range of disease risk factors."

The mixOmics tool was used to deal with data from extensive molecular datasets. Other deep learning methods, Cox regression, Elastic Net, Random Survival Forest, and MOGONET were also tested. Cox regression often overfitted; Random Forest models were slow; other approaches diluted the signal, but mixOmics was both accurate and fast.

Analysis of metabolites revealed only widespread lipid-related patterns and disease-specific structural changes associated with proteins. Collectively, these datasets revealed common biological pathways, metabolic processes, and signaling pathways involved in disease pathogenesis.

Proteins were the major predictors of combinations, confirming the strong individual predictive power of proteomics. It confirmed known protein-disease associations, such as PRG3 and skin cancer, and identified relationships between proteins and medications, demographics, and social factors.

Known drug-disease links, such as Bisoprolol and heart disease, were confirmed in some of the results, and others are promising leads for opportunities to repurpose drugs or identify new side effects that need further study.
Part 2

The study has several limitations. Hospital records may miss less severe cases that were managed in primary care settings. The analysis was performed on 159 metabolites and 2,923 proteins from plasma samples alone, failing to capture specific molecular events that may occur in internal organs.

All data were collected at baseline, thereby preventing assessment of disease progression over time. Only the two omics layers were the focus of the study, and missing data have been imputed using methods that could introduce bias.

Feature importance could be misinterpreted due to correlations within the data. Since protein models proved so strong, the study focused on the best protein markers, without fully distinguishing which were common across diseases vs. disease-specific.

Despite limitations, the study carries important implications. Genomics and epigenomics enable greater predictive power than proteins and metabolites. Validating across populations enhances the robustness and fairness of a model. The combination of longitudinal data enables monitoring of disease progression, leading to timely interventions and personalized care processes.

Jiawen Du et al, Multi-omics integration predicts the incidence of 17 diseases in the UK Biobank, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-73017-z

Part 3

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How the brain switches between older and newer memories

As humans and other animals experience new things, their brains continuously update their memory of past events. These updates allow them to adapt to changing environments, all while preserving older memories that could still help them to make decisions in some situations.

Many past neuroscience studies have investigated the neural circuits involved in the encoding and retrieval of memories. However, the mechanisms via which it decides whether to retrieve older or newly updated memories remain poorly understood.

Researchers recently carried out a study involving mice that was aimed at better understanding how the brain switches between older and newer memories.

Their paper, published in Nature Neuroscience, delineates a specific neural pathway that appears to support the flexible switching between the retrieval of old and updated memories in mice, involving brain regions known as the medial septum (MS), the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) and the CA1 segment in the hippocampus.

The researchers' earlier observations ultimately led them to hypothesize that individual events leave their own "memory traces" each time the brain updates memories. They also proposed that the brain can access previously formed engram cell ensembles (i.e., cells encoding specific memories) that remain unaltered during the updating process, but it predominantly retrieves memories encoded by newly formed engram cell ensembles.

To test their hypotheses, the researchers carried out a series of experiments involving adult male mice. The mice were trained to form specific associations between stimuli and rewards, which ultimately guided their behaviour.

The researchers then exposed the mice to new experiences that led them to update their original memory associations. Using neuroimaging techniques, they looked at what cells became active while the mice's brain was retrieving newer, updated memories.

Their approach was to investigate whether neurons are selectively activated during retrieval after memory updating, compared with a single learning episode as a non-memory-updating control.

The researchers  identified a neural pathway that appears to play a central role in the adaptive switching between older memories and newer, updated ones.

Mujun Kim et al, A septo–entorhinal GABAergic pathway that enables switching between episodic memories, Nature Neuroscience (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02280-6.

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Ultra-processed foods tied to nearly fourfold asthma risk in children

Children who get more than 30% of their daily energy from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), such as soda drinks, packaged snacks, and sweetened breakfast cereals, have a nearly fourfold risk of developing asthma in their early school years.

The finding comes from a new study published in the journal Allergy that followed nearly 700  children for an average of 3.4 years as part of  a project.

Asthma is a common, long-term condition that affects breathing and often runs in families. While genetics are known to play a role, environment and lifestyle factors are also to blame. In this study, researchers wanted to know whether certain parts of our modern diet, specifically ultra-processed foods, were associated with the later development of asthma and other allergic diseases.
They followed 691 children who were 4 or 5 years old when the study started. Parents reported what their children ate by completing a detailed questionnaire, and the team categorized the foods using the NOVA system. This is a framework that classifies foods by processing levels rather than nutrient content.

Parents also updated the researchers each year on whether their children had been diagnosed with asthma or allergies. To ensure accuracy, the team took into account numerous factors that might skew the results, such as the child's weight and how much time they spent in front of screens.

Part 1

The results showed a strong link between ultra-processed foods and asthma. "Higher UPF consumption may be associated with an increased risk of developing asthma in school-age children," commented the team in their paper.

Beyond the nearly fourfold increase in asthma risk compared to children with the lowest intake of UPFs, the study found that the quantity of processed foods mattered. As the percentage of processed food in a child's diet went up, the likelihood of an asthma diagnosis also appeared to increase.

However, no such link was shown between ultra-processed foods and other allergic conditions. The study authors suggest that this may be because UPFs are irritating the lungs through a type of inflammation not related to an allergic reaction.

Given the link between diet and asthma suggested in the study, the scientists issued a call to action. "These findings highlight the need for public health policies aimed at limiting processed food consumption in children's diets as a preventive strategy."

O. Galindo et al, Ultra‐Processed Food Consumption and Childhood Allergic Diseases: Increased Risk of Asthma Onset in the SENDO Project, Allergy (2026). DOI: 10.1111/all.70378

Part 2

Satellite launch pollution is rapidly accumulating in the upper atmosphere
Megaconstellation satellite launches since 2019 are projected to contribute 42% of the space sector’s climate impact by 2029, primarily through black carbon emissions that persist in the upper atmosphere and are 540 times more effective at altering climate than surface sources. This pollution reduces sunlight reaching Earth, with effects comparable to geoengineering proposals, though the overall cooling impact is minimal relative to ongoing global warming. Ozone depletion from current launches remains small, but future impacts are uncertain as more satellites are deployed using various rocket fuels. The rapid increase in launches and persistent upper-atmosphere pollution highlight the need for regulatory action.

Radiative Forcing and Ozone Depletion of a Decade of Satellite Megaconstellation Missions, Earth's Future (2026). DOI: 10.1029/2025EF007229

Heart disease risk may start in the womb

A child's future heart health may be partially shaped before they are born, reports a new study that found pregnancy complications are linked to poorer cardiovascular health in offspring more than 20 years later.
Maternal pregnancy complications, particularly high blood pressure, are associated with poorer cardiovascular health in offspring at age 22, including higher BMI, blood pressure, blood sugar, and increased arterial wall thickness. Gestational diabetes and preterm birth also showed links to adverse cardiovascular markers. These findings suggest that cardiovascular risk may be influenced by prenatal exposures.
The study found that young adults whose mothers had high blood pressure during pregnancy—either pregnancy-associated hypertension, pre-eclampsia or eclampsia—had more signs of early arterial injury, higher blood pressure, higher body mass index and higher blood sugar than peers.

The authors said the study adds to growing evidence that cardiovascular risk may be transmitted across generations through a combination of biological, environmental and behavioural factors.

That means we must make sure people maintain good health from childhood into young adulthood, so that if or when someone becomes a parent, they pass on the best opportunity for good health to their children.
At around age 22, participants whose mothers had high blood pressure during pregnancy had:

Higher body mass index (+2.8 BMI points)
Higher diastolic blood pressure (+2.3 mm Hg)
Higher blood sugar levels (+0.2% HbA1c)
Thicker artery walls (~0.02 mm)
While the difference in artery wall thickness may seem small, the study authors said it corresponds to roughly three to five years of additional vascular aging. That means arteries look older and less healthy than expected, which raises the risk of future heart disease.

Other pregnancy complications also showed some long-term effects:

Exposure to gestational diabetes was linked to worse blood pressure and some evidence of artery thickening
Being born preterm was associated with higher blood sugar levels

The good news is that most heart disease is preventable

Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Cardiovascular Health Among Offspring in Early Adulthood, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.6783

Research shows individual protein needs vary widely, challenging the idea of a single daily target

Individual protein requirements vary significantly based on factors such as age, sex, activity level, and health status, making a single daily protein guideline insufficient for all populations. Newer measurement methods indicate protein breakdown may be higher than previously estimated, supporting a shift toward individualized, context-specific protein recommendations.
Protein has become the star of the modern diet. From shakes, bars and powders to viral fitness advice, the message seems clear: more protein equals better health. But new research suggests it's not that simple.
For decades, nutrition guidance has centered on a single benchmark: about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. That recommendation was designed to meet the needs of nearly all healthy people, and it remains the standard used in dietary guidelines today.
But the problem is that this guideline was never meant to apply to everyone. Two people with the same body weight may have different requirements depending on factors like sex, activity level, age and overall health.
We need to think more on an individual basis. You cannot take one value. Protein requirements were never meant for special populations—they were only meant for healthy, young people. When you get older, your requirements change, and more importantly, if you have a chronic disease, your requirements are also different. So, you cannot use this one number in all cases.

If you've been trying to hit a specific protein goal every day, here's some reassurance: you're likely already getting enough!
The limits of a one-size-fits-all protein guideline:
Part of the issue lies in how protein needs have traditionally been measured.
Researchers have traditionally relied on methods that track amino acids in the bloodstream to estimate how much protein the body breaks down and needs to replace. But those measurements don't fully capture what's happening inside the body's cells, where protein turnover takes place.

As a result, they can underestimate how much protein the body is actually using.
Using a new approach, the researchers found that protein breakdown in the body may be significantly higher than previously estimated, helping explain why a single universal guideline may not reflect individual needs.

The future of nutrition lies in tailoring recommendations to the individual.

This is what the researchers call precision nutrition and individualized protein needs.

This approach considers factors like a person's habitual diet, health status and physiology, recognizing that two people of the same size may have very different nutritional needs.

Instead of chasing a universal number, the focus should shift toward understanding individual needs and context.

Nicolaas E.P. Deutz et al, A novel pulse tracer method to estimate the relationship between amino acid meal composition and its intracellular disposal, Clinical Nutrition (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2025.10.002

When words look like their meaning, we process them faster, new research reveals
Words whose visual letter shapes resemble their meanings—demonstrating visual iconicity—are processed more quickly and accurately, even after controlling for word frequency, length, and concreteness. Words for round or spiky objects rated higher in iconicity when containing correspondingly shaped letters, and such words are typically learned earlier. This suggests that visual features of written words can facilitate language processing.

Common NSAIDs in first trimester show no birth defect link, data suggest
First trimester exposure to common NSAIDs, including ibuprofen, diclofenac, and naproxen, was not associated with an increased risk of major congenital malformations or defects in specific organ systems. No significant dose-response relationship was observed, indicating NSAID use in early pregnancy does not elevate birth defect risk.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, taken during the first trimester of pregnancy are not associated with an increased risk of major birth defects, according to a new study published in PLOS Medicine.
Pain and fever are common in early pregnancy and the options to manage them have been limited. Studies have raised safety concerns regarding acetaminophen while data on the safety of NSAIDs—which include widely used medications such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, and naproxen—has remained inconclusive.

The new study used data from the Southern Israeli Pregnancy Registry (SiPREG) to analyze 264,858 singleton pregnancies between 1998 and 2018, of which 20,202 (7.6%) were exposed to NSAIDs during the first trimester—most commonly ibuprofen (5.1%), diclofenac (1.6%), and naproxen (1.2%).

Major congenital malformations were identified from linked clinical, hospitalization, and termination records. The researchers adjusted risks for maternal and pregnancy characteristics including maternal age, ethnicity, diabetes, obesity, folic acid use, and the reason for NSAID use.

NSAID exposure was not associated with major congenital malformations overall (8.2% vs. 7.0% in unexposed pregnancies; matched adjusted relative risk = 0.99), nor with malformations in specific organ systems including the cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, central nervous system, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary systems.

No association was observed for any individual drug, and dose-response analyses found no significant link between cumulative NSAID exposure and birth defect risk.
The results provide reassuring evidence that NSAID use in early pregnancy is not associated with major birth defects.

Hasidim AA, et al. First-trimester nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs exposure and risk of major congenital malformations: A retrospective register-based cohort study, PLOS Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1005063

Prenatal exposure to chemical mixtures may influence fetal growth through the placenta

Prenatal exposure to mixtures of environmental chemicals, particularly low molecular weight phthalates, is associated with lower birthweight and altered fetoplacental blood flow, potentially mediated by imbalances in angiogenic biomarkers. Organophosphate mixtures correlated with higher foetal weight, possibly reflecting dietary factors. These findings indicate that chemical mixtures may influence foetal growth via placental mechanisms.

Bethany Knox et al, Prenatal Exposure to Mixtures of Nonpersistent Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Angiogenic Biomarkers, Placental Function, and Fetal Growth, Environmental Science & Technology (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c13234

Autoimmune gene provides viral protection

A variant of the gene PTPN22 linked to autoimmune diseases also appears to have a protective effect against viral infections. Researchers found that in mice, the presence of this variant kick-starts the activity of natural killer cells against a type of coronavirus. Removing natural killer cells from mice without the mutation had no effect on their ability to fight off the infection, which suggests these cells are not usually involved in the antiviral response. The findings could explain why this variant is relatively common in people, despite its link to diseases such as diabetes and lupus.

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2519903123

Are microbes the future of pollution clean-up?
Synthetic biologists are engineering bacteria to feast on oil, plastic and toxic chemicals

Microbes eat pollution — if we let them
A growing community of synthetic biologists are using biotechnology-led solutions — mostly microorganisms containing DNA tailored for a specific function — to tackle pollution ranging from microplastics and industrial waste to soils laced with heavy metals or explosive residues. But the field is held back by concerns around releasing genetically modified organisms into the environment, and the fact that current incentives make polluting profitable while cleaning up costs money.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01420-z?utm_source=Live+...

India’s DNA map uncovers millions of missing genetic variants A vast study reveals deep diversity, hidden disease risks and exposes the limits of Eurocentric medicine.

India’s DNA map reveals amazing diversity
India’s biggest gene-sequencing effort has shed new light on the diversity of the population, identifying nearly 130 million genetic variants, almost a third of which have not been reported previously. The GenomeIndia project analysed the whole genomes of almost 10,000 people, uncovering 44 million variants that weren’t already in global scientific databases. The study also revealed genetic risk factors in some populations, such as variants in genes that affect how the body processes certain drugs, variants linked to anaesthesia-related complications and extremely high levels of genetic homozygosity — when individuals inherit identical forms of a gene at a particular chromosome location from both parents. This can be a risk factor for recessive genetic diseases.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.03.20.26348801v1

https://www.nature.com/articles/d44151-026-00082-0?utm_source=Live+...

Physicists created hybrid light-matter particles that interact strongly enough to compute

Hybrid light-matter quasiparticles called exciton-polaritons, formed by coupling photons with electrons in atomically thin semiconductors, enable strong light interactions sufficient for all-optical signal switching. This approach achieves switching at extremely low energy levels (~4 quadrillionths of a joule), potentially enhancing photonic chip efficiency and supporting direct optical processing and quantum computing functions.

Zhi Wang et al, Strongly Nonlinear Nanocavity Exciton Polaritons in Gate-Tunable Monolayer Semiconductors, Physical Review Letters (2026). DOI: 10.1103/gc15-qsvf

How the brain recombines past knowledge for flexible planning

When facing new situations or problems, humans typically rely on knowledge they acquired in the past. Specifically, neuroscience studies suggest that the brain reorganizes past experiences and previously acquired knowledge, creating mental frameworks that can help humans to solve the problems they are facing. The recombination of past knowledge into new mental structures also allows humans to flexibly plan future actions in changing environments. Past studies suggest that two key brain regions contribute to this process, the hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC).

The hippocampus is a brain structure that plays a key role in the formation of memories and spatial navigation. The mPFC, on the other hand, is known to support decision-making, planning, reasoning and the integration of information.

Researchers  recently set out to investigate how the hippocampus and mPFC work together to combine past knowledge into new configurations. Their findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, suggest that this process is supported by brief bursts of high-frequency neural activity in the hippocampus, called hippocampal ripples, and the replay (i.e., re-activation) of past experiences in the brain.

The human brain excels at solving novel problems by flexibly recombining a limited set of familiar elements, often through the internal planning of sequences that assemble these elements into new configurations.

The researchers  analyzed brain activity recordings collected by the electrodes in the participants' brains during the experiment. This allowed them to understand how brain activity changed while the participants were combining past knowledge to complete the task at hand.

The brain activity patterns observed by the researchers suggest that the hippocampus and mPFC closely coordinate to recombine familiar pieces of information into new mental structures. Short bursts of brain activity (i.e., ripples) in the hippocampus appear to help the brain to reorganize stored memories.

During these ripple events, the brain appears to rapidly replay sequences of information, reorganizing familiar building blocks into new combinations that are useful for solving the problem/task at hand. Concurrently, the mPFC appears to update its activity patterns to represent the newly identified solution to a problem.

Hippocampal ripples shift mPFC representations toward the inferred relational configuration, facilitated by replay that reorganizes building blocks into candidate sequences," wrote the authors. "Replay is strongest during ripple periods, closely coordinates with mPFC activity and is predictive of efficient inferential behavior. Together, hippocampal ripples and replay emerge as a key mechanism for dynamically updating cortical representations online to support planning and inference."

This recent study offers new insight into how the human brain flexibly combines past knowledge to creatively tackle new tasks or problems.

Li He et al, Human hippocampal ripples coordinate planning sequences and compositional representations in neocortex, Nature Neuroscience (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02291-3

Implantable bacteria can now be safely contained, clearing a major hurdle for fighting infection and cancer

Researchers have long known that bacteria could potentially be used to deliver therapeutic drugs inside the human body. However, safely and successfully carrying out such a feat in humans has been a challenge. But now, researchers  have made another step forward toward the goal of using microbes as medicine. Their recent study, published in Science, details a novel method for containing engineered bacteria to keep them from infecting their host while still successfully delivering potentially life-saving medications.

Researchers have had success in engineering implantable bacteria that can sense infections and then release medications to kill other bacteria or cancer cells. These engineered bacteria must still be contained, however, to prevent dissemination and toxicity.
To do this, attempts have been made using hydrogels to encapsulate the engineered bacteria, but these often failed to prevent escape over time due to increasing pressure from expanding bacterial colonies or under physical stress from the body. Genetic containment strategies have also been attempted, but often fail due to evolutionary changes in the bacteria over time.

Yet, the idea of bacteria as living therapeutics is still attractive to scientists because of their ability to colonize a wide range of physiological environments, such as mucosa, infected sites, skin, inflamed tissues and tumors, and the ability to deliver therapeutics in response to specific biological signals, as opposed to waiting until symptoms become noticeable in a compromised person. Still, a long-term, biocompatible solution that keeps bacteria confined while allowing them to function as drug factories is crucial for these implantable living materials (ILM) to provide reliable, safe therapies.

Part 1

Keeping bacteria contained with a stiffer, tougher scaffold
The researchers involved in the new study identified two main aspects of existing hydrogel scaffolds that needed improvement. They wrote, "We hypothesized that fulfilling two key criteria for a material enables robust and durable containment of therapeutic bacteria: (i) resistance to the internal forces generated by proliferating bacteria and (ii) mechanical toughness sufficient to withstand deformation from surrounding tissues."

And so, the team engineered an implantable polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel with optimized stiffness and toughness to keep expanding colonies from breaking through and to resist breakage under body movement. They then embedded engineered E. coli bacteria in protective microgels within it.

The team then tested out the new scaffold in various situations. They allowed the encapsulated bacteria to sit in a nutrient broth in the lab for six months, checking in on it frequently to see if any bacteria leaked out. But the scaffold held the bacteria for the entire six-month period.

They also evaluated fatigue resistance using cyclic crack growth testing, which tests how fast a flaw grows in a material under repeated loading. The PVA material showed a high fatigue threshold that indicated a 10-fold improvement over previous agarose-based materials. The new scaffold material also outperformed agarose in mechanical robustness testing and showed that the bacteria remained inside and functional under stress.
The new ILM material was then tested out as a local drug depot in a mouse model. The mice were implanted with a pin containing the ILM and then infected with a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is common in implant surgeries and known for having an inherent resistance to many common classes of antibiotics. The bacteria in the scaffold were engineered to detect P. aeruginosa and release a drug to treat the infection.

The mice implanted with the new ILM material and engineered bacteria showed significantly reduced infection, compared to controls. Engineered bacteria inside the ILM were able to successfully detect infection signals and release the antimicrobial proteins to treat the infections in mice.

The team also performed testing on cancer cells in the lab, which showed successful drug delivery using the new materials. They write, "To evaluate platform versatility beyond antimicrobial therapy, we tested ILMs in a cancer-relevant context. Conditioned media from ILMs encapsulating Escherichia coli ClearColi (Ecc) engineered to express an inducible pore-forming toxin significantly reduced viability of CT26 cancer cells compared with GFP controls."

These results represent a big step in safer microbe-based drug delivery, although long-term safety and immune responses in humans still need to be studied. Further studies will also be helpful for determining potential effects or efficacy of chronic use and broader disease applications.

Tetsuhiro Harimoto et al, Implantable living materials autonomously deliver therapeutics using contained engineered bacteria, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aec2071

Part 2

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Soil also suffers from heat waves: Organic waste boosts its tolerance to 50°C

Adaptability has its limits.

When the temperature exceeds 40 degrees, just as human health suffers, the microorganisms that inhabit the soil—and from there provide a multitude of ecosystem services, such as carbon sequestration and plant nutrition—concentrate more on survival than continuing their work.
A study conducted by researchers has determined the temperature limit that soil in various regions can reach before it begins to degrade. The study also provides insights into what we can do to help the soil.

Soil microbial activity and phosphorus availability decline sharply above 40°C, with near-total functional shutdown at 50°C, threatening soil health under recurrent heat waves. Incorporating organic amendments, particularly olive pomace, significantly enhances soil resistance and phosphorus retention at high temperatures, supporting soil resilience and ecosystem services amid climate change.

Above 40 degrees, microorganisms' ability to capture carbon diminishes, and it practically "shuts down" at 50 degrees.
The higher the temperature they endure, the lower the soil's phosphorus reserve becomes, which is virtually non-existent when exposed to temperatures above 40 degrees.
To address this issue, the research team has explored ways to mitigate the damage caused by high temperatures, which they aim to counteract through the use of organic additives that enhance soil resistance.

Sana Boubehziz et al, Soil Preservation in Warming Climate: Organic Amendments Enhance Microbial Carbon Use Efficiency in Mediterranean Soils, European Journal of Soil Science (2026). DOI: 10.1111/ejss.70323

The newborn vitamin K shot: What every parent needs to know

The vitamin K shot is one of the oldest, safest, and most effective preventive interventions in newborn medicine.
The American Academy of Pediatrics—which first endorsed the intervention in 1961—recommends the shot be administered within six hours of birth. But amid a flood of misinformation online, more parents are refusing the shot for their newborns, sometimes with devastating consequences—highlighting the need for better communication about its benefits and the risks of forgoing it.
A single intramuscular vitamin K injection at birth effectively prevents vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB), a potentially fatal condition in newborns who have naturally low vitamin K levels. Without the injection, the risk of VKDB increases up to 81-fold, with consequences including irreversible brain damage or death. Oral alternatives are unreliable, and breast milk does not provide sufficient vitamin K. The injection is safe, with no proven link to cancer or serious side effects.
No parent wants their child to bleed to death. No parent wants their child to have hemorrhaging in their brain.
Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting, but newborns are born with very low levels of the nutrient, making them vulnerable to vitamin K deficiency bleeding, or VKDB—a condition that can cause internal bleeding in the brain, intestines, and other vital organs.

The single vitamin K injection—typically 0.5 mg to 1.0 mg given just after birth— prevents VKDB during the critical first months of life while the baby is building up their own vitamin K stores and before they start eating solid foods around 4–6 months old.

Without the vitamin K shot, the risk of bleeding is up to 81 times higher, with incidents occurring in 1 in 14,000 to 25,000 babies.

While most adults naturally maintain healthy vitamin K levels produced by bacteria in the gut and a balanced diet, the nutrient "does not cross the placenta easily."
Breast milk does not provide sufficient amounts after the birth.
The consequences of VKDB can be swift and devastating—and there's no reliable way to measure a baby's risk.
And the only sign that something is wrong is sudden, catastrophic bleeding, when the bleeding is already severe and difficult to reverse.
Brain bleeds are among the most serious outcomes. Depending on where blood accumulates and how quickly it is detected, consequences range from neurological impairment to death. "If [the hemorrhage] is pushing against the brainstem, which regulates a baby's breathing and heart rate, and it's not detected quickly enough, that has devastating consequences.
After bleeding begins, treatment options are limited. Vitamin K can be administered as a last resort to help stop active bleeding, but damage already done to the brain may be permanent.
Part 1

The rising number of parents refusing the intervention has added a new layer of complexity to diagnosing sick infants in the ED, where the most common cause of bleeding is trauma, such as a fall.

When evaluating infants who did not receive vitamin K injections, "clinicians may need to consider serious bleeding complications when evaluating otherwise nonspecific symptoms such as lethargy, vomiting, seizures, or pauses in breathing."
Parents refuse the shot for a wide range of reasons. One 2019 qualitative study found the refusal was often driven by a broad aversion to anything perceived as foreign or interventional at birth.

Increasingly, refusals are driven by misinformation circulating on social media that often conflates the shot with vaccines simply because it is an injection administered at birth. "But it's not a vaccine—it's a vitamin supplement."
Oral vitamin K—sometimes offered if parents turn down the injection—is not a reliable alternative because absorption through a newborn's gut is inconsistent, and repeat dosing would be required throughout the newborn period, says Howard.

Other reasons parents object to the birth dose:

Fear of side effects: Parents have encountered unfounded claims online about dangerous complications. In reality, decades of use support the shot's safety profile.
The cancer myth: A small study from the 1980s suggested a possible link between the shot and childhood cancer, but subsequent larger, more rigorous studies have not confirmed that association. "We have strong evidence to support that it does not increase an individual's cancer risk," Howard says.
"Breast milk is enough": Some parents mistakenly believe breastfeeding provides sufficient vitamin K—but it does not, says Thorne-Lyman. Unlike vitamin D, which can be meaningfully enriched in breast milk if the mother is sufficiently supplemented, "even if the woman is eating a good diet that's rich in vitamin K sources, there is still a possibility that their child is going to be deficient," he explains. Formula-fed infants may have a somewhat lower risk because formula contains added vitamin K, but the injection is still recommended for all newborns.
Delayed cord clamping: Some families believe that leaving the umbilical cord attached longer will transfer enough vitamin K from the placenta. "Placental transfer of vitamin K is very low, including through the cord blood, so delayed cord clamping does not provide sufficient vitamin K to prevent VKDB," Howard says.
A broader dynamic is also at play: Because VKDB became so rare after the shot was introduced, many parents have no frame of reference for how serious it can be. Because the underlying disease has become invisible, it produces a level of complacency.
Parents, unfortunately, are turning to social media rather than being able to sit down with their pediatrician.
We know now from decades of evidence and use that it is safe, effective, and necessary to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding, which can have deadly, or if not deadly, lifelong consequences for an infant.

https://hub.jhu.edu/2026/05/15/what-parents-need-to-know-newborn-vi....

Fear memories fade faster when brain immune cells engage key neurons

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorders are often characterized by fearful responses in specific situations that the mind learns to view as threatening. These fearful responses typically emerge following traumatic events or challenging life experiences, which prompt the brain to form unhelpful associations between specific stimuli and distressing events.

The fearful responses associated with PTSD or anxiety disorders can gradually diminish via a process known as fear extinction. This process entails the repeated exposure to a situation or stimulus perceived as threatening, but without any danger arising.

Understanding the neurobiological processes that support fear extinction could be very valuable, as it could help to devise new therapeutic strategies for treating symptoms of PTSD and anxiety disorders. 

Researchers have been trying to fill the gap in the literature by looking at how microglia in the mouse brain influence fear extinction. Their findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, suggest that microglia take part in the weakening of fearful memories over time via interactions with neurons.

Part 1

As part of their study, researchers studied mice that had previously formed associations between neutral stimuli (e.g., a sound) and adverse experiences (i.e., a small electric shock). They looked at cells in the mice's brains as they were undergoing fear extinction, or in other words, while they were repeatedly exposed to the stimuli they had learned to associate with danger, but in the absence of any adverse stimuli.

To do this, they first used activity-dependent tagging techniques to label neurons in the brain of mice that store specific fear memories. These fearful memory-encoding neurons are known as engrams.

They then examined what happened during extinction learning and found that microglia preferentially interacted with these neurons. Next, they disrupted these interactions using genetic and pharmacological approaches. Across experiments, interfering with microglia-engram interactions slowed extinction learning, indicating that microglia actively help regulate the weakening of fear memories.
The team's observations suggest that microglia contribute to the extinction of fear memories in mice and in the weakening of associated fearful responses. Specifically, the researchers found that interactions between microglia and neurons temporarily reduced the activity of fear engram neurons.

When they prevented these interactions from taking place, the fear extinction process appeared to slow down considerably. This suggests that microglia play a significant role in the weakening of fear responses and are in fact active regulators of fear extinction.

The most important finding is that extinction is not solely a neuronal process.
The results of this recent study could soon help to refine existing models of fear extinction. In addition, they could pave the way for new research that specifically explores the role of microglia in the recovery from PTSD and anxiety disorders.

Yunlong Liu et al, Microglia-dependent regulation of fear memory extinction, Nature Neuroscience (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02286-0.

Rivalry with neighboring groups may be a key driver of male size in primates

In many primate species, males are much larger than their female counterparts, which is generally attributed to male competition for mates (sexual selection). But bigger bodies may not just be about alpha males defeating rivals. They could also come about because of competition between neighbouring social groups, according to a new study published in the journal Biology Letters.

The authors thought that the standard scientific view that a primate male's size was mostly determined by rivalry within the same group was not the full story. They wanted to see if the threat from outsiders was an even more powerful evolutionary engine. One of the reasons for this was that primate groups are not isolated. They tend to live close to other groups, meaning they must share or fight for resources.

The team searched through scientific literature and collected data on 146 different primate species. They compared male and female size against several measures of between-group competition. These included the daily encounter rate, the proportion of encounters that were antagonistic, and the home range overlap (the percentage of a group's total range that is shared with a neighbouring group).

It turns out that the mating system, which describes how males and females pair up for breeding, was not a strong predictor of size differences. Instead, it was pressure for space. The authors discovered that the more a group's territory overlaps with its neighbours, the larger the males are compared to the females. Frequent encounters with neighbouring groups also appear to promote the evolution of larger male bodies.

Their hypothesis is that the evolutionary advantage and driver of size is that it acts as a silent deterrent. Being larger helps a male defend resources and guard mates by simply being intimidating. This reduces the need for risky physical fights. Over time, evolution favors these larger males because they can successfully protect their group and territory by their physical presence alone.

"Home range overlap may select for larger males to deter rivals, defend resources or monopolize females across shared territories, potentially without frequent physical contests," wrote the research team in their paper.

Cyril C. Grueter et al, Effects of between-group competition on sexual size dimorphism in primates, Biology Letters (2026). DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2025.0680

Natural malaria immunity:  The secret to why some people never get sick

People living in regions where malaria outbreaks are common experience repeated exposure to the disease, which gradually teaches the body how to fight back. Over time, they develop naturally acquired immunity that helps the body control the density of malaria parasites (Plasmodium falciparum) in the blood and prevent the development of clinical symptoms.

A recent study set out to pinpoint the specific parts of the malaria parasite that the immune system targets to protect the body from disease. The researchers deliberately infected 142 Kenyan adults known to be immune to malaria, then monitored their symptoms and parasite levels. They successfully identified six merozoite antigens—proteins on the surface of the malaria parasite—that were linked to natural immunity against the disease. The findings were published in Nature Communications.

 Six key proteins linked to protection: MSP1, MSP11, RAMA, MSP7, PHISTB, and PTEX150.

The team found that immunity was strongest when the body produced antibodies against more than one protein, as combinations of antibodies worked more effectively. They also observed that individuals with high levels of antibodies against four of the six proteins were the ones who showed complete protection from developing malaria symptoms during the study.

For vaccine researchers, these findings can open up promising new directions in the fight against malaria. More effective vaccines could ultimately save millions of lives, particularly among children in Africa, where the disease continues to wreak havoc every year.

Rodney Ogwang et al, Controlled human malaria infection in adults identify combinations of merozoite antigens associated with clinical immunity, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-72716-x

Losing grip on reality while using ChatGPT
Prolonged, intensive interactions with AI chatbots such as ChatGPT have been associated with the emergence of AI-induced delusions or psychosis, characterized by loss of reality, social isolation, and significant personal and psychological harm. These effects appear to be exacerbated by chatbot behaviors such as excessive flattery and emotional engagement, raising concerns about mental health risks and the need for regulatory oversight.
An unknown number of people have lost their grip on reality while communicating with chatbots, an experience tentatively being called AI-induced delusion or psychosis.
This is not a clinical diagnosis. Researchers and mental health specialists are racing to catch up to this new, little-understood phenomenon, which so far appears to particularly affect users of OpenAI's ChatGPT.

In the meantime, an online community set up by a 26-year-old Canadian has become the world's most prominent support group for these delusions, which they prefer to call "spiraling."
Questions are also being asked about whether AI companies are doing enough to protect vulnerable people.
People are literally getting brainwashed by a robot!

RESEARCH REPORTS

Loss of the X chromosome is associated with reduced chance of natural pregnancy

Chromosomes carry genetic information for biological sex, which generally assigns women two X chromosomes and men XY chromosomes. This is a basic principle of human genetics most are taught in grade school biology, but it is little known that with aging, men can lose the Y chromosome, and women can lose one of their X chromosomes.

These phenomena are known as loss of the Y chromosome (LOY) and loss of the X chromosome (LOX). LOY is associated with several diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease, while LOX may be linked to acute myeloid leukemia and pneumonia.
Loss of the X chromosome (LOX) in white blood cells is more prevalent in women with infertility, and a LOX cell proportion above approximately 0.9% is associated with reduced likelihood of natural pregnancy. LOX levels were not correlated with anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), suggesting that combining LOX and AMH assessments may improve prediction of natural pregnancy potential.
The results revealed that women with infertility had a significantly higher proportion of LOX cells. Furthermore, when the proportion of LOX cells in white blood cells exceeded approximately 0.9%, the likelihood of achieving natural pregnancy decreased.
In the future, measuring LOX in individuals experiencing infertility may help determine whether natural pregnancy is possible or whether fertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization, should be initiated at an earlier stage.

Taiki Kikuchi et al, Haematopoietic loss of the X chromosome is associated with a lower likelihood of natural conception, Reproductive BioMedicine Online (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2026.105638

Osteoporosis could increase mortality risk in postmenopausal women, study suggests
Osteoporosis in postmenopausal women is associated with a 47% increased risk of mortality, particularly when femoral bone mineral density falls within the osteoporotic range (0.46–0.71 g/cm2). Lower bone mineral density serves as a prognostic biomarker for systemic health, indicating elevated mortality risk beyond fracture incidence.
Osteoporosis, which is highly prevalent in postmenopausal women, has long been associated with an increased risk of fractures. A new study suggests it may also increase a woman's overall risk of death—by as much as 47%—especially within specific ranges of bone mineral density (0.46-0.71 g/cm2 for total femur bone mineral density). Results of the study are published online in Menopause.
As the total population ages, the incidence of osteoporosis also increases. In 2022, the global prevalence of osteoporosis was 19.7%, with women exhibiting a significantly higher prevalence than men (23.1%).

One study projected that by 2030 the number of people affected by osteoporosis worldwide will reach 263 million, with 154 million of them being women. Previous research has documented that postmenopausal women experience a significantly higher mortality rate within one year after hip or vertebral fractures.

The decline of estrogen levels during the menopause transition has been linked to a number of physiologic changes across multiple systems, including bone metabolism, cardiovascular function, muscle mass, and fat distribution.

Regarding bone health, declining estrogen levels accelerate bone resorption and inhibit bone formation, leading to a rapid decrease in bone mineral density (especially in the femoral region), which in turn increases the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
In this new study involving nearly 3,000 postmenopausal women, bone mineral density at four femoral sites was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

The analysis revealed that mortality risk was significantly elevated when femoral bone mineral density reached the osteoporotic threshold or in the presence of osteoporotic fractures.

After full adjustment, osteoporosis was associated with a 47% increased risk of mortality. A stronger inverse association between increased bone mineral density and mortality risk was observed within specific ranges, suggesting that bone mineral density should serve as a prognostic biomarker of systemic health.

Osteoporosis often remains a silent threat after menopause, despite its profound effect on women's lives—from loss of height, poor balance, and reduced mobility to disfigurement, pain, and even premature death.
Early screening and preventive measures, including a calcium-rich diet (preferably from food sources), regular weight-bearing exercise, and hormone therapy when appropriate, can significantly improve bone health and reduce risks not only of fractures but also cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, and dementia.

Zheng Zhang et al, Femoral bone mineral density and mortality risk in postmenopausal women: a National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey cohort study, Menopause (2026). DOI: 10.1097/gme.0000000000002787

Why Planes Fly Across The Atlantic At Night

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AI-generated fake citations are flooding scientific literature across publications, scientists warn

The citations at the end of a research paper should represent a solid foundation of existing knowledge about a particular field, a pool of peer-reviewed sources built over years of research and study. However, with the increasing use of AI and large language models in writing research papers, there's a growing chance that the citation someone clicks on may not even exist, and that the study, the source, or even the researchers themselves could be entirely fake.

In a recent study posted to the arXiv preprint server, researchers audited millions of papers and found that an estimated 146,900 hallucinated citations were present in research papers hosted on four major scientific repositories—arXiv, bioRxiv, SSRN, and PubMed Central. These numbers were for 2025 alone.

The hallucinated citations were not limited to a handful of bad apples but appeared across many papers, each containing a small number of fake references, pointing to a broader pattern of researchers using AI yet failing to fact-check the output.

Scientific research advances by building on prior discoveries, where each new finding depends on what has already been established. In this space, the rapid growth of AI use and the accompanying hallucinations show no sign of slowing down, which raises serious concerns.

Generative AI tools built on large language models are quite good at producing information that sounds plausible and realistic, yet is completely fabricated or incorrect. These models are trained on massive datasets to learn patterns, which they then use to predict the next word and generate new content.

As a result, they can sometimes produce output based on pattern prediction rather than any reliance on actual facts.

Hallucinated content isn't limited to scientific literature, as it makes its appearances in government reports, legal filings, and even news articles from renowned media publications.

Scientists have previously studied AI hallucinations, but most studies were either conducted under laboratory conditions or confined to small samples or narrow domains. The actual scale and impact of such mistakes, particularly within scientific literature, was still unclear.

The audit revealed a sharp surge in fake, non-existent citations appearing in serious scientific papers, especially from mid-2024 onward.

The study found that early-career scientists and small teams were most likely to include these fake citations, and in some cases, these same researchers saw their productivity increase by roughly three times since the advent of AI.

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Another interesting pattern appeared where hallucinated references tended to disproportionately credit already prominent and male scholars, suggesting that errors generated by LLMs may reinforce existing inequalities in scientific recognition.

The data exposed existing gaps in guardrails, such as preprint moderation, journal editors, and peer review, which could catch only a small fraction of these errors. For example, while arXiv moderation caught some issues, an estimated 78.8% of non-existent citations still passed through and appeared on the platform.
The researchers warn that hallucinations are steadily infiltrating knowledge production at scale, threatening both its reliability and equity. Without intervention, its impact could bleed from the future of scientific discovery to policy and public understanding.

Zhenyue Zhao et al, LLM hallucinations in the wild: Large-scale evidence from non-existent citations, arXiv (2026). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2605.07723

AI system developed to help prevent airport collisions

An AI system, World2Rules, uses neural and symbolic methods to learn explicit, interpretable safety rules from airport movement data, distinguishing normal from unsafe behaviours. It identifies and explains specific rule violations in real time, enabling earlier and clearer warnings of potential collisions. The approach is adaptable to other safety-critical domains by learning relevant rules and behaviours.

https://www.cmu.edu/news/stories/archives/2026/may/cmu-researchers-...

You can persuade AI models to accept falsehoods as truth, study shows

Large language models can be persuaded to accept and reinforce falsehoods when subjected to conversational pressure, even after initially identifying statements as false. This vulnerability, not captured by traditional evaluation methods, raises concerns about AI reliability in interactive settings, especially in critical domains such as health or law. The degree of resistance to falsehoods varies among models, and the mechanisms underlying this behaviour remain unclear.

original article.

By age 4, one side of the brain is already calling the shots on language

The brain's capacity to use and understand language expands rapidly in the first years of life, as babies start to make sense of the words they hear and eventually begin to piece together sentences of their own. The language-processing parts of the brain that make this possible continue to evolve in older children, as they expand their vocabularies and learn to use language more flexibly.

By age four, the brain's language network is already strongly lateralized to the left hemisphere, similar to adults, and this lateralization does not gradually emerge with age. The integration and responsiveness of the language network increase through adolescence, but right hemisphere involvement in language processing in developmental disorders is not due to delayed lateralization. Early brain plasticity allows the right hemisphere to compensate for left hemisphere damage despite early lateralization.

Brain researchers have captured snapshots of the developing language-processing network in brain scans of hundreds of children and adolescents. Their data, reported in Nature Communications, show that the network continues to mature, becoming better integrated and increasingly responsive until around age 16. But they also found that a key feature of the adult language network is established early on: its localization in the left side of the brain.

Ola Ozernov-Palchik et al, Precision fMRI reveals that the language network exhibits adult-like left-hemispheric lateralization by 4 years of age, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-72916-5