AI fails classic attention test, with longer word lists triggering dramatic accuracy collapse
Transformer-based large language models exhibit a dramatic decline in accuracy on the Stroop task as word list length increases, particularly when word meaning and ink colour are mismatched. Unlike humans, who maintain high accuracy regardless of list length, LLMs default to word reading and fail to sustain task focus, indicating fundamental limitations in their attention mechanisms compared to biological systems.

Suketu Chandrakant Patel et al, Deficient executive control in transformer attention, PNAS Nexus (2026). DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgag149

Worm tablet could be repurposed as brain cancer treatment
Mebendazole, an antiparasitic drug, demonstrated consistent tumor growth inhibition and increased survival in laboratory and animal models of brain cancer, acting through multiple anticancer mechanisms and enhancing effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, human studies show limited and inconsistent efficacy, indicating that mebendazole remains an unproven candidate requiring further clinical trials before routine use in brain cancer treatment.

Ciara B. Blum et al, From anthelmintic to neuro‐oncology: A systematic review of mebendazole repurposing for brain tumour therapy, British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology (2026). DOI: 10.1002/bcp.70565

Why doesn't coffee taste like caffeine?

Through a series of tests aided by a trained panel, researchers discovered that caffeine must be interacting with other molecules present in coffee that significantly reduce its bitterness. In fact, coffee masked caffeine's distinctive taste until researchers added 10 times the normal amount of caffeine present in a typical brew.
Caffeine is highly bitter in isolation, but its bitterness is significantly reduced in coffee due to interactions with melanoidins and chlorogenic acid formed during roasting. These compounds, especially melanoidins, likely bind caffeine, preventing it from activating bitter taste receptors and resulting in coffee's characteristic, less bitter flavour profile.
To find the coffee molecules responsible for this effect, the team ran taste-tests of caffeine in solution combined with additional compounds: chlorogenic acid, which is naturally present in coffee beans, and/or melanoidins, which are products of the Maillard reaction that occurs during roasting.

The tasting panel found that when both compounds were combined with caffeine, the bitter taste was reduced by about half. Frank suspects that caffeine and melanoidins form a complex that—due to its size—prevents interaction with the bitter taste receptors on our tongues. The strength of the bond between caffeine and melanoidins may differ between different roasting processes, though future work is needed on this point.

A plethora of bitter stimuli, generated during the roasting process, culminate in the unique, bitter taste of coffee beverages.

Michael Gigl et al, Impact of Interactions between Melanoidins and Caffeine on the Bitter Taste of Coffee Beverages, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c17022

Biomaterial made from jackfruit latex is a promising treatment for periodontitis

A biomaterial composed of jackfruit latex, pomegranate peel extract, and simvastatin forms a mucoadhesive matrix that enhances osteoinduction in vitro, indicating potential for periodontal tissue regeneration. The formulation supports localized drug delivery, increases bone formation, and may reduce systemic side effects compared to oral simvastatin.

Bruna V. Quevedo et al, Jackfruit latex-pomegranate extract biomaterial incorporated with simvastatin as a potential osteoinductive system for periodontal applications, Polymer Bulletin (2026). DOI: 10.1007/s00289-026-06358-w

Cells have a built-in 'seatbelt' against sudden stress

When cells experience sudden physical stress, like stretching or pressure, they can activate a fast, protective mechanism that shields their nuclei from destruction, according to a new study published in the Biophysical Journal. This mechanism could help scientists develop therapies to prevent DNA damage, a major driver of aging and cell death.

Epithelial cells rapidly form an actin-based ring around their nuclei in response to acute mechanical or osmotic stress, providing immediate physical protection and reducing nuclear rupture and DNA damage. This transient structure increases lamin A/C expression, stiffening the nuclear membrane. Impaired actin ring formation leads to increased DNA damage and cell death, suggesting a potential link to aging.

Aging cells tend to have lower levels of actin in them, which means they may not produce the ring structure as effectively as healthy cells.

Transient Perinuclear Actin Rings Prevent Cell Aging And Apoptosis Via Nuclear Mechanical Protection, Biophysical Journal (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2026.04.035

The perks of polyandry: Mating with multiple males leads to home improvement for African tree frogs

The question of why females mate with multiple males has long puzzled evolutionary biologists. A new study of African foam-nest tree frogs, led by University of Wollongong (UOW) researchers, reveals polyandry could be the key to reproductive success and a safer home for offspring. The findings shed light on how amphibians have evolved to protect their young in challenging environments, presenting a new hypothesis for the evolution of polyandry that ties mating behavior to the quality of nest construction.
Polyandry in African foam-nest tree frogs results in larger, more robust nests that are less likely to fail, enhancing offspring survival. Multiple males assist in nest construction and gain partial paternity, indicating cooperative rather than competitive reproductive behaviour. These findings suggest that nest-building requirements may drive the evolution of polyandry in various animal species.

Phillip G Byrne et al, "Nesting assistance": a new hypothesis for the evolution of polyandry and a test in an African foam-nesting treefrog, Evolution (2026). DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpag071

Dogs respond to human tone without words, hinting at communication older than language

Humans can communicate various instructions to dogs without using actual words—simply by modulating the tone of their voice, a new study shows. By repeating the nonsense syllable 'bü' in different intonations, humans successfully signaled "Yes," "No," "Here," and "There" and, remarkably, dogs responded correctly, despite receiving no prior training. The findings reveal ancient acoustic codes, interpretable across species, that predate language itself.

Dogs accurately interpret human intentions such as affirmation, prohibition, and spatial direction based solely on vocal tone, even without word use or prior training. Specific acoustic features—such as pitch, smoothness, and call duration—encode these meanings, indicating the presence of ancient, cross-species vocal communication codes that predate language.

Anna Gábor et al, Cross-species acoustic codes for yes and no in human nonverbal vocalizations, Cognition (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2025.106284

"Yes" and "no" are among the most commonly used words. But the origins of these simple meanings are older than language, and even older than humans.

Why do male chimpanzees throw rocks at the same trees for more than a decade?
Male chimpanzees throw rocks at specific trees over long periods as part of a rare, culturally transmitted behavior, likely linked to communicative or symbolic functions within their social groups. This accumulative stone throwing is not related to food acquisition and is observed only in select West African populations, suggesting cultural specificity. The behavior may mark important locations and is maintained for over a decade, but its precise meaning remains unclear.

original article.

Aspirin may unmask silent bladder cancer by triggering bleeding
Initiation of aspirin therapy is associated with increased cystoscopy rates and detection of bladder cancer at less invasive stages, likely due to aspirin-induced urinary bleeding unmasking asymptomatic tumours. In contrast, NSAID initiators showed increased cystoscopy rates without a corresponding increase in bladder cancer detection or shift in stage distribution.

Malene Söth Hansen et al, Aspirin or non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug initiation and subsequent bladder cancer evaluation, Journal of Internal Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1111/joim.70115

Celiac disease tied to higher risk for solid organ transplants

Celiac disease (CeD) is associated with a nearly tripled risk for needing a solid organ transplantation, according to a study published online May 28 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Celiac disease is associated with a nearly threefold increased risk of solid organ transplantation compared to the general population, with particularly elevated risks for liver (aHR 7.26) and kidney (aHR 1.85) transplants. No significant difference was observed for heart transplantation risk.

John B. Doyle et al, Risk of solid organ transplantation in individuals with celiac disease: a nationwide cohort study, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2026.04.034

Air pollution may be harming your brain's 'encyclopedia'

A new study by researchers found that higher exposure to very small air pollution particles (PM2.5) over a 17-year span was associated with lower semantic memory. Semantic memory acts like the brain's "encyclopedia" for things like facts, words and long-term general knowledge.
Semantic memory is essential for communication, comprehension and navigating everyday life.
Long-term exposure to higher levels of fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) is associated with lower semantic memory performance in older adults, independent of age, education, income, and marital status. The impact of PM2.5 on semantic memory exceeds that expected from a decade of normal aging, while executive function and verbal episodic memory were not affected.
Two other measures of cognitive function—executive function and verbal episodic memory—did not show an impact related to the pollution.

The researchers found:

People who were exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 pollution over many years scored noticeably lower on semantic memory tests than those exposed to lower levels of pollution.
The association with PM2.5 pollution persisted even after accounting for other factors such as age, education, income and marital status.
The effect of long-term PM2.5 exposure on semantic memory was greater than what researchers would expect from 10 years of normal aging.

How individuals can reduce exposure to air pollution
While air pollution is largely a community-level issue, there are many ways individuals can reduce their exposure to air pollution:

Check daily air quality forecasts on AirNow. The EPA website lets you enter your ZIP code to find out about air quality, which accounts for fine particulates, in your area.
Limit outdoor activity when pollution levels are high, especially during wildfire smoke events.
Use high-efficiency (HEPA) air filters indoors.
Keep windows closed on poor air quality days.
Avoid exercising near busy roads or heavily trafficked areas.
Use recirculated air settings in vehicles during heavy traffic or smoky situations.

Stacey E. Alexeeff et al, Particulate air pollution and domain‐specific cognition among Black adults, Alzheimer's & Dementia: Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging (2026). DOI: 10.1002/bsa3.70074

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Science Media Amplifies Male Scientists’ Voices Over Female Ones

Analysis of more than 2,500 science stories revealed that men were quoted more often than women, highlighting systemic gender bias in science communication.
According to the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), which analyzes gender in news, only 26 percent of the people seen, heard, or spoken about in the news are women. Merryn McKinnon, a science communication researcher at the Australian National University, set out to investigate whether science news reflects a similar imbalance.

By analyzing STEM stories in Australian media over five years, McKinnon and her colleagues found that men were more frequently used as direct sources, even in disciplines dominated by women.1 Their findings, published in the Journal of Science Communication, reveal that stories shaping public understanding of science continue to cater to male voices and expertise, underscoring the importance of journalists, organizations, and science communicators in increasing the diversity of their sources.
Female Voices Are Consistently Underrepresented in Science News

McKinnon M, et al. Gender in Australian science news. J Sci Comm. 2026;25(3).

Confronting risks of mirror life

‘Mirror life’ study reignites fierce debate

Mirror life — a hypothetical form of microbes that use mirror-image versions of the biological molecules that exist in nature — might not pose an existential threat to life after all, says a team of researchers. In a modelling study, the group found that mirror organisms would struggle to survive in the wild because they would require ‘mirror’ nutrients that don’t exist naturally. The study has prompted criticism from other researchers — including some who co-authored a 2024 paper calling for all work to create mirror life to be halted — who counter that mirror life would quickly adapt to new conditions.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.07.723461v2

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ads9158

CAR-T enables kidney transplants

A single dose of engineered immune cells has helped three people with ‘highly sensitized’ immune systems to receive life-saving kidney transplants. People in this group are often ineligible for transplants because their bodies usually reject the donated organ. Researchers engineered the recipient’s own immune cells into chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells that ultimately reduce the trouble-making antibodies that push their immune systems into overdrive. More than a year after receiving the cells, the three people are now living with new kidneys and without notable side effects.

https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2513428

https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2517277

Bacteria can learn and form memories without a brain

Researchers have shown that bacteria can learn from past experiences, store memories across generations and adapt their behaviour to changing environments, all without a brain or nervous system. The research could shape how scientists think about bacterial infections and antibiotic treatment.
E. coli bacteria can encode and transmit memories of past environmental conditions, enabling adaptive responses to fluctuating nutrient availability. These memory effects persist across generations via inherited molecular components, influencing behaviour even in descendants. The findings indicate bacterial responses depend on both current and historical environments, with implications for understanding infection dynamics and antibiotic resistance.
In a study published in PRX Life, researchers tracked individual E. coli cells as nutrient conditions shifted between rich and poor environments. Instead of responding the same way every time, the bacteria adjusted their growth based on patterns they had experienced before. Cells exposed to rapidly changing conditions were able to adapt better than cells raised in more stable environments.

The findings suggest bacteria do more than just react to their surroundings. They appear to encode memories of past environments and use those memories to guide future behaviour.

Josiah C. Kratz et al, Multi-Timescale Adaptation and Emergent Learning in Single Bacterial Cells, PRX Life (2026). DOI: 10.1103/5zbg-8vll

Corals have a hormonal clock and it looks surprisingly like ours

A three-year study has cracked open the hidden biology behind coral reproduction, revealing hormone cycles that echo those of humans and other animals, and a new way to detect reef distress before it's too late.
Corals exhibit annual reproductive hormone cycles, with estrogen peaking months before spawning and progesterone surging after, paralleling patterns seen in other animals. Sunlight, rather than temperature, primarily regulates these hormone levels. These findings provide a baseline for detecting reproductive stress in corals, aiding early intervention in reef conservation.

Once a year, on cue, corals across a reef release their eggs and sperm into the sea simultaneously. Coral reproduction is one of nature's most spectacular events. For reefs increasingly threatened by warming, pollution and overfishing, getting that timing right is a matter of survival.
A team of researchers has uncovered evidence that corals may rely on hormone cycles like those used by many animals, including humans, to prepare for reproduction.
Their findings reveal a hidden biological rhythm that may help explain how corals coordinate reproduction and how scientists might detect reproductive stress before spawning failures become visible.
Scientists had previously suspected that estrogen-like hormones would peak just before corals spawned. Instead, the researchers found that estrogen levels reached their highest point months earlier, during the earliest stages of egg development, before steadily declining as eggs matured.

Meanwhile, progesterone remained relatively stable throughout the reproductive season but surged several months after spawning, suggesting it may help initiate the next reproductive cycle.

Equally surprising: Sunlight, not heat, emerged as the dominant driver of these hormone levels.
So there's a whole process beforehand, driven by these familiar reproductive hormones, which are remarkable to find in corals, animals so evolutionarily distant from us.
The team discovered another surprise inside individual coral colonies. Hormone levels were distributed fairly evenly throughout the colony, yet the central portions of corals were far more likely to contain developing eggs than the growing outer edges. The finding suggests that local conditions within a colony, such as age, energy reserves or developmental stage, may determine which polyps respond to reproductive signals.

Beyond advancing basic science, the findings could have practical implications for conservation.

Chen Azulay et al, Steroid hormones dynamics during coral reproduction: Multi-year patterns in Acropora eurystoma from the Red Sea, iScience (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.116205

Scientists map more than 200 years of nature's progress
Comparisons of current mammal communities along the Lewis and Clark Trail with historical records reveal significant changes in species composition and ecosystem function, largely due to land use, development, and species loss over two centuries. Dominant species such as bison and wolves are now absent or greatly reduced, indicating altered ecological roles and community dynamics.

For scientists, the project's goal goes beyond documenting which species remain. By pairing modern data with Lewis and Clark's observations, they are examining how centuries of land use, development, and species loss have reshaped entire ecosystems.

https://showme.missouri.edu/2026/mizzou-helps-smithsonian-map-more-...

Why does the Y chromosome retain UTY?

The human Y chromosome has lost many of its ancestral genes over millions of years of evolution. Yet a small number of genes, including UTY, have been evolutionarily retained despite their weak expression and reduced enzymatic activity. Why these genes persist has remained a longstanding question in chromosome biology.

A study, published in the journal Development, is the first to precisely map endogenous UTY occupancy across the human genome and demonstrate that UTY remains functionally involved in transcriptional regulation during early human development.
UTY is retained on the Y chromosome because it continues to contribute to transcriptional regulation during early human development, co-occupying active cis-regulatory elements with its X homolog UTX and supporting pluripotency-associated transcription factor localization. Despite weaker expression and occupancy than UTX, UTY maintains residual, largely noncatalytic regulatory functions, suggesting it is in an evolutionary transition phase rather than being fully redundant or lost.

Tomohiko Akiyama et al, Functional redundancy between UTY and UTX in regulating the localization of transcription factors involved in pluripotency, Development (2026). DOI: 10.1242/dev.205328

How often do people pass gas?

Flatulence, or farting, is something people often joke about or find embarrassing when it happens unexpectedly. It is, however, an essential bodily function that allows the digestive system to keep pressure within the intestinal tract low and prevents painful stretching of the stomach and intestines. Even though it is normal to fart, it remains unclear what counts as a healthy number.

A study by researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation wanted to measure how many times people pass gas in a day. So they designed a mobile phone application, Chart Your Fart, that allowed more than 6,400 Australians to log their farting patterns in real time.

They found that most people, on average, passed gas five times a day, with men doing it more often than women. Flatulence patterns were not the same throughout the day.

They observed a gradual increase that typically peaked between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., coinciding with the time when people generally consume the most calories and fiber.

When we fart, our body releases a mixture of gases accumulated from two very different origins. The first is the air that sneaks in when you are eating or drinking, and the second is the gases churned out by the billions of bacteria living in the gut during digestion.

The swallowed air is harmless and odorless, but the byproduct of the bacterial breakdown of food contains sulfurous compounds that are responsible for the notorious smell associated with flatulence.

Some food groups, such as fiber, can often lead to more frequent passing of gas, and so can gastrointestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. While too much can be an issue, too little is actually the bigger concern. A sudden inability to pass gas, especially alongside stomach pain or bloating, can signal a blockage or other serious gut problem that needs medical attention.

Researchers have not yet been able to clearly define what counts as excessive, too little or normal passing of gas. Without solid data on how often healthy people actually pass gas in daily life, it is difficult to know what is healthy and what is a potential digestive problem. Past studies usually looked at small groups of people or focused only on those with stomach problems.

In the study nearly 80% of participants fell within a range of two to seven times daily. The youngest group, ages 14 to 25, reported passing gas less often than all other age groups, while men averaged 5.2 times per day compared with 4.8 times for women. The number of recordings remained low during midday and began to rise after 6 p.m., when people are more likely to start eating their highest-calorie meals.

The researchers highlight that this study might be one of the first to describe real-time flatulence habits in a large, general population. Establishing what is normal for flatulence can not only provide a helpful starting point for discussions about symptoms at both ends of the spectrum, but also help monitor gut health and change social attitudes toward flatulence.

Emily Brindal et al, Regular Flatulence Patterns Among Community-Dwelling Individuals in Australia, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.15637

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How mechanical stress can accelerate bone destruction in periodontitis
Mechanical stress from excessive bite force alone does not cause alveolar bone loss but significantly accelerates bone destruction when combined with periodontitis. Gene expression analysis in mouse models showed that key inflammatory and bone metabolism pathways are upregulated only when both conditions coexist, indicating that mechanical overload amplifies periodontitis-induced bone loss through enhanced inflammatory signalling.

Part 1

Excessive bite force does not cause alveolar bone loss but significantly worsens it when combined with periodontitis, report researchers in a new study. While traumatic occlusion has long been suspected to exacerbate periodontitis, the molecular mechanisms behind this link were poorly understood. Now, using mouse models of both conditions separately and combined, the researchers conducted comprehensive gene expression analysis across multiple periodontal tissues, identifying key inflammatory pathways upregulated in bone when both conditions were present.
Periodontitis, or inflammation of the tooth-supporting tissues, is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide and a leading cause of tooth loss in adults. It develops when bacterial buildup around the teeth triggers persistent inflammation, gradually destroying their supporting bone and tissue structures. While bacterial infection is the primary driver of periodontitis, other factors also influence how severely and quickly the condition progresses. These include lifestyle habits such as alcohol consumption and smoking, autoimmune disorders, and—as researchers have long suspected—the way teeth come together when biting or grinding.

When teeth are repeatedly subjected to abnormal or excessive bite forces, known as "traumatic occlusion," supporting structures come under intense mechanical stress. For decades, dentists and scientists have hypothesized that this overload can worsen periodontitis excessively, so that occlusal adjustment (reshaping of the biting surfaces) is already used in clinical practice as a part of gum disease treatment.
Using advanced imaging techniques, including micro-computed tomography, the team measured bone loss around the teeth. They also performed transcriptome analysis to examine the activity of thousands of genes in gum tissue, bone, and the periodontal ligament shortly after disease induction. This enabled them to capture early changes in gene expression associated with each condition. Additionally, they investigated the effects of long-term traumatic occlusion alone over a period of eight weeks.

Interestingly, mice exposed only to traumatic occlusion did not show significant bone loss, even after prolonged exposure. However, when traumatic occlusion was combined with periodontitis, bone loss became significantly more severe.
This confirms that excessive bite force does not directly cause damage but instead amplifies the destructive effects of existing dysregulation caused by periodontitis.

Yosuke Tsuchiya et al, Traumatic Occlusion Exacerbates Bone Resorption by Modifying Gene Expression in the Bone Tissue of Ligature‐Induced Periodontitis in Mice, Journal of Clinical Periodontology (2026). DOI: 10.1111/jcpe.70112

Part 2

Hay fever, antihistamines and the evidence on dementia risk

For millions of people around the world, pollen season means weeks of sneezing, itchy eyes, and a blocked or runny nose. The timing varies depending on where you live and which plants are in flower, but grass pollen is one of the most common triggers.
Hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, is an allergic reaction to airborne pollen. Many people manage their symptoms with antihistamines bought from a pharmacy. But recent headlines have raised a worrying question: could some of the medicines used to relieve hay fever symptoms increase the risk of dementia?

Antihistamines block histamine, a chemical released by the immune system during an allergic reaction. Histamine causes symptoms such as itching, sneezing, and a runny nose.

Older, first-generation antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine and chlorphenamine, are more likely to cause drowsiness. Newer, second-generation antihistamines, such as cetirizine, loratadine, and fexofenadine, are generally less sedating.

Some older antihistamines also reduce the activity of acetylcholine, a chemical messenger involved in attention, learning, and memory. Medicines that block the action of acetylcholine are described as having anticholinergic effects.
These older medicines should be used cautiously, particularly in later life. They can cause drowsiness and concentration problems, increasing the risk of falls. People should also take care when driving if a hay-fever medicine makes them sleepy, as highlighted in recent reports.
Some studies have found an association between prolonged use of medicines with strong anticholinergic effects and a higher risk of dementia. These include some treatments for depression, Parkinson's disease, and bladder problems, as well as certain older antihistamines.

There is a plausible reason for concern: acetylcholine plays an important role in memory and thinking. Some medicines used to treat symptoms of Alzheimer's disease work by increasing the amount of acetylcholine available in the brain. Anticholinergic medicines reduce its activity.
One large observational study found that people with the highest exposure to strong anticholinergic medicines had a greater risk of dementia. But observational studies can identify patterns without proving that one factor causes another. People who take these medicines may differ from those who do not in other ways that affect their dementia risk. Some may have underlying health conditions, while others may have been prescribed medication for symptoms linked to the early stages of dementia.

A 2024 study of people with allergic rhinitis also found that dementia risk appeared to increase with higher cumulative doses of antihistamines, meaning the total amount taken over time. The association was stronger for first-generation medicines but was also seen, to a lesser extent, with newer second-generation antihistamines.

That finding was puzzling since second-generation antihistamines are less likely to cross the blood-brain barrier, the protective boundary separating the bloodstream from the brain. They also tend to have fewer anticholinergic effects.
Prolonged use of first-generation antihistamines with strong anticholinergic effects is associated with an increased risk of dementia, while evidence does not support a similar risk for second-generation antihistamines. Confounding factors, such as allergy severity and inflammation, complicate interpretation of these associations. Newer antihistamines are generally preferred due to fewer side effects and lower dementia risk.

original article.

HIV enters the brain and doesn't leave, drugs intended to reduce brain inflammation increase virus levels
HIV persists in the brain, where standard antiviral drugs have limited efficacy due to poor penetration of the central nervous system. Attempts to reduce brain inflammation by blocking integrins, specifically alpha-4, inadvertently increased viral loads by reducing killer T cell migration while allowing helper T cells to continue introducing HIV. Precision-targeted immune therapies may be necessary to control HIV-associated neurodegeneration without exacerbating viral persistence.

original article.

Dino-killing asteroid may have fueled underground life for 8 million years

The asteroid that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs also created an underground environment suited to supporting new life, and new research suggests it lasted for millions of years longer than previously suspected.

The finding has surprised the international team of researchers behind it, who came to their conclusions by pairing sophisticated new analysis of samples taken from the Chicxulub crater in Mexico with computer modeling of the geological effects of the asteroid impact that formed the crater 66 million years ago.
The research, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, casts new light on how life may have first been incubated in hydrothermal systems in the earliest chapters of Earth's history and could help direct the search for life on other planets.

Despite the devastation the asteroid's impact caused on the surface, the immense heat brought together fractured rocks and hot water underground, creating a hydrothermal system beneath the crater. The researchers provide evidence that the system persisted for at least 8 million years, around four times longer than previous estimates, making it the longest-lived impact-generated hydrothermal system yet documented.

Annemarie E. Pickersgill et al, A long-lived impact-generated hydrothermal system at the Chicxulub impact structure, Communications Earth & Environment (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43247-026-03618-5

Asexual reproduction slowed the pace of evolution to a crawl

The way that Earth's first animals reproduced held back life's diversity for millions of years, until stress and competition led to the development of sexual reproduction, which in turn accelerated the pace of evolution.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge studied fossils from the oldest-known animals on Earth, dating from 574 million years ago, and found that asexual reproduction slowed the pace of evolution to a crawl, since it limited competition between different groups.

Their results, reported in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, could help explain a longstanding puzzle in paleontology: why animal life appeared on Earth but then barely changed for millions of years, before a second wave of diversification gave evolutionary progress a major boost.

After billions of years of microbial life, during the Ediacaran period, between 635 and 539 million years ago, life exploded in size and the first animals appeared. Some of these earliest animals, such as Fractofusus, could grow as tall as two meters, although most were much smaller.

The influence of reproductive mode on resource competition and diversity patterns in Ediacaran early animal communities, Nature Ecology & Evolution (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41559-026-03094-2

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'Technostress': Why many older people feel shut out by the digital world
Older adults experience technostress due to rapid digitalization, facing barriers such as inaccessible interfaces, inadequate support, and increased scam risks. While technology can enhance independence and social connection, it also causes distress and exclusion, particularly when digital tools are not age- or culturally-responsive. Digital inclusion requires more than willingness; equitable access, skills, and support are essential to prevent widening disparities.

original article.

Some drugs 'fail' because of unrealistic testing conditions, scientists discover

A drug once dismissed as ineffective suddenly worked—when scientists tested it under more realistic conditions that mimic the human body. In this surprising new discovery, scientists uncovered a hidden rule of drug behaviour. A medicine's effectiveness can change dramatically depending on the conditions inside our cells.

Drug efficacy can change significantly depending on physiological conditions such as body temperature and intracellular calcium levels, which affect protein structure and drug binding. Testing drugs under more realistic cellular environments revealed previously undetected activities and even opposite effects for some compounds. These findings suggest that drug screening should incorporate physiological variables to improve therapeutic design and predictability.
In the new study, scientists found that two fundamental features of human biology—body temperature and calcium levels inside cells—can change how drugs interact with their targets, sometimes even flipping a drug's effect entirely.

The findings could help explain why some drug candidates look promising in early lab tests but fail later in development. They also could point toward a smarter way to design more effective medicines with fewer unwanted side effects.
Drugs don't act in isolation. They act within the physiological environment of the cell. By incorporating temperature and calcium into their experiments, researchers uncovered drug activities that were completely invisible before.
In early evaluations, researchers commonly test drugs in simplified laboratory conditions—often at room temperature and in artificial chemical environments that do not necessarily reflect the realities inside the human body.
But proteins are dynamic, shape-shifting molecules. Their structure can change in response to their surroundings, including temperature and chemical signals like calcium. Because drugs often work by binding to proteins, even small structural shifts can dramatically change a drug's ability to work. In other words, if the protein changes its shape, the drug's effectiveness can change too.
To better understand this connection, the Northwestern team focused on TRPM4, a protein channel involved in heart rhythm, immune responses and other essential biological functions. They test triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO), a small synthetic molecule, on cells expressing the TRPM4 channel.

In lab tests under simplified conditions, TPPO appeared inactive, showing no effect on TRPM4. But when the Northwestern team tested it at body temperature (37°C / 98.6°F) and with realistic calcium levels, the supposedly inactive compound powerfully activated the TRPM4 channel.

This completely overturned what they thought they knew. It shows that they may be overlooking important drug candidates simply because they are not testing them under the right conditions.
In another set of experiments, the team uncovered yet another surprise. This time, the researchers tested a compound called Necrocide-1 (NC1), which is known to activate TRPM4. At low calcium levels, NC1 behaved as expected, switching the protein channel on. But when calcium levels increased—as they often do when cells are stressed, injured or diseased—the same molecule largely lost its effect.

Simply put: The cell's internal environment determined whether the drug worked.
This tells us drug behaviour is not fixed. The same molecule can behave very differently depending on the biological context.
part 1

To better understand why this happens, the researchers used cryo-electron microscopy, a powerful imaging technique that can visualize proteins at near-atomic resolution.

The team found that TRPM4 contains a flexible drug-binding region that changes shape depending on temperature and calcium levels. Those shape shifts determine which compounds can bind to the protein and what happens when they do.

These structures show exactly how the environment reshapes the binding pocket. Even small changes in temperature or calcium can shift how a drug interacts with the protein.
This work points toward a new concept that Lü and Du call "environment-aware pharmacology." Instead of designing drugs that behave the same way everywhere in the body, scientists could develop therapies that activate only under disease conditions. For example, a drug could activate only inside stressed or damaged cells where calcium reaches abnormally high levels. That could make treatments more precise while reducing adverse side effects.

According to Lü and Du, their study's implications should extend far beyond TRPM4. If temperature and cellular chemistry can dramatically alter one drug target, similar hidden effects may exist across many others.

This work highlights a missing dimension in how we study biology and develop therapeutics.
By bringing physiological conditions back into the picture, we can better understand how proteins function—and how to target them effectively.

Hu, J., et al. Temperature and intrinsic Ca²⁺ reshape TRPM4 pharmacology, Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2026). www.nature.com/articles/s41594-026-01818-3

Part 2

They call it 'stupid hot' for a reason: Heat muddles animal brains

There is plenty of evidence that animals are affected by heat. Birds, for example, spend less time looking for food and feeding their young; they even sing less. Instead, they'll sit around for hours with wings spread to dissipate the heat, and pant with their beaks wide open. Some animals retreat to shade or hide in cool burrows—again, skipping meals. Bees, meanwhile, splash their faces with droplets of water midflight when the weather is sizzling. This way, "they get convective cooling for their brain.

Some of the first hints that hot temperatures can mess up minds, however, came from studies on humans. Back in the 1800s, Belgian astronomer Adolphe Quetelet noticed that violent crime in France peaked in the summer. Later studies linked high temperatures with gun violence, mental health-related hospital admissions, suicide and gambling. When it's hot, people have trouble making decisions, and their memory suffers. For students at schools without air conditioning, a school year just 1 degree Fahrenheit hotter reduces test scores by 1%, a study found.

Increasingly, there's evidence that other species may also be more aggressive when the mercury shoots up. A 2023 study that combed through nearly 70,000 reports of dogs biting people across eight U.S. cities, from Chicago to Baltimore, found that such incidents were more likely to happen on hot, sunny and smoggy days. The risk was 10% higher on a 90-degree day than on a 60-degree day—and not only because people are more apt to venture out for walks when the sun is shining. The researchers controlled for seasonal effects in their data.
It's likely that both humans and dogs get stressed and more irate at higher temperatures.

Elevated temperatures impair cognitive function and increase aggression in various animal species, affecting learning, memory, decision-making, and social interactions. Heat waves reduce animals' ability to find food, avoid predators, and perform essential behaviours, potentially threatening survival and ecosystem stability. Neurological effects include inflammation, neuron loss, and structural brain changes.

And it's not only dogs: A 2025 study out of China showed that many animals, including snakes and cats, are more inclined to bite people when it gets hot.

Animals also seem to lose their cool with each other, especially if food is involved. Scientists used binoculars and spotting scopes to spy on wild goat-like chamois that feed on protein-rich plants on the slopes of the Italian Apennine Mountains. More than 1,600 hours of observations over two summers revealed that when temperatures rose from 54 degrees Fahrenheit to 64 degrees Fahrenheit, vegetation grew scarcer, and chamois aggression in turn shot up.

The animals became territorial over patches of food. They assumed threatening postures and chased each other—attacks that, at times, escalated. The study authors predict that chamois aggression will go up 50% by 2080 because of climate change.

The small tropical fish called a golden julie also gets confrontational in the heat. Ordinarily, when a golden julie is placed in front of a mirror, it sees its reflected image as a stranger and shows some hostility, raising its fin, for example. But if the normally 78-degree water is raised to a hot 84 degrees, the fish is more likely to get aggressive, and may bite and slap its tail against the mirror as it tries to scare or attack the reflected image.
Part 1

Cognitive problems
Heat waves can also hamper the ability of animals to learn, as Ridley and her colleagues observed with the southern pied babblers. In one of their experiments, the birds were presented with a simple wooden block with two holes drilled in it, each covered with a lid. If the bird pecked at the lid, it would rotate, revealing either an empty hole or a tasty mealworm. The babblers, Ridley says, "are highly motivated by mealworms."

One lid was dark, and the other a lighter shade of the same color. During heat waves, the birds needed twice as many trials to learn that the mealworm was always hidden under the lid of the same shade.

Another group of scientists tested zebra finches, pretty Australian songbirds, and discovered that if temperatures are high, they too have cognitive problems. When figuring out how to get a mealworm out of a see-through tube with an opening at one end, they would just keep pecking on the tube, says study co-author Elizabeth Derryberry, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

It's the bird equivalent of "banging your head against a brick wall.
Adding to the tally, several years ago researchers showed that when the heat is on, mice have trouble finding their way around a maze and forget objects they've seen the day before. More recently, researchers found that male guppies, popular aquarium fish, also have trouble getting through a maze after spending several days in heat-wave-like 90-degree water, even if the prize for getting it right is a virgin female—which they tend to find particularly attractive.

For animals such as fish and insects that can't control their body temperature, heat waves could be particularly detrimental. "Changes in air temperature will affect brain temperature," says Baird. A hotter brain could hinder the functioning of nerves, and that, she says, "might affect sensing, memory and learning."

When Baird and colleagues tried to teach bumblebees to associate sweet sucrose with the color blue and bitter quinine with yellow, most of the bumblebees learned the trick at 77 degrees, but fewer than half managed to do so at 90 degrees. Such impaired cognition could spell trouble in the field. If the insects forget which flowers they should pollinate—in the case of bumblebees, these include tomatoes and blueberries—or how to get back home with nectar, not only will the pollinators suffer, but human agriculture too, Baird says.

Heat appears to dangerously diminish animal vigilance as well. In Ridley's recent experiments, once the mercury in the Kalahari Desert reached 96 degrees Fahrenheit, pied babblers lost their ability to properly respond to predators. In their studies, researchers lured birds toward a mystery shape covered in a sandy-colored blanket, using worms as bait. Once a babbler approached, the scientists would reveal what was hidden underneath: either a taxidermied catlike carnivore called a genet, or a similarly sized and colored wooden box.
Part 2

The birds got scared of the genet in cooler temperatures—they'd call out, scan their surroundings, or simply flee. But once it got hot, they behaved similarly whether they were facing the carnivore or the box. Ridley suggests that this could translate into higher chances of fatal predator attacks as heat rises, which could harm populations of babblers and other prey species.

These studies are not just abstractions. In the Kalahari, where southern pied babblers use their wits to search for worms, temperatures are rising twice as fast as the global average. In tropical rivers, where male guppies seek mates, heat waves are growing longer and more intense. It's the same story across much of the planet—temperatures climb, and animal thinking becomes strained, potentially putting species at risk. The effects may be magnified in certain areas such as cities, which often exhibit even warmer temperatures than nonurban areas.

If anything, Ridley says, "We are probably underestimating the impacts of increased heat on animal minds."

Heat hampers brain cells
In addition to highlighting behavioral changes, animal studies can also offer insight into how heat meddles with brain cells. Experiments with mice, for example, show that poor performance in hot mazes is linked to inflammation in the hippocampus, the brain's memory center, and can lead to the death of neurons there. If fruit flies are exposed to heat in early life, their adult brains have fewer mushroom bodies—structures that are important for insect learning. And a 2025 study on cleaner wrasses, a fish species that cleans parasites off other fish, showed that after a heat wave, a key part of the fish brain that controls cognitive functions such as memory shrank considerably.
Part 3

Fathers may influence their children's health before they're even conceived
Paternal metabolic information influencing offspring health is established during sperm development in the testis, not acquired later during sperm maturation in the epididymis. Mature sperm lack mitochondrial DNA-driven transcription, indicating that preconception paternal health can shape offspring metabolic traits via mechanisms set during spermatogenesis.

Testicular origin of epigenetic inheritance independent of sperm mitochondrial DNA and epididymal exposure, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2611096123. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2611096123

Eating in the middle of the night can cause gastrointestinal issues

Eating during the body's usual sleep period disrupts synchronization among intestinal cell circadian clocks, with interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) showing resistance to phase shifts. This desynchronization may impair intestinal motility and contribute to gastrointestinal disorders linked to circadian rhythm disturbances, such as those experienced by shift workers or during jet lag.

Eating when the body is normally asleep appears to desynchronize the circadian clocks of different cell types in the intestines, a new study suggests. The findings, published in PNAS, could help explain why shift work, jet lag and other environmental stressors that affect circadian rhythms are associated with irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation and other gastrointestinal disorders.
Research in the 1990s and 2000s showed that a region of the brain known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) acts as a master timekeeper for the body, setting various cellular processes to occur rhythmically over a 24-hour period based on cycles of light and darkness.

However, in 2000, Yamazaki and his colleagues showed that cells throughout the body have their own autonomous circadian clocks that are influenced both by signals from the SCN and environmental cues.

In line with this idea, research has shown that the intestines have their own rhythms that can be influenced by a variety of factors, such as the timing of meals.

These findings were made using whole intestinal tissue but the intestines contain a variety of cell types, including muscle, nerve and immune cells. It has been unclear whether each of these populations has its own circadian clock and whether they run on the same schedule.
To find out, researchers monitored novel mice on set 12-hour cycles of light and dark.
Five intestinal cell types—enteric neurons, enteric glial cells, interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), smooth muscle cells and muscularis macrophages—glowed green when a key circadian clock gene called Per2 was active. Although food was available at all times, the mice ate about 80% of their meals at night because of their nocturnal nature.

After about a week in this environment, the researchers observed intestinal cells glowing green at approximately the same times, suggesting the different cell populations had their own autonomous circadian clocks that cycled in sync.

However, when the researchers made food available only for four hours during the daytime—forcing the mice to eat at abnormal times—Per2 activity shifted to match this new rhythm in every cell population except for the ICCs. These cells resisted changes to their circadian clock, staying out of sync with the other cell types for weeks.
Such asynchrony may also occur in people who eat outside the body's usual circadian rhythms, such as night shift workers or those who fly to different time zones. Because ICCs play a key role in intestinal motility, their resistance to adapting to a changed circadian clock could affect digestive and metabolic function.

Finding a way to synchronize the different intestinal cell populations through diet, probiotics or drugs could eventually help ease the gastrointestinal problems associated with altered circadian timing, the researchers say.

Isabel Magaña et al, Not all gut cellular circadian oscillators are food entrainable, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2601012123

Celiac risk may begin with weaker helper T cells, not just overactive immunity

New research is challenging long-held assumptions about autoimmune disease, revealing that celiac disease may be driven not just by an overactive immune system, but by subtle defects in how immune cells function.
Published in Immunology & Cell Biology, the study found consistent shifts in immune cell behavior in people with celiac disease—differences that may appear long before symptoms develop.

Researchers identified distinct patterns in early immune responses that could help predict autoimmune risk and support more personalized monitoring and care in future.
The research examined a type of immune cell known as CD4 helper T cells, which coordinate immune responses, fight infection and support antibody production.
Contrary to expectations, immune cells from people with celiac disease were not simply overactive. Instead, they showed weaker responses.

The study found CD4 helper T cells from people with celiac disease:

produced less interleukin-2, a key immune signalling molecule
entered cell division more slowly
were less likely to survive

These differences were subtle but remarkably consistent.
Notably, the same pattern appeared regardless of sex or whether individuals were newly diagnosed or managing the condition with a gluten-free diet.

This tells us the effect isn't simply driven by inflammation or diet. It suggests an underlying difference that may be linked to genetic risk.
Although the study focused on celiac disease, the findings may have broader relevance.

Autoimmune diseases affect around 5% of the population, and many share overlapping genetic risk factors.

If autoimmune risk is partly built into how immune cells behave from the start, this could change how we think about early detection.

Anthony J Farchione et al, Functional immune profiling reveals CD4⁺ T cell dysregulation in coeliac disease, Immunology & Cell Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1111/imcb.70132

People have an inherent preference for counter-clockwise motion, study reveals

Researchers in Spain and Japan tested a broad range of pedestrians in varying group sizes to see whether there were any patterns in their turning behaviours, and what factors influenced them, if any. It turns out that the vast majority of people prefer counter-clockwise turning. Most factors, such as culture or gender, made little difference. Only age showed a noticeable but small change, in that younger people followed this pattern more strongly.
When analyzing the experiments, researchers realized by chance that in 32 out of 33 experimental trials, as people moved and turned, they noticeably preferred to turn counterclockwise.
This was completely unexpected as, at least instinctively, when people walk around randomly, you imagine people turn as their needs suit them, with little sign of an overall preference. But there was a definite, measurable tendency for people to turn counterclockwise over clockwise, all things being equal.
The team had to understand the reason for this, and all good research practice dictates that you test observations against multiple possible causes to narrow down what's really going on.
Feliciani and his team set up experiments to observe pedestrian test subjects in different open and constrained environments. Not only did they test cultural background by having parallel tests in Spain and Japan, they also investigated group size, gender, handedness and age.

Of all these things, the only thing that stood out was that kids tend to have a stronger bias for the counterclockwise direction, so probably age plays a role in making the effect weaker or stronger.
These results may appear to be a minor, insignificant discovery, but in nature, most phenomena related to locomotion show that animals mostly walk without directional preference. The strong bias found in people hints at some asymmetry at the biomechanical level.
There are some interesting parallels to certain sports. Some running and driving competitions are always, but inexplicably, held on courses that run counterclockwise.

Individual locomotor bias drives counterclockwise motion in pedestrian crowds, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-73713-w

==

Q: Does this research include the Hindus who are used to walk around the Garbha Gruha of temples in clockwise direction always madam? Hindus generally believe clockwise turning auspicious .

Krishna :
 
No, this work was done in Spain and Japan.

I think walking around Garbha Gruha in Temples is deliberate. Because our customs and traditions ask us to do that. We obey them.

But this research work deals with ‘inherent preference’. When nobody asks you to follow it, when your mind is not conditioned to follow certain things, you automatically do things in the way your biology is programmed to do.

Maybe that ‘s why the word “ auspicious “ will be added in traditions and customs to influence peoples’ psychology and change their innate behaviours!

Galaxy-killing wind discovered in the early universe
Observations of the early universe reveal that intense star formation and galaxy collisions can drive powerful winds that expel star-forming gas from galaxies, rapidly quenching their growth. The galaxy CRISTAL-02 exhibits such a wind, ejecting material at twice the rate of star formation, potentially leading to its death within 50 million years. This mechanism may explain the unexpectedly high number of massive, dead galaxies observed in the early universe.

Rebecca L Davies et al, Multiphase images of a powerful supernova-driven wind in the early Universe, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2026). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stag874

The Milky Way was rewired by a cataclysmic collision billions of years ago. Now it is on course for another
The Milky Way underwent a major collision with a dwarf galaxy 8–11 billion years ago, fundamentally altering its structure, stellar populations, and dark matter halo. Evidence of this event persists in the form of stars with distinct orbits and chemical signatures. Currently, the Milky Way is being gravitationally disturbed by the Large Magellanic Cloud, setting the stage for another significant galactic interaction.

original article.

Why plastic lingers: Water chemistry slows nature's cleanup

Scientists have long known that sunlight helps break down plastic. So, why do plastic products linger for decades and even centuries in rivers, lakes, and oceans—even when bathed in direct sunlight? Researchers have uncovered an unexpected answer. The surprising culprit is the water itself.
Natural water chemistry, particularly the presence of salts and organic matter, significantly slows the photodegradation of polystyrene plastics by competing for sunlight and suppressing reactive processes. As a result, plastics degrade much faster in purified water than in freshwater or seawater, limiting microbial breakdown and contributing to their persistence in natural environments.
In a new study designed to mimic real environmental conditions, researchers found that the chemical makeup of natural waters—especially combinations of salt and organic matter—significantly delays the breakdown of polystyrene, a common plastic used in packaging and food containers.

Because sunlight cannot effectively initiate the degradation process, microbes cannot finish the job. That means nature's cleanup process slows down, allowing plastics to accumulate and persist in waterways around the world.

The findings show that solving plastic pollution isn't only about the material itself but also about the environment it enters. These insights could be used to design new types of plastic that degrade even in salty, complex environments or that don't rely on sunlight to jump-start the breakdown process.

Polystyrene photooxidation in natural waters as a precursor to microbial degradation, npj Materials Degradation (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41529-026-00788-7

Decades-old puzzle solved as scientists uncover cause of inflammatory bowel disease
Researchers have identified an important driver of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This discovery reshapes understanding of IBD and opens the way to targeted approaches to diagnosis and treatment in a subset of patients. The findings suggest that inflammatory bowel disease is not a single condition, but a group of biologically distinct diseases driven by different underlying mechanisms.
In a study published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers analyzed more than 4,900 patients with IBD and made two major discoveries: first, that a substantial subset of patients show autoimmune responses to one of the guardians of the immune system, interleukin-10 (IL-10), which leads to uncontrolled inflammation; and second, that this damaging immune response is the mechanism for one of the strongest known genetic risk factors for IBD.

Antibodies that block interleukin-10 (IL-10), a cell-to-cell messenger that normally acts as one of the body's key controls on inflammation, effectively remove the immune system's natural "brake" on inflammation, allowing inflammatory responses to continue unchecked.

IBD, which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, affects millions worldwide. . It is a lifelong condition that commonly begins in adolescence or early adulthood and can require repeated hospital treatment, long-term immunosuppressive medication, and—in some cases—surgery. Despite advances in treatment, many patients cycle through multiple therapies without achieving lasting disease control—impacting their lives and costing the health care system millions.
The researchers found high levels of anti-IL10 neutralizing autoantibodies in the blood of about 3.5% of IBD patients, both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, but not in healthy individuals.
The researchers also found that the presence of these antibodies was strongly linked to carriage of a particular genetic variant known as HLA-DRB1*01:03.

The link between HLA-DRB1*01:03 and a severe form of inflammatory bowel disease was first identified by Oxford researchers 30 years ago. The new findings show that people carrying this variant are far more likely to develop antibodies that block IL-10, helping explain how the gene contributes to disease.
Understanding what drives the inflammation provides a clear explanation for disease in this group of people and opens the door to new treatments that target the autoantibodies themselves or cells that produce those autoantibodies.

IL-10 Autoantibodies and HLA-DRB101:03 in Inflammatory Bowel Disease, New England Journal of Medicine (2026).

Statin use linked to lower risk of frailty in older veterans
Statin initiation in older veterans was associated with a 24% lower risk of developing frailty over an average 5.3-year follow-up, independent of comorbidities and demographic factors. The protective association was consistent across subgroups, including those with early signs of frailty, suggesting statins may help prevent frailty beyond their cardiovascular benefits.

Saadia Qazi et al, Statins and survival free of incident frailty among older US veterans, European Heart Journal (2026). DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehag451

Researchers identify which eye infections pose greatest threat to vision

Eye surgery today is safer than ever, yet ophthalmologists must remain watchful for a rare but serious complication that can threaten sight within days: a bacterial eye infection called endophthalmitis. Now, clinician-scientists have identified which types of endophthalmitis pose the greatest danger—findings that could help deliver faster, more personalized treatment to improve a patient's chances of recovery.
The type of bacteria causing endophthalmitis significantly affects the risk of severe vision loss, with aggressive species such as certain Streptococcus and Enterococcus leading to worse outcomes than more common surface bacteria. Rapid identification of the causative organism may enable more targeted and timely interventions to improve visual prognosis.
Ophthalmologists treating endophthalmitis have largely based treatment decisions on a patient's visual acuity at the time of diagnosis. Published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, the new findings point to another factor that may be just as important: understanding exactly which organism is causing the infection.

Some bacteria caused relatively mild disease, while others triggered rapid and devastating damage inside the eye.

Not all infections behave the same way. These new findings suggest we may need to identify the most dangerous infections faster so we can intervene earlier and better protect patients' vision.
The study found patients infected with more aggressive bacteria—including certain Streptococcus and Enterococcus species—were far more likely to experience severe vision loss and complications than patients infected with more common surface bacteria.

Marusha Ather et al, Pathogen-Associated Visual Outcomes Following Postprocedure Endophthalmitis, American Journal of Ophthalmology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2025.11.038

Christopher D. Conrady et al, Time to Revisit the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study: Areas for Improvement in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Endophthalmitis, Ophthalmology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2026.02.016

Bilingual brains keep concepts aligned across languages, individual neuron data suggest
Recordings from individual hippocampal neurons in bilingual individuals show that while different neurons respond to different languages, the overall neural organization of conceptual meaning remains consistent across languages. Related concepts occupy similar positions in neural space regardless of language, indicating a shared, language-independent semantic geometry. Translation-equivalent words activate some overlapping neurons, but bilingual meaning primarily emerges from coordinated activity across large neural populations rather than specialized "dictionary neurons." These findings suggest the brain maintains a common internal structure for meaning, enabling fluid language switching without confusion.

I wonder what happens if you are a multilingual.

Xinyuan Yan et al, Shared neural geometries for bilingual semantic representations in human hippocampal neurons, bioRxiv (2026). DOI: 10.1101/2025.11.16.688726

When sounds become unbearable
For people with misophonia, a psychological condition characterized by a severe aversion to sound, everyday noises can trigger a fight-or-flight reaction. The condition can be life-altering, but isn’t currently recognized by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) system, making it difficult to diagnose and treat. Some researchers are pushing for the ICD to incorporate misophonia, but others argue that we don’t understand the condition well enough yet. Misophonia “doesn’t fit neatly in either the psychiatric or audiological realm”, says clinical psychologist Steven Taylor, which makes it difficult to officially classify.

Gut microbes unlock hormone signalling that regulates gut movement

Millions of people worldwide are periodically or chronically affected by gut-related conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and gastroenteritis. Uncovering the physiological and biological processes that contribute to gut health could thus be highly valuable, as it might help devise more effective interventions to prevent and treat these ailments.

The transit of food, fluids and waste through the intestine is known to be coordinated by various interacting systems in the body, including gut wall muscles, neurons in the gastrointestinal tract and hormones. A growing body of research has also been exploring the crucial contribution of bacteria and other microorganisms residing in the digestive tract, which are collectively referred to as the gut microbiome.

Researchers  recently carried out a study aimed at better understanding how these gut microbes interact with specific sex hormones and nerve cells that control the movement of muscles in the intestines.

Their paper, published in Nature Neuroscience, identifies a previously unknown mechanism through which gut microbes influence the peripheral nervous system, regulating the healthy functioning of the digestive tract.

"The colon is an organ in which a lot of different systems in the body converge, including hormones, bacteria, immune cells and nerves.

To explore the interactions between gut microbes, hormones and nerve cells, the researchers ran a series of experiments involving mice. They dramatically reduced the microorganisms in the mice's gut using antibiotics, which are known to destroy bacteria in the intestines. They then monitored the animals' intestinal transit and measured levels of specific hormones called androgens after gut microbes were depleted.

They  used immunohistochemistry to find the different types of neurons and non-neuronal cells that are responsive to hormones like testosterone, antibiotics to deplete bacteria and determine their contributions to both hormone levels and motility, and genetically engineered mice in which we could make different cell types unresponsive to testosterone so that they could learn which ones were most essential for this signaling pathway.

When they discovered that bacterial metabolism of inactive hormones was important for this pathway, they then used biological shifts that happen with puberty in the fecal metagenome to identify candidate bacterial enzymes that could mediate this metabolism. They found one that robustly metabolized inactive androgen-glucuronides into their active forms."

In a series of follow-up experiments, the researchers delivered the microbial enzyme they identified into the colon of mice with a depleted gut microbiome. Remarkably, they found that this enzyme restored androgen signaling among nerve cells that regulate gut movements, which hints at its therapeutic potential.

This study could improve understanding of the biological mechanisms through which gut microbes promote the healthy functioning of the gut.

Valentina N. Lagomarsino et al, Microbial reactivation of host androgens directs enteric neuronal regulation of gut motility, Nature Neuroscience (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02321-0.

Scientists discover collagen, the human body's most abundant protein, is liquid-like inside cells

Collagen, the protein that builds skin, bones, tendons and organs, exists inside cells as a liquidlike droplet rather than the long, rigid rod seen in textbooks over the last half-century, according to a new study.

The finding, published in the Journal of Cell Biology, is the first direct observation of how the most abundant protein in the human body, which accounts for around a third of total protein mass, exists naturally inside living cells.

Inside a cell, collagens are not rigid molecules as one had assumed. They are in fact very pliable, taking a liquid condensate form much like oil in a drop of water.

The liquidlike state may serve a protective function. Collagen's job, once outside the cell, is to assemble into the rigid fibers that hold tissues together. The same process inside the cell would be catastrophic.

This is another way by which cells ensure that collagens probably never become fibrous inside the cell. Because if it were to become fibrous, it would kill the cell.

The finding has implications for how the body exports its primary structural building block from production sites inside cells. 

The researcher s propose a "liquid extrusion" hypothesis, whereby collagens move from their site of synthesis to the next compartment of the secretory pathway through capillary action. The theory has important implications for wound healing, fibrosis and cancer.

Procollagen assembles into phase-separated condensates in the endoplasmic reticulum, Journal of Cell Biology (2026).

AI chatbots mimic fear, sadness and stress, then calm down after mindfulness exercise
Large language models generated elevated self-reported fear, sadness, disgust, and stress when given emotion-inducing scenarios and showed a negativity bias after sadness prompts, paralleling human low-mood patterns. A scripted mindfulness-based breathing exercise reduced these reported emotional intensities. LLMs are proposed as scalable in silico models for preliminary testing of psychotherapeutic techniques.

Magdalena Katharina Wekenborg et al, Large language models as experimental systems in human psychopathology: a modelling study, The Lancet Digital Health (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.landig.2026.101014

People with traumatic brain injury more likely to die from brain cancer than general population
Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) have a 1.75-fold increased risk of dying from brain cancer compared to the general population, with the risk especially high among those with gunshot-related injuries and mild but complicated TBI. These findings indicate a need for long-term monitoring of brain cancer in certain TBI survivors and highlight TBI as a condition with potential long-term oncological consequences.

Charlotte B. Luster et al, Brain Cancer Mortality following Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A TBI Model Systems Study, Neuroepidemiology (2026). DOI: 10.1159/000552405

Venus flytrap's snap may come from rapid cell wall softening, not water flow

The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a marvel of nature, a highly effective killer that doesn't have to move an inch to capture and kill its prey. It releases a fruity nectar scent to attract flies and other insects. After they land in the trap, tiny hairs are triggered and the leaves shut with impressive speed.

 A new study by researchers published in the journal Science has offered a new explanation for how the carnivorous plant does it. 

To understand what could be driving it, the research team first filmed the closure using high-speed 3D cameras. Then, to see how leaf cells move without the entire leaf slamming shut, they cut the traps into thin strips or mechanically clamped them open. This revealed that the trap's underlying bending motion takes 3 to 4 seconds, but the leaf's curved shape forces it to shut in a fraction of a second.

Next, the scientists measured the mechanical stiffness of individual cells using a tiny probe before, during and after a triggering event. They discovered that the outer cells suddenly lost their stiffness, meaning either the fluid pressure inside the cells had dropped or the cell walls had relaxed.

Finally, the team used 3D surface scans of leaf layers and computer models to see how these cells changed shape. They showed that the cells bulged outward more after triggering, confirming that the reduced stiffness was due to cell walls softening rapidly rather than a loss of water pressure.

Closure occurs too quickly to be explained by water transport, revealing a distinct, nonhydraulic mechanism: a rapid (about one second) softening of the epidermal cell wall, releasing elastic energy stored in the trap," the scientists wrote in their paper. "Our finding reveals a mode of plant motility based on dynamic tuning of material properties, suggesting principles for muscle-free, bioinspired actuation."

Jeongeun Ryu et al, Fast cell wall softening causes Venus flytrap closure, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aed5051

A higher-dose flu shot could spare millions of older adults a hospital stay

Influenza is a seasonal condition that causes coughing, sneezing, mild fever and aches in most cases. However, it can sometimes take a serious turn, leading to hospitalization, especially for young children, adults over 65 and pregnant people. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open examined whether the high-dose inactivated influenza vaccine (HD-IIV), which contains four times as much antigen as the standard dose, offers superior protection against hospitalization and death.

Researchers analyzed data from eight large-scale clinical trials involving more than 600,000 participants that compared a high-dose flu shot with the standard flu shot in older adults.

The high-dose vaccine provided substantially greater protection, reducing the risk of flu-related hospitalization by 38.5% and hospitalization for laboratory-confirmed influenza by 31.2%. While the high-dose shot kept more people out of the hospital, it did not show a significant difference in preventing deaths compared with the standard shot.

Kristoffer Grundtvig Skaarup et al, High-Dose vs Standard-Dose Influenza Vaccines in Older Adults, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.14620

A cornerstone of Milky Way history may need rewriting with evidence of multiple ancient mergers

Astronomers may have uncovered new details about one of the Milky Way's most important ancient collisions. Using data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and a new clustering algorithm, researchers have found evidence suggesting the famous Gaia-Sausage/Enceladus structure (GSE) has a far more complicated origin than previously thought.

Our galaxy formed through a series of mergers and accretion events over billions of years. These collisions left behind stellar streams and substructures (groups of stars) that still carry the chemical and dynamical fingerprints of the events that created them.

The GSE is the most prominent of these, long considered the remnant of the Milky Way's last major merger and thought to have fundamentally shaped our galaxy's inner halo. Previous studies placed this event between 10 billion and 13 billion years ago, though more recent work has suggested it may have occurred within the past few billion years.

In this new study, researchers analyzed 86,945 stars using DESI data, applying a new computational search tool called GS³ Hunter to sort stars into groups based on their properties. The tool identified 17 separate streams and substructures in total—including the previously known Sequoia stream and more than a dozen newly discovered ones. Four of these fell within the GSE region, designated GSE-GSH1 through GSE-GSH4, and it is these four that hold the most important clues to our galaxy's complex history.

Each substructure carries a unique chemical signature. Elements like magnesium, calcium and titanium follow similar patterns across all four groups, with only minor differences.

Researchers say this suggests these stars all formed from chemically similar material. On the other hand, aluminum and carbon-to-nitrogen ratios vary notably between the groups, with some showing signatures of rapid, intense early star formation and others pointing to slower star formation over a long period.

One substructure, GSE-GSH2, stands out in particular. It shows multi-peaked chemical patterns that suggest a messier, more episodic formation compared with the other three.

The stars' orbits further support the picture of a chaotic past. All four groups travel in the highly elongated paths typical of merger debris. This occurs when stars are thrown into stretched-out orbits after their original galaxy was torn apart. But each group sits in a slightly different region of orbital space, which the researchers explain as being "consistent with material being stripped at different phases of the progenitor's disruption, or from multiple progenitors.

" Perhaps the most striking clue comes from stellar ages. The four populations span roughly 7 billion to 12 billion years—a 5-billion-year spread. This is inconsistent with a single, short-lived merger event, which would have produced stars of similar ages. The wide age spread instead points to multiple separate accretion events depositing debris across billions of years of the Milky Way's early history.

The evidence points to several events in which different galaxies were absorbed by the Milky Way, forming the GSE. "These findings point to GSE as the composite outcome of multiple accretion episodes, potentially involving progenitors with different star formation histories and enrichment timescales," the team writes in the paper.

Hai-Feng Wang et al, A More Complex Than Expected Formation History of the Milky Way's Last Major Merger, arXiv (2026). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2606.04462