Human red blood cells form without central 'hub' seen in mouse models, upending understanding of our physiology

Medicine scientists have discovered that one of the body's most fundamental biological processes—how red blood cells are made—works differently in humans than previously thought, according to a new study published in Nature Genetics. The findings overturn decades of assumptions based largely on animal research.
In the study, researchers used advanced spatial mapping tools to directly observe microscopic environments, known as erythroblastic islands (EBIs), inside intact tissues. EBIs have long been understood to act as "nurseries" where red blood cells mature. But until now, scientists lacked a clear picture of what these structures look like in humans.

For decades, our understanding of these structures has come almost entirely from mouse studies. Most experiments relied on isolating cells and studying them in flat, two-dimensional systems, which disrupt their native organization.

To overcome those limitations, the team used spatial transcriptomics, a technology that maps gene activity within whole tissue. This allowed them to preserve the natural structure of EBIs while comparing mouse and human samples directly.
They found that in mice, the conventional model still applies: EBIs form around a macrophage (a kind of specialized white blood cell) marked by the protein C1q, which sits at the center of clusters of developing red blood cells and helps clean up cellular debris.

But in humans, investigators found there was no organizing center. Instead, red blood cells form clusters independently, sticking to each other via a molecule called ICAM4.
The most surprising finding is that the structure of these niches is species-specific.
In humans, the erythroid cells cluster on their own without needing a central macrophage. That overturns a long-standing assumption that human blood formation mirrors what we see in mice.
The discovery represents a fundamental shift in understanding how the body produces its most abundant cell type.

Xu Han et al, Spatial transcriptomic analyses highlight distinct erythroid niches in mice and humans, Nature Genetics (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41588-026-02671-2

We can't air-condition our way out of a hotter future, say experts

As temperatures rise around the world, air conditioning is saving lives. But a growing reliance on it is also placing unprecedented pressure on electricity grids, increasing greenhouse gas emissions and making cities even hotter.

A global review argues that keeping buildings cool without relying solely on air conditioning will be critical for adapting to climate change.

Published in Nature Reviews Clean Technology, the review examines the latest advances in passive cooling technologies, from emerging materials for radiative, evaporative and combined radiative/evaporative cooling to sophisticated solar control systems and personalized intelligent ventilation technologies that can help buildings shed heat without consuming electricity.
Air conditioning is vital during extreme heat but its rapid global expansion increases electricity demand, emissions, and urban heat. The review identifies passive cooling (shading, reflective and radiative/evaporative materials, smart ventilation) as essential first-line infrastructure, potentially cutting cooling demand by up to 80% in hot climates, enhancing grid resilience, public health, and climate adaptation, especially for vulnerable populations.

Matthaios Santamouris et al, Passive cooling for the built environment, Nature Reviews Clean Technology (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s44359-026-00177-y

The broader a fungus's diet, the better it kills insects and helps plants
Metarhizium robertsii strains with broader metabolic capacity (use of diverse sugars, amino and organic acids) show higher insect virulence and more efficient plant-root colonization. Two strategies emerged: slow-killing, highly sporulating “sleepers” and fast-germinating, toxin-using “creepers” that spread via hyphae. Metabolic breadth underlies both insect pathogenicity and plant mutualism, informing selection of strains for distinct agricultural
objectives.

Huiyu Sheng et al, Metabolic breadth links insect pathogenicity and plant association in Metarhizium robertsii, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2608694123

Extreme heat is rising—and so is the risk to your heart

American Heart Association is warning that soaring temperatures don't just make people uncomfortable—they can put serious strain on the heart and increase the risk of life-threatening complications.

Heat forces the heart to work harder. When your body is trying to cool down, your heart rate increases and your blood vessels expand. For people with heart disease, and even those who are otherwise healthy, that added strain can become dangerous quickly.
When temperatures climb, the body sweats to cool itself, which can lead to fluid loss and dehydration. At the same time, the heart must pump more blood to regulate body temperature. Together, these changes can put significant stress on the cardiovascular system.

Extreme heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the U.S. and is associated with rising cardiovascular mortality, projected to more than double in coming decades. Heat increases heart rate, vasodilation, dehydration, and cardiovascular strain, elevating risk for people with and without heart disease. Prevention focuses on avoiding peak heat, maintaining hydration, cooling breaks, and early recognition of heat exhaustion and heat stroke symptoms.
How to protect yourself in extreme heat
The American Heart Association recommends taking simple but important steps to stay safe:

Avoid peak heat hours: Limit outdoor activity between noon and 3 p.m., when temperatures are typically at their highest.
Dress smart: Choose lightweight, light-colored clothing and wear a hat and sunglasses. Use sunscreen to protect your skin.
Stay hydrated: Drink water before, during and after time outdoors. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks, which can contribute to dehydration.
Take breaks: Rest in the shade or a cool indoor space to give your body time to recover.
Know the warning signs because recognizing symptoms early can save your life.

Heat exhaustion symptoms may include:
Headache
Cool, pale, clammy skin
Fast but weak pulse
Dizziness or fainting
Weakness or muscle cramps
Nausea or vomiting
If you experience any of these symptoms, slow down any physical activity and move to a cooler place. Cool down immediately by dousing yourself with cold water and rehydrating. You may need to seek medical attention.
Heat stroke is a medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 immediately if you notice:

Body temperature above 103°F (39.4°C)
Hot, red, dry or damp skin
Rapid, strong pulse
Confusion, headache or loss of consciousness
Nausea
Stay active—but stay safe
Physical activity remains essential for heart health, even in the summer months. Try walking, swimming, biking, skating, building a backyard obstacle course or organizing a neighborhood soccer game. Even gardening, pushing a stroller or walking the dog counts. However, in the heat of summer, it may be best to shift exercise to early morning or evening hours, when it's cooler, or move workouts indoors to air-conditioned spaces such as gyms or community centers.

Source: Journal of the American Medical Association 

**

Aphantasia challenges a centuries-old theory of abstract thought

Aphantasia, the inability to form mental images, poses a serious challenge to an influential theory of abstract thought in the history of philosophy. The study by researchers at the University of Tartu suggests that mental imagery may play a less central role in human thought than has long been assumed and that the mind is more flexible in how it represents the world than many theories allow.

Most of us, when asked to think about triangles, dogs or justice, spontaneously conjure up some kind of mental picture: a red triangle drawn on a blackboard, a scruffy terrier, a courtroom scene. The 18th-century Scottish philosopher David Hume believed this was not just a habit but a necessity. In his view, the mind cannot deal with pure abstractions directly and always needs a concrete mental image to work with first. To think about triangles in general, you must first picture a specific one. To think about justice, you must mentally replay some vivid scene of fairness or its violation.

But what about people who cannot form mental images at all? People with severe aphantasia draw a complete blank when asked to visualize a rainbow, picture a close friend's face or imagine their childhood bedroom. There is simply nothing there. Yet they can reason about rainbows, recognize their friends and reflect on their past. And they can engage with abstract concepts like geometry, morality and mathematics just as well as anyone else.

In a paper published in Neuropsychologia, researchers argue that aphantasia presents a direct challenge to Hume's theory and to imagistic models of cognition more broadly. "If abstract thought genuinely required mental imagery, people with aphantasia should struggle to think abstractly. They do not."

Aphantasia, the inability to form mental images, undermines theories that treat sensory imagery as necessary for abstract thought. Individuals with aphantasia can reason about concrete and abstract domains without visual, multimodal, voluntary, or unconscious imagery, indicating that language- and symbol-based or other non-imagistic formats can support abstraction.

Uku Tooming et al, Aphantasia as a challenge for Humean abstraction, Neuropsychologia (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2026.109465

**

For The First Time, Some Scientists Say They've Built a Synthetic Cell From Scratch

Scientists from the University of Minnesota say they have created the first-ever synthetic cell built entirely from scratch, and seen it go through an entire 'life' cycle – including reproduction.
They replicated in chemistry what only used to be possible in biology: the complete set of behaviors of a cell. It proves that the most fundamental functions of life, like growth and replication, do not need a mysterious magical spark.
The project is called SpudCell, and it has a genome of just 90 kilobase pairs (kbp). For comparison, the human genome is about 3 million kpb, and biologists previously assumed that a living cell would require at least 113 kpb of genetic data to function properly.
The research, however, is yet to be formally published and has not been peer-reviewed.
According to Science magazine, SpudCell has met some hurdles in publication: apparently one reviewer at Cell, a prestigious science journal, said the project was not real biology.
That might be partially because SpudCell doesn't quite meet the requirements for real 'life': it can't replicate itself over many generations, and so it also can't evolve.
SpudCell doesn't look like much if you're grading it on the scale of natural biological systems: it's a very slow growth and replication cycle, and high-demand metabolism.
Each artificial SpudCell consists of a liposome – a sphere of fats that mimics the outer membrane of a real cell – wrapped around seven plasmids, small units of DNA (often found in bacteria) that are a bit different from the chromosomes you might be familiar with.

Together, these seven plasmids make up the SpudCell genome, all 90 kbp of it.
The 'cell' is also equipped with an in-built 'protein expression system', which translates the DNA's genetic instructions into action. That's what allows the 'cell' to turn the nutrients it absorbs from the surrounding liquid into useful materials, and enables cell division.
According to the researchers, the SpudCell system is capable of "selection, genome replication, growth, resource acquisition via feeding, and genetically encoded division."
Aside from probing the fundamental question of where the threshold for life really sits, future synthetic cell-like systems could potentially be designed to act like mini biological factories, pumping out organic materials such as drugs, biomaterials, chemicals, and other useful stuff.

Labs already use genetically modified bacteria and other microbes in this way, and it's also similar to how medical-grade insulin is produced.

A fully synthetic cell may allow for efficiencies and specificities that surpass existing biotechnologies.
Currently, SpudCells don't last more than a few generations. They can't actually produce their own protein expression system, nor can they regulate their metabolism, so they rely entirely on substances and components in the liquid medium in which they float.

The blobs also lack a cytoskeleton, the internal scaffolding that props up natural cells. This simplifies things, but it also means they can't shuttle materials around or clear waste.

But this work does provide a proof of concept that other scientists can build on – and that we'll keep a close eye on in the coming years.

The research has not yet been peer-reviewed, but a preprint is available on Biotic's website.

**

Single Injection Reverses Osteoarthritis in Animals in Just 4 Weeks

The chronic loss of joint cartilage known as osteoarthritis causes pain and bone decay for hundreds of millions of people every day.

But a new treatment option just got a step closer to human trials – in the form of a simple, single shot.

Based on ongoing animal experiments, researchers have shown that injecting a carefully engineered, slow-release drug-delivery system into the damaged joint can coax the body's own cartilage and bone cells to carry out an effective repair job in just a few weeks.

After a single injection, the joints patched themselves up to a healthy state within four to eight weeks, according to the researchers.

Early tests on human cells in the lab, taken from patients undergoing joint replacements, have also shown positive signs that the therapy can help regenerate human tissue.
It's important to note that the results are still awaiting peer review

1 in 5 adults make health decisions based on what they see on social media despite widespread mistrust

Every few scrolls, another health expert appears on the screen. While some are genuinely qualified, others simply sound convincing enough to pass as one. With AI-generated content flooding feeds, avoiding such advice is becoming increasingly difficult. The way people access health advice has shifted, and for many, social media might be a primary source of information. We need to keep up with its impact because, unlike traditional health channels, these platforms often lack strong editorial checks, making it easier for misinformation to spread.
A recent study surveyed more than 7,000 adults to understand how people use social media for health information. Nearly 80% of users believe that health information on social media is false or misleading.

Yet despite this widespread mistrust, more than 1 in 5 users still report making health-related decisions based on what they see on these platforms. This tendency is more pronounced among adults older than 65. The health care interaction wasn't limited to consumption—about 85% of users said they posted or shared personal and general health information on social media.
The influencer economy is booming, now worth billions, and health care content is emerging as a fast-growing slice of it. The health care social media space alone is valued at about USD 1.27 billion in 2026, with projections climbing to nearly USD 3.8 billion by 2035. As a result, many creators have rushed into health content creation to ride this wave.
The rapid growth has also raised several concerns. There is no consistent screening of social media content by any regulatory body, so misleading information spreads quickly, and biased health advice, often shaped by hidden conflicts of interest, can be shared as genuine advice from a content creator to followers.
The consequences include real-life harm caused by self-diagnosis without proper guidance, or even unnecessary and unproven treatments.
Several surveys have found that adults are seeking health information online and on social media.
To bridge the gap between old data and current reality, the researchers analyzed data from the 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), a nationally representative survey that enabled them to examine the habits of 7,278 people who were chosen to represent approximately 262 million adults
Part 1

The researchers didn't just ask whether people liked social media. They focused on four key behaviours among users: sharing health content, participating in online communities, making health decisions based on what they see, and their perceptions of distrust and misinformation. They also tracked how people with chronic conditions, like cancer, heart disease or mental health issues, used these platforms compared with people without such conditions.
About 88% of adults used social media, and most of them engaged with health content, with 70% taking part in online health communities. What stood out was the gap between belief and behaviour. Even though most users believed health information on social media was false or misleading, many still relied on it when making real health decisions.

People with long-term health conditions used social media at high rates (85.5%) but were less likely to share health information or join online groups. The data also revealed that those with higher education and higher household incomes were more likely to distrust health information on social media.
Social media is no longer a secondary medium; it now plays a major role in how adults get health information, and the findings make that clear. The researchers observed this among people with and without chronic conditions and called for better ways to ensure that health content is accurate and to push back against AI-amplified misinformation.

Aline F. Pedroso et al, Use of Social Media for Health Information Among US Adults, JAMA (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2026.8682

Part 2

Rescue mission launches to save NASA telescope that's falling back to Earth

A three-armed spacecraft rocketed into orbit Friday, this week, to rescue a NASA telescope that's in danger of crashing back to Earth.
Northrop Grumman launched Katalyst Space Technologies' Link spacecraft from the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. The Pegasus rocket blasted off from the belly of a modified airplane, putting Link on course to reach and capture NASA's Swift Observatory in about a month.

Launched in 2004, Swift is sinking faster than ever because of recent solar storms. NASA is paying $30 million for Katalyst to capture the telescope and boost its orbit so it can continue tracking some of the biggest explosions in the universe, like gamma ray bursts and exploding stars.

If all goes well, Swift could be back scanning the cosmos by September. Observations are currently on hold to preserve the telescope's orbit as long as possible.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope could be a candidate for a similar salvage operation in a few years. It's also slipping in altitude because of increased atmospheric drag caused by the sun's outbursts.

The 1.6-ton (1.4-metric ton) Swift currently is circling 224 miles (360 kilometers) above Earth. Katalyst aims to raise the telescope's altitude by 150 miles (240 kilometers), back to where it all began. Link's thrusters will fire to boost Swift slowly, so there's no heavy jostling.

Katalyst threw the mission together in just nine months. NASA insisted on a rush job because the telescope will be too low to recover by the fall. Without a boost, it's predicted to plunge to its demise in October.

Bad weather and technical issues caused a series of last-minute launch delays.

"This is a high-risk, high-reward mission," Katalyst Space CEO Ghonhee Lee said ahead of liftoff. "The biggest danger was always we don't launch anything and we let Swift burn up in the atmosphere. So we were always trying to avoid that risk, and our team has done that."

Source: NASA

Songs play a greater role than plumage color in limiting bird hybridization, study suggests

Across bird species, greater divergence in song strongly correlates with reduced hybridization, even in overlapping geographic ranges, indicating songs are primary prezygotic barriers. Male plumage coloration shows little association with hybridization, whereas divergent female plumage modestly reduces hybridization. These patterns clarify mechanisms of reproductive isolation in birds.

Vicente García-Navas et al, Song but not colour divergence constrains hybridization in birds, Biology Letters (2026). DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2026.0237.

You can dream while you're awake. The boundary between wakefulness and sleep is a lot blurrier than you'd think
Wake–sleep transitions show overlapping mental states: memories, sensory-related thoughts, deliberate reflections, and dream-like imagery all occur during wakefulness, N1, and N2 sleep. EEG-based analyses and machine learning identify consistent brain signatures for each state, indicating similar neural mechanisms can generate dream-like or reflective experiences regardless of vigilance level.

original article.

Many students listen to music to focus and stay motivated while they study—but it doesn't always help
Music’s impact on studying depends on task demands, music type, and individual differences. Many students report music enhances motivation, mood, and engagement, but lyrics and complex or loud music often disrupt language-heavy or challenging tasks. More motivated and confident students are likelier to study with music. Strategic, task-dependent use—often instrumental or as a delayed reward—is recommended.

original article.

“A society that loses science loses the future.”

Astronomers may have caught an early galaxy in the process of dying

Astronomers have spotted many "red and dead" galaxies in the early universe. These are massive systems that stopped forming stars surprisingly early in cosmic history. Now, they may have found evidence of one in the act of becoming dead: a massive galaxy being stripped of its star-forming gas just 1.4 billion years after the Big Bang. The clues behind why it lost its star-forming material are detailed in a paper posted to the arXiv preprint server on June 16.

SPT2349–56 is an emerging galaxy cluster, or "protocluster," containing about 30 star-forming galaxies within a region 100 kiloparsecs wide. Among its members, C26 is particularly interesting because of its unusual shape. It has a head and a tail like a comet. It also has a dense, bright region called the "knot," embedded within the tail. It was first detected in ALMA images.

In this new study, using observations from the Hubble Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope, researchers studied this galaxy's head, tail and knot to estimate its mass and star-forming properties.
Part 1

Interestingly, the tail seems to house a younger stellar population, as it is detected in UV light. The stellar head has a mass of around 22 billion solar masses, and the tail, including the knot, has a mass of around 6 billion solar masses.

The specific star-formation rate of the head is lower than expected for a typical star-forming galaxy, whereas the tail and knot are consistent with expectations.

Calculating the amount of cold gas in the galaxy available for the formation of new stars, the team found that while tens of billions of solar masses of gas are present, more than half of it is not even inside the galaxy. This displaced gas has been pulled out into the long tail trailing behind it, and it appears diffuse and calm—not really dense and turbulent gas suitable for star formation.

There are two ways galaxies typically lose gas like this: tidal interaction or merger, where gravity from another galaxy pulls gas away, and ram-pressure stripping, which occurs when the galaxy plows through a hot, dense gas medium and that resistance physically strips gas off it.

The team rules out a merger because the only candidate for a merging companion—a bright knot embedded in the tail—is too low-mass to gravitationally rip away that much gas.

Instead, several clues point to ram-pressure stripping. The stripped gas moves smoothly and continuously, rather than as a torn-off fragment. It's calm and diffuse, and despite holding onto a massive gas supply, the galaxy's star formation remains surprisingly low—unlike the starburst expected from a merger. The tail also happens to point toward the center of the cluster, consistent with gas trailing behind a galaxy as it moves through hot intracluster gas.

"Together with the tail alignment and the independently detected hot ICM in SPT2349−56, these observations therefore favor ram-pressure stripping over tidal interaction as the main mechanism shaping C26," the team writes in the paper.

This kind of dramatic stripping is what creates "jellyfish galaxies" that flaunt tentacle-like tails of gas. But it's normally assumed this needs a mature, well-developed cluster with a hot, dense intracluster medium to work efficiently. SPT2349−56 is still a young cluster in the process of forming, very early in the universe's history.
Ram-pressure stripping effectively starves the galaxy of fuel. Without gas, star formation eventually shuts down in a process called "quenching." The team suggests that C26 may be caught mid-transformation, where a massive, still-star-forming galaxy has already lost most of its gas and is on its way to becoming a dead, non-star-forming galaxy.

"C26 may capture an intermediate stage between these two regimes, in which most of the cold-gas reservoir has already been removed by the external environment, while the stellar head is not yet fully quenched," they explain.

As a result, this connects to a broader puzzle in astronomy about why astronomers find quiet, mature-looking galaxies surprisingly early in cosmic history. Interestingly, other galaxies in this same cluster core also show signs of being gas-poor, suggesting this stripping process might be actively reshaping the whole protocluster, not just C26.

Dazhi Zhou et al, An extreme ram-pressure stripping event in a protocluster at redshift 4.3, arXiv (2026). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2606.18229

Part 2

**

Higher blood glucose levels linked to faster brain aging
The human brain is known to naturally change with age, shrinking in size and volume after people reach their 30s or 40s. In some cases, however, it can age faster than expected, which can increase the risk of early memory loss, cognitive decline and some brain-related disorders.
Faster brain aging has been linked to various neurological and psychiatric disorders, as well as some neurodegenerative diseases. The factors that influence the speed at which the brain ages, however, have not yet been clearly and comprehensively elucidated.

Researchers recently analyzed available neuroimaging, genomic and biological data to better understand the contribution of metabolic processes (i.e., the chemical reactions that transform food into energy) to brain aging. Their findings, published in Molecular Psychiatry, suggest that higher levels of glucose in the blood are associated with accelerated brain aging.
To explore the biological underpinnings of brain aging, the researchers analyzed data from the UK Biobank, a large biomedical database that contains health-related, genetic and imaging data collected from thousands of people living in the U.K. By analyzing these people's brain scans, they derived measurable brain features, such as the size of specific brain regions, tissue characteristics and structural changes.

Subsequently, they trained machine learning algorithms to predict the age of people based on the brain features they identified. They found that a specific statistical method, known as a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model, was best at predicting the age of people's brains, with an average error rate of 3.26 years.

Using the best-performing LASSO model, the researchers calculated a value called BAG for thousands of people included in the UK Biobank database. This is essentially a value indicating whether a person's predicted brain age is higher or lower than their actual age, and by how many years.
They then analyzed metabolomics data derived from the same people's blood samples. This allowed them to identify nine molecules in the blood that appeared to be significantly associated with BAG values.
Notably, glucose appeared to have the strongest association with BAG values. Specifically, higher blood glucose levels were linked to brains that showed more signs of aging in imaging scans and thus appeared older than their actual age.
Part 1

This study offers evidence suggesting that glucose in the blood may contribute to processes linked to accelerated brain aging. Interestingly, the researchers found that higher levels of blood glucose were also linked to an increased risk of developing seven different conditions known to affect brain function.

"Clinically, elevated plasma glucose was positively associated with seven brain disorders, including all-cause dementia, Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Parkinson's disease, stroke, depression, and anxiety, and negatively associated with cognitive performance, movement function, and mental health outcomes," wrote the authors.

"Higher glucose concentrations were also associated with reduced regional brain volumes across 80 cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions. These findings implicate glucose metabolism as a modifiable pathway in brain aging, with implications for early intervention strategies aimed at preserving brain health across the lifespan."

Zhirong Li et al, Metabolomic signatures of brain aging: A multimodal and genetic study, Molecular Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41380-026-03703-3

Part 2

Why do humans reject cannabolism almost everywhere?

From ancient graves to stories of survival on the frontier, signs of human flesh-eating turn stomachs, even as they raise questions. Anthropologists have uncovered bones cut up with axes and chops—like a skull from England dating back 14,700 years that had the meat scraped off its jaws. Such finds confirm that our ancestors sometimes ate each other, but now every human culture views cannibalism as a final taboo. But if eating kin saved lives, why didn't it become routine?

Cannibalism didn't happen only from hunger—it turns up in myths, religious rites and war, too. In some cultures, consuming enemies (or ancestors) was believed to transfer power or honor. The Aztecs, for example, famously depicted sacrificial cannibalism in 16th-century codices. But even in those cases, it was rare and symbolic, not a dinner plan.

A new study by a Polish-Czech team offers a compelling answer, revealing a gruesome trade-off: a few extra calories now, but a potentially deadly epidemic later. While human meat provides calories—roughly "an average meal" by caloric content—their mathematical model confirms this only pays off under extreme scarcity, such as when the bodies of the dead are readily available. However, as soon as cannibalism spreads beyond a few survivors, the hidden costs rapidly overwhelm any gains.

The problem isn't just modest energy returns; it's disease. Humans share nearly identical biochemistry, making each human plate a vector for pathogens. The model demonstrates that the risk of catching a deadly pathogen climbs exponentially with the length of the cannibalism chain, a risk even cooking can't eliminate, especially for prions like those responsible for kuru in the Fore tribes of Papua New Guinea.

The new model isolates the purely nutritional trade-off: It doesn't include social or ritual gains (like terrorizing foes or gaining status). Without those extras, cannibalism only "pays" when people are almost starving. And because infectious parasites accumulate with every generation of cannibals, a killing spree of human flesh-eating rapidly becomes a population sink.

The scientists show that eating human flesh is like signing a death warrant for disease. They cite kuru as one case—but the same logic applies to any prion: Once an organism serving as food is very similar to the eater, even a tiny dose of misfolded protein can jump the species barrier. "Pathogens have an easier task because they end up in an organism with almost identical physiology," the team explains.

In their model, groups that let cannibalism run unchecked eventually collapse under runaway epidemics. 

The long-term practice of cannibalism can lead to population collapse by causing illnesses in those who eat other people. Every cannibal who eats another cannibal just compounds the risk—a phenomenon named cannibalism order.

Can cooking help? A bit, but not much. High heat might kill many bacteria and viruses, but not prions.

 The model finds that even if people always fully roast the flesh, the inevitable prions in nervous tissue still accumulate and eventually undo the benefit. So the basic story remains: Unless almost every human meal is a rare windfall (like a corpse after a disaster), the epidemic cost of cannibalism quickly outweighs its calories.

Part 1

So why do we all feel repulsed by cannibalism today? The study offers a surprising answer: What seems like an arbitrary moral rule may actually be nature's warning sign. In their words, cannibalism taboos may have "emerged not as arbitrary moral prohibitions, but as predictable cultural responses to epidemiological constraints." These cultural responses imply that disgust at eating people could be a form of collective immune defense.
"Taboo acts as an evolutionary safeguard." Groups that did not curb cannibalism, he notes, simply did not survive. Cultural rules that ban eating kin—even when you're starving—might have spread because they helped societies avoid ruinous outbreaks.

This view reframes the horror of cannibalism as a kind of early epidemiology lesson. A taboo that seems like cruelty (or superstition) might really be a survival tactic. It also helps explain why humans went to such lengths to prevent even a trace of cannibalism; the authors suggest almost any exposure could be catastrophic in the long run. And with new climate-driven famines on the horizon, these ancient lessons may become relevant again.

Michal Misiak et al, The cannibalistic trade-off: Why human cannibalism emerges and why taboos suppress it, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2605120123

Part 2

Some dark personality traits may help the body handle stress more easily, finds new study
Better immunity to stress is a superpower most of us would like to possess. Surprisingly, people with certain dark personality traits do have better protection against stress than most people.
A recent study has found that people with the Dark Triad of personality traits—narcissism, psychopathy and Machiavellianism—respond to stress differently.
The research findings revealed a clear pattern. Students who scored higher in narcissism reported feeling less anxious under pressure and showed smaller increases in blood pressure, suggesting that their bodies were less reactive to stress. Those with higher levels of psychopathy also reported lower stress levels and experienced smaller increases in heart rate. Machiavellianism, on the other hand, showed no meaningful relationship with how people experienced or reacted to pressure.
The first trait, narcissism, centers on an exaggerated sense of self-importance. People high in narcissism often feel entitled to special treatment and have a strong desire for dominance and superiority over others. The second trait, psychopathy, combines emotional coldness with impulsivity.

People high in psychopathy are more likely to break rules, manipulate others for personal gain and engage in criminal behavior. The third trait, Machiavellianism, is all about calculated manipulation. People high in Machiavellianism use cunning social strategies to get what they want, even if it comes at the expense of others.

While these traits are considered to have negative social consequences, some research suggests they might also act as protective factors, helping people cope with and respond to stress in adaptive ways.

This idea comes from the reactivity hypothesis, which suggests that people who experience sharp increases in heart rate or blood pressure during stressful moments may be more likely to develop heart problems later in life.

Some studies have found that people with these personality traits show smaller physical reactions when stressed, which could point to greater resilience or even better heart health. However, the results have been inconsistent, with some studies showing these traits led to lower stress reactions and others showing higher ones.
Part 1

Instead of studying the Dark Triad as a single entity, the researchers decided to examine each trait and its stress outcomes individually. They recruited college students ages 18–26 without heart conditions to ensure the heart rate and blood pressure readings during the stress test were accurate. The students were also asked to avoid coffee and exercise before the test.

The study team first created a relaxing environment for the students as they completed the Short Dark Triad survey. They then spent 10 quiet minutes while a blood pressure cuff measured their baseline heart rate and blood pressure five times.

Next, they were given a mental math test, performing arithmetic under pressure while a researcher corrected them and asked them to start over every time they made a mistake. Throughout the task, their heart rate and blood pressure were continuously measured. After the math task, students reported how much stress and anxiety they actually felt.

The data indicated that people with psychopathy and narcissism stayed calmer both mentally and physically when they were under pressure.

People with high psychopathy scores found the task much less stressful to complete, and those with narcissism reported feeling significantly less anxious than others. Initially, Machiavellianism didn't seem to change how people reacted to the stress at all, but when all three traits were analyzed together in the same model, it revealed that people with this trait felt more anxious during the stress test.

These findings suggest narcissism and psychopathy might actually be linked to better heart health through a biological pathway in the body, which needs further exploration. The researchers suggest future studies should include a wider range of participants across different ages and health conditions to see if the protective shield effect still holds true.

Adam O'Riordan et al, Examining the association between the dark triad personality traits and cardiovascular reactivity to acute psychological stress, International Journal of Psychophysiology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2026.113420

Part 2

**

Bees reveal emotion-like reactions, from 'lip licking' to head shaking, in new videos

New research proving bumblebees exhibit emotion-like behaviors—previously thought to exist only in mammalian species—has implications for how scientists understand the consciousness of insects.
Bumblebees displayed distinct orofacial patterns after tasting different solutions: glossa protrusions following sugar, and head shaking plus mouth wiping after salty or bitter liquids. These behaviours indicate valence-like (liking vs disliking) responses, suggesting emotion-like internal states in insects and refining views of insect cognition and consciousness.
Facial expressions are an important window into the internal states of animals. There's always been a tension between thinking of insects as animals or some sort of mini-robots. This is another step toward showing there's an inner life to being a bee
The study of 18 colonies of bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) found the insects could show observable "liking and disliking" behaviours, as opposed to "wanting" actions or feeding reflexes.

Key findings include:
The bumblebees displayed distinctly different orofacial behaviors after consuming sweet liquids versus bitter and salty liquids.
Post-consumption glossa ("tongue") protrusions—akin to "licking their lips"—occurred after eating sugar solutions.
Aversive head shaking and mouth wiping occurred after tasting salty and bitter liquids.
This emotion-like behaviour has never been observed outside mammals.
We don't yet understand what the bees truly experience, but we can observe emotion-like behaviours.
In terms of how the brain is organized, there's no major difference between a bee and a fly—this means there's more to consider in terms of how we might treat or react to insects. By human standards, the bee brain is tiny—weighing less than a milligram—and yet our evidence suggests the remarkable bee brain can support a form of bee inner life.

Peng, Fei et al, Bumblebees' orofacial reactions to tastes provide evidence for affective evaluation, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2529114123. doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2529114123

Uterine aging linked to poorer pregnancy outcomes after 49 despite donor eggs
Women ≥49 years using donor oocytes show reduced clinical pregnancy and live birth rates and increased miscarriage compared with women 35–40, despite similar endometrial thickness. A decline in trilaminar endometrial pattern with age supports an independent uterine aging effect. Donor eggs mitigate but do not fully offset reproductive aging, especially beyond 49 years.

Beatrice Crestani et al, Advanced maternal age independently affects live birth and increases miscarriage risk in donor oocyte cycles, Human Reproduction (2026).

Speaking another language could slow aging in the brain

People who speak more than one language seem to have younger brains, according to research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) Forum 2026. Our brains are made up of billions of nerve cells that need to communicate with one another. As we age, connectivity in our brains tends to deteriorate and, as a result, our memory and the speed of our thinking also decline.
The new research found that the more languages people speak, the younger their brains appear. Learning an extra language at a younger age and becoming highly fluent in another language also seem to slow brain aging.

The researchers recently published a study showing that in countries where people typically speak more than one language, people seem to age more slowly. In the new study, the researchers carried out a detailed analysis of a group of people from the Basque region of Spain who spoke between one and four different languages, including combinations of Spanish, Basque, French and English.
Multilingual adults showed reduced brain age relative to chronological age, estimated via magnetoencephalography-based connectivity and an AI-derived brain aging clock. Speaking two, three, or four languages was associated with brains appearing ~6, ~7, and ~13 years younger, respectively. Earlier acquisition and higher proficiency further correlated with delayed brain aging, independent of age, sex, and education.

In simple terms, people who spoke more languages tended to have brains that looked younger than expected for their chronological age. The effect was not only related to the number of languages spoken. Higher language proficiency and earlier acquisition of a second language were also associated with more delayed brain aging.

This suggests that multilingual experience matters as a gradient: It is not simply about being bilingual or not, but about the depth and duration of language experience.

fens2026.abstractserver.com/pr … s/presentations/5474

Learning languages could net you a younger brain, study says

Thinking about taking a Spanish or French class? There's a hidden benefit to picking up another language—their brain might age more slowly, a new study says.
People who speak additional languages have brains that appear 6 to 13 years younger than those of people who speak only one language, researchers reported at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Forum in Barcelona, Spain.

In simple terms, people who spoke more languages tended to have brains that looked younger than expected for their chronological age
Multilingual individuals showed brain connectivity patterns corresponding to brains 6–13 years “younger” than monolinguals. Greater number of languages, higher proficiency, and earlier acquisition were each associated with more delayed brain aging. Benefits appeared across ages, suggesting cumulative, gradient effects of language learning on brain aging markers.

 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Forum

Study reveals how the uterine microbiome may impact pregnancy success
Women with unsuccessful ART had a more diverse, less   Lactobacillus‑dominated endometrial microbiome and higher expression of endometrial receptivity genes than women who conceived. Butyrate produced by endometrial bacteria upregulated receptivity markers but also induced inflammation and impaired epithelial barrier function, indicating that microbiome–immune balance, not receptivity markers alone, is critical for implantation success.

Researchers have uncovered new evidence that the communities of bacteria living in the uterus may play an important role in determining whether pregnancy is successful following assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as IVF. Among the key findings was one notable surprise, which suggests the biological signals that have long been used to govern the timing of embryo transfer may be misleading.

The study examined women with unexplained infertility who underwent ART and found that those who did not become pregnant had a different endometrial microbiome (the collection of microbes associated with the lining of the uterus) than women who achieved pregnancy. In particular, women with unsuccessful treatment outcomes had a more diverse microbiome, with fewer beneficial Lactobacillus bacteria and higher levels of other bacterial species.

Unexpectedly, the researchers also discovered that women who did not become pregnant showed higher levels of gene expression for several genes that are commonly used as markers of endometrial receptivity, which is the state in which the uterus is considered ready to receive an embryo. These markers are widely studied in fertility medicine and are sometimes used to help identify the optimal timing for embryo transfer, meaning the new result calls into question how effective this forecasting method is likely to be.
Lactobacillus‑dominated endometrial microbiome and higher expression of endometrial receptivity genes than women who conceived. Butyrate produced by endometrial bacteria upregulated receptivity markers but also induced inflammation and impaired epithelial barrier function, indicating that microbiome–immune balance, not receptivity markers alone, is critical for implantation success.

Researchers investigated butyrate, a molecule produced by certain bacteria found in the endometrium. Using lab models that mimic the conditions of embryo implantation, the researchers showed for the first time that butyrate can directly increase the expression of receptivity markers.

However, butyrate also promoted inflammation and weakened the barrier function of endometrial cells. These changes could thus interfere with successful implantation.
Together, the studies suggest that pregnancy success depends on a delicate balance between the immune environment of the uterus and the composition of its microbiome, and that timing the point of embryo transfer to maximize the chance of successful implantation is not as easy as might have been assumed.

F Giangrazi et al, Contribution of endometrial microbiome to inflammation-mediated infertility in women undergoing ART, Human Reproduction (2026). DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deaf252

Neuroscientists observe electrical signals in the soma and dendrites of living mice

The human brain contains billions of neurons, specialized nerve cells that communicate with each other via electrical and chemical signals. Every neuron is made up of its body (i.e., soma), where most cellular processes occur; a long projection called an axon that sends signals to other neurons; and tree-like branches called dendrites, which receive and process incoming information.

Originally, dendrites were viewed as "passive" components that merely collect incoming signals and do not process information. More recently, however, studies have gathered evidence suggesting that they play a more active role in the transformation of incoming signals and the brain's plasticity (i.e., its ability to alter its structure, connections and activity patterns in response to experiences).

Specifically, neuroscientists discovered that when a neuron receives signals from other cells, dendrites integrate them and influence whether the neuron will produce a rapid electrical impulse called an action potential. After they are initiated, action potentials can also propagate backward from a neuron's soma into dendrites, a phenomenon known as back-propagating action potentials (bAPs).

So far, observing these fast electrical events across intricate dendritic networks inside the brains of living animals has proved challenging. In a new Nature Neuroscience paper, researchers introduced an approach that allowed them to monitor these events in living mice, yielding new insights into how brain cells integrate incoming information.

The researchers found that under the conditions they examined, voltage signals were coordinated across dendritic branches, instead of each branch behaving as an independent electrical unit. In addition, they suggest specific patterns of earlier neuron activity led to the filtering or alteration of bAPs, the electrical signals traveling back from the soma into dendrites.

"We propose that this dendritic filtering of bAPs may have a critical role in the regulation of bursting and in activity-dependent plasticity," wrote the authors in their paper.

J. David Wong-Campos et al, Voltage dynamics of cortical dendrites in vivo, Nature Neuroscience (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02339-4.

Approaching sounds can warp your perception of time

Everyone's perception of time is unique. It is a subjective experience shaped by factors such as age, emotions, memory and environmental contexts. And it may also be influenced by background noise, as scientists have demonstrated in a paper published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Previous research has shown that approaching noise can stretch our perception of time. But in this paper, researchers discovered that even when people were concentrating on a different sound, moving sounds in the background still changed their sense of time.
Their experiment revealed that people who listened to the approaching background sound overestimated the length of the tones by about 15%. "We discovered that an approaching background sound significantly accelerated the perceived time when compared to a receding sound," the study authors wrote in their paper.

Participants in the receding background noise group underestimated the time by about 6%. Those in the scrambled noise group produced intermediate results. The differences between this group and the others were not statistically significant.

So what does all this mean? This study showed for the first time that background moving sounds modulate time estimation.

The researchers framed the results in an evolutionary context. They said that an overestimation of time when an object is approaching means that our brains are put into a state of alertness to either avoid or catch something. An underestimation of time when a sound is moving away from us occurs because a retreating object is less likely to be perceived as a threat, and therefore it requires less attention.

The researchers also demonstrated the Vierordt effect, a well-known phenomenon that explains how our memory biases our estimation of time. Participants consistently guessed that the shortest tones (1 second) were longer than they were, while the longest tones (6 seconds) were guessed to be shorter.

Achille Pasqualotto et al, Approaching background sounds extend the duration of foreground auditory stimuli, Scientific Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-58785-4

Much of Earth's 'space dust' may come from unidentified near-Earth asteroids

Like a shelf in an old house, the Earth collects a lot of dust from its surroundings. This "space dust" is mostly made up of micrometeorites that survive atmospheric entry and provides researchers with a cheap and easy way to obtain samples to study our cosmic neighbors. However, it can be difficult to determine which objects certain samples originated from if their parent bodies aren't already in available catalogs. A recent study, published in Science Advances, describes a new subset of space dust with such mysterious origins and how researchers are tracking down potential sources.

Some micrometeorites, called cosmic spherules, melt upon entry, resulting in a spherical shape. These cosmic spherules lose their original mineral structure during entry heating, making their parent bodies hard to identify. In some cases, oxygen isotopes act like a chemical fingerprint, helping researchers determine where this dust came from. Yet about 10% of cosmic spherules have unusually small oxygen-16 isotope signatures that don't match any previously identified meteorite group. Researchers refer to these as the "Group 4" cosmic spherules.

The team involved in the new study says orbital parameters could also prove useful for source identification. They write, "In one particular case, however, the mineralogical and textural properties of a subset of cosmic spherules do provide information on the orbital parameters of their precursors, including eccentricity and encounter velocity. This subset is termed CumPo after its characteristic cumulate olivine porphyritic texture, characterized by clustered olivine phenocrysts that increase in size from one side of the spherule to the other."

The features associated with CumPo spherules suggest unusual orbital parameters that may point to atypical parent bodies, according to the researchers. In particular, prior research on these textures suggested some spherules may have experienced unusually high entry speeds, which can hint at the orbital eccentricity of the parent body.
Part 1

To try to learn more about their origins, the researchers examined 10 CumPo cosmic spherules from Antarctica and a more modern collection found on urban rooftops. They used electron microscopy and microprobe chemistry to analyze textures and key minerals and chemistry. They also measured oxygen isotopes with SIMS and NanoSIMS to fingerprint sources.

The team found many similarities between the two collections and defined them as a new subset of sulfur-rich cumulate olivine cosmic spherules, which they call "SCumPo." The subset is strongly tied to the oxygen-16-poor Group 4 signature. The group shares a set of features that imply extremely reducing conditions during atmospheric entry. This includes an uncommon near-absence of magnetite, frequent iron-nickel-sulfur droplets, consistently low nickel in olivine crystals, and unusually sulfur-rich glass.

Some spots within a single spherule showed both oxygen-16-poor and oxygen-16-rich signatures, implying the original dust was likely a mixture of at least two components because this does not happen naturally.

The study authors explain, "We interpret this as strong evidence that the SCumPo precursors were composite materials containing at least two different components: one component carrying a 16O-rich signature (relatively low δ18O and negative Δ17O, typical of carbonaceous chondrite anhydrous phases) and another carrying a 16O-poor signature (high δ18O and positive Δ17O not matched to known meteorites but akin to Group 4 fine-grained material)."
Part 2

The team then ran numerical simulations of crystal settling during atmospheric deceleration to determine likely entry speeds and orbital eccentricities. The results showed that olivine "settling" will most likely occur with high encounter speeds of roughly 14–17 km/s. The team says this points to eccentric orbits (around e > 0.2), and this eccentricity is more consistent with near-Earth objects than typical main-belt asteroid sources.

They say this parent body seems to be a previously unsampled, primitive, sulfide-rich carbonaceous asteroid related to a group of carbonaceous meteorites called the CM–CO–CY chondrite clan.

The study authors write, "Given that we have linked their composition to the CM-CO-CY clan of carbonaceous chondrites, it is plausible that their parent body was a primitive carbonaceous asteroid that migrated onto an Earth-crossing orbit—attaining comet-like orbital parameters. For instance, one might consider the disrupted fragments of a thermally altered but water-bearing asteroid (like the CY group) that evolved into near-Earth space."

The researchers note that this hypothetical parent body represents a "missing" meteorite type. The micrometeorite samples exist, but no meteorite like it exists in current collections. They say that future identification through asteroid missions or meteorite finds would be considered "a pivotal discovery."

Matthias Van Ginneken et al, ¹⁶ O poor cosmic spherules from near-Earth CY chondrite asteroids, Science Advances (2026). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aed6340

Part 3

From mother to offspring: Young birds show how 'forever chemicals' accumulate

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are synthetic fluorine-containing organic chemicals used in the manufacture of many household and industrial goods, as well as historically, in perfluorinated aqueous film-forming foams (AFFF) used to fight flammable liquid fires.

The highest PFAS concentrations in wildlife are typically recorded around petrochemical manufacturing facilities and near former firefighting training areas—the Williams Laverton RAAF Base has an extensive history of the use of firefighting foams.

New research has found young birds living near contaminated industrial and military sites in suburban Melbourne carry especially high concentrations of PFAS, so-called "forever chemicals."

Analysis of the samples showed that PFAS levels peaked in young, newly fledged birds after the chemicals were transferred from mothers into their eggs and through the insect-heavy diets chicks are fed when being reared
Young house sparrows near industrial and military PFAS hotspots in suburban Melbourne show elevated blood PFAS, with PFOS medians about 10-fold higher than in birds from uncontaminated sites. Concentrations peak in recently fledged chicks and decline with age, driven by maternal transfer via eggs and insect-heavy nestling diets, indicating substantial bioaccumulation and widespread environmental contamination.

PFAS concentrations generally decreased with the age of the birds: Recently fledged chicks had the highest levels, followed by older juveniles and then mature adults.

Consuming a diet where the main food source is invertebrates—including insects, spiders, snails and worms—is a key driver for PFAS exposure.
Even birds that feed mainly on grains as adults shift their diets toward animal food sources like invertebrates when they're breeding, to meet the energy demands of reproduction and rearing chicks.
Similar trends in PFAS levels with age have been reported for a wide range of species, including humans and other mammals, and this seems to be linked to transfer from mother to offspring.
The reputation of PFAS as "forever chemicals" is based on their persistence in the environment and their potential to accumulate in living organisms, where they have increasingly been associated with health risks.

Max M Gillings et al, Early Life Uptake and Elimination of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in a Seasonally Invertivorous Bird, Environmental Science & Technology (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6c02297

Could endless scrolling really rot your brain? A new study suggests it might, but also says exercise could fight back
Consider flipping through numerous videos on TikTok and YouTube within mere minutes—some news item, some dancing fad, some culinary trick and some comedy sketch. The content might grab your attention momentarily, but it's gone just like that. This pattern of consuming information so rapidly puts pressure on our working memory—a short-term memory system in which the brain temporarily stores the information required to think. Each time you flip from one piece of content to the next, you change the context of your thinking, which has led psychologists to wonder whether the brain's scratchpad gets tired from all the switching.

Is this endless digital churn truly shredding our memory? A new study delves into this question, exploring the impact of excessive short-video use on working memory performance and how physical activity might offer a surprising countermeasure. The study is published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.

The concern isn't new. By 2025, TikTok alone had more than 1.6 billion active users, and the cultural impact was so profound that Oxford even selected "brain rot" as its 2024 Word of the Year. For years, parents and teachers have worried that the "thumbs-on-tech" habit shortens attention spans and impairs cognition. In fact, prior research has already associated heavy short-video use with major declines in focus and memory. But how precisely does this manifest in our brains?
To investigate this, a new experiment put participants through a classic "2-back" working-memory test, a task designed to measure how well individuals can hold and manipulate information in their minds (checking whether each presented item matched the one from two steps back). The results were eye-opening: those identified as the heaviest video watchers consistently performed the worst on this critical cognitive assessment.

As the researchers reported, their findings indicated that "excessive short video use was associated with poorer working memory performance, whereas regular exercise habits were associated with better behavioural performance." This direct link between high video consumption and diminished memory function provides compelling evidence for the growing concerns.
Then came a significant twist in the findings: Exercise changed everything. Not only did the researchers divide the subjects into those who viewed videos frequently, but they also classified them according to the amount of exercise done in a day: high, low or none. Their findings were striking: The level of fitness counted for a lot. The regular exercisers performed better on the memory test and showed better working-memory functioning regardless of the number of videos consumed.
This strong protective effect of exercise is supported by decades of research showing that exercise literally "builds up" the brain, improving cognitive functioning.

Part 1

The benefits of exercise were evident in concrete cognitive gains: the most active students significantly outperformed their sedentary peers on the working-memory tasks. Brain scans using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) confirmed these behavioral differences at a neural level and helped researchers further understand the underlying mechanisms. For instance, in physically fit students, the prefrontal cortex, an important area for cognitive control and decision-making, showed steadier and more efficient blood flow during the difficult memory task.

In contrast, the brains of less active students had to work much harder and showed different patterns of activation to get similar—or often worse—results. Basically, it seemed that regular exercise created a buffer that shielded the brain from the cognitive scramble of watching too many short videos.

Tian Feng et al, Exercise modulates behavioural and neural mechanisms of working memory in excessive short video users, Frontiers in Psychology (2026). DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1875248

Part 2

Scientists find gas emissions from rocks may have contributed to ancient climate swings, mass extinctions

An interdisciplinary team of scientists has uncovered new evidence about processes that may have contributed to ancient mass-extinction events, some of the most dramatic ecosystem reorganizations in Earth's history.
They combined deep-earth geochemistry and atmospheric science to show that natural sulfur and carbon released from metamorphic rocks affect the environment in ways similar to emissions from volcanic eruptions, long considered the primary drivers of mass-extinction events.
Evidence shows that the process that wipes out species is a climate swing, or an oscillation back and forth between hot and cold climates.

Some extinctions are correlated with the timing of eruptions in large igneous provinces, which are massive magmatic areas that have seen lots of volcanic eruptions and lava spewing out of Earth's surface. As long as geology as a field has existed, scientists have thought that volcanic eruptions and their emissions were the primary trigger for rapid global cooling and climate swings. Now scientists found another process that contributes to these events: metamorphism.

Metamorphism of sulfur- and carbon-bearing rocks in large igneous provinces can release substantial SO₂ and CO₂, producing sulfate aerosol–driven short-term cooling followed by long-term CO₂ warming. This mechanism can generate pronounced climate oscillations, offering an additional driver of ancient mass extinctions beyond direct volcanic degassing.
Metamorphic processes occur when rock under Earth's surface is exposed to extreme heat, like when rock in large igneous provinces, such as the Ferrar large igneous province in Antarctica or the Siberian Traps in Russia, is heated by magma. If that rock contains sulfur and carbon, the heating process results in sulfur and carbon emissions, allowing them to seep out at ground level as gases.

Sulfur emissions become sulfate particles in the atmosphere that act like tiny mirrors, reflecting some of the sun's energy back into space. Earth then absorbs less energy from the sun, leading to cooling spikes. Sulfates also act as "cloud seeds," attracting water vapor to form clouds with liquid droplets that disperse water more efficiently and reflect more sunlight, also contributing to cooling spikes.

Cooling spikes are the result of sulfur, which doesn't stay in the atmosphere for more than a few days before dissipating.
The opposite warming effect is due to carbon, which is also released in the metamorphic process but doesn't react with other particles. Carbon remains in the atmosphere for hundreds, thousands or even millions of years. Even after sulfate-driven cooling spikes, the atmosphere is several degrees warmer than before due to carbon gas continually warming while sulfur aerosols cool and eventually disappear from the system.
Part 1

Ancient extinctions that may have been influenced by these emissions include the end of the Ordovician Period around 440 million years ago, when up to 85% of shallow marine species died, including many trilobites and corals. Another occurred at the end of the Devonian Period around 370 million years ago, when many marine species, especially reef-building corals and bony armored fish like Dunkleosteus, died out.

The end of the Permian Period, or the "Great Dying," occurred around 252 million years ago and wiped out up to 96% of marine species and 70% of land species. Around 201 million years ago, the end of the Triassic Period eliminated many groups of giant reptiles that dominated land, sea and sky, making way for the rise of dinosaurs.
Although these events occurred millions of years ago, they provide natural experiments for investigating interactions and cycles among the solid Earth, atmosphere, oceans and biosphere. Understanding their causes helps scientists better understand the sensitivity of Earth systems to large-scale environmental change.

Earth's systems are deeply interconnected, and major environmental changes rarely result from a single isolated process.

Emily Stewart et al, Metamorphic sulfur release as a driver of sustained cooling and mass extinction, Science Advances (2026). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aee2277. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aee2277

Part 2

Ocean acidification may be shrinking the brains of the world's most intelligent invertebrates

An ongoing research project exploring the effects of rising levels of oceanic CO2 on squid neurology reveals that exposure to future levels of ocean acidification could shrink their brain volume by around 50%. This severe brain shrinkage appears to be most pronounced in the areas that interpret visual information, correlating with significant reductions in normal feeding behaviors and suggesting serious consequences for the future of squid and other cephalopods.
Elevated CO₂ levels simulating future ocean acidification (pH 7.8) reduced bigfin reef squid brain volume by ~49% after 90 days, with strongest effects in visual centers (optic lobes −52%, optic tracts −62%) and no change in body size. These neural changes correlate with large reductions in hunting and feeding behaviour, implying impaired visual processing and major ecological consequences.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-09506-6

International expert team says science alone won't save coral reefs

Coral reefs are rapidly declining due to climate change, overfishing, pollution and habitat loss, threatening food security, coastal protection and cultural identity. The article argues that scientific research and restoration are insufficient without strong public engagement and political will. It proposes integrating science with art, design and community collaboration to translate complex data into emotionally resonant experiences, thereby motivating broader participation in reef conservation. The Coral Art-Science Consortium is introduced as a global platform to coordinate such interdisciplinary efforts and promote collective action for reef protection.

Targeted phages curb Crohn's-linked gut inflammation by disabling harmful E. coli traits
IBD affects millions, with rates continuing to rise, particularly among children. Although current treatments can be effective, they can fail long term or require escalating doses, increasing the risk of serious side effects.

A research team at McMaster University has developed a targeted approach to treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) using bacteriophages, viruses that infect specific bacteria, to disarm harmful microbes without disrupting the broader gut ecosystem.
Targeted bacteriophages directed against adherent-invasive E. coli reduced gut inflammation in experimental models of Crohn’s disease by suppressing virulence traits, particularly adhesion to intestinal cells, without eradicating the bacteria or disrupting the microbiota. Phage therapy also potentiated steroid efficacy, enabling lower doses, and stool-based functional assays may identify patients most likely to benefit.
IBD is shaped by a combination of genetics, immune responses and the gut microbiome. The research team focused on a group of bacteria known as adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC), which have been linked to inflammation in some people with Crohn's disease. These bacteria can be difficult to identify and selectively target, making them an important test case for more precise microbiome-based therapies.
Working with E. coli strains isolated from patients with Crohn's disease, the team used controlled experimental models to isolate how AIEC contribute to inflammation and explore ways to neutralize their harmful behaviour without damaging beneficial bacteria.
To target AIEC without collateral damage, the team turned to bacteriophages (phages), which are naturally occurring viruses that infect bacteria with remarkable precision.

Phages work like a lock-and-key system—each phage targets only certain bacteria. That precision gives us a way to intervene without wiping out the entire microbiome.

The team identified and characterized phages that selectively target AIEC strains isolated from patients with IBD and found that this approach significantly reduced gut inflammation.

The phages did not eliminate the bacteria entirely. Instead, they altered their behavior by suppressing a molecular "grappling hook" that helps AIEC attach to the gut lining and trigger immune responses. When that virulence mechanism was turned off, inflammation subsided.

The bacteria were still there, but they lost the traits that drive inflammation as the bacteria can't do as much damage anymore.
The researchers also found that phage therapy enhanced the effectiveness of a commonly used steroid treatment for IBD. When combined with the phage, a lower-than-standard dose produced benefits comparable to higher doses of the drug alone. While phages have previously been shown to increase the effectiveness of antibiotics, this is the first time a positive collaboration between phage and a non-antibiotic drug has been reported.

The findings point to a precision-medicine approach for IBD.

Kyle Jackson et al, Phage intervention improves colitis and response to corticosteroids by attenuating virulence of Crohn's disease–associated bacteria, Science Translational Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adz4589

'Saprotropism' helps roots avoid decaying plant matter—but not animal decay

Decaying matter shapes life in soil, but it can also create hostile zones for growing roots.
Researchers have now identified "saprotropism," a root response that guides plants away from decaying plant-derived matter—but not animal-derived decay.
The study published in Science, reveals how roots adapt their growth direction by sensing local pH gradients around rot.

Plants cannot run away from danger or toward something they desire. Instead, they adjust the direction in which they grow. Shoots bend toward light (a well-known phenomenon called phototropism), roots and shoots use gravity to grow downward and upward, respectively (gravitropism), and roots can also bend toward water (hydrotropism).

These directional growth responses, known as plant tropisms, help plants navigate changing environments. Now, researchers from China and Austria describe a new member of this family: saprotropism, from "sapro," meaning rotten or decaying.

The researchers first showed that direct contact with decaying plant tissue strongly inhibited root growth and activated defense pathways linked to immunity and pathogens. In other words, roots treated these decay zones as biologically threatening environments.

Animals instinctively avoid rotten food because it often harbours harmful microbes.
The newly identified tropism enables roots to actively bend away from decaying plant matter. In experiments, roots avoided decay zones made from "fleshy" matter such as apples or leaves, and—contrary to initial assumptions—also from woody material such as sawdust.
However, when the researchers tested animal-derived decay, such as small pieces of chicken meat, the roots showed no directional growth response.

One of the striking findings was therefore that the roots did not simply avoid anything rotten.
They responded specifically to decomposing plant material. This tells us that saprotropism is not a general reaction to rot, but a dedicated response to plant-derived decay.
The response was observed not only in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, but also in crop species including rapeseed, tomato and wheat—suggesting that saprotropism is widespread among plants.
Part 1

The team found that a key signal comes from microorganisms, especially fungi, as they break down dead plant material. During decomposition, fungi release acidic metabolites, including organic and phenolic acids. These compounds diffuse into the surrounding soil and create stable local pH gradients around the decaying material.

Roots can detect this acidity pattern even before direct contact and use it as directional information, bending away from the more acidic side. However, the "plant graveyard" does not send a permanent warning signal—it stops automatically after the matter has turned into soil. "Once the plant material had almost fully broken down, the acidic warning signal faded—and the roots stopped bending away.
How this happens
Within the root, an external signal is transformed into a growth decision: Cells on the root surface detect that one side of the root is exposed to stronger acidity than the other. This uneven signal changes the distribution of the plant hormone abscisic acid, or ABA, across the root tip.

As a result, the internal framework of root cells is rearranged, causing one side of the root to grow differently from the other. The root then bends away from the decaying plant material.
Saprotropism shows how plants interpret microbial activity in the soil and make growth decisions accordingly.
The discovery of saprotropism—a term coined by the study authors—opens new research avenues, such as how roots interpret microbial activity in soil. In the long term, a better understanding of such root behaviors could help inform approaches in agriculture, soil management and crop resilience.
Understanding the molecular basis of saprotropism opens new opportunities to develop crops with an enhanced ability to detect and avoid pathogen-rich environments.

Zhulatai Bao et al, Roots navigate around decay regions by sensing local pH gradients, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.adw6568. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adw6568

Part 2

Softening aging ovaries could help extend fertility as women get older

Fertility declines as women get older for many reasons, such as a drop in egg quality, decreased follicle numbers and hardening of ovarian tissues. That's a problem for would-be mothers in many countries who prefer to have their children later in life, often in their 30s and 40s. Current treatments for infertility include hormone therapy and in vitro fertilization (IVF), which primarily focus on treating hormonal imbalances and helping eggs mature or be fertilized.
But in research published in the journal Nature Aging, scientists may have found a way to help women stay fertile longer by softening their ovaries. The researchers wanted to understand why ovaries stiffen with age and whether this could provide a route for future fertility treatments.

Finding the cause

To discover what could be causing ovarian tissue to harden, researchers collected healthy human ovarian tissues from young, middle-aged and older women. They also sourced samples from patients with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), POI (premature ovarian insufficiency) and endometriosis.

The team measured protein levels and gene activity in these tissues and found increased levels of the inflammatory protein interleukin-11 in aging and diseased ovaries.

To see how this might relate to stiffness, they cultured ovarian fibroblasts, the cells that produce connective tissue, in the laboratory and exposed them to the protein. They found that the protein triggered the cells to produce excess collagen, a structural material that can build up during scarring and make tissues stiffer.

Next, the researchers genetically modified mice so they could not respond to interleukin-11. The result was that these animals had less ovarian stiffening and better ovarian function as they aged. The same was true in mouse models of chemotherapy-induced POI and PCOS.
In the final part of the experiment, the scientists injected older mice and rats with a nanoparticle treatment containing small interfering RNA (siRNA) that could switch off interleukin-11. This caused their ovaries to become less stiff, improving fertility. In older mice, the pregnancy rate increased from 25% to 50%, while the average litter size also increased. The treatment also improved fertility in rats, with more animals becoming pregnant and producing larger litters.

Although it is highly speculative at this stage and requires much more research, blocking this inflammatory pathway could form the basis for new fertility treatments, as the authors acknowledge in their paper.

Meng Wu et al, Modulating IL-11-dependent matrix stiffness to delay ovarian aging, Nature Aging (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43587-026-01159-2

Stuart A. Cook, Targeting interleukin-11 to slow ovarian aging, Nature Aging (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43587-026-01137-8

Language of thought is not natural language

Philosophers, linguists and cognitive scientists have debated the relationship between language and thought for thousands of years, with many arguing that we use language to think. There are good reasons to suspect a close relationship between logic and language.

Abstract thinking has properties that look a lot like language. You can divide a thought into subcomponents, like little atoms of logical propositions, and you can combine them in a hierarchical manner to make more complex structured rules, very akin to language.
But neuro scientists thought while we largely depend on language to communicate about logical reasoning—from presenting a problem to explaining how we have arrived at conclusions—the brain might use a separate system for the reasoning itself.
There are aspects of thinking that seem to go beyond some of the limitations of language. Logical reasoning demands precision that language often lacks. And language is linear, progressing one word at a time, whereas evaluating available information to reach logical conclusions can require thinking in less linear ways.
Some people find it useful to talk through their problems—but language isn't necessary for logical reasoning, cognitive neuroscientists say.
In research published in the journal PNAS, researchers have shown that people can perform well on tasks that require logical reasoning even if their language abilities are severely impaired. What's more, brain imaging shows that language-processing parts of the brain are not called on for logical reasoning.

The scientists worked with two patients who had experienced strokes that damaged language-processing parts of their brains, leaving them with severe impairments in both understanding and producing language. They designed language-free logic games in which participants were asked to infer relationships between sets of numbers.
As participants solved increasingly difficult puzzles, it became clear that people don't need language for this kind of reasoning. Patients with language impairments solved the problems as well as a control group and were even able to communicate the rules they inferred using gestures or with a sketch.
Part 1

Alongside this part of the study, the researchers also used functional brain imaging to study what happens in the brains of healthy adults when they are engaged in logical reasoning. Participants in this part of the study visited MIT for a series of MRI scans, which captured images of their brain activity during an array of tasks.
Here, too, a separation between language and logic was clear: The MRI scans showed the brain's language system is not engaged for either inductive reasoning (when participants identified hidden rules) or deductive reasoning (when they assessed the validity of syllogistic conclusions).

Surprisingly, the multiple demand network, which many scientists had suspected was important for logical reasoning, was engaged during inductive reasoning but didn't seem to get involved in deductive reasoning.
The findings strongly support a separation of logic and language in the brain.

Hope Kean et al, Evidence from formal logical reasoning reveals that the language of thought is not natural language, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2520095123

Part 2

Volcanoes and wildfires are adding water vapor to the stratosphere, raising climate concerns

Moderate volcanic eruptions and extreme wildfires since 2005 have led to an increase in the amount of water vapor in the stratosphere, a layer of Earth's atmosphere above the weather-filled troposphere. That's potentially bad news because water vapor here acts like a greenhouse gas that traps heat and changes ozone chemistry.

The findings are presented in a paper published in Nature. But the scientists not only provided the first direct observational evidence that this is happening, they also explained the mechanisms behind it. The journal's editors have also published a Research Briefing explaining the work.

Previously, only massive volcanic eruptions, such as the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, were thought to significantly increase stratospheric water vapor (SWV). But this research shows that the cumulative effect of smaller events can also drive climate variability. "Episodic aerosol perturbations from moderate volcanic eruptions and extreme wildfires therefore emerge as a previously overlooked driver of SWV variability," the study authors wrote in their paper.

The team pulled together 17 years of monthly atmospheric data from a number of sources. These included SWOOSH, which tracks stratospheric water vapor; GNSS satellite measurements used to estimate temperatures near the tropopause; and GloSSAC, a global dataset of stratospheric aerosol levels.

They organized the data into two categories: aerosol-influenced months (following recent volcanic activity or megafires) and clean months. They also ran computer models to simulate climate with and without the volcanic and wildfire aerosols to ensure natural weather cycles weren't skewing the data.

The paper revealed that between 76 million and 203 million tons of water vapor were added to the stratosphere during the study period. The researchers estimate that aerosol-driven increases explain about 36% of the observed rise in stratospheric water vapor between 2005 and 2021. According to the team, the climate impact from these fires and volcanoes was comparable to that from the global surface temperature increase.

The scientists also suggested two ways these particles pump moisture into the upper atmosphere.

The first is volcanic and wildfire aerosols that absorb and scatter radiation, thereby warming the tropopause, the boundary layer between the stratosphere and troposphere. This warming raises the amount of water vapor the air can hold, allowing more to enter the stratosphere.

The second is a process called aerosol self-lofting, which only happens with extreme wildfires. Dark, light-absorbing carbon in wildfire smoke absorbs sunlight, heats up and becomes buoyant. This causes the smoke plumes to rise into the stratosphere, carrying water vapor straight up with them.

As extreme fires intensify in a warming world, the researchers emphasize that predictions of the ozone layer, future warming and the overall composition of the stratosphere must account for these aerosol-driven processes.

Yifeng Peng et al, Moderate volcanic eruptions and extreme wildfires humidify the stratosphere, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10731-0

Volcanoes and wildfires contributed to increased stratospheric humidification, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-026-02011-8

Biomni—an AI-powered biomedical co-scientist
Biomni is an AI-driven biomedical research agent that automates full workflows, including literature review, hypothesis generation, data integration, analysis, visualization, and code execution across 25 biomedical subdomains. It uses ~150 tools, 105 software packages, and 59 databases, providing traceable, reproducible outputs that substantially reduce manual effort while keeping humans responsible for scientific judgment and decision-making.

Biomedical research is increasingly constrained by repetitive, fragmented workflows that slow discovery. Now researchers introduced Biomni, a general-purpose biomedical artificial intelligence agent that autonomously executes diverse research tasks. To map the biomedical action space, Biomni’s action-discovery agent mines tools, databases, and protocols from thousands of publications across 25 domains, building a unified agentic environment. Its general-purpose architecture integrates large language model reasoning with retrieval-augmented planning and code-based execution, dynamically composing workflows without predefined templates. Systematic benchmarking shows strong generalization across heterogeneous tasks—causal gene prioritization, drug repurposing, rare-disease diagnosis, microbiome analysis, and molecular cloning—without task-specific tuning. Real-world case studies demonstrate Biomni interpreting multi-modal datasets, optimizing protein stability, orchestrating wet-lab instruments, and generating experimentally testable protocols. Biomni envisions artificial intelligence augmenting human scientists and accelerating discovery.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz4351

Why some people are more bothered by low-frequency sounds

Some people are more sensitive to low-frequency noise, such as from ventilation systems, heat pumps, wind turbines and transformers. Why is that?
The brain perceives low-frequency sounds in a completely different way from other sounds. Maybe that's why some people react more strongly to them.

Sound below 16 Hz is what professionals like to call infrasound. This is sound that is often considered impossible to hear. But that's not the case.

Humans can actually perceive infrasound if the sound level is high enough.
Some people are more sensitive to low-frequency noise. It can come from ventilation systems, heat pumps, wind turbines, industry, transport, generators or transformers. But this is difficult to measure because the sound is often perceived more as a hum or physical sensation than higher-frequency sound is.

Low-frequency sound and infrasound are detected via a mechanism in the inner ear that differs from normal hearing. When frequencies are very low, conventional sensory hair cells respond weakly, and supporting cells instead generate electric fields sufficient to activate auditory nerve signals. This nonlinear mechanism can make small pressure increases seem much louder and may vary between individuals, explaining differing sensitivity to low-frequency noise.

Now new research suggests that infrasound is registered in the inner ear in a different way than normal sound.

Inside the inner ear, there are specialized sensory hair cells that are crucial for transmitting sound signals to the brain.

But at very low frequencies, the signals to these hair cells become too weak, and other hair cells, which normally contribute to the hearing process, can still pick them up.
These support cells, which normally receive signals from the brain to regulate hearing sensitivity, generate electric fields that are strong enough to trigger nerve signals sent to the brain, so that infrasound is perceived.
Maybe that's why very low-frequency sounds feel different from other sounds.

This may explain why infrasound is experienced differently than normal sound. Small increases in sound pressure quickly make the sound much louder.
The findings may also help explain why some people are bothered by low-frequency noise while others are not, as the newly discovered mechanism may vary from person to person.

Carlos Jurado et al, Infrasound sensation is mediated by intracochlear electrical potentials, Scientific Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-50179-w

Eye Movements Form a Unique Gaze Fingerprint

Eye movements reveal personal 'fingerprints' as people explore unfamiliar scenes
Eye-tracking during exploration of virtual scenes showed that individuals have stable, distinctive gaze patterns that reflect personal conceptual priorities. Machine-learning models, especially those using large language model–derived conceptual descriptions of viewed objects, reliably identified individuals from these patterns, even across sessions one week apart. Results suggest gaze can act as a persistent biometric and potential clinical marker, while raising privacy concerns in VR/AR contexts.

“Conceptual priorities shape individual gaze patterns during natural...” by Amanda J. Haskins, Katherine O. Packard, and Caroline E. Robertson. PNAS
DOI:10.1073/pnas.2604369123

Natural forests survive heat waves better than planted forests

When a record-breaking drought and heat wave swept across China's Yangtze River Basin in 2022, forests across the region faced an extreme test. The event provided a rare opportunity for researchers to test how different forests respond when rising temperatures and water shortages strike at the same time.
The basin is home to some of China's most important forests, which help prevent soil erosion, regulate water supplies and support biodiversity. As China's largest river basin, the Yangtze is also a major hub for water resources and economic activity, meaning healthy forests play a crucial role.

Following widespread deforestation and major flooding events, including the devastating 1998 Yangtze River flood, China launched large-scale tree-planting programs to restore forests and reduce soil erosion.

But as climate change drives more frequent and intense combinations of drought and extreme heat, researchers wanted to understand whether these planted forests could cope with increasingly challenging conditions and how they respond compared with forests that developed naturally. The study focused on compound drought–heat wave events, where unusually hot and dry conditions occur at the same time.

These events can be particularly damaging because plants face two stresses at once: a lack of water in the soil and increased water loss through their leaves. These combined stresses can threaten not only forest health but also the wider services forests provide, such as storing water and regulating runoff.

The results revealed a trade-off. Natural forests were better able to withstand the harsh conditions, suffering less damage during the event, while planted forests experienced greater vegetation loss but recovered more quickly once the extreme weather had passed.
The findings, published in Water Resources Research, reveal a balance between two important aspects of forest resilience: the ability to resist damage during a weather event and the ability to recover afterward.
During the extreme weather, natural forests proved more resilient in the short term. They suffered less damage from the drought and heat wave, with more than 70% of areas analyzed showing that natural forests were better able to withstand the conditions.

The researchers suggest this stronger resistance may be linked to the greater complexity of natural forests. They typically contain a wider variety of tree species that respond differently to drought and heat, different tree ages and more layered canopies, creating a varied ecosystem that can better buffer extreme conditions.

Planted forests, by contrast, are often made up of fewer species and trees of similar ages. This simpler structure can make them more vulnerable to extreme conditions because they respond to stress in the same way.
The study highlights that there is no single measure of a forest's ability to cope with climate extremes and shows why protecting remaining natural forests remains crucial, even as tree planting continues to be an important tool for restoring degraded landscapes.

The researchers suggest that improving the diversity and structure of planted forests could help make them more resistant to future climate extremes.

Yong Su et al, Higher Vulnerability But Faster Recovery in Planted Than Natural Forests During the 2022 Compound Drought–Heatwave in China's Yangtze River Basin, Water Resources Research (2026). DOI: 10.1029/2026wr044482