Negative effects of artificial sweeteners may pass on to next generation, study suggests
In mice, consumption of sucralose and stevia altered gut microbiome composition, reduced beneficial short-chain fatty acids, and changed gene expression related to inflammation and metabolism, with some effects persisting across generations. Sucralose produced more pronounced and lasting metabolic and microbiome disruptions than stevia. These findings suggest potential transgenerational metabolic impacts of artificial sweeteners.
Health organizations are starting to raise concerns about the potential long-term impacts of artificial sweeteners, which taste sweet but—unlike sugar—contain no calories, suggesting they could interfere with energy metabolism and increase the eventual risk of diabetes or cardiovascular disease.
Now a new study in mice indicates that the popular sweeteners sucralose and stevia have negative effects on the gut microbiome and gene expression, potentially compromising metabolic health, which can be transmitted between generations.
The scientists found that different sweeteners produced different effects, which changed over time.

In the first generation, only the male offspring of sucralose-consuming mice showed signs of impaired glucose tolerance, but by the second generation, elevated fasting blood sugar was detected in male descendants of sucralose-consuming mice and female descendants of stevia-consuming mice.

Both groups of mice that ate sweeteners had more diverse fecal microbiomes but lower concentrations of short-chain fatty acids, suggesting the bacteria were producing fewer beneficial metabolites; both succeeding generations also had lower concentrations of short-chain fatty acids.

Sucralose-consuming mice were more seriously and more persistently affected by changes to the fecal microbiome, with more pathogenic species and fewer beneficial species of bacteria in their feces.

Similarly, sucralose appears to kick-start the expression of genes linked to inflammation and dampen the expression of genes linked to metabolism for two generations after consumption. Stevia also impacts gene expression, but its effects are smaller and are not passed on for more than one generation.

Artificial and Natural Non-Nutritive Sweeteners Drive Divergent Gut and Genetic Responses Across Generations, Frontiers in Nutrition (2026). DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1694149

Women's immune systems show bigger age-related changes than men's

Immunological aging exhibits distinct sex-specific patterns, with women showing more pronounced age-related changes, including increased inflammatory immune cells, potentially explaining higher autoimmune disease prevalence and postmenopausal inflammatory pathologies. In men, immune aging changes are less extensive but include increased pre-leukemia blood cells, correlating with higher blood cancer rates in older men. These findings highlight the importance of considering biological sex in precision medicine for aging and immune health.
Statistics show clear differences in the population's immune system according to sex: men are more susceptible to infections and cancers, while women have stronger immune responses, which translate, for example, into better responses to vaccines. Even so, with a more reactive immune system, the probability of the body attacking itself also increases, causing 80% of autoimmune disease development to occur in women.
In this context, understanding the aging of the immune system is key since, with age, the composition of immune cells changes and their protective functions deteriorate, causing a greater susceptibility to diseases.
A new study published this week in Nature Aging demonstrated, for the first time, that immunological aging follows different dynamics between men and women, identifying the cells and genes responsible for the process, and providing a molecular explanation for the differences that previously were only observed globally in the population.
The results reveal that women present more pronounced changes in the immune system with age, with an increase in inflammatory immune cells. This finding could help explain why autoimmune diseases are mainly developed by women, especially at advanced ages, as well as the worsening of certain inflammatory pathologies after menopause.
On the other hand, the changes associated with immune system aging observed in men are globally less extensive, but an increase in certain blood cells presenting pre-leukemia alterations was observed, a fact that could explain why some blood cancers are more frequent in older men.
Finding these patterns was possible thanks to the analysis of blood samples from nearly 1,000 people of different ages covering the entire adult life, combined with a technology capable of analyzing each cell individually, called single-cell RNA sequencing. In total, the researchers analyzed the activity of 20,000 genes in more than one million blood cells, which allowed them to identify how the immune system changes over the years and detect clear differences between sexes.

Maria Sopena-Rios et al, Single-cell analysis of the human immune system reveals sex-specific dynamics of immunosenescence, Nature Aging (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43587-026-01099-x

Epigenetic changes at birth are associated with an infant's microbiome and neurodevelopment
Epigenetic patterns at birth influence the development of the infant gut microbiome during the first year and are associated with later neurodevelopmental signs, including ASD and ADHD. Specific gut microbes, such as Lachnospira pectinoschiza and Parabacteroides distasonis, may mitigate the risk of these neurodevelopmental conditions in children with certain epigenetic profiles.
The gut microbiome and epigenetics—molecular switches that turn genes on or off—are intertwined, and both contribute to neurodevelopment, finds a study published in Cell Press Blue. The researchers showed that epigenetic changes present at birth can impact how an infant's gut microbiome develops during their first year.
They also identified specific epigenetic changes and gut microbes that were associated with signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when the children were three years old.

Certain bacteria seem to offer protection, which is exciting because it suggests there could be ways to support a child's development through diet or probiotics in the future.
Early life biology matters:
The first years of life are critical for brain development and immune system maturation. Though previous studies have shown that both early epigenetic changes and gut microbiome development can impact health in later life, little is known about how these two systems interact.
Researchers discovered a kind of conversation happening: a baby's epigenetic setting at birth can influence their risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, but the presence of certain 'good' bacteria in their gut can step in and modify the risk.
The researchers characterized DNA methylation patterns—a type of epigenetic change—from the umbilical cord blood of 571 infants. They paired this information with gut microbiome data collected from 969 infants at 2, 6, and 12 months of age, and from their parents during the third trimester of pregnancy.

When the children reached 36 months of age, the researchers used a behavioral questionnaire to assess their neurodevelopment and investigate links between the microbiome, epigenome, and early signs of ASD and ADHD.
They found that an infant's epigenome at birth was associated with birth mode, length of gestation, having older siblings, and maternal allergies, but it was not affected by their parents' gut microbiomes.

Microbiome development, on the other hand, was associated with birth mode, antibiotics, having older siblings, and breastfeeding. Infants who were born by cesarean section showed different patterns of DNA methylation for several genes involved in immune responses and brain development.
Part 1

The team also showed that an infant's epigenome at birth impacted how their microbiome developed during their first year. Specifically, infants developed less diverse gut microbiomes at 12 months of age when they showed higher rates of DNA methylation in immune genes involved in recognizing pathogens.

The behavioral survey revealed that signs of ASD and ADHD in 3-year-olds were associated with specific epigenetic patterns and the presence of certain gut microbes.

However, other microbial species seemed to mitigate these effects: infants with epigenetic patterns associated with ASD or ADHD were less likely to show signs of the disorders if they acquired Lachnospira pectinoschiza and Parabacteroides distasonis, respectively, during their first year.

Epigenome–microbiome interplay in early life associates with infants' neurodevelopmental outcomes, Cell Press Blue (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cpblue.2026.100009. www.cell.com/cell-press-blue/f … 3051-3839(26)00007-1

Part 2

Too young for the MMR shot, babies become 'sitting ducks' in measles outbreaks
Infants too young for measles vaccination are highly vulnerable during outbreaks, relying on herd immunity, which requires ≥95% community vaccination coverage. Declining vaccination rates and increased exemptions have eroded this protection, leading to significant outbreaks and increased risk of severe illness or death in infants. Legislative efforts to restrict vaccine requirements may further reduce coverage and increase disease spread.
Source: News agencies

How the US Will Blockade Iran in the Strait of Hormuz

Why do some stars in the galactic center survive while others are destroyed?
Strong internal magnetic fields in compact stars near the galactic center can suppress the accretion of stellar material onto nascent black holes, slowing or halting their growth and allowing the stars to survive. This mechanism, termed magnetically arrested transmutation, explains the survival of magnetars and highly magnetized white dwarfs, while stars with weaker magnetic fields are more likely to be destroyed.
The center of our galaxy is an extreme place. Surrounding the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A, stars are packed densely into a region where gravity, radiation, and dark matter all interact in complex ways. It is a natural laboratory for testing some of the deepest ideas about astrophysics.
Compact stars—such as neutron stars and white dwarfs—are expected to accumulate dark matter over time, especially in such dense environments. Under the right conditions, this accumulation can trigger the formation of a tiny black hole at the very center of the star.

Once formed, the black hole should begin to grow by accreting the surrounding stellar material. The expected outcome is dramatic: The star is gradually consumed from within and eventually collapses entirely into a black hole.

If this picture were complete, many compact stars in the galactic center should already have been destroyed. But observations suggest otherwise.
Some stars clearly survive. Others appear to be missing. This uneven outcome raises a fundamental question: What determines whether a star lives or dies in such an environment?

One particularly intriguing clue comes from the magnetar PSR J1745-2900, located remarkably close to Sagittarius A*. Magnetars are neutron stars with extremely strong magnetic fields, and this object is both highly magnetized and stable. Its survival is not easy to reconcile with the expectation of rapid destruction driven by internal black hole growth.

At the same time, there is evidence for an overabundance of strongly magnetized white dwarfs near the galactic center.

In contrast, ordinary pulsars—neutron stars with comparatively weaker magnetic fields—appear to be underrepresented, a long-standing issue often referred to as the "missing pulsar problem."

Taken together, these observations suggest that not all stars share the same fate. Something must be influencing the outcome.
A natural candidate is magnetism.

Compact stars can host some of the strongest magnetic fields in the universe. In many astrophysical environments, magnetic fields are known to regulate how matter moves, especially in accretion processes. They can channel, redistribute, or even suppress the flow of matter onto compact objects. This raises an important possibility: Could magnetic fields also influence the growth of a black hole forming inside a star?

In recent work, this possibility was explored in detail. The findings are published in The European Physical Journal C.
Part 1

The central idea is that if a small black hole forms at the core of a strongly magnetized star, it does not grow in isolation. Instead, it is embedded in a medium where magnetic forces are significant. These fields can exert pressure and tension that oppose the inward flow of matter toward the black hole.

As a result, the accretion process—the mechanism that drives black hole growth—can be substantially reduced.
In this picture, the black hole may still form, but its growth is effectively slowed or even halted. Instead of a runaway process in which the star is inevitably consumed, the system becomes regulated. The star could survive for much longer timescales, potentially remaining observable.

This mechanism is referred to as magnetically arrested transmutation (MAT).

MAT provides a natural way to understand the contrasting observations in the galactic center. Stars with strong internal magnetic fields, such as magnetars or highly magnetized white dwarfs, may be protected from rapid destruction.

Their magnetic fields act as a barrier that limits the growth of any black hole forming inside them. On the other hand, stars with weaker magnetic fields may lack this protection, making them more vulnerable to being consumed from within.

In this way, magnetic fields may effectively decide the fate of compact stars in extreme environments.

H. A. Adarsha et al, Magnetically arrested transmutation of a compact star, The European Physical Journal C (2026). DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-026-15515-4

Part 2

Ribosomal DNA may help explain human size differences

The ribosome is the most basic yet essential part of life on Earth. In humans, ribosomes are made up of about 80 proteins and four types of RNA. To keep up with the high demand for protein-making structures in cells, our bodies carry hundreds of copies of the instructions for making them in the form of rDNA. The number of these copies varies considerably between individuals, ranging from around 200 to 600 copies per human genome.

Ribosomal RNA (rRNA), made from many copies of ribosomal DNA (rDNA), is the core component that powers ribosomes—protein-building machines in our body. It helps build proteins by linking amino acids together, and can also fine-tune this process by interacting with other proteins and messenger RNA (mRNA). For a long time, scientists assumed ribosomes were more or less identical within a species. A new study in Cell Genomics is challenging that idea.

The work shows that rDNA can vary quite a bit, not just between species, but even from one person to another, and these small genetic differences can subtly change the shape of ribosomes, which may influence diversity in human size traits such as height and weight.

Recent studies reveal that rDNA can vary not only in how many copies people have, but also in its sequence, with small changes such as single-letter differences and insertions or deletions. 

Researchers discovered a cluster of genetic variations in a region of 28S rRNA called expansion segment 15L (ES15L) that is strongly linked to body size traits such as height, weight, and birth weight. These genetic differences are not just passive markers built into the ribosomes and could change their physical shape and structure. These effects appeared to be independent of the number of rDNA copies a person has.

This study uncovers a previously overlooked source of genetic variation that shapes human traits such as height and weight, while also highlighting the ribosome as an unexpected contributor to human diversity. 

Francisco Rodriguez-Algarra et al, Germline sequence variation within the ribosomal DNA is associated with human complex traits, Cell Genomics (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2026.101213

Nature might have a universal rhythm

Animal communication can look wildly different—flashing lights, chirping calls, croaking songs and elaborate dances. But new research suggests many of these signals share a surprising feature: They repeat at nearly the same tempo.

In a new study, scientists found that communication signals across a wide range of species tend to repeat at about 2 hertz, or roughly two beats per second.

The researchers propose this tempo might reflect a shared biological constraint. Animal brains, including humans, may be naturally tuned to process signals arriving at that pace. In other words, two beats per second may be a rhythmic "sweet spot" that enables brains to detect signals more easily and process communication more efficiently.

Understanding this potentially universal tempo could help scientists better interpret animal signaling and social behaviour across species. The findings also hint that human perception of rhythms, including beats in popular music and the cadence of speech, may arise from the same neural timing principles found throughout nature.

The study grew out of the researchers' project to understand how synchrony arises in nature. 

 They noticed that the flashing of the fireflies and the chirping of the nearby crickets were in sync with each other and they thought that it was crazy that these two unrelated species would interact in such a way.

After analyzing their own recordings, the team concluded that the species were not synchronizing with one another. Instead, they were sending independent signals at very similar tempos—around two-to-three pulses per second.

To investigate whether the firefly-cricket coincidence reflected a broader pattern, they analyzed previously published studies of animal communication across a wide range of species. These rhythmic signals included: firefly flashes, cricket chirps, frog calls, birds' mating displays, sound and light pulses from fish and vocals and gestures from mammals.

Despite enormous differences in body sizes, habitats and communication methods, the team found that many species repeat signals within a narrow range of roughly 0.5 to 4 hertz (1 to 4 beats per second). The pattern spans animals that communicate through sound, light or movement, suggesting a common underlying principle.

Earlier biophysicists noted that the biophysics of a single neuron operates at the same rhythm. Neurons require time to integrate information before firing again. Because of this biological constraint, neural circuits tend to respond most strongly to signals arriving every few hundred milliseconds—roughly two times per second.

Part 1

To test this idea, the team built computer models of simple neural circuits and examined how they responded to signals at different tempos. According to the models, the circuits respond most strongly to signals within the same 2 hertz range observed across animal communication. That means communication signals may have evolved to match the rhythms that brains process most easily.

Musicologists have long noted that popular songs cluster around 120 beats per minute, which is exactly 2 hertz. That rhythm fits our body.

Guy Amichay et al, A widespread animal communication tempo may resonate with the receiver's brain, PLOS Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3003735

Part 2

Birds that put more energy into parenthood age faster and die younger, research shows

In a new study, appearing in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, scientists selectively bred Japanese quails into two groups: laying either relatively large or small eggs. As the quails don't do much "parenting" after eggs hatch, mothers' main contribution is the resources they transfer to their eggs (chicks from larger eggs are more likely to survive).

After five to six generations of selective breeding, females bred to lay larger eggs aged faster and died about 20% younger than females bred for small eggs.

The findings of the study support a fundamental evolutionary theory: that high "investment" in offspring unavoidably leads to faster aging and a shorter life.

All living things have limited energy and resources, and face trade-offs between competing priorities.

Artificial selection for increased reproductive effort accelerates actuarial senescence and reduces lifespan in a precocial bird., Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2025.2908

Scientists develop 'light switch' for the love hormone

Researchers have developed a molecular "light switch" for the so-called love hormone oxytocin, offering new insights into how social behaviour, partnership bonding, emotions, and mental health are wired in the brain.
A light used at a specific wavelength releases neuropeptides, enabling researchers to observe their effects on individual synapses, neurons, and neuronal circuits.

Oxytocin plays a key role in social connections, including trust, bonding, parenting, emotional regulation, empathy, learning and memory. Changes in oxytocin signaling are also linked to conditions including autism, anxiety, depression, addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia and psychotic disorders.
A molecular light-activated probe enables precise, localized release of oxytocin and vasopressin in the brain, allowing real-time observation of their effects on specific neurons and circuits. This approach overcomes previous limitations in studying neuropeptide signalling, facilitating detailed investigation of social behaviour mechanisms and potential development of targeted therapies.

Konstantin Raabe et al, Photocaged Oxytocin and Vasopressin Probes to Decipher Neuropeptide Signalling With High Spatiotemporal Resolution, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2026). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202513373

Popular AI chatbots are confidently dispensing medical misinformation, analysis shows

Fifty percent of medical responses from five popular AI chatbots were problematic, with 20% highly problematic and 30% somewhat problematic, especially for open-ended prompts. Chatbots performed best on vaccines and cancer, worst on stem cells, athletic performance, and nutrition, and often provided confident but inaccurate or incomplete information with poor reference quality and difficult readability.

Generative artificial intelligence-driven chatbots and medical misinformation: an accuracy, referencing and readability audit, BMJ Open (2026). DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-112695

Air pollution associated with increased migraine activity
Increased short-term and cumulative exposure to air pollution, particularly NO2 and PM2.5, is associated with higher rates of acute migraine episodes and increased use of migraine medications. Climate factors such as high temperatures and low humidity amplify these associations. The findings are based on hospital, clinic, and pharmacy data, primarily reflecting individuals with more severe migraine. Causality cannot be established.

Air pollution is associated with increased migraine activity.
• The study does not prove that air pollution causes migraine attacks; it only shows an association.
• Both short-term and cumulative exposure to air pollution were tied to increased migraine activity.
• Heat and humidity were also associated with increased activity.
• These findings could help predict when attacks may be more likely. People could stay indoors, use air filters and take preventive medications to help ward off attacks.

https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/5333

People will get maximum benefits of exercise only if exercise timing is aligned with individual chronotype in adults

Timing exercise to match body clock chronotype—the natural predisposition to morning or evening alertness—may lower cardiovascular disease risk among those who are already vulnerable, suggests research published in the open access journal Open Heart.
Aligning exercise timing with individual chronotype in adults at cardiovascular risk led to greater improvements in blood pressure, metabolic markers, autonomic function, aerobic capacity, and sleep quality compared to mismatched timing. The effect was most pronounced in systolic blood pressure and sleep quality, especially among those with hypertension and morning chronotypes.
Chronotype alignment boosted sleep quality and lowered risk factors, such as high blood pressure, fasting glucose, and "bad" cholesterol, more effectively than mismatched exercise timing, the trial results indicate.

The findings prompt the researchers to suggest that individual chronotype assessment should be included in exercise prescriptions for those who are at risk of cardiovascular disease.

Exercise lowers the risks of heart disease/stroke and diabetes, and whether someone is naturally a morning lark or a night owl—an innate disposition that affects sleep-wake patterns, hormone secretion, and energy availability across the day—influences exercise performance and adherence, explain the researchers.
Analysis of the experimental results showed that cardiovascular disease risk factors, aerobic fitness, and sleep quality improved in both groups after 12 weeks.

But matching exercise with chronotype produced larger improvements in blood pressure, autonomic function (involuntary bodily processes, including heart rate), aerobic capacity, metabolic markers, and sleep quality than mismatched exercise.

These improvements were especially noticeable in sleep quality—an increase of 3.4 compared with 1.2 points—and systolic blood pressure—the higher of the two numbers in a reading.

This fell by 10.8 mm Hg in those whose exercise sessions had been matched to their chronotype compared with a drop of 5.5 mm Hg among those whose exercise sessions had been mismatched.

The fall in systolic blood pressure was even larger among those who had high blood pressure to begin with: their systolic blood pressure fell by an average of 13.6 mm Hg compared with 7.1 mm Hg in those whose exercise sessions had been mismatched.

Although improvements were observed across both chronotypes, overall, the effects were larger among morning larks than among night owls.

Chronotype-aligned exercise timing in middle-aged adults at cardiometabolic risk: a randomised controlled trial, Open Heart (2026). DOI: 10.1136/openhrt-2025-003573

High-salt diet linked to faster memory decline in men

Higher sodium intake is associated with faster episodic memory decline in men, but not in women, over a 72-month period. The findings suggest high-salt diets may negatively impact cognitive function, potentially through mechanisms involving brain inflammation, vascular damage, and reduced cerebral blood flow.

Francisca Chuwa et al, Higher sodium intake is associated with episodic memory decline in cognitively unimpaired older males: A 6-year longitudinal study, Neurobiology of Aging (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2026.02.003

MRI data confirm shared brain signatures of mental health disorders

Over 1 billion people worldwide are living with one or more mental health disorders that affect their mood, thinking processes and behavior, impacting their daily functioning to varying degrees. Identifying variations in the brain's structure and organization that are commonly linked with mental health disorders could help to devise more effective tools to diagnose these conditions or create personalized treatment plans.

Researchers recently analyzed thousands of brain scans and medical records collected in Denmark to identify structural brain variations associated with mental health disorders. Their findings, published in Molecular Psychiatry, were aligned with some earlier observations, showing that mental health disorders were associated with a smaller thalamus and amygdala, larger ventricles and a thinner outer brain layer (i.e., cortex).

In Denmark, brain scans collected with a non-invasive imaging technique called magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are linked to the electronic health records of the corresponding patients. This makes it easier for researchers to explore the connections between the structure of patients' brains and specific aspects of their clinical history.

The researchers observed specific variations in brain structure that were more prevalent in people diagnosed with mental health disorders. Most notably, they found that people with severe mental disorders presented a smaller thalamus, a smaller amygdala, larger ventricles (i.e., fluid-filled cavities at the center of the brain) and a thinner cerebral cortex.

Stefano Cerri et al, Cross-disorder comparison of brain structures among 4836 individuals with mental disorders and controls utilizing Danish population-based clinical MRI scans, Molecular Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41380-026-03577-5.

Large trial shows bone healing 'superpower' in children

Broken wrists are among the most common injuries in children, accounting for about half of children's fractures. Severely displaced distal radial fractures, where the bones move out of place, are often routinely treated with surgery. However—unlike adults—children have a remarkable ability to straighten broken bones, in a process called remodeling. Researchers questioned whether a plaster cast would achieve the same long-term result without exposing children to the risks of an operation.

In a major U.K. trial led by researchers at the University of Oxford, they found that most children with a severely broken wrist can be treated without surgery. The findings, published in The Lancet, suggest that a nonsurgical cast-first approach delivers similar long-term recovery while reducing the risks associated with surgery and costs.

These fractures can look very severe on an X-ray, which has traditionally led to surgery to straighten the bone. But because children's bones are still growing, they have a remarkable capacity to heal. Until now, there has been limited high-quality evidence on whether surgery was always necessary, say the researchers.

The CRAFFT trial (Children's Radius Acute Fracture Fixation Trial) recruited 750 children aged 4–10 from 49 hospitals across the U.K. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either surgical fixation or treatment with a plaster cast.

Patients were measured at regular intervals against a set of criteria. At three months, children who had surgery reported slightly better arm function, but the difference between groups was very small. By six and 12 months, there was no difference in recovery, suggesting that early advantages with surgery do not persist.

There were complications following surgery, including infections, scarring, and nerve irritation. Nonsurgical treatment, which avoids anesthesia and operative intervention, was shown to reduce NHS costs by around £1,600 per patient on average.

The trial was designed with input from families, who helped define what level of improvement would be meaningful enough to warrant surgery. The observed difference between treatments fell below this threshold.

Daniel C. Perry et al, Non-surgical casting versus surgical reduction for children with severely displaced distal radial fractures (the CRAFFT Study): a multicentre, randomised, controlled non-inferiority trial and economic evaluation, The Lancet (2026). DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00409-5. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan … (26)00409-5/fulltext

How a new technique will help us mine rare-earth metals with plants
Rare-earth metals are essential for many technologies. These are not actually rare, it's just that they are rarely found in high concentrations in the environment in their pure form.

A non-destructive fluorescence spectroscopy technique enables accurate detection and quantification of rare-earth elements, such as dysprosium, in plant tissues. This method allows repeated measurements on the same plant, optimizing plant-based extraction strategies for rare-earth metals from contaminated soils and informing optimal harvest timing to maximize yield. Preliminary results indicate applicability to other rare-earth elements.

Researchers have developed a technique for detecting and measuring the concentration of many rare-earth elements in plants, without destroying the plant. The technique can be used to optimize "plant mining" efforts, in which plants take up and concentrate these critical materials so that they can be harvested for practical use. The paper is published in the journal Plant Direct.
One option is to harvest the rare-earth elements found in mine waste and other polluted soils. However, while these toxic soils have relatively high concentrations of rare-earth elements compared to other soils, those concentrations are still too low to make this an economically feasible strategy.

But there is a potential solution: plants.

Some plant species are capable of taking rare-earth elements out of polluted soil and concentrating it in their tissue.
Researchers used fluorescence spectroscopy. The technique makes use of the fact that some chemical compounds absorb light and then re-emit that absorbed energy as light at different wavelengths. By cataloging which chemical compounds absorb and emit specific wavelengths, and how long those emissions last, you can determine which chemical compounds are present. Generally, the more intense the light emitted, the higher the concentration of the chemical compound.
For this project, the researchers focused on dysprosium, a rare-earth element that is critical for manufacturing everything from cell phones to wind turbines to electric vehicle motors.
The researchers focused on dysprosium, in part, because it fluoresces for a relatively long time. This means dysprosium will still be emitting light after the plant's autofluorescence has died down. That allows them to detect it, measure its intensity, and then calculate the concentration of dysprosium in the plant tissue.
The researchers demonstrated the technique using two species of pokeweed. The plants took up dysprosium from a substrate. The plant tissue was then treated externally with sodium tungstate, which interacts with the dysprosium to intensify the light being emitted by the dysprosium during fluorescence. The researchers then triggered fluorescence using a deep ultraviolet laser and measured the wavelengths and intensity of light emitted by the plant samples.
The researchers found their technique was accurate at both detecting the presence of dysprosium and measuring the concentration of dysprosium in the plant tissue.

Edmaritz Hernández‐Pagán et al, Detection and Quantification of Dysprosium in Plant Tissues, Plant Direct (2026). DOI: 10.1002/pld3.70164

Parrots are not just mimicking words—they use proper names like humans to identify individuals
Analysis of vocalizations from over 880 captive parrots indicates that many parrots use names as labels to identify specific individuals, similar to human naming practices. Some parrots applied names to single individuals, while others used names for attention or in non-human-like ways. These findings suggest parrots possess cognitive and vocal abilities for flexible name use, though usage varies across species and individuals.

Name use by companion parrots, PLOS One (2026). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0346830

How long does a transplanted heart last?

The average lifespan of a transplanted heart is approximately 10 years, though individual outcomes vary. Key factors influencing longevity include careful post-surgical monitoring, strict medication adherence, management of comorbidities, and maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle. Multidisciplinary care and strong social support further improve recovery and long-term health.
Patients can take steps to reduce complication risk and support long-term heart health, including:

Managing comorbidities, like diabetes or high blood pressure
Taking all medications as prescribed
Attending follow-up appointments with specialists
Maintaining a doctor-recommended, heart-healthy lifestyle

https://www.keckmedicine.org/blog/how-long-does-a-transplanted-hear...

Abdominal fat is linked to a higher risk of urinary incontinence in women

Stress urinary incontinence is characterized by involuntary urine leakage during everyday activities such as coughing, laughing, lifting heavy objects, or exercising. It's that urinary leakage that occurs when pressure inside the abdomen increases and the pelvic floor can't hold it in.
Although the condition is often associated solely with aging, it is not exclusive to older women. It happens to women of all ages, including very young women. These pelvic floor muscles are rarely exercised throughout life, and without proper training, they can become weak and lose function.

Higher amounts of abdominal, particularly visceral, fat are strongly associated with increased risk of stress urinary incontinence in women, independent of total body fat or BMI. Visceral fat may contribute through mechanical pressure on the pelvic floor and metabolic effects such as chronic inflammation, potentially weakening pelvic floor muscles. Pelvic floor muscle training remains the primary treatment.
The accumulation of fat in the abdominal region, especially visceral fat (fat that accumulates between organs), significantly increases the risk of stress urinary incontinence in women. A study conducted at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, identified this region as the one most strongly associated with involuntary urine leakage, surpassing total body fat. The results are published in the European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology and indicate that body fat distribution may be a more decisive factor than weight itself in explaining the condition.

The study results showed that women with higher amounts of body fat were more likely to experience incontinence. However, the main finding was the role of visceral fat. The presence of this type of fat increased the likelihood of stress urinary incontinence by about 51%.
There are two possible explanations. The first is mechanical. As visceral fat accumulates within the abdominal cavity, it increases pressure on the internal organs and overloads the pelvic floor, which is the structure responsible for supporting the bladder and controlling urine flow. Excess weight in this region creates constant strain. Over time, these muscles can become more fatigued and less efficient, the researchers explain.
The second mechanism is metabolic. Visceral fat does not merely function as an energy store; it is metabolically active and releases inflammatory substances that circulate throughout the body. This process can compromise muscle quality and reduce contractile capacity, including that of the pelvic floor muscles. It is low-grade chronic inflammation, which affects different tissues in the body. That can also contribute to muscle weakness.
Obesity is already recognized as a risk factor for urinary incontinence, along with aging, menopause, the number of pregnancies, and delivery conditions.
One of the main forms of treatment is strengthening the pelvic floor muscles through women's health physical therapy.

Ana Jéssica dos Santos Sousa et al, Which body region's fat accumulation increase the risk of stress urinary incontinence?, European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2026.114957

A new fruit wash removes pesticides and extends shelf life

Researchers have developed a natural, biodegradable wash that removed up to 96% of pesticide residue from fruit and slowed browning and moisture loss. This could mean safer apples, grapes and other fruit that also stays fresh and crisp for days longer. With rising food prices and nearly half of all fresh produce wasted worldwide each year, finding a way to cut pesticide exposure and reduce spoilage could have a big impact. The findings are published in ACS Nano.

The new wash uses tiny particles made from starch—the same carbohydrate found in corn and potatoes—capped in iron and tannic acid. Tannic acid is a plant compound that gives tea and wine their dry taste. When iron and tannic acid join together, they form sticky, sponge-like clusters that can grab onto pesticides and lift them off the fruit's surface.

The team tested the wash by applying three commonly used pesticides to apples at typical, real-world concentrations of about 10 milligrams per liter.

In tests on apples, the wash removed between 86% and 96% of these pesticides. Rinsing with tap water, baking soda or plain starch typically removes less than half.

After washing, the fruit is dipped in the solution once again to form a light edible, biodegradable layer. Fresh-cut apples treated with the coating browned much more slowly and lost less water over two days in the fridge. Whole grapes stayed plump for 15 days at room temperature, compared with noticeable shriveling in untreated grapes.

The coating also showed antimicrobial effects, meaning it can inhibit harmful bacteria.

Tianyi Jin et al, Dual-Function Metal–Phenolic Network-Capped Starch Nanoparticles for Postharvest Pesticide Removal and Produce Preservation, ACS Nano (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5c20410

Could dark matter be made of black holes from a different universe?

A cosmological model proposes that black holes formed before the big bang could have survived a cosmic bounce and now constitute dark matter. This scenario suggests that relic black holes, rather than undiscovered particles, may explain dark matter and account for early massive black holes observed by JWST. The model replaces the big bang singularity with a quantum transition, allowing structures from a previous universe to persist.

https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/pr4p-6m49

Losing teeth may lead to weight gain, researchers report

Tooth loss and poor oral health, particularly loss of functional molars, are associated with increased risk of weight gain in older adults, likely due to reduced chewing ability and subsequent dietary changes toward higher-calorie, softer foods. Over four years, individuals with fewer teeth had a higher likelihood of gaining at least 5% body weight.

Losing teeth might cause you to gain weight, a new study says.
But, how?
Weight gain is significantly associated with having fewer teeth or losing the bone and gums that support teeth, researchers recently reported in the Journal of Periodontology.

The loss of teeth affects a person's chewing ability, which can limit their healthy food choices, researchers said.

These findings add to the growing body of evidence that periodontal health plays an important role in overall health, especially as we age.
Maintaining healthy teeth and gums supports better nutrition, good habits and improved quality of life later in life.
Tooth loss can cause people to shun healthy fiber-rich foods like fruits and veggies in favor of softer eats that contain more calories, researchers said.

Molars that gnash together while chewing played a key role in weight loss risk, researchers found. People with missing molars had a 17% higher risk of weight gain.

Loss of functional tooth units, especially molars, were associated with higher odds of weight gain among older adults over 4 years," concluded the research team.
People hoping to maintain a healthy weight—or even lose some pounds—should include good oral health as part of their strategy, researchers suggested.

Functional tooth unit, periodontal status, and association with weight change in older adults, Journal of Periodontology (2026). doi.org/10.1002/jper.70100

PFAS directly shown to alter thyroid structure and function

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are used across industries, and are present in waterproof clothing, makeup, carpets, upholstery, cookware, fast-food containers, and myriad other items we encounter in our daily lives.

Long-term exposure to PFOA, PFOS, and GenX PFAS compounds alters thyroid cellular structure and function in mice, disrupts critical signaling pathways including those linked to cancer, and increases thyroid-stimulating hormone levels. These findings provide direct evidence that PFAS exposure induces histological and functional changes in thyroid tissue, implicating PFAS in thyroid disease mechanisms.
PFAS are known for their confirmed and potentially detrimental health effects, which are hard to avoid when PFAS, which are known as "forever chemicals" considering how long they persist in the environment and in the human body (up to decades), are found in the water supply across the globe. As a result, millions of people around the world have PFAS in their blood, and PFAS have been linked to a disruption in the creation and availability of thyroid hormones. Studies also suggest that PFAS exposure increases thyroid cancer risk.
A recent paper sought to further our understanding of the effects of PFAS on the microscopic anatomy or histology of the thyroid. The paper was published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.
Digging into the effects of three major PFAS compounds, PFOA, PFOS, and GenX, the paper's authors made three primary findings:

The three PFAS altered the thyroid's cellular function and structure in mice.
The PFAS altered several critical signaling pathways, including several involved in cancers.
PFAS treatment increased the levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone, which is necessary for the regulation of our metabolism.
These results directly tie PFAS exposure to changes in the histology and functioning of thyroid tissue. They also provided mechanistic clues as to how PFAS are involved in thyroid disease.

Heather A Hartmann et al, PFAS Alter Thyroid Histology and Cellular SignalingIn VitroandIn Vivo, Journal of the Endocrine Society (2025). DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaf210

Hospital delirium a 'red flag' for severe health decline

Delirium is an acute, fluctuating state of confusion, reduced awareness, and cognitive impairment, typically developing over hours or days due to underlying medical issues, infections, medication side effects, or substance withdrawal. Symptoms include hallucinations, poor focus, and emotional changes, categorized into hyperactive, hypoactive, or mixed types. It often lasts about one week but can persist, and it is most common in older adults or those hospitalized in intensive care.
Hospitalized older adults experiencing delirium face significantly increased risks of adverse outcomes, including doubled rates of falls and urinary incontinence, and 50–70% higher risks of pneumonia, fractures, stroke, sepsis, acute kidney injury, and pressure injuries. Delirium indicates multisystem vulnerability and warrants extended post-discharge care and prevention strategies.

Researchers found delirium was associated with a higher risk of 12 adverse outcomes, independent of frailty and pre-existing dementia, which shows it is a warning of longer-term vulnerability.
An episode of delirium in hospital doubled the risk of falls and urinary incontinence, and there was a 50% to 70% increased risk of pneumonia, fecal incontinence, fractures, stroke, hip fracture, sepsis, acute kidney injury, and pressure injury.

There was also a 20% to 30% higher risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and heart failure. These are very strong associations that highlight delirium as a red flag for multisystem vulnerability.

Markus J Haapanen et al, Delirium and adverse clinical outcomes: a matched cohort study in the UK Biobank, The Lancet Healthy Longevity (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.lanhl.2025.100816

Scientists make Parkinson's drug from plastic in world first
Engineered E. coli bacteria can convert polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic waste into levodopa, a key Parkinson’s disease treatment, offering a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel–based drug production. Similar biotechnological approaches have also enabled conversion of plastics into other pharmaceuticals, supporting the potential for a circular economy that repurposes plastic waste into valuable medicines.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-026-01785-z

Carb-heavy foods drove weight gain without more calories by lowering energy burn

Carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, wheat, and rice increased body weight and fat mass in mice without a significant rise in total caloric intake, primarily by reducing energy expenditure rather than promoting overeating. Metabolic changes included elevated blood fatty acids, decreased essential amino acids, hepatic fat accumulation, and upregulation of genes involved in lipid synthesis and transport. Discontinuing wheat flour intake rapidly reversed weight gain and metabolic abnormalities.

Shigenobu Matsumura et al, Wheat Flour Intake Promotes Weight Gain and Metabolic Changes in Mice, Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (2026). DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.70394

No Evidence Fluoride In Drinking Water Harms IQ, Finds Decades-Long Study

There is no evidence that adding low levels of fluoride to community drinking water affects children's IQ or brain function later in life, according to a new study that tracked more than 10,000 people from their teen years through to old age.

In many regions of the world, fluoride is added to water to improve communities' dental health: it's proven to strengthen teeth and reduce decay.

The new study, which draws on longitudinal data from 10,317 high school seniors from 1957 to 2021, when participants were 80, finds no association between community water fluoridation exposure and IQ, or other measures of cognitive function later in life.

But in 2025, a widely misinterpreted paper found that exposure to high doses of fluoride, well above the 0.7 mg/L recommended by the US Public Health Service, may be associated with lower IQ in children.

Skeptics, however, were quick to point out that the data used for this review are of poor quality and provide no reason to worry about fluoride in US drinking water.

The 2025 paper mainly reviewed studies conducted in China and India. No studies from the US were available. The studies also did not control for contaminants in water.

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2536005123

DNA is in the air
The air around us is teeming with the DNA of various organisms, ranging from people to viruses. Over the past decade, researchers have been learning how to collect airborne DNA and use it to study the movement of individual species, entire ecosystems or even attacks with biological weapons. But some hurdles remain: scientists still aren’t sure for how long DNA can persist in the air, or how far it can travel. And some experts worry that DNA plucked from the air could inadvertently reveal the characteristics of people that haven’t consented to such analysis.

Airborne genetic material can be used to paint a picture of ecosystem health, watch for invasive species and even identify humans.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01099-2?utm_source=Live+...

Sex differences in brain gene activity could explain why some disorders affect men and women differently

The physical differences between men and women are all too obvious, but the biological divide goes right down to the cellular level in the brain, according to a new study published in the journal Science.

While we have known for a long time that men and women face different risks for brain disorders such as depression and Alzheimer's, we haven't always known why.

Most previous research has focused on broad sections of brain tissue, but in this study, a team of researchers analyzed more than one million nuclei from six different cortical regions from 30 donors.

Previous MRI scans of these brain regions had shown physical differences in size or volume between the sexes. The scientists wanted to see if gene activity matched the physical differences seen on the scans.

The technique they used was single-nucleus RNA sequencing, which allows researchers to examine the genetic instructions within individual cells. Specifically, the focus was on how gene expression varies across different cell types and regions.

The study identified more than 3,000 genes that differ in expression between males and females. These differences included how genes are turned on or off and how active genes are in producing RNA messages that guide protein production. What's more, they aren't spread evenly across the brain, as the team explains, "Broader effects of sex on autosomal expression are captured in 13 core signatures with varying cell type versus region specificity."

For example, the differences were much stronger (a higher number of genes were behaving differently) in certain areas like the fusiform cortex, which is a part of the brain involved in face recognition and complex visual processing.

Some of the strongest variations were seen in glial cells, which insulate neurons, but perhaps not surprisingly, the biggest differences were in the sex chromosome genes (X and Y). However, hundreds of genes across the entire genome are also influenced by sex.

When it comes to disease risk, the study found that some of the genes showing sex differences are the same ones linked to brain conditions that affect men and women differently, such as autism, ADHD, Alzheimer's disease and mood disorders.

Alex R. DeCasien et al, Sex effects on gene expression across the human cerebral cortex at cell type resolution, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aea9063

How nanomedicine gets inside your cells and treats you from the inside out

Nanomedicine uses engineered nanoparticles to deliver RNA-based drugs into cells, enabling precise control of protein production. Synthetic mRNA can be delivered to compensate for missing or defective proteins, while small interfering RNA (siRNA) or antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) can silence overexpressed or harmful proteins. This approach allows for targeted, programmable treatment of diseases at the molecular level.

original article

Daytime napping patterns may reveal hidden health decline in older adults

New research reveals that as people age, naps may be an easily trackable warning sign of underlying conditions or declining health. 

A new study by investigators  followed 1,338 older adults for up to 19 years to track napping habits and associated mortality rates. They found longer, more frequent, and morning naps were associated with higher mortality rates.

Excessive napping later in life has been linked to neurodegeneration, cardiovascular diseases and even greater morbidity.

Between 20 and 60% of older adults take naps. While infrequent napping can be restorative, excessive daytime napping in old age has been linked to a wide range of health issues.

19 years' worth of data were collected from 1,338 total participants. The researchers analyzed the data for associations between napping patterns at the initial assessment and all-cause mortality during the 19-year follow-up, finding that longer, more frequent, and 'morning naps' were all associated with higher mortality.
Each additional hour of daytime napping per day was associated with around 13% higher mortality risk; each extra nap per day was associated with around 7% higher mortality risk; and morning nappers had 30% higher mortality risk compared to afternoon nappers. Irregular napping patterns were not associated with any increased mortality risk.

It is important to note that this is correlation not causation. Excessive napping is likely indicating underlying disease, chronic conditions, sleep disturbances, or circadian dysregulation

Now that we know there is a strong correlation between napping patterns and mortality rates, we can make the case to implement wearable daytime nap assessments to predict health conditions and prevent further decline.

Objectively Measured Daytime Napping and All-cause Mortality in Older Adults, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.7938

Uganda's Python Cave reveals how a Marburg virus outbreak could begin

Marburg virus disease (MVD) is a severe and often fatal hemorrhagic disease in humans caused by the Marburg virus. It is carried by Egyptian fruit bats and can spread to people after exposure in caves or mines where they live. So imagine the surprise of researchers when they monitored Python Cave in Uganda, a known Marburg virus reservoir, and found that, despite the danger, dozens of people were entering the site. Most of these visitors were unprotected and ignored safety rules, creating a golden opportunity for the virus to jump from bats to the local community.

The findings are detailed in a correspondence published in the journal Current Biology. In addition to the human visitors, the team's cameras also captured more than 14 different animal species in the cave, including leopards hunting bats and monkeys catching or scavenging them. According to the researchers, the images are rare visual proof of a complex web of humans and different animals all potentially coming into direct contact with a deadly virus in the wild.

Researchers  installed six solar-powered camera traps at the cave entrance to record African leopards and spotted hyenas. The cameras filmed nearly 9,000 hours of activity over 368 nights between February and June 2025.

When the team reviewed the footage, they not only saw a diverse group of animals hunting and foraging for bats, but also 214 people visiting the cave, including tourists and children with school groups. Only one person was wearing a mask.

The  findings reflect landscape-level risk: not only the presence of reservoir hosts, but the behaviours, interactions, and human-access patterns shaping exposure, wrote the team in their paper.

Because part of the cave roof had collapsed, bats were often found on the floor or low on the walls, making them easy to reach. And it's not that people were unaware of the risks. Numerous signs are posted outside the cave about the virus, which has no widely available approved vaccine and no specific effective treatment. Two tourists were infected with the virus after visiting the cave in 2007 and 2008, and one later died.

Because of the potential danger, the researchers suggest that predators regularly visiting the cave should have their blood tested, as should park rangers who work there. Additionally, they recommend that tourists visiting the cave should be required to wear protective clothing.

Bosco Atukwatse et al, Multi-species foraging on a Marburg virus bat reservoir, Current Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2026.02.043

Each protein in the epigenome produces a different pattern of gene expression, study finds

A new study finds the proteins responsible for controlling which genes are expressed in a genome do more than simply turn a gene on or off. Essentially, each type of protein that interacts with a gene produces different behaviours—a finding with ramifications for everything from biomedical therapeutics to biological computing. A paper on the study, "Epigenome Regulators Imbue a Single Eukaryotic Promoter with Diverse Gene Expression Dynamics," is published in the journal iScience.

At issue are "epigenome regulators." Every organism's genome is made up of DNA. But that DNA is bound up with many different proteins into very compact structures. The proteins that are bound to the DNA are called the epigenome, and they control which parts of the DNA get expressed. Your blood cells, nerve cells, and skin cells all have the same DNA, but perform very different functions. That's because different parts of the DNA sequence are being expressed in each cell—and that is largely controlled by which proteins are bound to different parts of the DNA in each cell.

The study  results showed that one protein may turn the gene on quickly; a second protein may take slightly longer to turn the gene on—but then keep it on for a long time; and a third protein might have a long time delay before turning the gene on, at which point it spikes up quickly and then turns off right away.

For this study, the researchers focused on a single gene from a yeast organism. The research team exposed the DNA from that gene to 87 different proteins, which were selected as a representative subset of the hundreds of proteins found in that yeast's epigenome. Each protein-gene interaction was tested in approximately 100 yeast cells.

The researchers used light to control the binding of each protein to the gene, and microscopy and analytical tools to measure the resultant gene expression in real time for 12 hours.

The big finding here was that each protein produced a uniquely patterned response of gene expression from the gene.

The proteins are far more than an on/off switch.

They also found that some proteins produced the same gene response across all of the yeast cells they tested—the pattern of gene expression they produced was very consistent. But other proteins produced a wide range of responses that varied from cell to cell—there was a lot of noise in the signal they produced.

Altogether, the findings of this study hold significant promise for cellular engineering.

From a cell biology standpoint, this work gives us a much deeper understanding of how genes are regulated and expressed. From an engineering standpoint, our findings can be used to more dynamically control cellular behaviour.

Jessica B. Lee et al, Epigenome Regulators Imbue a Single Eukaryotic Promoter with Diverse Gene Expression Dynamics, iScience (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.115805

Mars rover detects never-before-seen organic compounds in new experiment

Curiosity rover detected a diverse array of organic molecules, including nitrogen-bearing compounds and benzothiophene, in Martian clay-rich sediments. These findings demonstrate that Mars' surface can preserve complex organics, but the origin—biological, geological, or meteoritic—remains undetermined. Definitive evidence of past life would require returning samples to Earth for further analysis.

Diverse organic molecules on Mars revealed by the first SAM TMAH experiment, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-70656-0

The physics of brain development: How cells pull together to form the neural tube

In about one out of every 1,000 pregnancies, the neural tube, a key nervous system structure, fails to close properly. Physicists are now helping explain why this happens, having uncovered the physics that drive neural tube closure in a pregnancy's earliest stages.

The researchers used computer models to reveal how, during early development, forces generated by cells physically pull the neural tube closed—like a drawstring. This discovery offers new insight into a critical process that—when disrupted—can result in severe birth defects such as spina bifida.

By combining advanced biological imaging with theoretical physics, they were able to uncover the mechanical rules that drive cells to close the tube.

The research team studied mouse embryos, which develop similarly to humans,  the researchers used that data to construct their models. From the data, they identified the fundamental physics mechanism that enables neural tube closure in part of the brain. This mechanism, called a "purse string," is made of actin, a pivotal protein that forms a cell's skeletal structure. As the purse strings tighten, the tube closes.

These actin molecules are very important because they give rigidity and shape to cells. During neural tube closure, actin filaments form a ring around the opening and engage molecular motors—proteins that generate forces inside cells. As these motors pull on the actin, they generate tension that tightens the ring and draws the tube closed.

As the actin ring tightens, cells stretch and elongate, causing them to align and move together in a synchronized pattern, like a school of fish. This coordination allows the cells to move faster and more efficiently, increasing tension and driving a feedback loop that helps seal the neural tube.

The team built a computer model to show how this feedback loop leads to successful neural tube formation. 

Beyond neural tube development, the findings highlight the power of physics-based modeling to explain complex biological processes that can't be observed directly. The researchers say this approach could be applied to other stages of human development where forces, motion, and timing are just as critical.

Fernanda Pérez-Verdugo et al, Mechanosensitive feedback organizes cell shape and motion during hindbrain neuropore morphogenesis, Current Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2026.02.068

Plastics found in tomato and wheat crops stunt growth, study finds

Microplastics and nanoplastics in agricultural soils reduce wheat and tomato growth, with fibrous microplastics causing the most pronounced effects. Plants trap larger microplastics in their roots, while nanoplastics are absorbed and transported to aboveground tissues, including leaves. Mixtures of micro- and nanoplastics exhibit greater toxicity than single types, indicating potential additive or synergistic effects. These findings highlight risks to food safety and human exposure.

Shima Ziajahromi et al, Microplastic uptake and impacts on crops under realistic exposure: implications for soil–plant systems, Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2026). DOI: 10.1007/s11356-026-37686-z

Exposure to wildfire smoke may be linked to increased risk of developing several cancers
Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke, measured by PM2.5 and plume-day counts, was significantly associated with increased risks of lung, colorectal, breast, bladder, and blood cancers, with risk rising linearly with higher exposure levels. No significant associations were found for ovarian cancer or melanoma. The findings suggest that even low levels of wildfire smoke may elevate cancer risk.

https://www.aacr.org/meeting/aacr-annual-meeting-2026/

Antibiotics save babies' lives but affect their gut, lungs, and ability to fight infection

Antibiotics save newborns every day, but new research shows they also leave a lasting mark on a baby's developing immune system. Medicine scientists found that early antibiotic exposure disrupts babies' natural gut bacterial balance and that the disruption "travels" to the lungs, fundamentally rewiring how lung immune cells are programmed and influencing lung repair and the ability to fight infections.

Early-life antibiotic exposure disrupts the gut microbiome in newborns, leading to long-lasting alterations in lung immune cell programming. These changes shift lung immune cells from a pathogen-responsive state to a tissue-repair-focused state, reducing antiviral defenses and persisting into young adulthood. The findings highlight a gut-lung axis influencing immune development and respiratory health.
Scientists found antibiotic-driven changes shifted newborns' lung immune cells from offense, where they are primed to respond aggressively to foreign threats, to defense, where they are focused on damage control and repair. The changes lasted over time and may help explain why children who got antibiotics as newborns sometimes have more respiratory issues as they grow older.

The research in no way suggests doctors should hesitate to use antibiotics in babies when necessary, as they are one of the most important tools in preventing serious illness and even death, say the scientists. But we're learning more about how disrupting babies' gut bacteria in early life can change immune cells in ways that persist long after infancy, they say.
They hope these findings will ultimately guide new approaches, whether that means protecting the microbiome during antibiotic treatment or developing targeted therapies to support babies whose early immune programming may have been altered.

Madeline Bonfield et al, Single cell atlas of lung-resident innate lymphoid cells shows impact of age and dysbiosis on epigenetic and transcriptomic programming, Mucosal Immunology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.mucimm.2026.01.004. www.mucosalimmunology.org/arti … (26)00004-8/fulltext

Why Fires In Space Are So Dangerous

It isn't just water: The hidden force inside tsunamis can enhance the danger they pose

Mud-rich coastlines could face a greater tsunami risk, at least that may have been the case for the 2011 Tōhoku-oki tsunami that killed more than 19,000 people and led to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. According to a new study published in the Journal of the Geological Society, mud may have made the catastrophic ocean waves more destructive than they might otherwise have been.

On 11 March 2011, a powerful earthquake off the coast of Honshu, Japan's main island, triggered a massive tsunami. A wall of water swept away boats, cars, and buildings as it surged inland.

As the tsunami moved across the land, it picked up large amounts of clay and silt and became much denser, forming what researchers call a debritic head (a mud-rich front that behaves more like slurry than clear water). Mud is heavier than water, and when this sediment-rich moving mass hit buildings, the force was far greater than standard flood models (that assume clear water) predict.

The researchers also found that this fast-moving tide of debris was eroding the ground for at least 2 kilometers inland, meaning it was continually picking up sediment.

"This evidence shows that a highly cohesive flow with a dense debritic head formed in the mid-shore region, transforming from an initially turbulent flow through the entrainment of cohesive material," wrote the study authors in their paper.

The team shows how the mud-carrying wave likely exerted more powerful destructive forces. As a result, they think debritic heads should be taken into account when developing tsunami hazard assessments.

"The altered hydrodynamics and the greater force exerted by a dense debritic head highlight the need to incorporate debritic heads into tsunami hazard assessments on mud-rich coastlines, where the hazard will be enhanced."

Patrick D. Sharrocks et al, Debritic head formation during the Tōhoku-oki 2011 tsunami reveals enhanced risk in mud-rich coastlines, Journal of the Geological Society (2026). DOI: 10.1144/jgs2025-161

Anemia in adults 60 and older linked to 66% higher dementia risk

A new study has found that the effects of anemia—a condition caused by a lack of hemoglobin needed to carry oxygen to organs and tissues—may stretch beyond fatigue, shortness of breath, and pale skin. They reach into the brain, raising the risk of dementia and linking to higher levels of biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegeneration.

Researchers  set up a long-term study tracking 2,282 dementia-free adults aged 60 and above who live in Stockholm, Sweden. At the start of the study, the team measured hemoglobin levels and biomarkers associated with neurodegenerative disorders in all participants. Over the years, the team followed up with the group, checking in every 3 to 6 years to see how their health evolved.
When researchers dug into more than ten years of data, they found that people who had anemia at the start were 66% more likely to develop dementia over time. Within the follow-up of 9.3 years, 362 participants had developed dementia. The numbers also pointed to a strong link between low hemoglobin and higher levels of blood biomarkers tied to Alzheimer's disease, including proteins linked to brain cell damage and inflammation. This association was stronger in men than in women.

Martina Valletta et al, Anemia and Blood Biomarkers of Alzheimer Disease in Dementia Development, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.4029

Monkeys in Gibraltar self-medicate with soil to help them digest tourists' junk food

Monkeys in a tourism hotspot have learned that swallowing dirt can quell the upset stomachs caused by overconsumption of sweet and salty snacks fed to them by holidaymakers, a new study suggests. Troops of macaques living on Gibraltar—the only free-ranging monkey population in Europe—have been scientifically observed for the first time regularly engaging in geophagy, the practice of intentionally ingesting soil. The work appears in Scientific Reports.

Researchers monitoring monkey groups across the Rock of Gibraltar have tracked instances of geophagy, and found that animals in frequent contact with tourists eat far more dirt, and that dirt-eating rates are higher during peak holiday season. The scientists think that the chocolate, chips and ice cream offered by or stolen from tourists—a substantial part of some Gibraltar macaques' diets—are disrupting gut microbiome composition in the animals and leading to changes in their culture.

Eating soil may help rebalance monkey stomachs by providing bacteria and minerals absent from junk food, say researchers, and it is likely to help line the gut and soothe or prevent irritation caused by too much sugar and fat.

Scientists think this behavior is transmitted socially, as different troops have preferences for certain types of soil, and say it is an example of an emerging animal culture and "tradition" created by living in a human-dominated environment.

J. Frater et al, Geophagy in Gibraltar Barbary macaques is a primate tradition anthropogenically induced, Scientific Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-44607-0

Why does life prefer one 'hand' over the other? New study points to electron spin

A team of scientists has identified a new physical mechanism that could help explain one of the most persistent mysteries in science: why life consistently uses one "handed" version of its molecules and not the other. 

The researchers show that electron spin, a fundamental quantum property, can cause mirror-image molecules to behave differently during dynamic processes, even though they are otherwise identical. The work appears in Science Advances.

Many molecules essential to life come in two mirror-image forms, known as enantiomers. Chemically, these forms are nearly indistinguishable. Yet in living systems, only one version is typically used: amino acids are almost exclusively one type, while sugars follow the opposite pattern.

This phenomenon, known as homochirality, has puzzled scientists for more than a century.

The new study suggests that the answer may lie not in the molecules themselves, but in how they behave when electrons move through them. The researchers found that when electrons pass through chiral molecules, their spin interacts with the molecular structure in a way that is not perfectly symmetric between mirror images.
As a result:
The two forms can produce different levels of spin polarization
These differences can influence how efficiently each form participates in physical and chemical processes
This breaks a long-standing assumption that mirror-image molecules should behave identically in magnitude, differing only in sign.

The study combines theoretical analysis, experiments, and advanced calculations to show that this asymmetry arises from how electron spin aligns within each molecular structure.

Although the two enantiomers have the same energy, their spin-related properties during motion are not exact mirror images, leading to measurable differences in behavior. Importantly, these differences appear in dynamic processes, such as electron transport and interactions with magnetic environments, rather than in static properties.

These findings offer a possible route toward understanding how one molecular "hand" came to dominate in biology. If one enantiomer consistently interacts more efficiently with its environment under spin-dependent conditions, even small differences could accumulate over time, leading to a global preference. This provides a new perspective on how physical processes, rather than purely chemical ones, may have influenced the earliest stages of biological development.

The work opens new directions for research at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and biology:
Exploring how spin-dependent effects influence chemical reactions
Designing materials that exploit chirality and electron spin
Investigating how quantum properties shape biological systems
More broadly, the study suggests that symmetry in chemistry may be more subtle—and more easily broken—than previously thought.

Yossi Paltiel et al, Dynamic Breaking of Mirror Symmetry in Spin-Dependent Electron Transport through Chiral Media Causes Enantiomeric Excesses, Science Advances (2026). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aec9325. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aec9325

Microbes contribute a surprisingly large array of proteins in fermented foods
Microbial proteins constitute up to 11% of total protein content and up to 60% of identified proteins in fermented foods, often surpassing substrate-derived proteins. This substantial microbial contribution alters the nutritional and functional profiles of fermented foods and may influence host immune responses or gut microbiota interactions.
A new study examining the proteins found in fermented foods like yogurt, cheese and bread found that a surprisingly large number, and percentage, of microbial proteins contribute to their overall protein content. These microbes have long been used in traditional fermentation processes and are widely associated with the beneficial or probiotic nature of these fermented foods.
The findings highlight the role of microbial proteins in shaping the nutritional and potential health impacts of fermented foods and could also help pave the way to engineering fermented foods with specific microbial profiles that enhance their beneficial effects.
Using a metaproteomics approach, the researchers combined high-resolution liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to identify all the food- and microbial-derived proteins in 17 fermented and three non-fermented foods. Dairy milk, tofu and wheat bread comprised the non-fermented foods, while the fermented foods included the fermented derivatives of these substrates such as yogurt, brie cheese, sour cream, plain yeast bread, sourdough bread, tempeh, miso and soy sauce.
The striking results showed that microbial proteins contributed up to 11% of the total protein content and up to 60% of the total number of identified proteins in fermented foods.
This shows that microorganisms not only contribute to the fermentation process itself but also to the overall nutritional and functional profile of fermented food by converting substrate proteins into microbial proteins.

Laura Winkler et al, Assessing the diversity and functional profile of the "microbial proteome" in fermented foods, Food & Function (2026). DOI: 10.1039/d5fo05039a

Plants can sense the sound of rain, new study finds

Exposure to rain-like sound vibrations accelerates rice seed germination by 30–40% compared to controls, likely through the dislodgement of statoliths—gravity-sensing organelles—within seed cells. Acoustic vibrations from raindrops are sufficient to stimulate this response, suggesting seeds can sense and respond to natural sounds, potentially conferring an adaptive advantage for optimal growth conditions.
Some seeds may come alive to the sound of rain. In experiments with rice seeds, researchers found that the sound of falling droplets effectively shook the seeds out of a dormant state, stimulating them to germinate at a faster rate compared with seeds that were not exposed to the same sound vibrations.
The team's findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, are the first direct evidence that plant seeds and seedlings can sense sounds in nature. Their experiments involved submerging rice seeds in shallow water. Rice can germinate in both soil and shallow water. The researchers suspect that many similar seed types may also respond to the sound of rain.

The team worked out a hypothesis to explain how the seeds might be doing this. They found that when a raindrop hits the surface of a puddle or the ground, it generates a sound wave that makes the surroundings vibrate, including any shallowly submerged seeds. These vibrations can be strong enough to dislodge a seed's statoliths, which are tiny gravity-sensing organelles within certain cells of a seed. When these statoliths are jostled, their movement is a signal for seeds and seedlings to grow and sprout.
What this study is saying is that seeds can sense sound in ways that can help them survive. The energy of the rain sound is enough to accelerate a seed's growth.

"Seeds accelerate germination at beneficial planting depths by sensing the sound of rain", Scientific Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-44444-1

How cells turn mechanical forces into biochemical signals

Cells constantly probe their environments, searching for physical cues that guide their behavior. And yet a cell's response to its environment is always biochemical, mediated by the chemistry of its internal protein machinery. So how does a cell convert mechanical information into a molecular process?

 Researchers have been investigating this riddle for more than a decade. A few years ago, for example, they discovered that when physical forces change the shape of a cell's internal architecture, called the cytoskeleton, it generates chemical signals that instruct the cell how to behave. But the steps between the physical force and the chemical response remained unclear.

Now, thanks to technological advances they developed researchers have shown for the first time that when a motor protein called myosin compresses actin filaments within the cytoskeleton, it squishes the filaments into coils. This deformation is detected by protein sensors associated with cell adhesion, which congregate at specific sites on the cell interior.

Forces generated by myosin are critically important for cells to receive mechanical signals. 

The cytoskeleton helps the cell transmit, receive, and process physical and biochemical information—a dynamic responsiveness that allows cells to interact with the world around them.

A key building material of the cytoskeleton is the actin filament, which powers cellular movement thanks to motor proteins like myosin, which tug, twist, and compress actin.

Tugging on actin filaments with myosin actually helped the actin to bind better to a protein sensor, called alpha-catenin, which builds physical connections between cells. 

If you get rid of myosin, cells can't stick together efficiently or transmit forces or information between them. Everything just falls apart.

Researchers found that compression was the key. This squeezing caused the filaments to turn into spirals—and it was this shape in particular that set off the alpha-catenin sensors, and it was happening in a localized way.

Even if the entire network of myosin is generating tension—or tugging on the filaments—little segments of the network will actually be generating compression based on the random operation of the motors and how they happen to be positioned and firing asynchronously. That's interesting, because it means these subpopulations could have a sort of signaling function."

They also investigated how these coils might form using computer simulations. She ran simulations testing the three forces at play—tension, torsion, and compression—at various magnitudes and in different directions.

No matter the level of force or direction of action, they found the same result: Compression was the key.

Myosin dysfunction is connected to a number of diseases and that myosin inhibitors are in clinical trials for different conditions, including cancers such as glioblastoma.

Myosin forces remodel F-actin for mechanosensitive protein recognition, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10398-7

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