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

**

Engineered soil bacterial protein kills colorectal cancer cells by targeting their mitochondria
An engineered protein derived from soil bacteria, combined with a fatty acid to form the NheA-O complex, selectively induces ferroptosis in colorectal cancer cells by targeting and disrupting mitochondrial energy production. This approach bypasses typical tumor cell survival mechanisms, leading to efficient cancer cell death in cell culture models and suggesting a potential new therapeutic strategy.

Naeem Ullah et al, Bacterial protein-oleate complexes induce ferroptosis-like cell death in colorectal cancer cells by disrupting cell membranes and inhibiting the β-catenin-GPX4 axis, Cell Death Discovery (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41420-026-03097-9

How does imagination really work in the brain? New explanation upends what we knew
Imagination operates by modulating and suppressing ongoing spontaneous neural activity in the brain, rather than generating new activity. Visual imagery emerges when feedback signals selectively dampen competing neural patterns, allowing specific mental images to stabilize amid background activity. This mechanism explains why imagined images are typically weaker and more distinct from real perception.

https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2027-53139-001.html

HEPA air purifiers may boost brain power in adults over 40
One month of in-home HEPA air purifier use led to a 12% improvement in mental flexibility and executive function among adults aged 40 and older, compared to a sham purifier. The cognitive benefit was similar to that seen with increased exercise. The findings suggest HEPA purifiers may help mitigate cognitive impacts of air pollution, particularly for those living near major roadways.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-48063-8

More than 600,000 seabirds killed in single marine heat wave

A marine heat wave off Australia in 2023–2024 caused the deaths of over 629,000 seabirds, with short-tailed shearwaters comprising 96% of casualties, representing more than 5% of their population. Increasing frequency and intensity of marine heat waves, driven by rising ocean temperatures, are placing unprecedented pressure on seabird populations and threatening their long-term survival.
While it's not unusual for some birds to die at sea, this wasn't just a handful of unlucky individuals. Thousands of shearwaters were washing up across the country's east coast, stretching thousands of kilometers from Queensland down to Tasmania.

With the help of concerned local residents-turned-community scientists from across Australia, a team of scientists from the Adrift Lab has managed to piece together the full picture. They linked the deaths to a marine heat wave in the middle of the shearwater breeding season when the birds are at their most vulnerable.

Their research suggests that the shearwaters washing up on the beaches were only a tiny fraction of the overall number that died during the heat wave. In total, the researchers estimate more than 629,000 seabirds died, with the short-tailed shearwater making up 96% of the casualties.
These events are happening more frequently, and while seabirds have some ability to bounce back from them, their resilience is being exhausted, say the scientists.
Before, these events happened once in a generation. Now, they're happening faster and faster, and they won't slow down. They come on top of everything else seabirds have to deal with, from pollution to persecution, and they can't cope with it.

Jennifer L. Lavers et al, Estimating the total mortality of seabirds following a marine heat wave, Conservation Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1111/cobi.70273

Tinnitus Is Linked to a Crucial Brain Chemical

The so-called ‘happy’ chemical, serotonin, has a curious connection to tinnitus.

Over the years, numerous studies have linked phantom noises, which ring, hiss, buzz, or throb in the ear, to a change in how the brain modulates serotonin.

In mice, neuroscientists have mapped a neural pathway between a serotonin-producing part of the brainstem and the auditory region.

When researchers artificially activated this pathway, mice behaved as if they were experiencing a sound only they could hear.

It's producing symptoms that we would expect to be experienced as tinnitus in humans.

The findings suggest that targeting this serotonin pathway may be a useful approach for treating tinnitus.

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2509692123

Mechanical forces from the beating heart may help prevent cancer cell growth

Scientists may have discovered another way the human body tries to protect itself from cancer. New research on mice suggests that the heart's constant beating may prevent tumor growth in cardiac tissue. Most organs are vulnerable to cancer, but the heart is something of an anomaly. While cancer can spread from other parts of the body to the heart, tumors rarely start there. It's a medical mystery that has puzzled scientists for years.

Researchers at the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) suspected that it may have something to do with mechanical load and physical forces of the heartbeat, so they decided to investigate. That is, the physical stress the heart muscle is under as it constantly contracts and relaxes to pump blood could be what helps protect the heart from cancer growth.

The study is published in the journal Science, as well as a Perspective.

The team first transplanted a donor mouse heart into the neck of another mouse. This second heart had a blood supply but was not mechanically pumping blood around the body. Then they injected cancer cells into both hearts to compare tumor behavior. While tumor cells spread aggressively in the transplanted heart, cancer cells replaced only about 20% of the tissue in the original beating heart.

To understand what could be happening at the cellular level, the scientists created engineered heart tissue (EHT) in the lab. They varied the mechanical load on the tissue by stretching and altering pressure to monitor its effect on the growth of human lung cancer cells. The more pressure they put on the EHT, the slower the cancer cells grew.

"Mechanical forces in the beating heart protect it from cancer by halting cancer cell proliferation," they wrote in their paper.

The research team also analyzed cell samples of patients whose cancer had spread to the heart and compared them with tumors in other parts of the body. According to the study's findings, mechanical forces alter how cells organize their DNA by interacting with the protein Nesprin-2.
When the heart squeezes, Nesprin-2 senses the pressure and helps transmit that mechanical signal to the cell's nucleus. In response, the packaging of DNA in a structure called chromatin changes. It becomes less compact, which makes it easier for the cell to access and activate genes that slow cancer cell growth.

When researchers silenced the Nesprin-2 protein in those cancer cells, they couldn't sense the mechanical pressure and began to grow and multiply. "Nesprin-2 is a key molecule sensing these forces and translating them into reduced cell proliferation."

If scientists could mimic these mechanical forces with drugs or technology, they could potentially stop cancer cells in their tracks.

Giulio Ciucci et al, Mechanical load inhibits cancer growth in mouse and human hearts, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.ads9412

Wyatt G. Paltzer et al, The heart puts pressure on cancer growth, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aeg8798

Consuming legumes and soy-based foods may help improve symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by reducing inflammation and irritation

Consuming legumes and soy-based foods may help improve symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by reducing inflammation and irritation, according to a new study published in the March 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation.

COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is a progressive, inflammatory lung disease that affects  millions and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Previous research has identified diet and nutrition as modifiable risk factors for chronic lung disease, including COPD.

This new study examined how increased isoflavone consumption impacted participants' breathing symptoms, cough, and overall lung health. Isoflavones are a natural substance commonly found in legumes and soy-based foods.

Study results showed people with higher isoflavone consumption experienced fewer breathing-related symptoms, including reduced coughing and less difficulty clearing mucus, and improved lung health.

Daniel C. Belz et al, Isoflavone Intake is Associated With Decreased Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Morbidity, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation (2026). DOI: 10.15326/jcopdf.2025.0695

Ultra-processed foods damage your focus even if you eat healthily
Higher intake of ultra-processed foods is associated with reduced attention span and lower scores on cognitive tests measuring visual attention and processing speed, independent of overall diet quality. The degree of food processing, rather than just nutrient content, plays a critical role in cognitive decline and increases risk factors for dementia, such as hypertension and obesity.
New research shows that a diet high in heavily processed foods can negatively impact the brain's ability to focus and increases the risk of developing dementia.
The findings demonstrate that a slight daily increase in a person's intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is linked to a measurable drop in attention span—even if someone otherwise eats healthily.
Because the negative effects of UPFs take place regardless of a person's overall diet quality, even for people following a healthy Mediterranean diet, researchers say the degree of food processing plays a critical role in the damage.
Food ultra-processing often destroys the natural structure of food and introduces potentially harmful substances like artificial additives or processing chemicals.
These additives suggest the link between diet and cognitive function extends beyond just missing out on foods known as healthy, pointing to mechanisms linked to the degree of food processing itself.
Eating more UPFs was linked to an increase in dementia risk factors, which include health conditions such as high blood pressure or obesity that can actively be managed to protect the brain.

Barbara R. Cardoso et al, Ultra‐processed food intake, cognitive function, and dementia risk: A cross‐sectional study of middle‐aged and older Australian adults, Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring (2026). DOI: 10.1002/dad2.70335

Millions of US birth records uncover an autism risk surge tied to common drugs taken during pregnancy
Prenatal exposure to medications that inhibit sterol biosynthesis, including certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, beta-blockers, and statins, is associated with a significantly increased risk of autism spectrum disorder in offspring, with risk rising in a dose-dependent manner. The proportion of pregnancies with such exposure increased from 4.3% in 2014 to 16.8% in 2023.
A landmark study by researchers and published in Molecular Psychiatry has identified a significant association between prenatal prescription of commonly utilized medications and the risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children
Analyzing 6.14 million maternal-child health records from the Epic Cosmos database—representing nearly one-third of all U.S. births between 2014 and 2023—the team found that prescription of medications known to inhibit the cholesterol synthesis pathway were consistently associated with higher rates of ASD in offspring.
These sterol biosynthesis–inhibiting medications (SBIMs) include certain antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, beta-blockers and statins. These are the generic names of the 14 medications studied: aripiprazole, atorvastatin, bupropion, buspirone, fluoxetine, haloperidol, metoprolol, nebivolol, pravastatin, propranolol, rosuvastatin, sertraline, simvastatin and trazodone. Many of these are among the most commonly prescribed medications.
Cholesterol is essential for fetal development, especially for the brain, the most cholesterol-rich organ. The fetal brain begins producing its own sterols around 19–20 weeks of gestation. Genetic disruptions in this pathway are known to cause severe developmental syndromes such as Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), in which up to 75% of children meet criteria for ASD. Many widely used medications can unintentionally interfere with this pathway.
The study authors stress that no pregnant patient should discontinue or alter medication without medical supervision, as many SBIMs are essential, often life-saving treatments. Instead, the study calls for a re-evaluation of prescribing practices and for developing safer alternatives for use during pregnancy.
.

Eric S. Peeples et al, Sterol pathway disruption in pregnancy: a link to autism, Molecular Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41380-026-03610-7

The brain replays past emotional experiences during sleep

Neuroscientists have been trying for several years to uncover the neural processes that allow humans and various other animals to recall emotional experiences of past events. Past studies have identified a network of brain regions that support the encoding and consolidation of these memories. These regions include the hippocampus and the amygdala, as well as the para-hippocampal, perirhinal, prefrontal, parietal and retrosplenial cortices.

Researchers at Neuroscience NeuroSU and the Institute of Biology Paris-Seine- IBPS carried out a study on rats aimed at better understanding how the dorsal and ventral hippocampus, two segments of the hippocampus known to have different functions, contribute to the consolidation of emotional memories of past events.

Their findings, published in Nature Neuroscience, suggest that these two regions coordinate during sleep to consolidate memories of past experiences and the emotions associated with them.

We already knew a lot about the role of sleep-dependent reactivation in the dorsal hippocampus, but comparatively much less is known about the ventral part of the hippocampus.

 It was previously shown that the dorsal part of the hippocampus communicates during sleep with other structures related to emotions, like the amygdala. However, the anatomy shows that the dorsal hippocampus is not connected to these structures.

Earlier neuroscience studies found that the dorsal hippocampus is not connected to other brain regions associated with the processing of emotions. This suggests that it communicates with these regions via an intermediate brain region when consolidating emotional memories of past events.

Researchers now hypothesized that this intermediate region is the ventral hippocampus, the other segment of the hippocampus. Contrarily to the dorsal hippocampus, this region is known to communicate with emotion-processing brain regions.

To test their hypothesis, the researchers carried out a series of experiments involving freely moving rats. These rats had tiny electrodes implanted in their brains, which recorded the activity of many neurons simultaneously both in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus.

They collected electrophysiological recordings while the rats were undergoing an emotional experience, and then sleeping.

Part 1

They then used computational methods to analyze the activity of these neurons and examine how they coordinate/dialogue during sleep, and how accurately this coordination reflects the preceding emotional experience."

While they were awake, some rats experienced a small electric shock, while others received a reward. The researchers looked at the activity of neurons in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus both during these experiences and after them, while the rats were sleeping.
The researchers observed neural reactivation (a phenomenon known to support sleep-dependent memory-processing) during sleep that spans the entire axis of the hippocampus following an emotional positive or negative experience.
The recordings collected by this research team confirmed that while rats are sleeping, their brain consolidates memories of emotional experiences they had while awake. The consolidation of both aversive and pleasurable experiences appears to be supported by coordinated activity between the dorsal and ventral hippocampus.
They also found that reactivation is more faithful to the original experience when the experience was negative.
This might explain the bias towards better memories of negative compared to positive events. More broadly, it identifies a mechanism that allows us to form memories combining context and emotions, positive or negative.

If validated in humans, the results of this recent study could help to shed more light on the intricate neural processes that support the consolidation of traumatic memories and could play a role in trauma-related mental health conditions. For instance, they might improve the understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders that are linked to intrusive and sometimes debilitating memories of traumatic events.

Juan Facundo Morici et al, Dorsoventral hippocampus neural assemblies reactivate during sleep following an aversive experience, Nature Neuroscience (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02252-w.

Part 2

Why dolphins swim so fast: The secrets of hidden whirlpools

Large-scale numerical simulations show that dolphins generate strong, large vortex rings with their tail movements, which are primarily responsible for propulsion. Smaller vortices produced in the resulting turbulent flow contribute minimally to forward motion. The findings highlight the dominant role of large vortices in efficient dolphin swimming across various speeds.

Yutaro Motoori et al, Swimming mechanism of a dolphin on the basis of the hierarchy of vortices, Physical Review Fluids (2026). DOI: 10.1103/tnxb-ckr5

A host of positive 'tipping points' can regenerate nature

Positive tipping points—critical thresholds where small changes trigger rapid, self-reinforcing recovery—can accelerate large-scale ecosystem regeneration and nature-positive behaviours. Key mechanisms include ecosystem restoration, improved resource management, social diffusion of conservation initiatives, and shifts in consumption patterns. Leveraging collective learning, economic valuation of nature, and ecocentric worldviews may enable widespread positive tipping points.

Positive tipping points for nature., Nature Sustainability (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41893-026-01803-0

Microplastics have been found to interact with the gut microbiome. Here's what health effects they might have
Microplastics are widely present in the environment and are ingested by humans, where they can interact with the gut microbiome. Evidence, primarily from animal studies, indicates that microplastics may disrupt beneficial gut bacteria, reduce production of protective metabolites like butyrate, and increase susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease. The precise health effects in humans remain unclear due to measurement challenges and limited direct evidence.

Here's what we know about the climate cost of white trails aircraft leave in the sky
Contrails, formed by aircraft at high altitudes in cold, humid conditions, contribute to climate warming primarily through the formation of contrail cirrus, which trap outgoing infrared radiation. While individual contrails can have either a warming or cooling effect, the net global impact is warming, often comparable to or exceeding the short-term warming from emitted CO2. Reducing contrail formation, especially by optimizing flight routes to avoid susceptible atmospheric regions, could mitigate aviation's climate impact, though improved humidity forecasting and further research are needed for effective implementation.

original article.

An interplanetary shortcut can speed up trips to Mars
Analysis indicates that using early orbital data from asteroids can identify more direct transfer opportunities between Earth and Mars, potentially reducing round-trip mission durations to as little as 153 days. This approach offers a methodological tool for screening rapid interplanetary transfer routes that may be overlooked by conventional planning methods.

To identify optimal routes and calculate fuel needs, planners of interplanetary missions use precise planetary data. Sending missions to other worlds rarely involves early orbital data from asteroids.

When it comes to Mars missions, a key planning consideration is a phenomenon known as Mars opposition. This occurs roughly every 26 months when Earth passes directly between the sun and Mars. During this alignment, the two planets are on the same side of the sun, bringing Mars to its closest point to Earth.
Researchers wondered whether early asteroid data (an approximation of an asteroid's path based on a short observation window) could be used to find hidden shortcuts in space.
For their study, they focused on an asteroid called 2001 CA21 because its early predicted path crossed the orbits of both Earth and Mars, even though its official orbital details were later updated. They looked for paths to Mars that stayed within five degrees of the asteroid's tilt. Staying close to this angle allows a spacecraft to take a more direct path through space.

Then they tested Mars oppositions from 2027, 2029, and 2031 to see which one offered the best conditions for a shorter trip.

The analysis revealed that 2031 was the only year the Earth-Mars geometry aligned favourably with the asteroid's orbital plane. As researchers note in their paper, "The 2031 Mars opposition supports two complete sub-year round-trip missions consistent with the CA21-anchored plane, illustrating how early small-body orbital data may contribute to the early identification of rapid interplanetary transfer opportunities."
The paper does not suggest that future missions must follow this specific asteroid. Instead, it demonstrates a possible way to identify faster flight paths that traditional methods might miss.

Marcelo de Oliveira Souza, Using asteroid early orbital data for rapid mars missions, Acta Astronautica (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.04.018

Aligned cells may explain why some wounds heal faster than others
A mathematical model demonstrates that the alignment and organization of epithelial cells surrounding a wound significantly influence wound closure dynamics. Forces generated by these aligned cells can alter wound shape and affect healing speed, with inward-pulling tissue accelerating closure and outward-pushing tissue slowing it. Temporary disruptions in cell alignment occur during healing but resolve as closure completes.
Understanding how wounds heal after injury could be a step closer thanks to a new mathematical model developed by researchers . The study, published in Physical Review Letters, builds on previous work in fruit flies, where the researchers observed how skin-like epithelial cells move to cover a wound.
A crucial part of wound repair is re-epithelialization, the process where skin cells spread across a wound to rebuild the body's outer protective barrier. When this process breaks down, wounds can remain open and vulnerable to infection and so it's important to understand what physical mechanisms and forces contribute to effective closure.

To explore how this healing step works at the level of individual cells, the research team studied wound repair in fruit flies. Using advanced deep-learning tools to analyze thousands of cells, they discovered that the cells in the fly's wing are arranged in a highly organized pattern; each cell has head-to-tail symmetry and tends to align along the long axis of the wing.

The new mathematical model developed aimed to understand how these cell alignment patterns influence the way a wound closes. The model treated the tissue like a fluid composed of many elongated, aligned cell-shaped particles. This approach allowed the researchers to estimate how previously overlooked forces, acting within the tissue around the wound, affect closure.

The model predicted that these surrounding, or "bulk," forces could cause a wound that starts out round to become stretched or squashed as it closes, aligning with the natural direction of the surrounding tissue. When the researchers checked their predictions against experimental data, they found exactly this pattern: the shape of the wound changed in line with the tissue's own orientation.

Henry Andralojc et al, Dynamics of Wound Closure in Living Nematic Epithelia, Physical Review Letters (2026). DOI: 10.1103/8871-8m6c

Crows look plain black to us, but their feathers contain a secret visual code that changes with age
American crow feathers lack UV-reflective patches and show no sex-based differences in coloration, but subtle age-related changes in hue occur, detectable in both human and UV ranges as birds mature. The forehead feathers are ultra-black and may reduce glare during ground foraging. Crows distinguish individuals primarily through vocalizations, body size, bill shape, and possibly flight patterns.
Research has shown that some bird species have feather patches that reflect UV light, perhaps to signal health status or biological sex; these include blue tits, a British species related to chickadees, as well as budgerigars, the small parakeets .
It turns out that crows lack UV-reflective patches, and that the sexes really do look the same, plumage-wise. However, new research unearthed subtle changes that indicate age: On the sides, back and even under the tail, feathers changed in hue, both in the human visual range and in the UV or violet range as the birds reached the age of 3.

There are many possible mechanisms. There may be a greater concentration of melanin, or changes in the feather structure.

The reasons behind the changing hue could be reproductive in nature. Under the age of 3, crows are typically unable to find mates or defend territory.

Attractive feathers may indicate the birds' prime of life, health status, and resources to potential mates.

Some age-linked differences are apparent to the naked eye. Yearling birds have poor-quality feathers that tend to take on a brownish cast until they experience their first molt. 

 Elderly birds—18 or 19 years old—tend to look their age, so to speak, when it comes to the condition of their feathers.

There's a sense that perhaps feathers get better and better, and then that falls off as they age. Unfortunately, this should be familiar to most people; it gets harder to look great.

The experiment showed something else: Crows' foreheads are even blacker than the rest of their plumage and don't reflect the light. Crows are ground foragers, and these ultra-black feathers above their eyes may reduce glare in strong sunlight, essentially functioning like a baseball cap.

It may help augment their vision and cut down on hyper-reflections from the ground. That's all hypothesis, but it runs across all of the crow species researchers have looked at.

Part 1

With the same black plumage, how do crows tell one another apart? Earlier research has shown that their calls are individually specific, functioning in the same way as human voices. Female crows tend to have higher voices than males, partly due to body size.

Crows also vary in body size and shape and have similarly diverse bills; the tips grow continuously, but the bill shape is stable nearer the base.
Crows may also be able to recognize individuals by how they move—in their case, fly.

Jessica L. Yorzinski et al, Inter- and intra-individual variation in the feather coloration of American crows, Journal of Avian Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1002/jav.03604

Part 2

Half of AI health answers are wrong even though they sound convincing—new study
AI chatbots provided problematic or highly problematic health information in up to 58% of responses, with none reliably generating accurate reference lists. Performance was better for well-researched topics like cancer and vaccines, but accuracy dropped for open-ended questions and areas with less robust evidence. Users often misinterpret or misuse chatbot answers, and chatbots can fabricate references or repeat misinformation. These findings indicate current AI chatbots should not be relied upon as stand-alone medical authorities.

original article.