Many cancers originate from a single cancer cell and evolve through early bursts of chromosome changes
Tumors across multiple cancer types arise from a single ancestral cell that acquires early shared copy number alterations, followed by punctuated bursts of additional chromosomal changes generating diverse subclones. High aneuploidy, TP53 mutations, genome doubling, and elevated CNA burden correlate with greater intratumoral diversity, spatial heterogeneity, advanced stage, and poorer outcomes.

Hanghui Ye et al, A pan-cancer single-cell analysis of intratumoral copy number diversity and evolution, Cancer Discovery (2026). DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-25-0964

Seeking health information does not automatically improve health behavior, says researcher

People are increasingly seeking health information online , but the information they find is not leading to better health decisions. The concern is not a lack of information but people's digital literacy and ability to make sense of it.
Among people aged ≥50, online health information seeking is shaped by education, digital skills, and internet habits, and does not automatically translate into healthier behaviour. Physicians remain the primary trusted source, while many struggle to assess online information reliability. Unequal digital literacy can widen health inequalities, indicating a need to strengthen critical digital and health literacy rather than only expanding digital services.

Marianne Paimre, Patterns of Online Health Information-Seeking Behaviour and Related Factors Among Estonian Older Adults, Tallinn University (2026). DOI: 10.60518/etera/150

Psychologists say patients are turning to chatbots as mental health professionals

More than three-quarters of psychologists report their patients are discussing artificial intelligence in therapy, using the technology to seek additional support with their mental health, find a diagnosis, or for friendship and intimate relationships, according to a survey
Most psychologists report patients use AI chatbots to supplement therapy for self-diagnosis, coping support, and companionship, often feeling validated but sometimes developing dependency or distorted thinking. Clinicians express substantial concern about chatbots’ limited nuance, risk of reinforcing negative beliefs, and potential to encourage self-harm. AI is viewed as a possible adjunct when professionals are unavailable, not a replacement for human care.

AI should always be used carefully. Developed with guidance from an advisory panel of experts in digital mental health, clinical psychology, and youth and adolescent well-being, APA's recommendations for users include:

Verifying any mental health or medical information generated by AI with a health care practitioner.
Asking for strategies aligned with research-backed therapeutic approaches.
Prompting AI to challenge your thinking or provide alternative perspectives.
Limiting your use of AI so it does not interfere with sleep, hobbies, school, work or social interaction.

https://www.apa.org/pubs/reports/chatbots-mental-health-2026

How many elementary particles are there?
Even if you know your fermions from your bosons, the actual number of fundamental particles — the electrons, quarks and other building blocks of physics — is still uncertain. From the 17 that feature on posters on classroom walls, “where you stop depends on your taste for complexity and mystery”, explains science writer Natalie Wolchover. “Plausible answers range from 17 to — in all seriousness — 995.5.”

https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-many-elementary-particles-are-th...

Why just sharing a stick while walking can significantly improve balance
Could the secret to preventing dangerous falls be surprisingly simple? For older adults, these unexpected tumbles are a leading cause of injury, affecting roughly 1 in 4 people 65 and older each year. What if the key isn't complex technology or intensive therapy, but something as straightforward as a shared connection? Forget holding hands—new research reveals a surprising twist in how two people can become a dynamic duo against sudden loss of balance.
A rigid mechanical link between two side-by-side walkers improves post-perturbation stability and speeds balance recovery compared with no link or an elastic connection. Benefits are greatest when only one partner is perturbed, with the unperturbed individual acting as a stabilizing anchor. High-frequency (~15 Hz) tactile interactions mediate rapid corrective forces, suggesting a fast sensorimotor communication channel through touch.

A recent study, published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, demonstrates that when two individuals walk side by side, a rigid link between them dramatically accelerates balance recovery after unexpected slips.

Scientists put this to the test with 12 pairs of volunteers on a specialized treadmill, finding that a simple stick, unlike an elastic band or no connection at all, transforms walkers into a rapid-response team, significantly improving stability and speeding recovery from perturbations.
The results demonstrated an improvement in stability when an interaction was present, particularly in the case of a slip perturbation," the researchers note. The unperturbed walker essentially became an effective stabilizer.

Sandrine Gayrard et al, Instability analysis of perturbed gait in dyads: holding a stick together provides effective assistance and is accompanied by information exchanges, Journal of the Royal Society Interface (2026). DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2026.0206

Evolution can make cells smaller without slowing down their growth

A new study shows that evolution can substantially reduce cell size without significantly compromising cells' ability to grow.
"Why are cells the size they are?" The question may seem simple, but cell size influences fundamental processes, including metabolism, growth and cell division. Despite the enormous diversity of shapes and sizes found in nature, each cell type tends to remain within a relatively narrow size range. When a cell becomes too large or too small, its function can be compromised.

Previous studies have shown that each cell type tends to have a characteristic size, and that this size is important for its function. When we make cells larger or smaller, they start to perform worse.
The question driving this study was how, over the course of evolution, cells of such different sizes could arise if even small changes to a cell's normal size can come with biological costs.

To address this question, the researchers used experimental evolution. Over approximately 1,500 generations, they selected the smallest yeast cells in each population every day. But these cells also had to compete for nutrients and multiply quickly before the next round of selection.

Experimental evolution in yeast over ~1,500 generations produced substantially smaller cells without major loss of growth rate by selecting simultaneously for reduced size and rapid proliferation. Genome sequencing revealed mutations in conserved growth and cell-cycle pathways that causally reduced size, indicating that evolution can partially uncouple cell miniaturization from growth capacity.
The results of this study suggest that evolution can gradually fine-tune fundamental cellular mechanisms to alter cell size, partially uncoupling two traits that appeared to be inevitably linked: miniaturization and growth capacity.

Ana Garoña et al, Experimental evolution of cellular miniaturization reveals a putative mechanism for cell size evolution, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2531280123

Genetic study finds urban rodents may be evolving against common poisons

For years, pest control professionals throughout the Northeast have reported a troubling pattern. In some neighbourhoods, rodents seemed increasingly difficult to eliminate, even when standard control methods were used. Now researchers think they may know one reason why.
A study found that 84% of house mice sampled from urban areas in the Northeast carried at least one genetic mutation linked to rodenticide resistance, suggesting many mouse populations may be evolving ways to survive the poisons commonly used to control them.

Urban house mice in northeastern U.S. cities show high frequencies of Vkorc1 mutations linked to anticoagulant rodenticide resistance, with 84% carrying at least one mutation and ~70% carrying known resistance alleles. About 35% of Norway rats carry Vkorc1 variants of uncertain functional impact. Findings indicate widespread, evolving resistance and support integrated, less chemical‑reliant rodent management.

Jin‐Jia Yu et al, Distribution and frequency of Vkorc1 polymorphisms in house mice and Norway rats in the northeastern United States, Pest Management Science (2026). DOI: 10.1002/ps.70833

Levels of 'forever chemicals' in dolphins and whales are rising globally
PFAS concentrations in cetaceans have increased globally since 2000, with highest levels in Pacific populations and coastal dolphins and porpoises. Contamination varies by species, region, sex, and age, with maternal transfer exposing calves early and males accumulating higher burdens. Data gaps remain for several regions. Findings support stricter PFAS controls and continued biomonitoring.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X26007368...

original article.

Everyday chemical exposures linked to preterm birth and lower birthweight
In one of the largest studies of chemical exposures during pregnancy to date, new research has found that pregnant women are exposed to dozens of everyday chemicals, many of which can affect how early a child is born or a child's weight at birth. These outcomes influence a child's health throughout life.

A cohort of >5,000 mother–child pairs showed maternal exposure to a mean of 45 everyday chemicals, including phthalates, replacement plasticizers, PAHs and halogenated phenols. Higher levels of several phthalates, alternative plasticizers and PAHs were associated with shorter gestation and lower birthweight, and newer replacement plasticizers exhibited similar adverse associations.
The research, published in JAMA Network Open, found that pregnant women in the study were exposed to an average of 45 different chemicals, including phthalates, replacement plasticizers, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and halogenated phenols. These chemicals are found in food, water, air pollution, personal care products, fragrances and other household objects.

These chemicals are difficult to avoid because they're found in a wide range of products we use every day. It can be difficult to know whether products contain them, and even when we do know, we have limited control over exposures.
Although there are some practical steps people can take, reducing harmful chemicals at the source is the most effective way to protect children and families.

Phthalates and replacement plasticizers, in particular, are found in many baby care products, such as toys, diaper creams and shampoos. The new study found several additional phthalates, including those that replaced banned phthalates, and plasticizer chemicals in women's samples.
The study included more than 5,000 pairs of mothers and children born between 2000 and 2021 and collected data on chemicals found in maternal urine samples, pregnancy duration and birth weight. Researchers tested for 113 different chemicals commonly found in homes and in air, food and water and found that, on average, 45 were present in each sample (the maximum they observed in a sample was 64). The team then examined how differences in gestational age and birth weight were linked to these chemical exposures.

Several phthalates and alternative plasticizers showed a consistent association with earlier delivery. Phthalates, replacement plasticizers and PAHs were also linked to lower birth weight. Some less-studied chemicals that the researchers identified, including halogenated phenols, were also associated with lower birth weight. The researchers also identified plasticizers recently introduced to replace toxic chemicals like phthalates. However, these newer substances had similar health effects to the chemicals they replaced.

Gestational exposure to ten classes of priority chemicals and birth outcomes in the ECHO Cohort, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.18883

Antisocial behaviour in young people linked to changes throughout the brain

Conduct problems—including persistent rule-breaking, aggression, irritability and difficulty following school rules—are associated with small but widespread differences in brain structure, according to a major international study of more than 14,000 children and adolescents.
Conduct problems in 14,000 youths aged 5–21 were associated with small but widespread reductions in cortical thickness, cortical surface area, and subcortical volumes, scaling with symptom severity and present across the full spectrum, not only in diagnosed conduct disorder. Effects were modest, influenced by environmental factors, and support dimensional rather than categorical views of behavioural disorders.
Importantly, these brain changes were found not to be limited to young people with a formal diagnosis of conduct disorder—a mental health condition in children and adolescents characterized by persistent patterns of antisocial behavior. Instead, they were present across the full range of severity, including in youngsters with mild behavioral difficulties.

The study's authors say this research marks an important step forward in understanding the biological and developmental roots of conduct problems, with the potential to inform more effective, tailored interventions for young people worldwide.
According to the team's findings, the more serious a young person's conduct problems, the more pronounced the differences in brain structure. The researchers found this to be true for the thickness of the cortex (the outer layer of the brain), the surface area of the cortex, and the size of key subcortical regions—areas found deeper in the brain.

Marlene Staginnus et al, Dimensional Associations Between Conduct Problems and Brain Structure Across 18 International Cohorts in ENIGMA, Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2026.03.002

Scientists uncover how physical activity may help protect older adults against cancer
Scientists have discovered that aging muscle may contribute to cancer growth by releasing fewer extracellular vesicles, tiny particles that cells use to communicate with one another. Their study also found that the composition of these particles changes with age, weakening protective signals that help suppress tumor development.
Encouragingly, exercise appears to restore this protective function. Published in Nature Communications, the findings offer fresh insights into healthy aging and cancer prevention, as well as potential biomarkers and therapies tailored to older adults.

Aging and sarcopenic muscle secrete fewer extracellular vesicles and show reduced levels of the tumor-suppressive microRNA miR-7a-5p, weakening muscle-to-tumor inhibitory signaling and favoring cancer growth. Exercise reactivates the declining pathway controlling vesicle release, restoring protective signaling. Extracellular vesicle miR-7a-5p is proposed as a potential biomarker of cancer risk in older adults.

Kah Yong Goh et al, Sarcopenia promotes tumorigenesis by disrupting NOTCH-SDC2-regulated biogenesis of muscle-derived extracellular vesicles, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-72410-y

Pakistani genomes reveal 34,000 knockouts that could explain why mouse-based drugs fail in humans

A comprehensive analysis of 173,303 genomes from Pakistan, published today in Nature, is upending how scientists understand human genetics and drug development. By identifying 34,000 people who are "human knockouts," with complete loss of function of at least one gene, the study reveals variation in the human genome needed to shape new treatments for human diseases while also illuminating why drugs developed in mice often fail in humans.
Analysis of 173,303 Pakistani genomes identified ~34,000 individuals with complete loss-of-function in ≥1 gene, yielding knockouts in ~6,500 protein-coding genes. Many genes deemed essential from mouse models are variable in humans, clarifying failures of mouse-based drug targets (e.g., RXFP1) and highlighting protective knockouts (e.g., CIDEB) as therapeutic candidates. The resource improves prediction of drug efficacy and safety, including ancestry-translatable insights, and demonstrates the value of consanguineous South Asian populations for human genetics and drug development.
Crucially, the study reveals that genes considered "essential" to life and intolerant to changes, based on mouse models, are actually variable in humans—a finding with profound implications for pharmaceutical development.

The genomes also contain information needed to uncover the functions of two-thirds of human genes that remain a mystery even 25 years after the completion of the Human Genome Project.

Allan Gurtan, Analysis of 173,303 exomes and genomes in the Pakistan Genome Resource, Nature (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-026-10667-5. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10667-5

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How early life experiences shape schizophrenia risk

Researchers have found that childhood trauma, poverty, social isolation and other adverse life experiences are associated with brain changes linked to schizophrenia-spectrum disorders—findings that could help researchers identify people at risk earlier and develop interventions before severe symptoms emerge.
Early-life adversity, including trauma, poverty, social isolation, discrimination, and food insecurity, is associated with alterations in brain structure, function, and neurochemistry linked to schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. These factors do not singly cause schizophrenia but increase risk in vulnerable individuals. Understanding these neurobiological pathways may enable earlier, more targeted, and potentially preventive interventions.
Overall, the researchers found evidence that greater exposure to adverse conditions early in life is associated with differences in brain structure, brain function and neurochemistry—all of which have been previously linked to schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.

Social Determinants of Health and Neurobiology Across the Schizophrenia Course: A Systematic Review, JAMA Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2026.1312

The kombucha paradox: Measurable effects, uncertain well-being benefits

Kombucha has become part of the wider boom in gut-friendly foods and drinks. But a major heart health charity is urging consumers to look more carefully at what these products actually contain.
The British Heart Foundation has warned that some popular gut-friendly products can come with drawbacks. Commercial kombucha may be a healthier alternative to some sugary fizzy drinks, but store-bought versions can contain added sugar. Other fermented foods, such as kimchi and sauerkraut, can be high in salt.

The warning points to a wider problem. Foods and drinks sold with a health halo are not always straightforwardly healthy. The fact that a product contains potentially active compounds does not prove it will produce a meaningful benefit.

Kombucha is often sold as more than a fizzy drink. Because it is fermented, it is commonly linked with gut health, well-being and even stress resilience.

But in a controlled human study, the results were more complicated. Drinking kombucha each day changed some metabolic markers in the body, but did not clearly change how healthy adults responded to acute laboratory stress.
But it tells us something important: Biological activity does not automatically mean a meaningful health benefit.
Daily consumption of a controlled kombucha drink for eight weeks altered metabolic biomarkers but did not meaningfully change acute stress responses, including cortisol, autonomic measures, or self-reported stress, compared with placebo in healthy adults. Kombucha’s measurable biological activity therefore does not translate into demonstrated well-being or stress-resilience benefits, and health claims remain unsupported.

original article.

'Timescapes' may explain why animal species perceive events so differently

There is evidence that nonhuman animals perceive the world, and how it unfolds in time, differently from humans and from each other. For example, certain beetles can see flickering in lights up to around 500 Hz, while in humans that flickering appears as a steady light after 60 Hz. Humans see flashed objects as lagging behind moving objects when they actually aren't. While other animals also seem to experience this illusion, the flash appears in a different location. Apparent motion—where stationary objects appear to be moving—also has been shown to differ in humans and mice.

In a new paper, published in Trends in Cognitive Sciences, a group of researchers propose a strategy for understanding the temporal aspects of animal experiences through the characteristic way their perceptions are organized and updated over time, which they refer to as the animal's "timescape."

Most attempts to compare animal time perception have relied on a single metric and are too crude to capture real experiential differences. Thus far, most attempts have focused on the critical flicker fusion threshold (CFFT), which is the rate at which a flickering light is perceived as steady. While the CFFT may provide an interesting look at one aspect of the temporal discrimination of visual content, the authors of the new study say it falls short of providing an in-depth understanding of how animals perceive time and may even be misleading.
After noting the wide range of 4–500 Hz in CFFTs in different animals, they write: "Based on these vast differences in CFFTs, one might be tempted to conclude that streams of experience flow extremely slowly or extremely fast when compared with a human benchmark. However, this conclusion would be hasty. Even in humans, CFFTs are uninformative about the temporal regularities over which our perceptual mechanisms anticipate, organize, revise or attend to perceptual inputs. Moreover, CFFTs are fundamentally a measure of retinal sensitivity. As such, they offer little information about the timescapes of perceptual experiences in general."

The researchers propose that an animal's timescape can better be described using five experimentally testable temporal "windows," which give a richer, more biologically grounded picture of animal experience. These include synchronization of the binding of contents in a single perceptual moment (synchronization), how perceptual content is updated with subsequent input (revision), how long attention is sustained on something (attention), how long perceptual content is present after a stimulus offset (persistence), and how long it takes to perceive something before switching (stability).

Experiments across various studies have shown that different species show strikingly different durations for each window, suggesting genuinely different temporal organizations of experience. The researchers say temporal illusions are also powerful tools for probing these windows across species. They give multiple examples of how illusions provide insights into each window.
For example, one illusion, referred to as "motion dazzle," consists of a camouflage strategy using contrasting patterns that disrupt the accurate perception of motion and speed to confuse predators. This illusion can help researchers learn more about the synchronization window. They say the luminance contrasts of an image are scanned and then processed at different latencies. Dark-to-light transitions are processed before light-to-dark transitions and are then perceived as parts of the same image with different latencies. The effect differs across species.
Part 1

The authors also describe illusions related to the window of revision, where later perceptual inputs change the perceptual representations of something that occurred earlier. This is also called postdiction. These illusions are not limited to visual processes but also occur in auditory and tactile processes and have been observed in several animals.

"A key feature of these illusions is their time sensitivity, usually occurring only within a range of 100–450 ms in humans. A classic example is apparent motion. When two frames containing the same perceptual object but having a spatial offset are presented close together in time, it looks as though the object has moved from position A to B.

"Even though this motion percept is contingent on the second frame showing the object in position B, the object appears to be moving even in the first frame. This happens in humans when the two frames are separated by no more than 150 ms. This illusion is ubiquitous across both vertebrate and invertebrate animal species. Macaques, mice, pigeons, Drosophila, and fish perceive apparent motion. However, the temporal range over which apparent motion is best perceived may vary," the study authors write.
Ultimately, the authors say these windows could form the foundation for investigating principles of temporal phenomenology in animals by providing more informed speculations about phenomenological principles across species. Future work may develop theoretical models that predict how different windows should relate to each other and explore whether there are temporal dimensions of experience in other species that humans don't have at all.
The study authors conclude, "While this research program is of obvious interest to empirical, theoretical and philosophical inquiries in consciousness science, it can also contribute ecological insights. Understanding the dynamic constraints on perception and attention can further allow us to capture species-specific behavior (as in our example of the peacock courtship display) and coordination with the environment, conspecifics and/or predators (e.g., understanding motion dazzle as a predator-escape strategy).

"Similarly, the pace and rhythms of experience can inform real-world infrastructure designs. For instance, better understanding the temporal experience of birds may help reduce collisions with wind turbines, as motion blur may reduce the visibility of rapidly rotating blade edges for some species."

Ishan Singhal et al, Timescapes of non-human experience, Trends in Cognitive Sciences (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2026.05.002

Part 2

World's highest-consuming 10% cause up to $5.7 trillion a year in environmental damage, study finds
The environmental damage caused by the world's highest-consuming 10% of people is worth $1.7 trillion to $5.7 trillion a year. At the central and upper estimates, this is several times more than the international community has committed to spend on climate action and biodiversity conservation combined, and is on the scale of the funding estimated to be needed globally to address these crises.
This finding, published in Communications Sustainability, puts a price on the harm this group inflicts across four planetary boundaries: climate change, biodiversity loss, nutrient pollution and freshwater use.

The average annual damage bill for a person in the global top 10% is $2,300 to $7,500. In the United States, where per-person impacts are highest, the figure rises to $19,000 to $63,000—equivalent to 6% to 20% of their income or 0.8% to 3% of their wealth. More than 60% of the global top 10% live in the U.S. and EU. In the EU, 40% to 45% of the population falls within this highest-consuming group, and in the U.S. it is more than half the population.

Biodiversity loss is the single largest contributor to the global damage bill, accounting for 47% to 56% of the total. Climate change accounts for 36% to 45%. The finding underlines recent calls to tackle biodiversity and climate crises together rather than treating them as separate policy challenges.
The figures are likely conservative. They cover only four of nine planetary boundaries and reflect direct consumption alone. For the highest-income individuals, roughly half of emissions come from investments rather than personal consumption—impacts not captured in this analysis.

The scale of the damage bill illustrates the potential revenue if polluter-pays principles were applied to high-consuming groups. The researchers note that environmental taxation focused on luxury consumption rather than basic goods tends to be more progressive and more effective at reducing emissions, though they stress that pricing is one tool among several and does not justify or compensate for the damage itself.

Inge Schrijver, Environmental damages of the top ten percent consumers exceed global climate and biodiversity funding gaps, Communications Sustainability (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s44458-026-00079-x. www.nature.com/articles/s44458-026-00079-x

How do flocking birds and schools of fish move? New research offers crystal-clear answer
Flocking birds and schools of fish are a familiar sight. While previous research has uncovered the broad dynamics driving these movements, their underlying intricacies remain a mystery. Now a study by a team of  mathematicians offers new insights into these phenomena. It reveals that flocks and schools behave in ways similar to a soft crystalline material, with individual birds and fish serving as "atoms" that are evenly spaced in a lattice-like formation.
The findings, reported in the journal Physical Review Fluids, offer detailed insights into the hydrodynamic and aerodynamic interactions crucial in aerospace and automotive engineering, robotics and energy harvesting.
Lines of birds or fish behave like an elastic material with regularly spaced individuals held together by flexible, or spring-like, bonds—akin to soft crystalline substances in which atoms are arranged in an orderly, repeating pattern.
The research team proposed a mathematical model to explain these movements—one akin to those of soft crystalline materials, or soft crystals. These ordered solid materials can change their properties in response to stimuli, such as temperature or physical force, which makes their atomic organization fragile. The researchers subsequently saw a connection between crystalline organization and how birds or fish move together while adjusting their movements and formation in response to air or water flows, predators or objects such as rocks or buildings.

Crystalline organization is inherently fragile, as positions are susceptible to deformations and instabilities. In similar ways, birds and fish must sense and respond quickly to other forces in order to maintain long columnar formations. So while soft crystals, flocks of birds, and schools of fish are fragile in their makeup, such fragility may also be advantageous as it can be responsive to its surroundings.

Christiana Mavroyiakoumou et al, Modeling flying formations as flow-mediated matter, Physical Review Fluids (2026). DOI: 10.1103/tp8s-76vr

Orangutans eat medicinal plants in patterns that suggest self-medication

Long-term observations of Bornean orangutans show they selectively consume plant species rich in antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing compounds, often in recurring combinations and sequences atypical of their usual diet. These patterns are consistent with self-medication rather than purely nutritional feeding and parallel medicinal plant use by local Indigenous communities.
Orangutans seek out plants with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties, new research shows. Based on 20 years of observations of orangutans in Indonesian Borneo, scientists assessed how often the animals ate plants with known medicinal benefits. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, suggest orangutans eat combinations of plants in specific sequences—consistent with "self-medication" seen in other species.
It's not clear how they learn to do this, but the researchers think it may involve instinct and/or behaviour passed down over many generations.
What makes the findings interesting is that some plant species appeared together in the orangutan diet far more often than we would expect by chance. Several of these plants are known to contain compounds linked to antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory or wound-healing effects.

Importantly, many of these plants are not major parts of the orangutan diet overall, suggesting they may be eaten for specific benefits rather than as everyday food sources.
Chimpanzees are known to engage in "self-medication," for example by eating plants that reduce internal parasite infections. Similar behaviours have also been observed in bonobos, gibbons and gorillas.
Some of the plants eaten by the orangutans are also used by local Indigenous people for medicinal purposes.

G. Allen et al, Investigating medicinal resource combinations in the Bornean orangutan diet, Scientific Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-52614-4

Shell too snug? Hermit crabs have a fix

Hermit crabs depend on empty snail shells for protection, and the right size shell isn't always available.

For decades, biologists have known that hermit crabs forced to live in shells that are too small slow their growth. What wasn't clear was how they did it. New research suggests the answer isn't simply that the crabs eat less. Instead, they appear to regulate growth by changing how efficiently they use the food they consume.

Hermit crabs constrained to undersized shells slow growth not by reducing food intake but by lowering nutrient assimilation efficiency and increasing fecal output. This indicates structural constraints can modulate internal energy processing, showing growth depends on both nutrient intake and conversion to body mass rather than consumption alone.

Caitlin E. Ball et al, Small shells, slower growth: Experimental evidence consistent with nutrient elimination in Pagurus longicarpus, Invertebrate Biology (2025). DOI: 10.71161/ivb.144.4.2025.00022

Warming climate reduces milk quality and quantity

Heat stress on dairy cows affects more than just the quantity of milk produced—warming temperatures also reduce the fat and protein content of the milk, new research finds.
Heat stress in dairy cows reduces both milk yield and fat/protein content, with composition losses beginning at lower temperatures than yield declines. A 10-point increase in temperature-humidity index cuts yield by 1.2% but revenue by 2.8%, implying economic losses comparable to yield effects. Little evidence of biological heat adaptation was detected across cows or regions.

Jeisson Prieto et al, Milk composition responses amplify economic damages from heat stress, Environmental Research Letters (2026). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ae74e6

Microplastics may worsen fatty liver disease, new study suggests

Microplastics—minuscule pieces of plastic broken down from larger plastic waste—are a growing concern for human health, especially for the liver. A new study published in Science Advances demonstrates that a common type of microplastic is particularly harmful to the liver under high-fat dietary conditions.
The study, conducted in mice, found that blood markers of liver injury were more than twice as high in animals exposed to microplastics while consuming a high-fat diet, compared with animals exposed to the same particles while consuming a standard diet. The study focused on the most common type of plastic, polyethylene, which is found in materials like plastic bags and milk jugs.
The study also identified a gene regulator known as PPAR-alpha as playing a key role in the liver's response to microplastic exposure. PPAR-alpha, a protein inside the cells that controls how the body breaks down and uses fat for energy, influences a gene called Anxa2, which plays a role in tissue repair.

These findings suggest that microplastics may affect some of the liver's natural defense and repair mechanisms.
Although the research was conducted in mice, and additional research is needed to determine whether the same effects occur in humans, the study establishes a framework for understanding how microplastics may contribute to liver disease.
In mice, polyethylene microplastics combined with a high-fat, MASH-inducing diet more than doubled blood markers of liver injury compared with microplastics plus standard diet. Spatial transcriptomics localized “hot spots” of liver damage and inflammation. PPAR-α–dependent regulation of Anxa2 was implicated, suggesting disruption of hepatic defense and repair pathways.

Woncheol Jung et al, Spatial transcriptome mapping identifies Ppara-Anxa2 cross-talk in microplastic-induced hepatotoxicity, Science Advances (2026). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aec8681

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One vaccine changed everything: England's youngest women stopped dying from this cancer

The HPV vaccine for cervical cancer has reduced the risk of dying from the disease before age 30 in England to almost zero, the first study of its kind showed this week.
Between 2020 and 2024, no women in the country ages 20 to 24 died from cervical cancer, according to the study published in The Lancet medical journal.

It is the first time not a single death has been recorded in the age group, with the vaccine estimated to have saved the lives of nearly 200 young women.

In addition to the complete absence of deaths for 2020–24, there was also an 80% reduction in the same age group in the four preceding years, between 2015 and 2019, the study, which examined nationwide mortality data, found.

Thanks to HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination and cervical screening, a future where almost nobody gets cervical cancer is now firmly in sight.

Nationwide mortality data from England show that cervical cancer deaths among women aged 20–24 fell to zero between 2020–2024, with an estimated ~200 deaths averted since HPV vaccination began. Vaccination at ages 12–13 was associated with near-zero risk of death from cervical cancer before age 30. However, current HPV vaccine uptake (76%–86% by age 15) remains below the 90% target.

Peter Sasieni et al, Cervical cancer mortality trends following HPV vaccination in England, 2001–24: an analysis of population-based mortality data, The Lancet (2026). DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(26)00918-9

How the brain builds a sentence

Researchers have tracked the electrical activity of individual brain cells during conversation in real time, capturing how sentences are built before a single word is spoken. By observing these neurons in a brain region called the frontotemporal cortex, scientists have discovered that individual neurons act as specialized linguistic building blocks. “We used to think language was this diffuse, whole-network phenomenon,” says neurosurgeon and study co-author Ziv Williams. “But it turns out you have specific neurons that only care if a word is a noun, or only care if a phrase is ending.”

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10691-5?utm_source=Live+...

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01922-w?utm_source=Live+...

Scientists discover 'hyperparasite' in Malaysia Borneo jungle

Scientists have discovered a new species of parasitic fungus in Borneo's jungles that preys on "zombie fungi" known to infect insects before subjecting them to a gruesome death.

It was dubbed a "hyperparasite" because it "effectively parasitizes the primary pathogen.

The fungus belongs to the genus Pleurocordyceps and acts as a specialized hyperparasite.

The new species targets ants already infected by Ophiocordyceps, or "zombie fungus," which manipulates the infected insect's nervous system and makes it behave erratically before killing it and bursting from its carcass.

Rather than manipulating the insect's nervous system itself, Pleurocordyceps infiltrates and feeds directly on the thriving Ophiocordyceps tissue inside the host.

Named after its unique, distinctly horn-shaped structure, Pleurocordyceps cornusynnemata was discovered after scientists studied a dead ant collected from the Danum Valley, a remote area in southern Sabah.

MUHAMMAD SHAHBAZ et al, Taxonomy and phylogeny of Pleurocordyceps (Polycephalomycetaceae, Hypocreales) associated with ants and cicadas from Malaysia, including a new species and new records, Phytotaxa (2026). DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.750.4.1

For babies hospitalized with bronchiolitis, lying on stomach shows no clear benefit over lying on back

Acute viral bronchiolitis ranks among the top reasons infants land in the hospital .
Placing a baby on their stomach in the prone position can help them breathe more comfortably. With the chest facing down and the back facing up, this position takes pressure off the lungs, allowing for better oxygen exchange and helping fluid drain more effectively. In a randomized clinical trial, named PROPOSITIS, researchers investigated whether the prone sleeping position could help very young babies with a lung infection called bronchiolitis, not to be confused with bronchitis.
They followed 451 infants ages 6 months or younger who were hospitalized in France with bronchiolitis and were struggling to breathe. Some babies were placed in the prone position, lying on their stomachs, while others remained in the supine position, lying on their backs, as we typically do when sleeping.

Babies who were placed on their stomachs did not do much better than those who remained on their backs. About 15% of those on their stomachs needed stronger breathing support, compared with about 21% of those on their backs. Prone positioning was better, but the improvement was not statistically significant.

There was another challenge, too. Many babies became fussy or uncomfortable when placed on their stomachs, making it difficult for them to stay in that position for long.

Florent Baudin et al, Prone Positioning in Infants With Acute Bronchiolitis, JAMA (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2026.11078

Hibernation-like cooling after stroke may reduce brain damage

Our body loves the state of homeostasis, where everything is in perfect equilibrium, from temperature to pH levels to fluid balance. As soon as the body's core temperature drops below 95°F (35°C) and stays there for a long time, the heart, nervous system and other organs start to function poorly, which makes hypothermia extremely dangerous when not dealt with immediately. It is a medical emergency that can result in loss of consciousness or death.

Researchers have now found a way to turn this emergency into a tool to protect the body from the devastating effects of another health emergency—a stroke. A recent study investigated whether drugs like chlorpromazine and promethazine (C+P) can be used to mimic the chilling effects of hypothermia to protect the brain from the aftereffects of stroke.

C+P treatment reduced brain damage and improved neurological function in a mouse stroke model. In rhesus monkeys, the drugs lowered body temperature, which suppressed the metabolic rate and protected the brain from stroke-related injury.

The researchers then moved to a small Phase I clinical trial with 32 stroke patients. The treatment was safe at a 100 mg dose and successfully lowered body temperature while slowing the body's energy use, an effect that the researchers suggest helps protect the brain after a stroke.

Shuaili Xu et al, The translational potential of drug-induced hypothermia in acute ischemic stroke, Science Translational Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.ady7847

How a brainless sea blob still 'feels' touch and crawls away in seconds without nerves or muscles
For a flat sea creature just a few millimeters across, a gentle poke is instantly recognized as danger. Trichoplax adhaerens—a translucent blob with no head, brain or muscles—scuttles away in seconds when touched. Imagine a flattened multicellular amoeba moving as a single unit: Trichoplax is only ~20 microns thick and a few millimeters wide. It glides on surfaces by beating tens of thousands of cilia on its lower epithelium (the underside), like microscopic oars dragging against the water.
Yet unlike most animals, Trichoplax has no obvious front or back end, no nerves or muscles at all. How can such a simple "crawling carpet" steer or change direction without a brain?

A new study reveals the remarkable flexibility of this pinhead-sized animal. While in most creatures, the orientation of each cilium is fixed early in development and locked to the body's axes, Trichoplax achieves its swift escape by reorienting its thousands of hairlike cilia.

The whole animal's direction is determined by the tiny anchors (basal bodies) that set each cilium's beat, allowing it to behave as though it "feels" the touch and flips the direction of its ciliary oars in unison.
Deep video analysis revealed that the basal bodies under Trichoplax all line up with the animal's current heading. As it crawls, there's a smooth gradient of basal-body angles from one side of the disk to the other, effectively setting the front of the animal. When Trichoplax stretches or folds its body, these gradients shift—the pattern of ciliary beat changes in step with the shape.

The new study shows that even a tiny change in body shape or mechanical stress causes the basal bodies to rotate in synchrony. This means Trichoplax steers by reorienting its oars, not by any hidden neurons. As the authors summarize, "Together, our results uncover a rapid and coordinated mechanism of BB [basal body] reorientation that links subcellular organization to whole-animal behaviour."
It wasn't obvious that a brainless blob could even detect touch. The researchers gently poked Trichoplax individuals with a fine probe and even bisected some with a microscalpel. Almost immediately—within seconds—the basal bodies swung around together. The beating cilia literally flipped direction. Each half of a cut animal suddenly crawled away from the wound.

This negative mechanotactic response (moving away from a touch) relies on basal-body rotation: as one scientist put it, "This negative mechanotactic behavior is enabled by the reorientation of BBs, which takes place across the entire lower epithelium on a timescale of seconds." One of the authors even said the lab was "jaw-on-the-floor surprised" when they first saw how quickly the cilia all pivoted around.

part1

In a brained animal, sensing a poke might involve nerves; here, the entire epithelium seems to have that built in. It's as if a crawling baby, upon feeling a prick, instantly flips all four limbs to scuttle off. (In Trichoplax's case, the "limbs" are cilia on every ventral cell.)

To test the mechanism, the team filled the seawater with a calcium chelator and specific channel blockers—the result: no flip, no escape. Blocking voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels left Trichoplax insensitive; it kept crawling as if unperturbed.

These results show the trick is calcium-dependent. In short, a mechanical jolt triggers a wave of calcium in the lower cell layer, causing thousands of basal bodies to rotate almost instantaneously. The animal then resumes crawling—in the opposite direction.

Marvin Leria et al, Fast mechanosensitive and Ca²⁺-dependent reorientation of motile cilia basal bodies in the placozoan Trichoplax, Current Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2026.04.054

part 2

Palm oil, coconut and soybean drive more species extinction than previously thought

Oils from crops such as coconut, palm oil and soybean are used in a range of applications, from cosmetics and makeup to margarine and spreads, and from medicines to animal feed. These oil crops, as they are known, are increasingly consumed and cultivated. This has an impact on the environment. But what exactly is that impact?

Tropical regions are especially impacted, with agricultural land use causing significant biodiversity loss. This is due not only to the fact that oil crops such as oil palm and coconut are exclusive to these regions, but also because they support high biodiversity and typically yield less per unit of land. As a result, there is often a need for  agricultural expansion, which can lead to ecosystem destruction, such as deforestation.
Global analysis of 19 oil crops attributes about 75% of oil‑crop–driven biodiversity loss to oil palm, soybean, and coconut. Biodiversity loss from these crops increased ~80% between 1995 and 2020, concentrated in tropical regions and strongly driven by consumption in other countries, notably the EU, China, and the US. Mitigation requires reduced deforestation and more biodiversity‑friendly production.

Oil crop supply chains drive rising global biodiversity loss and outsource impacts to the tropics, Nature Food (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s43016-026-01375-4

The Sun may not engulf Earth after all, scientists say

The Earth may not be engulfed by the expanding fireball of the dying sun, which has long been assumed to be our home planet's ultimate fate, according to scientists.
New tidal-dissipation models and constraints on solar mass loss suggest the Sun’s future expansion will likely not engulf Earth or Mars, as reduced tidal dissipation and stronger mass loss allow their orbits to expand beyond the solar radius. Mercury and Venus remain destined for engulfment, and the Sun will ultimately evolve into a cooling white dwarf.
Don't worry: This is not expected to happen for another 5 billion years, long after all life on Earth has been wiped out.

When the sun burns through all of the hydrogen in its core, it will go through two immense expansion phases: first becoming a red giant, then, when its helium is spent, an "AGB" star.

This fiery death will bring about some significant changes back here on Earth.

As the sun grows, increasing gravitational forces will pull the Earth toward it.

For the Earth and the moon, this force creates the push and pull of the tides in our oceans. The energy from these tides, which dissipates at the bottom of the ocean, slows Earth's rotation and gradually pushes the moon away from us.

As the sun expands and its blistering surface approaches Earth, intense tidal waves will stir within the star. When they dissipate, they will pull Earth into its doomed embrace.

However, the growing sun will also lose a lot of its mass due to stellar wind, which pushes our planet farther away.

"Earth's fate depends on a delicate balance between these two effects," say the scientists.
If tidal interactions predominate, Earth is engulfed by the sun. If the sun's mass loss predominates, Earth escapes into an orbit larger than the radius of its star.

M. Esseldeurs et al, The fate of Earth during the Sun's giant phases, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2026). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202660576

Animals communicate to work together across species boundaries

An international team of researchers have published a new review in Animal Behaviour revealing how communication enables cooperation between different animal species. The review, titled "The ecology and evolution of cues and signals in animal interspecies cooperation," highlights how movements, visual displays, calls, and other behavioural cues and signals help partners coordinate interactions and align interests across species boundaries.

From birds guiding humans to bees' nests in return for access to beeswax, to cleaner fish removing ectoparasites from larger reef fishes in exchange for a meal, cooperation between species occurs across a remarkable range of ecological settings. By gathering examples from birds, fish, insects and mammals, the authors highlight the diverse ways that animals exchange information to organize their actions and sustain mutually beneficial partnerships.

Communication via visual, acoustic, chemical, tactile, and multimodal cues enables interspecies partners to coordinate actions, access shared or exchanged resources, and limit exploitation. Signals range from stable, stereotyped displays to context-dependent, learned behaviours and can evolve from noncommunicative cues or behaviours in other contexts, illuminating the coevolution and flexibility of cooperative interactions across taxa.

Cues and signals help animals identify cooperative partners, initiate interactions, and ensure they benefit from the partnership. Because interacting with members of another species can carry risks, communication is also important for avoiding individuals that might exploit them.
Many species rely on multiple senses to improve communication, and the review suggests that focusing only on obvious visual signals may overlook important ways animals exchange information across species.
The review also explores how communication systems between species may evolve. Some signals begin as simple cues, features or behaviors that influence how others respond, even though they did not originally evolve for communication.

Over time, these cues can develop into clear signals. Other signals originate as behaviours used in different contexts, such as settling conflicts or caring for young, before being adapted for communication in interspecies cooperation.

K. Dunkley et al, The ecology and evolution of cues and signals in animal interspecies cooperation, Animal Behaviour (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2026.123611

Bending forward and walking a lot at work may raise miscarriage risk in early pregnancy

Bending forward and, to a lesser extent, walking a lot at work in early pregnancy may raise the risk of miscarriage, finds a large study of more than 470,000 Danish women, published online in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Each additional hour of bending forward, particularly at a 30-degree angle, was associated with a 36% higher risk, while each additional hour of walking was associated with an 18% higher risk, although the pattern was consistent only for bending forward, the findings show.

Miscarriage is relatively common, affecting around 15% of women. Risk factors include parental age, smoking, night shift work, and exposure to air pollution and various chemical compounds, note the researchers.

In >800,000 Danish pregnancies, occupational standing, walking, and especially forward bending in early pregnancy were associated with increased miscarriage risk. Each additional hour of bending ≥30° correlated with ~36% higher risk, walking with 18%, and standing with 3%, with a clear dose–response only for bending.

Occupational standing, walking and forward bending during pregnancy and the risk of miscarriage: a Danish nationwide, register-based, cohort study, Occupational and Environmental Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2025-110712

Fish oil supplements may not prevent Alzheimer's-related decline, clinical trial suggests
A two-year randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 365 older adults at elevated Alzheimer’s risk found that 2,000 mg/day DHA increased cerebrospinal fluid DHA by 17% but did not improve cognition or memory, nor prevent hippocampal atrophy. Results do not support high-dose fish oil supplements for Alzheimer’s prevention; broader lifestyle measures remain primary for risk reduction.

eBioMedicine (2026). www.thelancet.com/journals/EBI … (26)00198-2/fulltext

Nonsurgical procedure provides lasting relief for knee pain, finds study

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It causes inflammation, stiffness, reduced mobility and sensory nerve pain. According to the World Health Organization, knee osteoarthritis affects more than 365 million adults worldwide and is one of the leading contributors to disability.

Embolization of abnormal blood vessels using rapidly resorbable gelatin-based microspheres is safe and provides significant, lasting pain relief and functional improvement for patients with osteoarthritis-related knee pain, according to a new study published in Radiology.
Genicular artery embolization (GAE) is an emerging minimally invasive treatment that targets abnormal blood vessels using superselective embolization.

In an osteoarthritic knee, these abnormal vessels build up around the joint and drive inflammation and pain. During GAE, an interventional radiologist guides a thin catheter directly to each affected vessel and injects tiny particles to block it, calming the inflammation and easing the pain without surgery.
In their trials, researchers noticed a significant drop in pain and a significant increase in function, including sports and recreation and daily activity.
"Most importantly, their quality of life significantly increased."
Genicular artery embolization with rapidly resorbable gelatin microspheres in 194 patients with knee osteoarthritis was technically successful in all 239 procedures, with only mild, self-limited adverse events in 6.7%. Pain scores decreased from 7 to 3 over 12 months, functional and quality-of-life scores improved beyond clinically important thresholds in 80%, indicating durable, clinically meaningful benefit.

Florian Nima Fleckenstein et al, Genicular Artery Embolization Using Rapidly Resorbable Gelatin-based Microspheres for Osteoarthritis-related Knee Pain, Radiology (2026). DOI: 10.1148/radiol.253312 , pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.253312

Jumping gene caught moving between species in first direct observation

Genes are not passed on exclusively from parents to their offspring. Some are mobile and can also jump to other species, as researchers have now shown. The direct observation of a jumping gene provides the first evidence that such genes can transfer from one species to another—from predator to prey. The study is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Jumping genes are parasites in the genetic material of bacteria, plants, animals and humans. They are released into the cell as small RNA molecules from ribonucleic acid (RNA) and possess complex mechanisms for inserting themselves into other parts of the genetic material within the cell, thereby often conferring new properties on the cell and accelerating evolution. There are also jumping genes that free themselves from the RNA using an RNA enzyme. These ribozymes, or self-splicing introns, are a special group of jumping genes.

It is more difficult for a gene to jump into another cell or another species. Phylogenetic analyses of genes show that such jumps have taken place. Until now, it had been assumed that, for this to happen, the jumping genes traveled as 'hitchhikers' in the genomes of plasmids or viruses. Now,  researchers have made  this surprising observation.

Mobile self-splicing intron RNA from the predatory bacterium Candidatus Velamenicoccus archaeovorus was directly visualized in both predator cells and dead Methanothrix soehngenii cells, demonstrating horizontal transfer from predator to prey. The intron persists as stable circular RNA, indicating a plasmid- and virus-independent route for interspecies gene transfer that can accelerate microbial evolution.

Jana Kizina et al, Mobile intron RNA from a bacterial predator accumulates in dead archaeal cells, Scientific Reports (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-51721-6

Mars-like conditions fail to kill some Earth pathogens, experiments suggest

Microorganisms from our planet could survive on celestial bodies where water is present, such as Mars. That is the conclusion of researchers after experiments with simulated space conditions. Our immune system reacts less effectively to pathogens that have undergone such a simulated space journey.
Earth extremophiles, especially yeasts, withstand simulated lunar, Martian, and icy moon conditions via enhanced DNA repair and protective responses. Human pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumoniae survive Mars-like exposure, become smaller, and elicit weaker immune cell responses. Simulated lunar and Martian regolith damage lung barriers and promote infection more than terrestrial sand.
Researchers also studied several well-known human pathogens, such as the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae, which can cause pneumonia. They observed that these pathogens shrank after a simulated trip to Mars, yet survived it. In laboratory experiments, immune cells from human blood responded less strongly to these shrunken pathogens.

This is important news for astronauts, who already face declining health in space and must therefore be extra cautious about infections. Space travel places heavy strain on the immune system because of the lack of a normal day-night rhythm, poor diet, disrupted gut function, DNA damage from radiation, limited social interaction and confinement in a small space.
In addition, astronauts must be wary of dust (regolith) from the moon and Mars.
Material from Mars, and even more so from our moon, damages the protective layer of the lungs and causes infections. Earth material usually does not.

Tommaso Zaccaria, Dissertation title: Life beyond Earth: microbial survival and immune health in space. Supervisors: Prof. Dr. M.G. Netea and Prof. Dr. M.I. de Jonge. Co supervisors: Dr. P. Rettberg and Dr. K. Beblo Vranesevic (both German Aerospace Center, Germany).

Spontaneous and voluntary laughter come from two different brain regions, researchers reveal
Laughter is a universal social signal that connects us with others.
In a review published in Trends in Neurosciences, researchers analyze reports from medical procedures in which the brain is electrically stimulated in awake patients. Laughter can be an unintentional byproduct of these stimulations, allowing scientists to pinpoint laughter-evoking brain areas.

By examining these reports and other clinical and animal studies, the authors describe two distinct networks in the brain for laughter: one that elicits spontaneous outbursts, and another that produces voluntary, conversational laughter.

Researchers have long observed two types of laughter in healthy humans.

Spontaneous, involuntary and sometimes uncontrollable laughter can be associated with certain types of seizure disorders, mood disorders, Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia.
The second kind is volitional laughter. That's most of the laughter you encounter. It's timed incredibly precisely. If you look at people having a conversation, they will laugh together at the end of a sentence and then breathe together.

When people are talking to each other, volitional laughter starts and stops really quickly. This type of coordination points to a degree of control that is lacking in spontaneous laughter.

To tease apart the brain circuitry underlying these two types of laughter, the team turned to reports of presurgical brain stimulation in epilepsy patients. During these procedures, clinicians identify brain regions to target for surgery by electrically stimulating parts of the brain while patients are awake. These probes often unintentionally evoke laughter, and patients are able to describe their feelings in real time.

The authors analyzed these reports, along with other clinical and animal studies, to propose two distinct networks underlying spontaneous and voluntary laughter.

The spontaneous network consists of brain regions involved in motor control and emotional regulation, including the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex, nucleus accumbens and the temporal pole. Stimulating these regions produces laughter accompanied by enhanced mood, euphoria and mirth.

The voluntary network comprises areas involved purely in motor control of laughing and smiling, such as the rolandic operculum, globus pallidus and presupplementary motor area. Stimulation of these regions evokes laughter without positive emotions.

The authors suggest that the spontaneous network is a more evolutionarily ancient pathway that arose in animal "rough-and-tumble" play, with laughter-like vocalizations serving as a signal to prevent aggression and promote social bonding. This hypothesis is consistent with recent discoveries that several mammalian species produce laughter-like vocalizations during social interactions.

The voluntary network, on the other hand, overlaps with brain regions that produce speech, supporting the idea that it controls more purpose-driven, conversational laughter.

The neural basis of laughter, Trends in Neurosciences (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2026.05.002

Discovery of 3 severe pneumonia subtypes could lead to tailored treatments

Pneumonia is the most common infectious cause of death worldwide, responsible for an estimated 2.5 million deaths a year. In severe cases, patients may need to be admitted to an ICU and given mechanical ventilation. Severe pneumonia accounts for six in 10 infections managed in intensive care, and spread of the infection within ICUs is a significant concern.
Severe pneumonia is usually diagnosed through a combination of symptoms, imaging and blood tests. Symptoms typically include fever or hypothermia, low oxygen levels, breathing difficulties and confusion.

Doctors have long struggled to understand why patients whose condition looks similar clinically can have very different recoveries. Some respond quickly to treatment, while others remain critically ill for weeks or even die.
Researchers have now shown that severe pneumonia has three different subtypes, helping explain why some patients in intensive care units (ICUs) recover from their illness faster than others, while for other patients the disease can be life-threatening.
Their findings could in future help inform tailored treatments, allowing individual patients to receive the most appropriate therapies.
Even though doctors are able to treat the initial infection, many patients with severe pneumonia still struggle to come off the ventilator and can develop lung failure. Therapies to tackle inflammation in the lungs have had mixed results in clinical trials—some suggest they are beneficial, others that they're harmful.
The current approach of classifying patients by their clinical syndromes—sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome and so on—without looking at the underlying biology risks missing what's key. Instead of asking 'Does this patient have pneumonia?' doctors should be asking 'What's the inflammatory pattern in this patient's lungs to correctly treat them?'"

Instead of relying only on blood tests or scans, however, the Cambridge team analyzed immune cells, inflammatory signals and gene activity in fluid taken from the lungs of the patients. They discovered that there are three distinct biological types—or "pneumotypes"—of severe pneumonia, none of which could be reliably detected using standard blood tests, even though they were strongly linked to how patients recovered.
Part 1

The most common pneumotype—accounting for almost half (49%) of cases—was characterized by immune suppression, significant damage to the lining of the lungs and bleeding in the alveoli (tiny air sacs within the lungs). There were fewer signs of inflammation, which may explain why treatments targeting inflammation can fail or even harm some patients.

The second pneumotype—accounting for just under a quarter (23%) of cases—was characterized by a balanced immune response and active repair of damage to the lungs. Patients were most likely to recover faster from this pneumotype and require the shortest time on the ventilator, even though they initially looked just as ill as the others.

Patients with the most dangerous pneumotype—the one that most resembles "classic" pneumonia—spent the longest on mechanical ventilation and had prolonged critical illness. They had severe and persistent inflammation, with a flood of immature immune cells in the lung. This group may be most likely to respond to anti-inflammatory therapies, the research team said.
Severe pneumonia is not a single disease, but several biologically distinct conditions that happen to look alike. This helps explain why 'one-size-fits-all' treatments—including some immune-modulating drugs—have often failed in clinical trials.

The tests used to determine the pneumotypes are too complex to enable rapid classification, but the researchers hope to develop a simplified tool that could help them stratify the patients and ultimately offer tailored treatments.

Pulmonary inflammation in severe pneumonia is characterised by compartmentalised and mechanistically distinct sub-phenotypes, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-74190-x

Scientists design a clay that can prevent fruits and vegetables from rotting too quickly
Chemically modified natural clay with enlarged pore structures can strongly adsorb and retain ethylene gas, slowing fruit and vegetable ripening without added toxicity. The work clarifies the physicochemical mechanisms governing ethylene uptake, enabling optimization for industrial food packaging. Potential applications include ethylene-scavenging pads to reduce food waste and improve flavour.

K. Kovalchuk et al, Disentangling interlayer confinement and pore surface adsorption in functionalized smectites for tunable ethylene gas capture, Applied Surface Science Advances (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.apsadv.2026.101010

Contact lenses can repair themselves with just one hour of UV light exposure

A methacrylate hydrogel cross-linked with disulfide bonds and coated with an antibacterial, anti-scratch layer enables self-healing contact lenses. UV exposure at 365 nm for 1 hour induces disulfide exchange, efficiently repairing scratches with minimal loss of transparency. The coated lenses show soft-contact-like water retention and high abrasion resistance, but require further stability and regulatory evaluation.

Jung-Hyun Choi et al, Room-Temperature UV-Induced Self-Healing Hydrogels with Antifouling and Antiscratch Surfaces for Soft Contact Lenses, ACS Applied Polymer Materials (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.5c04803

White barn owls may use moonlight to startle prey
Male barn owls with white plumage orient flights toward the moon and preferentially hunt in brighter, unshaded areas, increasing exposure of their bright feathers to prey. Dive-level capture probability is similar across colors and light levels, but white males capture more prey per hour on bright nights, supporting a startle rather than background-matching function of whiteness.

Kim Schalcher et al, Barn owl color morphs hunt differently in moonlight, Current Biology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2026.05.020

Hope for spinal injuries as pigs walk again after experimental gel treatment for severed spinal cords

In humans and other mammals, spinal cord injuries can be devastating, leading to permanent loss of movement, sensation and bladder control. When severed axons (the long fibers that carry messages between nerve cells) cannot regrow, a dense scar forms, preventing nerve signals from passing the injury site.

But the situation is different for some primitive invertebrates, which can rapidly reconnect severed nerves by fusing them. Inspired by this natural phenomenon, scientists report that they have successfully reconnected severed spinal cords in pigs, enabling them to walk again.

When a spinal cord is completely cut, the two severed ends naturally pull away from each other. In microscopic roundworms, for example, the nerve ends automatically find each other and fuse together. The researchers realized that to recreate a natural fusion process like this, they needed a material to fill the empty space and hold the two ends together.
As they detail in a paper published in the journal PLOS One, they engineered a fusogen-based gel designed to weld damaged nerve membranes back together. It contains a chemical used in medicine, polyethylene glycol, and a biological polymer, chitosan.

Pigs with complete spinal cord transections treated with a polyethylene glycol–chitosan fusogen gel showed rapid sensory recovery, restoration of bladder control by day 5, and independent walking by day 60, unlike untreated controls. Histology indicated reduced scarring and nerve fibers crossing the lesion, consistent with axonal fusion–mediated neurorepair.

Given the rapid clinical improvement observed, the therapeutic effects ... cannot be attributed solely to axonal regeneration ... This points to immediate neurorepair mechanisms, namely axonal fusion, being the primary driver of the initial recovery.
While this pig study is a significant advance, human clinical trials are likely still a long way off, as larger animal studies will be needed first. However, the research has demonstrated that damaged nerve fibers may reconnect after spinal injury, giving hope for future spinal treatments, as the researchers note.

Michael Lebenstein-Gumovski et al, Fusogen-induced recovery of spinal cord function and morphology after complete transection, PLOS One (2026). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0349579

Vitamin D and calcium supplements may not protect against bone fractures, large new study suggests
Calcium or vitamin D supplements alone show little to no reduction in fractures or falls in adults, and combined supplementation yields only very small, clinically marginal benefits. The findings question routine supplementation for community-dwelling adults without deficiency or osteoporosis. Evidence more strongly supports weight-bearing exercise, balance training, and overall lifestyle measures for fracture and fall prevention.

original article.

Exposure to bright evening light linked to higher risk of age-related eye disease

The eye does more than help us see. It also plays a key role in setting our internal body clock, and, as a result, the amount and timing of light exposure may influence how the eye ages over time. Age-related eye diseases (AREDs), such as macular degeneration, cataracts and glaucoma, are a group of conditions that commonly develop in older adults and can lead to significant vision loss.

Many of these conditions share biological processes, including long-term inflammation, oxidative stress and disruptions in cellular energy production.

Every sunrise and sunset sends the body a signal, keeping the circadian clock running on a roughly 24-hour cycle. This clock evolved so organisms could adapt to Earth's daily rotation, syncing their biology to the pattern of day and night. Artificial lighting has freed human societies from relying on the sun to go about daily life, extending activity well into the night, but this convenience comes with a trade-off.
Researchers found that exposure to bright artificial light in the evening, especially between 8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., may significantly increase the risk of developing serious eye diseases later in life. Those exposed to light levels above 1000 lux during these hours showed a notably higher likelihood of conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts and glaucoma.

It is not your living room lamp one needs to worry about, as standard indoor lighting, usually between 100 and 500 lux, stays safely within range. The real risk comes from extreme evening brightness from modern high-brightness screens and electronic displays, or occupational lighting in high-precision fields.

Researchers already knew there is a critical evening transition window when the body's internal clock is especially sensitive to light. However, there was limited real-world data linking specific light levels during this period to the development of actual eye diseases.

In this study, the researchers followed a database of 82,826 participants from the UK Biobank. Anyone who already had eye diseases was excluded to specifically track new cases that developed over time.
Part 1

After the week of light monitoring, the researchers followed the participants' health for an average of nearly eight years. The data pointed to a clear vulnerability threshold for eye health: average exposure to evening light exceeding 1,000 lux. In individuals consistently exposed to light above this level in the evening, the risk of developing major eye diseases rose sharply.

They observed a 31% higher risk of age-related macular degeneration, an 18% higher risk of cataracts and a 47% higher risk of primary open-angle glaucoma. The more time a person spent in bright light, the higher the risk.

Researchers suggest that this damage might be linked to disrupted circadian rhythms and exposure to blue light from modern LEDs, which can trigger oxidative stress and even cause photochemical damage in the delicate cells of the lens and retina.

Since high-intensity evening light is a modifiable risk factor, health care professionals can help people protect their long-term vision by choosing circadian-safe lighting, like dimming screens and using lower-intensity lights before bed.

Xiaoqian Wu et al, Association of high-intensity evening light exposure with risk of incident age-related macular degeneration, cataract, and glaucoma: a prospective cohort study of 82,826 participants, GeroScience (2026). DOI: 10.1007/s11357-026-02307-7

Part 2

Uneven cerebellum aging may partly explain why some older adults stay mentally sharp

The name "cerebellum" comes from Latin and means "little brain." While it is smaller than the rest of the brain, it contains most of the brain's neurons and coordinates a variety of functions and processes in the brain and body. These include balance, posture and fine motor skills like typing or writing.

Scientists may have discovered a new role for the cerebellum, the part of the brain that sits at the base of the skull. A new paper published in the journal Nature Neuroscience reports that different parts of the cerebellum change at different rates with age, which may be linked to differences in cognitive abilities and memory in later life. This may help explain why some people stay sharper as they get older.
The team analyzed brain scans and cognitive test scores from more than 700 healthy U.S. individuals whose data had been collected as part of the Human Connectome Project. Then they mapped out 11 separate sections on the digital scans and calculated how the volume of each region changed with age.

The scientists discovered that the cerebellum does not age evenly. Regions at the back, which are more connected to higher-order thinking networks, show faster shrinking than front regions involved in basic movement.
"We show a spatially heterogeneous pattern of aging in which specific association and motor-related regions show steeper relationships with age than other lobules," the authors wrote in their paper.

The data also revealed that people with a larger cerebellum scored higher on memory and thinking tests as they aged than people with a smaller cerebellum.

The research team saw a similar trend in a pool of about 47,000 adults in the UK Biobank and Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. However, in people with Alzheimer's, it appears that support from the cerebellum has its limits as the disease progresses. "This supports a threshold-reserve model, in which the cerebellum helps sustain cognition until pathology becomes widespread."

The researchers cannot say for certain whether a larger cerebellum directly causes better cognition in old age. They have shown a link or association, not a true cause-and-effect relationship. Also, their findings might not apply to everyone globally because most of the study data came from white individuals with high levels of education.

Federico d'Oleire Uquillas et al, Cerebellar aging is spatially heterogeneous and supports cognitive resilience in later life, Nature Neuroscience (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41593-026-02289-x

Why pollution affects some asthma patients more than others

For many people with asthma, air-quality advisories are harbingers of worsening symptoms. But the extent to which pollution exacerbates asthma varies widely from person to person.
In a study published in eBioMedicine, researchers identified biological pathways that begin to uncover this mystery, showing how air-pollution exposure interacts with a person's genes.

The study—which is among the largest and most comprehensive of its kind to date—could eventually lead to new avenues for asthma drug development, as well as potential new biomarkers and public health interventions targeted to those who are most vulnerable to pollution-exacerbated asthma.
Asthma severity responses to PM2.5 vary due to genetic differences in oxidative stress–related pathways. Whole-genome, exposure, and airway transcriptomic data identified variants in seven genes, including OXSR1, PXDN, and TPO, that alter pollution-induced RNA responses and are associated with lower lung function. These pathways suggest potential targets for precision diagnostics and interventions.

Using data from nearly 1,000 adults with asthma the analysis included a combination of whole-genome sequencing, air-pollution exposure data and gene-expression profiling. Among the thousands of genes in the human genome, the team focused on about 450 genes that control oxidative stress, a process in which highly reactive molecules can damage cells and tissues.
Those stresses on cells can translate into serious physiologic effects, like worsening lung function or asthma exacerbations.
The team focused on how these genes interacted with the environmental stress of exposure to fine particulate matter known as PM2.5. These microscopic particles, with a diameter less than that of a human hair (less than 2.5 microns), are small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs and are widely considered one of the most harmful components of air pollution.
A clear relationship emerged.

In these individuals who were living with asthma, the higher their exposure to this particulate matter, the lower their lung function overall.
The researchers found that the most vulnerable patients carried variants in seven oxidative stress–related genes that shape how the body responds to cellular damage from pollution. These genetic variants appear to influence how airway cells respond to the PM2.5 exposure, with some variants enhancing protection from PM2.5, while others appear to worsen the damage.

Individuals with less common variants in two specific genes, called OXSR1 and PXDN, had disproportionately worse lung function due to lower protective RNA responses to pollution. Those with a specific variant in another gene, called TPO, had worse lung function as well, but for them, it was due to stronger RNA responses.

The molecular pathways described in the study could point to targets for new therapies—and open the door to much more.

A cross-sectional study of oxidative stress pathway genotypes and their interactions with environmental pollutant levels identifies associations with gene expression and lung function, eBioMedicine (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2026.106334

A species of gut bacteria could ease anxiety and diarrhea-predominant IBS

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition characterized by abdominal pain, bloating and changes in bowel movements, estimated to affect between 10% and 15% of people worldwide. Past studies suggest that in many cases this condition is accompanied by anxiety, an emotional state marked by worry, fear and/or overthinking about specific life events.
While IBS and anxiety are known to often occur together, the biological processes linking the two have not yet been fully elucidated. One possibility is that bacteria and other microorganisms living in the digestive tract, broadly referred to as gut microbiota, contribute to these biological processes.
Researchers carried out a study aimed at shedding more light on the biological mechanisms linking a type of IBS called diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D), which is associated with frequent loose stools, with anxiety.

Their paper, published in Translational Psychiatry, suggests that a species of gut-inhabiting bacteria called Phocaeicola vulgatus could contribute to easing anxiety associated with IBS-D.
The researchers also carried out a series of genetic analyses on their mouse model of IBS to further explore the effects of the Phocaeicola vulgatus bacteria. The results of these analyses confirmed that the bacteria protected the mouse brain from anxiety.

Finally, giving live Phocaeicola vulgatus to mice eased anxiety by calming brain inflammation and repairing damaged neurons in the amygdala.

Jiacheng Wu et al, Phocaeicola vulgatus improves anxiety-like behavior by ameliorating amygdala neuroinflammation and the neurite impairment in IBS, Translational Psychiatry (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41398-026-04142-y.