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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 55 minutes ago

Urban life makes animals bolder, more aggressive across 133 species, analysis finds

A global analysis has found that urban animals are bolder and more aggressive, exploratory and active than their rural counterparts.

Urban animals across 133 species exhibit increased boldness, aggression, exploration, and activity compared to rural counterparts, with effects most pronounced in birds. These behavioural shifts may elevate risks of human-wildlife conflict and zoonotic disease transmission. Data are limited for non-avian taxa, highlighting the need for broader research and consideration of animal behaviour in urban planning.

Global meta-analysis reveals urban-associated behavioral differences among wild populations, Journal of Animal Ecology (2026). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.70269

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 58 minutes ago

Scientists solved 200-year-old puzzle of how tobacco plants make nicotine

Scientists have uncovered how tobacco plants naturally make nicotine, solving a mystery that has puzzled researchers for nearly two centuries. The discovery, published in Nature Communications, could lead to safer production of medicines and vaccines using tobacco plants, without the unwanted nicotine.

The biosynthetic pathway for nicotine in tobacco plants has been elucidated, identifying the missing genes and enzymes, including NaGR and NicGS, responsible for assembling nicotine from two metabolic precursors. Nicotine biosynthesis involves an initial attachment to a glucose molecule, which is removed in the final step, explaining previous difficulties in tracing the process. This knowledge enables the potential removal or modification of nicotine in tobacco used for pharmaceutical production.
Scientists have now discovered the missing genes and enzyme that tobacco plants need to make nicotine, and recreated the process in the lab and inside living plants, proving how it works.

Benjamin T. W. Schwabe et al, Nicotine biosynthesis is completed by cryptic activating glucosylation, Nature Communications (2026). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-026-72705-0

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 1 hour ago

A de-extinction company has hatched live chicks from an artificial eggshell

A biotech company that aims to resurrect lost creatures said this week it has hatched live chicks in an artificial environment—a development that was met with mixed reviews from scientists and critics of its de-extinction mission.

Twenty-six baby chickens—ranging from a few days to several months old—were born from a 3D printed lattice structure that mimics an eggshell, according to Colossal Biosciences.

Colossal previously announced it had genetically engineered living animals to resemble extinct species, including mice with long hair like the woolly mammoth and wolf pups that take after dire wolves.

Independent scientists say the technology, while impressive, lacks some components to be truly considered an artificial egg. And they said the idea of reviving extinct beasts is likely impossible.

To hatch the chicks, Colossal scientists poured fertilized eggs into the artificial system and placed them in an incubator. They also added calcium, which is normally absorbed from the eggshell, and imaged the embryos' development and growth in real-time.

Scientists say Colossal has designed an artificial eggshell with a membrane that allows the right amount of oxygen to get in, just like a real egg. But other components of an egg—like temporary organs that form to nourish and stabilize the growing chick and remove waste—weren't included.

That's not an artificial egg because they have poured in all the other parts that make it an egg. It's an artificial eggshell.

Source: News Agencies

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 1 hour ago

Swarms of tiny light-controlled robots could revolutionize wound care

Having a swarm of microbots moving across your body may sound like the stuff of a horror movie, but it could actually be the future of targeted drug delivery and advanced wound healing. Scientists have developed a way to use blue and red light as a remote control to assemble and disperse swarms of biohybrid microrobots that could one day transform how we treat injuries.
The microrobots come in two parts. The first is a living green microalga called Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (CR), which uses two tail-like structures (flagella) to swim through aquatic environments and respond to light.

The second part consists of nanoparticles made of a biodegradable plastic called PLGA. These act like tiny backpacks that can be loaded with medicine and are given a positive charge so they can attach to the algae, which has a negative charge.

In nature, CR algae are highly sensitive to light and use their flagella to swim toward or away from it to survive. Their behaviour changes depending on the colour of the light they encounter.
Taking advantage of this, the researchers developed a system where they used light to guide millions of cells to split apart, merge together, and change shape on command, creating a variety of patterns like a gear and a star.

Such reversible swarming behavior is realized by combining the wavelength-dependent assembly ability of CR and its inherent phototactic properties with light exposures through a series of different mask openings that define the desired swarm geometry.
To demonstrate how this innovation could work in a medical setting, scientists tested it on a simulated wound on an artificial skin model.
They used an AI program to automatically scan the shape of the injury and project the exact patterns of light needed to guide the microrobots. These tiny medical helpers successfully carried and released drug-loaded particles to the target area.

Víctor de la Asunción-Nadal et al, Light-switchable swarming of biohybrid microrobots, Science Advances (2026). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aed0994

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 1 hour ago

Consistency check casts doubt on evolving dark energy

Cosmologists have long struggled to determine whether the universe's accelerating expansion is being driven by a simple cosmological constant, or whether dark energy's influence is evolving over time. In a new analysis published in Physical Review D, physicists have identified a subtle impact on the inference of the nature of dark energy, due to a tiny mismatch between a fundamental cosmological distance relation and two key datasets used to measure the properties of dark energy.

The result casts fresh doubt on the robustness of the recent claims that dark energy could be evolving over time—perhaps bringing us a step closer to solving one of cosmology's most enduring challenges.

Through their analysis, the duo found that both the supernova and DESI datasets are broadly consistent with the cosmic distance duality relation—but with a small mismatch. Crucially, this minor discrepancy correlates with a shift in the dark energy equation of state parameters away from the values expected for a simple cosmological constant. The results show that even a marginally significant mismatch can have meaningful consequences for the link between the dark energy equation of state and possible systematic errors in measuring the shape of the universe's expansion history.

Samsuzzaman Afroz et al, Hint toward an inconsistency between BAO and supernovae datasets: The evidence of redshift evolving dark energy from DESI DR2 is absent, Physical Review D (2026). DOI: 10.1103/k59d-l795. On arXiv: DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2504.16868

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 20 hours ago

If AI can translate instantly, why learn another language?
AI translation provides rapid, accessible communication but cannot replicate the cognitive, cultural, and emotional benefits of learning a language. Multilingual experience is linked to enhanced visuospatial working memory, especially in older adults, and may contribute to cognitive resilience and delayed onset of neurodegenerative diseases. Language learning fosters deeper cultural understanding and personal expression, which AI tools cannot fully substitute.

original article.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 20 hours ago

PCOS been given a new name?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has been renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) to better reflect its complex, multisystem nature involving hormonal, metabolic, and ovarian dysfunction. The new name aims to improve recognition of associated risks such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health issues, and to promote more comprehensive, multidisciplinary care. Diagnostic criteria remain unchanged.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00717-8/fulltext

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 20 hours ago

WHO keeps evaluation of hantavirus as 'low risk'

The global public health risk from the hantavirus outbreak linked to the cruise ship remains low, according to current assessments. Additional cases may occur among those exposed before containment, but onward transmission risk is expected to decrease after disembarkation and control measures.

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Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks sign of our 'dangerous' times: WHO Recent Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks highlight ongoing global health challenges amid geopolitical tensions, funding cuts, and stalled pandemic treaty negotiations. The World Health Organization faces reduced resources and unresolved issues regarding member withdrawals, while debates continue over global health governance and equitable access to pandemic countermeasures.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 20 hours ago

WHO declares global health emergency over Ebola outbreak in Congo and Uganda
A Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak in Congo and Uganda has resulted in over 300 suspected cases and 88 deaths, prompting a WHO public health emergency declaration. The Bundibugyo variant lacks approved therapeutics or vaccines, complicating containment, especially amid conflict and migration. Delayed detection and limited diagnostic capacity have hindered response, raising concerns about wider regional spread.

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Licensed vaccines actually exist for the most common species of Ebola, but they are not universally available for every strain or used for general public vaccination. There are several reasons why a universal, widely available Ebola vaccine remains a challenge:
1. Multiple Different Species
There are at least five known species of Ebola virus, and immunity against one typically does not protect against others.
Zaire Ebola: Vaccines like Ervebo are highly effective against this species.
Bundibugyo & Sudan Strains: As of May 2026, there are no approved vaccines for these rarer strains, which are currently causing outbreaks in Central Africa.
2. Difficulty of Clinical Trials
Because Ebola outbreaks are sporadic and unpredictable, it is extremely difficult for scientists to conduct traditional large-scale human clinical trials to prove a vaccine's efficacy. Regulatory bodies often have to rely on the "Animal Rule" to approve vaccines based on animal studies combined with human safety data.
3. Logistical and Economic Barriers
Storage Requirements: Many Ebola vaccines require extreme cold storage (e.g., -60°C to -80°C), which is difficult to maintain in remote or resource-limited areas.
Market Viability: Because outbreaks are localized and infrequent, there is a lack of a commercial market for these vaccines, which limits private funding for mass manufacturing.
Targeted Strategy: Health organizations prioritize "ring vaccination" (vaccinating only contacts of infected individuals) rather than mass vaccination of the general public to manage limited supplies and maximize efficiency.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 21 hours ago

Severe childhood malaria linked to cognitive impairment later in life

Survivors of severe childhood malaria, including cerebral malaria and severe malarial anemia, exhibit persistent cognitive and academic impairments into adolescence, with cognition scores 3 to 7 IQ points lower than peers. Acute kidney injury and elevated uric acid during illness are associated with worse outcomes, indicating a need for improved prevention and therapeutic strategies.

Paul Bangirana et al, Long-Term Cognitive Ability and Academic Achievement After Childhood Severe Malaria, JAMA (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2026.0704

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