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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 9 hours ago

Science Media Amplifies Male Scientists’ Voices Over Female Ones

Analysis of more than 2,500 science stories revealed that men were quoted more often than women, highlighting systemic gender bias in science communication.
According to the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), which analyzes gender in news, only 26 percent of the people seen, heard, or spoken about in the news are women. Merryn McKinnon, a science communication researcher at the Australian National University, set out to investigate whether science news reflects a similar imbalance.

By analyzing STEM stories in Australian media over five years, McKinnon and her colleagues found that men were more frequently used as direct sources, even in disciplines dominated by women.1 Their findings, published in the Journal of Science Communication, reveal that stories shaping public understanding of science continue to cater to male voices and expertise, underscoring the importance of journalists, organizations, and science communicators in increasing the diversity of their sources.
Female Voices Are Consistently Underrepresented in Science News

McKinnon M, et al. Gender in Australian science news. J Sci Comm. 2026;25(3).

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 9 hours ago

Air pollution may be harming your brain's 'encyclopedia'

A new study by researchers found that higher exposure to very small air pollution particles (PM2.5) over a 17-year span was associated with lower semantic memory. Semantic memory acts like the brain's "encyclopedia" for things like facts, words and long-term general knowledge.
Semantic memory is essential for communication, comprehension and navigating everyday life.
Long-term exposure to higher levels of fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) is associated with lower semantic memory performance in older adults, independent of age, education, income, and marital status. The impact of PM2.5 on semantic memory exceeds that expected from a decade of normal aging, while executive function and verbal episodic memory were not affected.
Two other measures of cognitive function—executive function and verbal episodic memory—did not show an impact related to the pollution.

The researchers found:

People who were exposed to higher levels of PM2.5 pollution over many years scored noticeably lower on semantic memory tests than those exposed to lower levels of pollution.
The association with PM2.5 pollution persisted even after accounting for other factors such as age, education, income and marital status.
The effect of long-term PM2.5 exposure on semantic memory was greater than what researchers would expect from 10 years of normal aging.

How individuals can reduce exposure to air pollution
While air pollution is largely a community-level issue, there are many ways individuals can reduce their exposure to air pollution:

Check daily air quality forecasts on AirNow. The EPA website lets you enter your ZIP code to find out about air quality, which accounts for fine particulates, in your area.
Limit outdoor activity when pollution levels are high, especially during wildfire smoke events.
Use high-efficiency (HEPA) air filters indoors.
Keep windows closed on poor air quality days.
Avoid exercising near busy roads or heavily trafficked areas.
Use recirculated air settings in vehicles during heavy traffic or smoky situations.

Stacey E. Alexeeff et al, Particulate air pollution and domain‐specific cognition among Black adults, Alzheimer's & Dementia: Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging (2026). DOI: 10.1002/bsa3.70074

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Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 9 hours ago

Celiac disease tied to higher risk for solid organ transplants

Celiac disease (CeD) is associated with a nearly tripled risk for needing a solid organ transplantation, according to a study published online May 28 in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Celiac disease is associated with a nearly threefold increased risk of solid organ transplantation compared to the general population, with particularly elevated risks for liver (aHR 7.26) and kidney (aHR 1.85) transplants. No significant difference was observed for heart transplantation risk.

John B. Doyle et al, Risk of solid organ transplantation in individuals with celiac disease: a nationwide cohort study, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2026.04.034

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 9 hours ago

Aspirin may unmask silent bladder cancer by triggering bleeding
Initiation of aspirin therapy is associated with increased cystoscopy rates and detection of bladder cancer at less invasive stages, likely due to aspirin-induced urinary bleeding unmasking asymptomatic tumours. In contrast, NSAID initiators showed increased cystoscopy rates without a corresponding increase in bladder cancer detection or shift in stage distribution.

Malene Söth Hansen et al, Aspirin or non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug initiation and subsequent bladder cancer evaluation, Journal of Internal Medicine (2026). DOI: 10.1111/joim.70115

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 9 hours ago

Why do male chimpanzees throw rocks at the same trees for more than a decade?
Male chimpanzees throw rocks at specific trees over long periods as part of a rare, culturally transmitted behavior, likely linked to communicative or symbolic functions within their social groups. This accumulative stone throwing is not related to food acquisition and is observed only in select West African populations, suggesting cultural specificity. The behavior may mark important locations and is maintained for over a decade, but its precise meaning remains unclear.

original article.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 10 hours ago

Dogs respond to human tone without words, hinting at communication older than language

Humans can communicate various instructions to dogs without using actual words—simply by modulating the tone of their voice, a new study shows. By repeating the nonsense syllable 'bü' in different intonations, humans successfully signaled "Yes," "No," "Here," and "There" and, remarkably, dogs responded correctly, despite receiving no prior training. The findings reveal ancient acoustic codes, interpretable across species, that predate language itself.

Dogs accurately interpret human intentions such as affirmation, prohibition, and spatial direction based solely on vocal tone, even without word use or prior training. Specific acoustic features—such as pitch, smoothness, and call duration—encode these meanings, indicating the presence of ancient, cross-species vocal communication codes that predate language.

Anna Gábor et al, Cross-species acoustic codes for yes and no in human nonverbal vocalizations, Cognition (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2025.106284

"Yes" and "no" are among the most commonly used words. But the origins of these simple meanings are older than language, and even older than humans.

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 10 hours ago

The perks of polyandry: Mating with multiple males leads to home improvement for African tree frogs

The question of why females mate with multiple males has long puzzled evolutionary biologists. A new study of African foam-nest tree frogs, led by University of Wollongong (UOW) researchers, reveals polyandry could be the key to reproductive success and a safer home for offspring. The findings shed light on how amphibians have evolved to protect their young in challenging environments, presenting a new hypothesis for the evolution of polyandry that ties mating behavior to the quality of nest construction.
Polyandry in African foam-nest tree frogs results in larger, more robust nests that are less likely to fail, enhancing offspring survival. Multiple males assist in nest construction and gain partial paternity, indicating cooperative rather than competitive reproductive behaviour. These findings suggest that nest-building requirements may drive the evolution of polyandry in various animal species.

Phillip G Byrne et al, "Nesting assistance": a new hypothesis for the evolution of polyandry and a test in an African foam-nesting treefrog, Evolution (2026). DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpag071

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 10 hours ago

Cells have a built-in 'seatbelt' against sudden stress

When cells experience sudden physical stress, like stretching or pressure, they can activate a fast, protective mechanism that shields their nuclei from destruction, according to a new study published in the Biophysical Journal. This mechanism could help scientists develop therapies to prevent DNA damage, a major driver of aging and cell death.

Epithelial cells rapidly form an actin-based ring around their nuclei in response to acute mechanical or osmotic stress, providing immediate physical protection and reducing nuclear rupture and DNA damage. This transient structure increases lamin A/C expression, stiffening the nuclear membrane. Impaired actin ring formation leads to increased DNA damage and cell death, suggesting a potential link to aging.

Aging cells tend to have lower levels of actin in them, which means they may not produce the ring structure as effectively as healthy cells.

Transient Perinuclear Actin Rings Prevent Cell Aging And Apoptosis Via Nuclear Mechanical Protection, Biophysical Journal (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2026.04.035

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 10 hours ago

Biomaterial made from jackfruit latex is a promising treatment for periodontitis

A biomaterial composed of jackfruit latex, pomegranate peel extract, and simvastatin forms a mucoadhesive matrix that enhances osteoinduction in vitro, indicating potential for periodontal tissue regeneration. The formulation supports localized drug delivery, increases bone formation, and may reduce systemic side effects compared to oral simvastatin.

Bruna V. Quevedo et al, Jackfruit latex-pomegranate extract biomaterial incorporated with simvastatin as a potential osteoinductive system for periodontal applications, Polymer Bulletin (2026). DOI: 10.1007/s00289-026-06358-w

Comment by Dr. Krishna Kumari Challa 10 hours ago

Why doesn't coffee taste like caffeine?

Through a series of tests aided by a trained panel, researchers discovered that caffeine must be interacting with other molecules present in coffee that significantly reduce its bitterness. In fact, coffee masked caffeine's distinctive taste until researchers added 10 times the normal amount of caffeine present in a typical brew.
Caffeine is highly bitter in isolation, but its bitterness is significantly reduced in coffee due to interactions with melanoidins and chlorogenic acid formed during roasting. These compounds, especially melanoidins, likely bind caffeine, preventing it from activating bitter taste receptors and resulting in coffee's characteristic, less bitter flavour profile.
To find the coffee molecules responsible for this effect, the team ran taste-tests of caffeine in solution combined with additional compounds: chlorogenic acid, which is naturally present in coffee beans, and/or melanoidins, which are products of the Maillard reaction that occurs during roasting.

The tasting panel found that when both compounds were combined with caffeine, the bitter taste was reduced by about half. Frank suspects that caffeine and melanoidins form a complex that—due to its size—prevents interaction with the bitter taste receptors on our tongues. The strength of the bond between caffeine and melanoidins may differ between different roasting processes, though future work is needed on this point.

A plethora of bitter stimuli, generated during the roasting process, culminate in the unique, bitter taste of coffee beverages.

Michael Gigl et al, Impact of Interactions between Melanoidins and Caffeine on the Bitter Taste of Coffee Beverages, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (2026). DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.5c17022

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