Science
press releases.

Science28 Jul 2025

Could living near water mean you’ll live longer?

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Living within miles of the ocean breeze may be linked to a longer life, but you shouldn’t count on the same benefits if you live in a riverside city, suggests a recent study. Researchers from The Ohio State University analyzed population data — including life expectancy — in more than 66,000 census tracts throughout the U.S. and compared it based on proximity to waterways. Their study was published online in the journal Environmental Research. A correlation between longer life expectancy and water was clear for those who live within about 30 miles of an ocean or gulf. But for those who live in urban settings and near an inland ...

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Science28 Jul 2025

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome linked to worse surgical outcomes, higher costs

Key Takeaways Among 3 million surgical patients, 0.5% developed alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS), with 0.2% experiencing severe delirium tremens (DT). AWS was associated with a 37% higher risk of complications, including respiratory failure and sepsis, and a 40% increased mortality risk if DT occurred. Hospital stays were 5 days longer, and costs rose by $10,000 per patient with AWS, totaling $165 million in excess costs nationwide. CHICAGO — Patients who develop alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) after major surgery face significantly higher risks of complications, longer hospital stays, and increased health care costs, ...

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Science28 Jul 2025

Expectations about pain influence the experience in different ways

Previous expectations can influence how much pain people eventually feel. These expectations can be shaped by external cues or by verbal information from clinicians about how treatments might relieve pain. Led by Lauren Atlas, researchers from the National Institute of Health explored if and how distinct ways of shaping expectations differentially influence physically hurtful experiences. In their JNeurosci paper, the researchers present their findings from 40 healthy volunteers who rated how hurt they were following painful ...

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Science28 Jul 2025

Unravelling antileishmanial mechanisms of phytochemicals: From mitochondrial disruption to immunomodulation

Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by Leishmania parasites, affects millions globally. Current synthetic treatments face limitations including toxicity, cost, and resistance. Phytochemicals from medicinal plants offer promising alternatives. This mini-review synthesizes preclinical mechanisms of plant-derived compounds against leishmaniasis, focusing on mitochondrial disruption, immunomodulation, and redox imbalance. Key Antileishmanial Mechanisms 1. Membrane Disruption & ...

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Science28 Jul 2025

Association for Molecular Pathology announces 2025 award recipients

The Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP), the premier global molecular diagnostic professional society, today announced the recipients of its 2025 Excellence in Molecular Diagnostics, Jeffrey A. Kant Leadership and Meritorious Service Awards. These prestigious honors will be presented in November during the AMP 2025 Annual Meeting & Expo in Boston. Award for Excellence in Molecular Diagnostics Elaine R. Mardis, Ph.D. Co-executive Director, Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Rasmussen Nationwide Foundation Endowed Chair in Genomic ...

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Science28 Jul 2025

When light collides with light

Usually, light waves can pass through each other without any resistance. According to the laws of electrodynamics, two light beams can exist in the same place without influencing each other; they simply overlap. Light saber battles, as seen in science fiction films, would therefore be rather boring in reality. Nevertheless, quantum physics predicts the effect of “light-on-light scattering”. Ordinary lasers are not powerful enough to detect it, but it has been observed at the CERN particle accelerator. Virtual particles can literally emerge from nothing for a short time, interact with the photons and change their direction. The effect is extremely small, ...

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Science28 Jul 2025

A bolt is born! Atmospheric events underpinning lightning strikes explained

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Though scientists have long understood how lightning strikes, the precise atmospheric events that trigger it within thunderclouds remained a perplexing mystery. The mystery may be solved, thanks to a team of researchers led by Victor Pasko, professor of electrical engineering in the Penn State School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, that has revealed the powerful chain reaction that triggers lightning. In the study published today (July 28) in the Journal ...

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Science28 Jul 2025

Muscle “marbling”: Good in steak, bad in our bodies

Consider the delicate web of fat in a Wagyu steak. The “marbling” that makes carnivore connoisseurs swoon is a visual heuristic for quality flavor. Now, a new study suggests the very same marbling of fat inside our own muscles points to trouble. This condition, known as intramuscular adipose tissue, or IMAT, has long been recognized by scientists as a strong indicator of poor health. It’s linked to a wide range of diseases: obesity, Type 2 diabetes, neuromuscular disorders (including Duchenne muscular dystrophy) and neurogenerative conditions such as ALS. In some cases, ...

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Science28 Jul 2025

Coolness hits different; now scientists know why

Researchers at the University of Michigan have illuminated a complete sensory pathway showing how the skin communicates the temperature of its surroundings to the brain. This discovery, believed to be the first of its kind, reveals that cool temperatures get their own pathway, indicating that evolution has created different circuits for hot and cold temperatures. This creates an elegant solution for ensuring precise thermal perception and appropriate behavioral responses to environmental changes, said Bo Duan, senior author of the new study. "The skin is the body's ...

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Science28 Jul 2025

Large-scale study defines genetic architecture of stuttering

The largest genetic analysis of stuttering has demonstrated a clear genetic basis for the speech disorder, highlighting neurological pathways of risk. The study, published July 28 in the journal Nature Genetics, used data representing more than 1 million individuals who had their DNA analyzed by the company 23andMe Inc. The findings point to 57 distinct genomic loci associated with stuttering and suggest a shared genetic architecture of stuttering with autism, depression and musicality. The results provide a foundation for additional research that could lead to earlier identification or therapeutic advances in stuttering. More broadly, improving understanding of the causes ...

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Science28 Jul 2025

VR nature scenes reduce sensitivity to pain – especially for those who feel present during the experience

Immersing in virtual reality (VR) nature scenes helped relieve symptoms that are often seen in people living with long-term pain, with those who felt more present experiencing the strongest effects. A new study led by the University of Exeter, published in the journal Pain, tested the impact of immersive 360-degree nature films delivered using VR compared with 2D video images in reducing experience of pain, finding VR almost twice as effective. Long-term (chronic) pain typically lasts more than three months and is particularly difficult to treat. The researchers simulated this type of pain in healthy participants, ...

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Science25 Jul 2025

New global study shows freshwater is disappearing at alarming rates

New findings from studying over two decades of satellite observations reveal that the Earth’s continents have experienced unprecedented freshwater loss since 2002, driven by climate change, unsustainable groundwater use and extreme droughts. The study, led by Arizona State University and published today in Science Advances, highlights the emergence of four continental-scale “mega-drying” regions, all located in the northern hemisphere, and warns of severe consequences for water security, agriculture, sea level rise and global stability. The research team reports that drying ...

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Science25 Jul 2025

Potential trade-offs of proposed cuts to the NIH

About The Study: The results of this qualitative analysis using systems modeling suggest that National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget reductions may have far-reaching implications for scientific progress, the biomedical innovation environment, and health care costs. Beyond immediate budgetary impacts, systemic interactions shaping long-term biomedical research and public health must be considered in funding policies. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Mohammad S. Jalali, Ph,D,, email msjalali@mgh.harvard.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2025.2228) Editor’s ...

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Science25 Jul 2025

Scuba diving generates up to $20 billion annually

An international study estimates that scuba diving contributes between $8.5 and $20.4 billion to the global economy each year, supporting up to 124,000 jobs across 170 countries, offering an economic incentive for marine conservation. The research, published today in the journal Cell Reports Sustainability (LINK TK) and co-authored by researchers from UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, provides the first comprehensive estimate of the diving industry's worldwide economic impact. The study is part of Atlas Aquatica, a project endorsed by the United ...

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Science25 Jul 2025

Simplified models, deeper insights: Coarse-grained models unlock new potential for ionic liquid simulations

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a class of molten salts with a collection of exciting properties, which have been employed for wide-ranging applications across chemistry, biology, and materials science. However, their inherently high viscosity hampers the ability of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore their structure-property relationships on large spatiotemporal scales. Coarse-grained (CG) models address this challenge by retaining essential structural features while eliminating some atomic details, significantly reducing ...

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Science25 Jul 2025

Gorillas’ personal circumstances shape their aggression towards groupmates

To the point Energetic needs and social context shape aggression in female gorillas: A 25-year observational study of female gorillas shows that individual circumstances and social context can influence an individual's decision to engage in riskier aggressive behaviours. Aggression and social hierarchy: While most aggression was directed from higher- to lower-ranking gorillas, 42 per cent of aggressive interactions were directed from lower to higher ranks – more than expected. Taking risks: Female gorillas in reproductive ...

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Science25 Jul 2025

Identifying landslide threats using hydrological predictors

Northwestern University and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) scientists have developed a new process-based framework that provides a more accurate and dynamic approach to landslide prediction over large areas. While traditional landslide prediction methods often rely solely on rainfall intensity, the new approach integrates various water-related processes with a machine-learning model. By accounting for diverse and sometimes compounding factors, the framework offers a more robust understanding of what drives these destructive events. With further development, the new framework could help improve early warning systems, inform hazard ...

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Science25 Jul 2025

Exploring the meaning in life through phenomenology and philosophy

Psychological and philosophical studies have long shown that a person's subjective moods and emotions have a significant impact on how they experience the “meaning in life.” Philosopher Matthew Ratcliffe pointed out that a person’s mood vividly operates in the background of perception and plays a major role in how they grasp the meaning of their life. In psychology as well, there have been empirical studies investigating how mood affects the perception of life’s meaning. Meanwhile, phenomenology has revealed that the lived, first-person experience of the body deeply influences the way we perceive ...

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Science25 Jul 2025

Persistently, intensely grieving relations are nearly twice as likely to die within 10 years after losing a loved one

Grief after the loss of a loved one is a natural response – an inevitable part of living and loving. But in a minority of the bereaved, grief is so overwhelming that it can lead to physical and mental illnes, even if they don’t necessarily qualify for a diagnosis with the mental health condition ‘prolonged grief disorder’. For example, studies have shown that people who recently lost a loved one use healthcare services more often, and have an increased mortality rate, over the short term. Now, researchers from Denmark have shown that bereaved people with persistent high levels of intense grief used more healthcare services and were ...

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Science25 Jul 2025

"High notes from one side, deep tones from the other" – Janus-like wave transmission

A research team in Korea has experimentally demonstrated, for the first time in the world, a nonlinear wave phenomenon that changes its frequency—either rising or falling—depending on which direction the waves come from. Much like Janus, the Roman god with two faces looking in opposite directions, the system exhibits different responses depending on the direction of the incoming wave. This groundbreaking work opens new horizons for technologies ranging from medical ultrasound imaging to advanced noise control. The joint research team, led by Professor Junsuk Rho of POSTECH’s Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical ...

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Science24 Jul 2025

New research uncovers gene impacts of PFAS exposure in firefighters

TUCSON, Ariz. — Researchers at the University of Arizona Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health found that certain kinds of long-lasting chemicals firefighters are exposed to may affect the activity of genes linked to cancer and other diseases. The findings appear in the journal Environmental Research. The study is among the first to connect common industrial chemicals called PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – to changes in microRNAs, or miRNAs, which are molecules that act as guardrails to help control gene expression. PFAS are found in a wide range ...

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Science24 Jul 2025

New study reveals critical link between neighborhood violence, youth fighting, and perceived firearm availability

PHILADELPHIA (Juny 24, 2025) – A new Penn Nursing study led by Jungwon Min, PhD, MS, Research Professor and Director of the BECCA Lab, uncovers a significant association between neighborhood firearm violence exposure, involvement in fighting, and adolescents' perceived ability to obtain a firearm outside the home. The research is available in the latest issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The study, Neighborhood Firearm Violence, Psychosocial Risks, and Youth Firearm Perception, highlights that adolescents ...

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Science24 Jul 2025

A century of data reveals declining forest diversity

URBANA, Ill. — Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have analyzed 96 years of forest census data to better understand ecological changes and inform management practices. Their study, published in Forest Ecology and Management, reveals concerning homogenization trends. This means the forest has become less diverse over time, losing trees that played a critical role in its ecosystem. The researchers analyzed census data from Trelease Woods, which the university acquired in 1917. Homogenization was linked to the spread of the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle, ...

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Science24 Jul 2025

Scientists call for urgent policy reform to accelerate cross-border coral restoration efforts

Scientists Call for Urgent Policy Reform to Accelerate Cross-Border Coral Restoration Efforts New paper published in Science by a team of international scientists urges regulatory reform to accelerate global coral restoration using assisted gene flow—an essential step to safeguard the economic value and coastal protection services that reefs provide. MIAMI (July 24, 2025) – An international team of coral scientists is calling for urgent regulatory reform to support assisted gene flow (AGF)—a ...

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Science24 Jul 2025

Can proactive assisted gene flow save Caribbean and Floridian corals?

In a Policy Forum, Andrew Baker and colleagues discuss the recent regulatory action in Florida that has enabled the world’s first international coral exchange. The exchange was done to bolster genetic diversity in declining elkhorn coral populations, enhancing their resilience to climate change and other environmental pressures. Expanding such efforts to other coral species and regions will require international collaboration and a reevaluation of current conservation laws, note the authors. Coral reefs are among the most climate-sensitive marine ecosystems, with prolonged heat stress causing increasingly frequent and devastating bleaching events. For example, the historic ...

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