Science
press releases.

Science11 Jun 2025

Some dog breeds are more likely to get diarrhea

Approximately one in every 12 dogs in the U.K. will be diagnosed with diarrhea each year, with some breeds more susceptible than others, according to a study published June 11, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Dan O’Neill from the Royal Veterinary College, U.K., and colleagues. For this new study, researchers analyzed the health records of more than two million dogs brought to the vet in the U.K. in 2019. They estimated that 8.18% of them, or about 1-in-12, were diagnosed with diarrhea at some point during the year. But six breeds — Maltese, Miniature Poodle, Cavapoo, German Shepherd, Yorkshire Terrier, and Cockapoo — were significantly more likely ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

What’s in a name? New research catalogues how birds are categorized by what we call them

There are thousands of species of birds, and many of their names are well-known to us—blue jay, robin, and mallard, to name just a few. But we have little understanding of the holistic nature of avian nomenclature. Do birds’ names tend to stem from physical or biological traits, such as a black-and-white warbler, or, rather, from people—such as Bonaparte’s gull, which was named after Charles Lucien Bonaparte, an ornithologist and nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte? A new study by New York ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Scientists uncover insights into the origins of antibodies to peanut

Why do people develop antibodies to food? While clinicians have long observed that healthy humans develop a particular type of antibody, called IgG, to the foods they eat, the reasons for this phenomenon have remained unknown. Researchers, led by investigators from Allergy and Immunology at Mass General Brigham, have identified the mechanism underlying IgG antibody development to food proteins. They discovered that humans are intrinsically predisposed to develop a particular type of IgG antibody to peanut by human antibody genes. These antibodies develop, whether or not they develop peanut allergy. Results are published in Science Translational ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Psoriatic arthritis: Hit hard and early

Two recent studies suggest there is no significant benefit of early biologics over standard step-up care with methotrexate2,3, but these did not select for poor prognosis. The aim therefore of the SPEED trial (Severe Psoriatic arthritis – Early intervEntion to control Disease) – which was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) – was to compare disease activity in 192 PsA patients with poor prognostic factors when treated with one of three regimens: standard step-up with conventional systemic disease-modifying ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

How flies grow their gyroscopes: Study reveals how flight stabilizers take shape

A team from the Institute for Neurosciences (IN), a joint center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) in Elche, has revealed how a structure essential for fly flight, the haltere, is formed. This small organ, located behind the main wings, functions as a biological gyroscope that helps the insect stay stable in the air. The study, published in the journal Current Biology, was led by researcher José Carlos Pastor Pareja, head of the Cell-to-tissue architecture in the nervous system laboratory at the IN. This work shows that, contrary to previous ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Cyborg tadpoles with soft, flexible neural implants

Bioengineering researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have developed a soft, thin, stretchable bioelectronic device that can be implanted into a tadpole embryo’s neural plate, the early-stage, flat structure that folds to become the 3D brain and spinal cord. The researchers demonstrated that the device could integrate seamlessly into the brain as it develops and record electrical activity from single brain cells with millisecond precision, with no impact on normal tadpole embryo development or behavior. These so-called cyborg tadpoles offer a glimpse into a future in which profound mysteries of the brain could be illuminated, ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Scientists achieve shortest hard X-ray pulses to date

MADISON — Once only a part of science fiction, lasers are now everyday objects used in research, healthcare and even just for fun. Previously available only in low-energy light, lasers are now available in wavelengths from microwaves through X-rays, opening a range of different downstream applications. In a new study publishing June 11, 2025, in the journal Nature, an international collaboration led by scientists at the University of Wisconsin–Madison has generated the shortest hard X-ray ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Feedback for surgeons curbs excess opioid prescriptions scripts

PHILADELPHIA— Tailored feedback to surgeons dramatically cuts excessive opioid prescriptions for common surgeries, aligning them with evidence-based guidelines without affecting patient pain control. This approach offers a promising strategy to combat the opioid crisis by aligning prescribing practices with evidence-based guidelines, addressing the critical issue of overprescribing, where excessive opioid prescriptions can lead to harmful side effects and can lead to dependence in some patients or diversion of unused pills. The findings, by researchers in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, were published ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

American College of Surgeons accreditation process drives quality improvement, study shows

Key takeaways Accreditation doesn’t just recognize quality, it helps create it: In this large-scale analysis of American College of Surgeons quality accreditation programs, the authors found that the accreditation process often helps hospitals improve the care they provide. Just over half of hospitals obtain accreditation on their first attempt: 61% of hospitals that sought accreditation passed after the first site visit, and 80% of those that failed the initial attempt went on to pass on their second attempt. CHICAGO (June 11, 2025) — ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Ultrasound scanning end-effector with adjustable constant contact force

Recent advances in robotic ultrasound systems have shown promise for improving diagnostic imaging consistency. However, maintaining stable contact force across dynamic physiological changes (e.g., breathing, tremors) without continuous sensor recalibration remains a critical hurdle. "By integrating a hybrid active-passive force control mechanism, our method decouples force regulation from real-time feedback dependencies while ensuring adaptability across patients," stated corresponding author Qingsong Xu, a professor at the University of Macau. The tripartite system combines (a) a passive constant-force mechanism (positive/negative stiffness ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Pasteurizing fruit smoothies could improve digestion of beneficial polyphenols

Drinking a smoothie is a popular way to consume fruits and vegetables, many of which are rich in micronutrients called polyphenols. If this beverage is purchased at a store, it’s likely been pasteurized with heat or pressure to prevent harmful bacteria growth and extend shelf-life. Now, a preliminary study in ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry reports that processing smoothies with high heat could also make polyphenols easier for the gut microbiome to absorb. Fruits and vegetables are key to a healthful human diet, ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Eavesdropping on laptop, smart speaker microphones demonstrated in new security attack

The ghostly woman’s voice pipes through the speakers, covered in radio static but her message intact from beyond — “The birch canoe slid on the smooth planks.” A secret message from the other side? A spectral insight? No, something much spookier: Voice recordings captured, secretly, from the radio frequencies emitted by ubiquitous, cheap microphones in laptops and smart speakers. These unintentional signals pass, ghost-like, through walls, only to be captured by simple radio components and translated back to static-filled — but easily intelligible ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Triassic reptiles took 10,000 mile trips through “hellish” conditions, study suggests

The forerunners of dinosaurs and crocodiles in the Triassic period were able to migrate across areas of the ancient world deemed completely inhospitable to life, new research suggests. In a paper published in Nature Ecology and Evolution today (11th June), researchers from the University of Birmingham and University of Bristol have used a new method of geographical analysis to infer how these ancestral reptiles, known as archosauromorphs, dispersed following one of the most impactful climate events the Earth has ever seen, the end-Permian mass extinction. The first archosauromorphs, some resembling modern reptiles and many ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Locations of treats are stored in specialized neural maps

Imagine you’re walking to work when the unspeakable occurs: Your favorite coffee shop — where you stop every day — is closed. You groggily navigate to a newly opened coffee shop a couple blocks away, which, you’re pleased to discover, actually makes quite a good morning brew. Soon, you find yourself looking forward to stopping at the new location instead of the old one. That switch probably alters more than just your morning routine. Each time you visit that new coffee shop, the ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

Difficult childhood experiences may increase the risk of endometriosis

A new study from Karolinska Institutet involving over a million women links difficult childhood experiences to the risk of being diagnosed with endometriosis later in life. The study shows a link between childhood exposure to violence and a twofold increase in the risk of developing this gynaecological disease. Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. These cells attach to the abdominal lining, uterus, ovaries or other organs and form endometriosis lesions. The lesions react to ...

Read the release

Science11 Jun 2025

UCDP: Sharp increase in conflicts and wars

The number of armed conflicts in the world reached a historic high in 2024. This is shown by new data from the Uppsala Conflict Data Program (UCDP) at Uppsala University. Despite a marginal decrease in total fatalities, targeted violence against civilians increased significantly. UCDP recorded 61 active conflicts involving at least one state in 2024, up from 59 the previous year and the highest number since statistics began in 1946. Eleven of these reached the level of war, defined as a conflict causing at least 1,000 battle-related deaths in a year. This is the highest number since 2016. Despite ...

Read the release

Science10 Jun 2025

Menstrual tracking app data is a ‘gold mine’ for advertisers that risks women’s safety – report

Smartphone apps that track menstrual cycles are a “gold mine” for consumer profiling, collecting information on everything from exercise, diet and medication to sexual preferences, hormone levels and contraception use, according to a University of Cambridge report. A report from Cambridge’s Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy argues that the financial worth of this data is “vastly underestimated” by users who supply profit-driven companies with highly intimate details in a market lacking in regulation. The report’s authors caution that cycle tracking app (CTA) ...

Read the release

Science10 Jun 2025

Pointing to success: Marathon potential is in your hands – literally

Whether it’s a personal challenge, for charity, or on your bucket list, marathons are one of the most sought-after goals for amateur and recreational runners worldwide. Now, a world-first study from the University of South Australia and the University of North Dakota suggests that a person’s marathon potential may be identified through a simple check of their hands. In a meta-analysis of 22 studies (representing 5293 participants and 12 countries) researchers found that a lower digit ratio – when a person’s ring finger is longer than their index finger – is a biomarker of cardiorespiratory fitness, ...

Read the release

Science10 Jun 2025

Study provides evidence pigs were domesticated from wild boars in South China

Pigs have long been known, sometimes celebrated, as among the most intelligent of farm animals. Now, a new Dartmouth-led study provides evidence that pigs were first domesticated from wild boars in South China approximately 8,000 years ago. China has long been considered one of the locations for original pig domestication but tracking the initial process has always been challenging. The study is the first to find that pigs were eating humans' cooked foods and waste. The results are reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy ...

Read the release

Science10 Jun 2025

Severe neonatal morbidity and all-cause and cause-specific mortality through infancy and late adolescence

About The Study: Findings from this cohort study suggest that severe neonatal morbidity may be a significant risk factor for childhood mortality. Efforts to prevent severe neonatal morbidity, as well as early identification and long-term follow-up care, may help further reduce mortality. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Hillary Graham, MS, email hillary.graham@ki.se. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.1873) Editor’s Note: Please ...

Read the release

Science10 Jun 2025

Announcement of NIMS Award 2025 winners

The three recipients were recognized for their instrumental roles in developing the perovskite solar cell and for taking key steps toward its practical application. This year’s selection focused on the field of environmental and energy materials, with the aim of honoring exceptional achievements pertaining to “energy-related materials and technologies that pave the way toward a sustainable society”. In addition to pioneering the research field of perovskite solar cells, the awardees were responsible for incorporating a critical element, the solid-state hole transport layer, which led to a dramatic improvement of the cell’s stability and ...

Read the release

Science10 Jun 2025

Methane leaks from dormant oil and gas wells in Canada are seven times worse than thought, McGill study suggests

Methane emissions from Canada’s non-producing oil and gas wells appear to be seven times higher than government estimates, according to a new study led by researchers at McGill University. The findings spotlight a major gap in the country’s official greenhouse gas inventory and raise urgent questions about how methane leaks are monitored, reported and managed. “Non-producing wells are one of the most uncertain sources of methane emissions in Canada,” said Mary Kang, Associate Professor of Civil Engineering at McGill ...

Read the release

Science10 Jun 2025

Study identifies the ‘sweet spot’ for catch-up sleep by teens on weekends

DARIEN, IL – A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2025 annual meeting found that teens who get moderate — but not excessive — catch-up sleep on weekends have fewer symptoms of anxiety. Results show that teens who got up to two more hours of sleep on weekends than on weekdays exhibited fewer anxiety symptoms compared with those who did not sleep longer on weekends. However, longer durations of catch-up sleep on weekends were associated with slightly more internalizing symptoms. “The results show that both sleeping less on weekends than weekdays and sleeping substantially more on weekends were associated with ...

Read the release

Science10 Jun 2025

2025 CiteScore rankings confirm JMIR Publications’ expanding impact

(Toronto, June 10, 2025) JMIR Publications celebrates its remarkable success in the latest Scopus CiteScore rankings. Providing a current view of journal impact, CiteScore uses Scopus data spanning 2021 to 2024. A total of 26 JMIR Publications’ journals have been awarded a CiteScore this year, demonstrating the exceptional research quality across its portfolio. This accomplishment reinforces the organization’s dedication to progressing the digital health domain. A Closer Look at the CiteScore Results: First quartile performance: 12 journals ranked within the first quartile (Q1) in their fields, of which 6 journals ranked ...

Read the release

Science10 Jun 2025

This ‘claw machine’ can sort a large number of embryo models quickly and effectively

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2025 – Human development is a beautiful, complex process. Beginning from just two germ cells, the cells divide and double until an entire organism is developed in just under a year. While studying embryos in vitro can have many ethical and technical complications, there is a model that serves as an excellent substitute. Named after the early-development stage of gastrulation, two-dimensional “gastruloids” are made from colonies of human pluripotent stem cells that can replicate the third week of gestation in which the three germ layers of the body are established. In APL Bioengineering, by AIP Publishing, ...

Read the release