Science
press releases.

Science29 Jan 2026

Fish liver self-defense: How autophagy helps pufferfish survive under the cold and copper stress

By identifying and characterizing three key autophagy genes and tracking their responses under environmental stress, the study could help improve fish health management and support sustainable aquaculture. Human activities and climate deterioration are increasingly altering aquatic ecosystems, leading to frequent disease outbreaks and heavy economic losses in fish farming. Takifugu fasciatus is prized for its high nutritional value and medicinal compounds, including tetrodotoxin and collagen. However, the species is highly sensitive to copper contamination and cold stress. Copper concentrations in summer waters can reach levels harmful ...

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Science29 Jan 2026

Just the smell of lynx can reduce deer browsing damage in recovering forests

New research shows that the mere smell of predators is enough to change deer behavior and limit browsing damage to tree saplings. The findings offer a potential tool for forest recovery and highlight the important role large predators play. The research is published in the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Applied Ecology. Research conducted in the forests of south-eastern Germany, shows that the smell of large predators, like lynx and wolves, is enough to make deer more cautious and spend less time eating tree saplings. In an experiment that involved adding lynx and wolf urine and scat to plots of saplings, researchers from the University of Freiburg found ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Antidepressants not associated with serious complications from TBI

MINNEAPOLIS — Taking certain antidepressants at the time of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is not associated with an increased risk of death, brain surgery or longer hospital stays, according to a study published on January 28, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. For the study, researchers looked at serotonergic antidepressants, which treat anxiety and depression by increasing serotonin activity in the brain. These included selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Hearing angry or happy human voices is linked to changes in dogs’ balance

In a small study, dogs experienced both stabilization and destabilization of their balance upon hearing angry or happy human voices, but angry voices were linked to the biggest destabilizing effects. Nadja Affenzeller and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria, present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One on January 28, 2026. For humans and animals alike, stable posture underpins the ability to stand still, walk, and perform other activities without falling. To maintain stability, our muscles rely on visual cues as well as the body’s sense of its own position. Recent research in humans suggests that external sounds may also ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

US individuals traveling from strongly blue or red US counties may favor everyday travel to like-minded destinations

A new analysis of 471 U.S. counties has found that, for everyday travel, people from counties with particularly strong political leanings—whether liberal or conservative—are more likely to visit like-minded destinations. Zhengyi Liang and Jaeho Cho of the University of California, Davis, U.S., present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS One on January 28, 2026. Prior research has shown that U.S. residents increasingly live in areas where their neighbors share similar political leanings. This clustering can limit how often people of differing political views cross paths with each other, further deepening political polarization. In ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Study maps how varied genetic forms of autism lead to common features

UCLA Health researchers have created a comprehensive map showing how eight different genetic mutations associated with autism spectrum disorder affect early brain development, providing new insights into the ways diverse genetic causes may lead to shared features and symptoms of the disorder. Genetic studies performed over the past two decades have identified more than 100 genes harboring rare mutations linked to autism. This genetic heterogeneity has raised a fundamental question: if autism can be caused by so many different ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Corals sleep like us, but their symbiosis does not rest

Sleep is essential for much of the animal kingdom. During the night, neuron and tissue repair mechanisms are activated to aid recovery from daily activity. This is risky: organisms that sleep are more vulnerable to predators. However, the phenomenon extends from mammals to invertebrates. Nevertheless, until now it was not known whether other, more ancient groups without neurons, such as corals, engage in any kind of nocturnal rest. A study led by the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE), a joint research center of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), has revealed ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

New tool shows how to enter and change pneumocystis fungi

Highlights: Pneumocystis fungi are difficult to study and culture, making it difficult to develop new treatments. The fungi are thought to use extracellular vesicles (EVs) to scavenge nutrients from the environment. Researchers have harnessed EVs to deliver CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology inside the fungus. Tests on mice showed that the method worked to modify genes in the fungus associated with treatment resistance. Washington, D.C.—Pneumocystis is an unwieldy genus of fungal pathogens that cause severe pneumonia, particularly in immunocompromised people like those with HIV/AIDs ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

New Watson College seed grants encourage interdisciplinary research

To support research that could lead to significant external funding, Binghamton University’s Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science has established a new program offering seed grants to faculty members working in key topic areas. The Watson College Seed Grant Program for Major Research Proposal Development is designed as a catalyst for accelerating interdisciplinary research, addressing pressing scientific and technological challenges while demonstrating a path to major research funding from external sponsors. Six projects will receive $160,000 in ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Thermal transport modulation in YbN-alloyed ALN thin films to the glassy limit

Discovering materials that exhibit completely insulating thermal behavior—or, conversely, extraordinarily high thermal conductivity—has long been a dream for researchers in materials physics. Traditionally, amorphous materials are known to possess very low thermal conductivity. This naturally leads to an important question: Can a crystalline material be engineered to achieve thermal conductivity close to that of an amorphous solid? Such a material would preserve the structural stability of a crystal while ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Does screen time affect teens’ sleep and lifestyle habits?

New research in Brain & Behavior found a link between screen time and adolescents’ sleep quality and beliefs about healthy lifestyles. In the study of 700 teens attending 2 high schools in the Black Sea region of Turkey, questionnaire responses revealed that participants who spent more time exposed to screens tended to have lower sleep quality. These adolescents were also less likely to have beliefs supporting the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Screen exposure appeared to play a mediating role in the relationship between sleep quality ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Atlantic nurse sharks show faster growth patterns in Biscayne Bay than nearby Bimini, Bahamas

Atlantic nurse sharks show faster growth patterns in Biscayne Bay than nearby Bimini, Bahamas A new study based on long-term monitoring data demonstrates significant differences in growth between nurse sharks off the coast of Miami and those living just across the Gulf Stream. A new study from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science shows that juvenile Atlantic nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum) grow more rapidly as juveniles and reach smaller maximum sizes than nurse sharks in Bimini, Bahamas—locations so close that these populations have historically ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Tests uncover unexpected humpback sensitivity to high-frequency noise

University of Queensland hearing tests conducted across kilometres of ocean off the Australian coast show humpback whales react to higher frequency sounds than expected. Associate Professor Rebecca Dunlop from UQ’s School of the Environment said the discovery has implications for the mitigation of noise-related human activity along whale migration routes. “Until our studies, estimates of humpback hearing sensitivity were inferred based on the anatomy of their ears,” Dr Dunlop said. “In a series of experiments off the Sunshine Coast, we exposed whales to upsweep sounds at a range of frequencies. “We looked for changes such ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Paracetamol and ibuprofen safe in first year of life

A new landmark study supports the safety of the common painkillers paracetamol and ibuprofen in the first year of life, and finds no link to eczema or bronchiolitis, a common respiratory illness. Previous research suggested a potential link between paracetamol use in the first year of life and later eczema, asthma and other diseases. “Our study found that paracetamol and ibuprofen are incredibly safe to use in young children,” says lead researcher Professor Stuart Dalziel, Cure Kids Chair of Child Health Research at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, and Paediatrician at Starship Children’s Hospital. Dalziel says paracetamol ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Major US tobacco brands flouting platform + federal policies to restrict young people’s access to their content on Instagram

Leading US tobacco brands are flouting platform and federal marketing policies designed to restrict young people’s access to their content on the popular social media platform Instagram, indicates research published online in the journal Tobacco Control. Violations include lax or missing age verification, disclosure on brand-influencer relationships, and health warnings, the findings show. In 2024, around 2.25 million middle and high school students reported having used a tobacco or nicotine product in the past 30 days. That’s nearly 550,000 fewer than in 2023, but still leaves millions of teen nicotine users, underscoring the ongoing need for policy and prevention ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

More than just ‘daydreaming’ – dissociation is the mind’s survival tactic

The word ‘dissociation’ has grown in popularity and become embedded in everyday language, but while the term has gained traction in popular culture and mental health advocacy, misconceptions persist – including some which are harmful, experts say. Some of the myths – that it happens all the time and is the same as daydreaming or zoning out, or on the other hand, is really rare or fictitious – can be particularly damaging. Dissociation, explain the editors of Working with Dissociation in Clinical Practice, is far more complex. The editors, Helena Crockford, Melanie Goodwin and Paul Langthorne, ...

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Science28 Jan 2026

Researchers identify genetic blueprint of mania in bipolar disorder

Under Embargo until 00.01 GMT Wednesday 28 January 2026 Researchers at King’s College London and the University of Florence have, for the first time, identified the specific genetic blueprint of mania, the defining feature of bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is one of the most severe and complex psychiatric conditions, affecting around 2% of people worldwide. While episodes of depression, psychosis and other symptoms are common, mania is what distinguishes bipolar disorder from other mental illnesses. Mania is a state of persistently elevated or irritable mood ...

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Science27 Jan 2026

Badged up for success

What if earning a Ph.D. also came with proof of strong communication skills, not just research expertise? Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the South Carolina Science Writing Initiative for Trainees (SC-SWIFT) at the MUSC College of Graduate Studies (CGS) are gaining exactly that. Along with their degrees, they are earning digital badges that show they can clearly explain science to people outside of the lab. Established in 2016, SC-SWIFT offers interns the opportunity to write and publish news stories and releases on recent, high-impact MUSC research. In 2023, it also began offering a tiered digital badge program in science communications, ...

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Science27 Jan 2026

Claiming your business page on review platforms can have unintended effects on customer reviews, study shows

Claiming a business page on an online review platform such as Yelp may result in a sharp decline in ratings and an increase in lengthy, negative customer feedback, according to a study from Florida International University. The study, led by Jong Youl Lee, assistant professor of information systems and business analytics at FIU’s College of Business, finds that once a business claims its Yelp page, its average rating falls by more than 10%, driven largely by an influx of one-star reviews and a decrease in five-star reviews. The shift is immediate and persistent, lasting more than a year ...

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Science27 Jan 2026

Dario Fiore receives ERC Proof of Concept to develop the VERIFHE Project

Dario Fiore, research professor at IMDEA Software, has been awarded an ERC Proof of Concept (PoC) grant by the European Research Council. This funding scheme is designed to help translate high-level scientific results into applications with social and industrial impact and is exclusively available to researchers who have previously led ERC-funded projects. The awarded project has a budget of €150,000 and a duration of 18 months, and will focus on one of the major challenges in digital technology today: ensuring both privacy and reliability in cloud-based machine learning services. The project, ...

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Science27 Jan 2026

Acupuncture for migraine without aura and connection-based efficacy prediction

About The Study: This trial demonstrated acupuncture’s efficacy for migraine without aura pain relief and functional improvement. Connectome-based predictive modeling identified default mode network and subcortical cerebellum hypoconnectivity as predicting pain relief and subcortical-cerebellum-motor hyperconnectivity as predicting reduced disability, providing a personalized treatment framework. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Lu Liu, PhD, email lululalavictor1985@126.com. To ...

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Science27 Jan 2026

Electroencephalography enables continuous decoding of hand motion angles in polar coordinates

With the development of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology, the application of electroencephalography (EEG) signals in motion decoding has been expanding. Traditional BCI decoding is primarily based on Cartesian coordinates, which are suitable for representing linear movements but less efficient for decoding rotational or circular movements. In contrast, polar coordinates provide a more natural and compact representation for circular movements by directly encoding angular information, making it more efficient for decoding rotational ...

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Science27 Jan 2026

Call for pitches: Contribute to JMIR's News & Perspectives section

(Toronto, January 27, 2026) JMIR Publications is seeking expert voices to contribute to our News and Perspectives section. We bridge the gap between academic rigor and scientific journalism, providing grounded, well-researched analysis that goes deeper than the headlines. We invite journalists, scientific writers, researchers, clinicians, and digital health experts to pitch original content that informs, inspires, and empowers the health-tech community. Our aim is to build a digital health news service with global relevance, featuring voices, perspectives, ...

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Science27 Jan 2026

This flower evolved a new shape so that different birds could pollinate it. Then, it spread.

Lipstick vines get their name from their bright red, tube-shaped flowers. But one member of this group of plants has lost its lipstick-like appearance— its flowers are shorter, wider, and yellowish green in color. It also attracts shorter-beaked birds than its crimson cousins do, and it’s found in different places. Scientists wanted to know how this plant evolved from its lipstick-like relatives. After observing birds visiting hundreds of plants and examining the plants’ DNA, the researchers found that the story of the green ...

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Science27 Jan 2026

Used EVs currently offer car buyers lowest lifetime cost of ownership

Now is a great time for anyone who's shopping for a used car to consider an electric vehicle, according to new research from the University of Michigan. In assessing the lifetime ownership costs of used vehicles with different body styles and powertrains, the researchers found that completely electrified candidates offered the greatest savings. For example, compared with a new midsized SUV with an internal combustion engine, a 3-year-old used EV version offered a lifetime savings of $13,000, according to the new study published in ...

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