Science
press releases.

Science22 Jan 2026

Natural ovulation as effective as hormones before IVF embryo transfer

Natural ovulation before frozen embryo transfer is as effective as hormone treatment for achieving a healthy baby by vitro fertilisation (IVF), finds a clinical trial from China published by The BMJ today. Natural ovulation is also linked to a lower risk of several complications for the mother, such as pre-eclampsia (abnormally high blood pressure), the results show. Globally, the use of frozen embryo transfer after IVF has increased substantially and accounts for more than 60% of all embryo transfers. Doctors prepare the womb lining (endometrium) for frozen ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Chemical Insights scientist receives Achievement Award from the Society of Toxicology

ATLANTA (Jan. 20, 2026) – UL Research Institutes’ Chemical Insights scientist Katie Paul Friedman, Ph.D. received the prestigious 2026 Achievement Award from the Society of Toxicology (SOT). SOT recognized Dr. Paul Friedman for her leadership in computational toxicology and her contributions to new approach methodologies (NAMs) that are transforming chemical safety assessment. Dr. Paul Friedman, Director of the Center for Informatics and Screening at Chemical Insights, was recognized for exemplifying scientific excellence and service through her innovative research, vision on addressing regulatory needs with NAMs, and dedication ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Most would recommend RSV immunizations for older and pregnant people

Amid a surprisingly severe flu season and a Covid-19 resurgence, those highly contagious respiratory illnesses are drawing the largest share of media coverage and public attention. But it is also the season for another respiratory illness, respiratory syncytial virus or RSV, and RSV cases are “elevated in many areas of the country,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). RSV data for the week of Jan. 5, 2026, show an increase both in emergency department visits and hospital admissions for children up to age four, according to CIDRAP, the Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy, at the University of Minnesota. And the Pan American ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Stroke during pregnancy, postpartum associated with more illness, job status later

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4:00 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2026 MINNEAPOLIS — Having an ischemic stroke during pregnancy or three months after pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack or second stroke, heart disease and depression later in life. The new study is published on January 21, 2026, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke. It occurs when a clot or blockage reduces blood flow to the brain, depriving it of oxygen and nutrients. The study also found that female participants who had ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

American Meteorological Society announces new executive director

Atmospheric scientist Amanda Staudt will join the American Meteorological Society (AMS), the professional society for weather, water, and climate sciences and services, as its new executive director in March 2026. Staudt, who previously served as senior director of Climate Crossroads at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, has decades of experience helping translate science into informed decision-making in collaboration with major scientific organizations. As executive director, Staudt ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

People with “binge-watching addiction” are more likely to be lonely

While many people binge-watch their favorite shows, binge-watching addiction is associated with loneliness, according to a study published January 21, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Xiaofan Yue and Xin Cui from Huangshan University in China. COVID-19 drove many people indoors and onto the couch, driving concerns about mental health, especially as people were also isolated and distressed. Now, while many people have resumed daily activities, some people binge-watch to the point of addiction—experiencing obsession, ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Wild potato follows a path to domestication in the American Southwest

Ancient people transported a wild relative of the common potato across the southwestern U.S., likely expanding the range of the species, according to a study published January 21, 2026 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Lisbeth Louderback from the University of Utah, U.S., and colleagues. This research provides new evidence that Indigenous people may have put the species on a path to domestication, while creating a unique cultural element in the Four Corners region. The Four Corners potato, Solanum jamesii, is a small, resilient, ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Prehistoric tool made from elephant bone is the oldest discovered in Europe

A remarkable prehistoric hammer made from elephant bone, dating back nearly half a million years ago, has been uncovered in southern England and analysed by archaeologists from UCL and the Natural History Museum, London. It is the oldest elephant bone tool to ever be discovered in Europe and provides an extraordinary glimpse into the ingenuity of the early human ancestors who made it. The research, published in Science Advances, describes the roughly 500,000-year-old tool, and reveals the unexpectedly sophisticated craftsmanship and skill of the species responsible for making it, likely either early neanderthals or another species known as Homo heidelbergensis. ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Salty facts: takeaways have more salt than labels claim

Some of the UK’s most popular takeaway dishes contain more salt than their labels indicate, with some meals containing more than recommended daily guidelines, new research has shown. Scientists found 47% of takeaway foods that were analysed in the survey exceeded their declared salt levels, with curries, pasta and pizza dishes often failing to match what their menus claim. While not all restaurants provided salt levels on their menus, some meals from independent restaurants in Reading contained more than 10g of salt in a single portion. The UK ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Takeaways are used to reward and console – study

A unique study exploring popular ways to “self‑gift” has found that ordering a takeaway meal is a preferred treat regardless of whether people have had a good or a bad day at work. Published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology and led by Dr Suzanna Forwood and Dr Annelie Harvey of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), the research is the first to compare how likely people are to choose a range of food and non-food options for both self-reward and self-consolation. The study involved 280 UK participants who were randomly assigned to imagine either a good, bad or average day at work. They were then asked to report ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Bird retinas function without oxygen – solving a centuries-old biological mystery

Bird retinas function without oxygen – solving a centuries-old biological mystery Neural tissue normally dies quickly without oxygen. Yet bird retinas − among the most energy-demanding tissues in the animal kingdom – function permanently without it. This may be relevant in future treatment of stroke patients. In a study published today in Nature, an international research team reveals how birds have solved a biological paradox. The researchers show that the inner parts of the bird retina operate under chronic oxygen deprivation, relying instead on anaerobic energy production. At the same time, the study overturns ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Pregnancy- and abortion-related mortality in the US, 2018-2021

About The Study: The findings of this study suggest that by taking away the option to end a pregnancy, abortion bans force pregnant people to take on the substantially increased health risks associated with continued pregnancy. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Maria W. Steenland, SD, email msteenla@umd.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.54793) Editor’s Note: Please see the article ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Global burden of violence against transgender and gender-diverse adults

About The Study: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of interpersonal violence experienced globally by transgender and gender-diverse adults, a high prevalence was found. There is an urgent need to address such violence through implementation of evidence-based violence prevention and response strategies across settings. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Erin E. Cooney, PhD, email ecooney2@jhmi.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.52953) Editor’s Note: Please see the article ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

SEOULTECH researchers develop sodium-based next-generation smart electrochromic windows

Thermal management is essential for reducing future heating and cooling energy consumption. Notably, the near-infrared (NIR) component of sunlight is closely associated with heat absorption. Hexagonal tungsten oxide nanorods are promising NIR-blocking electrochromic materials that change their color, transparency, and opacity upon the application of a small electric voltage. Their hexagonal tunnels, known as optically active sites, can effectively accommodate electrolyte ions and enable dynamic NIR ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Data-driven analysis reveals three archetypes of armed conflicts

The language used to describe conflicts naturally reflects assumptions about how different forms of violence emerge and develop. “For instance, we think that 'civil wars' are the result of internal strife, and we debate whether wars should be characterized as matters of 'invasion' or 'defense.' In a similar way, experts also label conflicts to indicate important properties and to make patterns across conflicts comparable for use in systematic analysis, early warning, and ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Sculpting complex, 3D nanostructures with a focused ion beam

Scientists from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and colleagues have developed a new way to fabricate three-dimensional nanoscale devices from single-crystal materials using a focused ion beam instrument. The group used this new method to carve helical-shaped devices from a topological magnet composed of cobalt, tin, and sulfur, with a chemical formula of Co₃Sn₂S₂, and found that they behave like switchable diodes, meaning that they allow electricity to flow more easily in one direction than the other. Creating ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

A year after undermining Bredt’s rule, UCLA scientists have made cage-shaped, double-bonded molecules that defy expectations

Organic chemistry is packed with rules about structure and reactivity, especially when it comes to making and breaking chemical bonds. The rules governing how these bonds, which hold atoms together in molecules, form and the shapes they give molecules are often thought to be absolute, but UCLA organic chemists are pushing the boundaries of the possible. In 2024, Neil Garg’s lab violated Bredt’s rule, a 100-year-old rule stating that molecules cannot have a carbon-carbon double bond at the “bridgehead” position (the ring junction of a bridged bicyclic molecule). Now, they’ve developed the chemistry of ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Strategic sex: Alaska’s beluga whales swap mates for long-term survival

In the icy waters of Alaska’s Bristol Bay, a new study reveals how a small population of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) survive the long haul through a surprising strategy: they mate with multiple partners over several years. The combination of long-term genetics, observation and careful analysis is starting to reveal some of the most intimate insights into one of the Arctic’s most elusive whales. Beluga whales live in a world that’s difficult for scientists to observe, so surprisingly little is known about how they choose mates, compete for partners, ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Cannabis legalization is driving increases in marijuana use among U.S. adults with historically lower consumption rates

A new study led by Boston College School of Social Work Professor Summer Sherburne Hawkins found that recreational cannabis legalization in the United States is driving increases in cannabis use among adults with historically lower consumption, as opposed to increasing use among those who already consumed cannabis. The research, titled “The Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Cannabis Use in US Adults from 2016-2023: A Quasi-experimental Study” and published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, contributes evidence that cannabis use—the most frequently consumed illicit drug in the U.S.—is spreading to new populations. Despite ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Meta-device for precision lateral displacement sensing

Precision alignment in semiconductor lithography demands nanometer-scale accuracy, as even minor misalignments between the mask and wafer can drastically impact chip yield. However, existing optical measurement techniques, which rely on coherent light sources and grating structures, face significant limitations. These methods require the detection of a vast number of photons to achieve sufficient signal-to-noise ratio through statistical averaging, leading to prolonged measurement times and constraints in real-time, high-speed applications such as multi-patterning lithography. Additionally, the physical size and complexity of conventional optical systems hinder their ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Discovery of bats remarkable navigation strategy revealed in new study

A long-standing mystery about how wild bats navigate complex environments in complete darkness with remarkable precision, has been solved in a new University of Bristol-led study. The findings are published today [21 January] in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. While it is well known that bats hunting at night use biosonar (also known as echolocation) to map their surroundings, the question of how they process thousands of overlapping echoes in real time when navigating more complex habitats like forests ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

UK glaucoma cases higher than expected and projected to reach 1.6 million+ by 2060

The number of people over 40 in the UK living with glaucoma—the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide—is already higher than expected and is projected to surge to more than 1.6 million by 2060, finds research published online in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. This is equivalent to a rise of 60% on 2025 figures, and outpaces the projected 28% population increase in the over 40s over the same period, say the researchers. This trend will be driven by an increasingly ageing population and growth in the proportion of higher risk ethnically diverse groups, prompting the need for an expansion in eye health services ...

Read the release

Science21 Jan 2026

Over 1 million estimated to have glaucoma in UK

Over one million people are estimated to currently have glaucoma in the UK, a figure projected to reach more than 1.6 million by 2060, according to a study led by UCL and Moorfields researchers. The new figures, published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology and commissioned by Glaucoma UK, are nearly 50% higher than previous estimates of glaucoma prevalence. The researchers say there could be more than half a million people with undiagnosed glaucoma - a common eye condition in which the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes damaged - in the ...

Read the release

Science20 Jan 2026

Otago experts propose fiber as first new essential nutrient in 50 years

University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka nutrition experts are calling for dietary fibre to be officially recognised internationally as an essential nutrient - the first ‘new’ essential nutrient in more than 50 years. The researchers say fibre should sit alongside nutrients already considered essential for humans, such as certain amino acids and vitamins. Co-author Associate Professor Andrew Reynolds says increasing our dietary fibre intakes would deliver greater health benefits in Aotearoa New Zealand than increasing any other essential nutrient, ...

Read the release

Science20 Jan 2026

To show LGBTQ+ support, look beyond Pride Month

ITHACA, N.Y. – Incorporating a rainbow flag into a company’s website logo during Pride Month seems less meaningful to LGBTQ+ employees and customers than gestures of solidarity at other times of the year, according to new Cornell University research. The paper, published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Process, found that timing – not just content – influences whether expressions of allyship are perceived as authentic. In six experiments of 3,000 people, LGBTQ+ participants consistently rated advocacy as more genuine when it was displayed outside of annual Pride Month celebrations in June, perceiving it ...

Read the release