Science
press releases.

Science17 Dec 2025

How to reduce the risk of lymphedema

Lymphedema after head and neck cancer is considerably more common than previously assumed and can persist long after cancer treatment has finished. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have discovered that patients with a low level of physical activity face a higher risk of developing lymphedema. They have also noted that a lymph scanner objectively measures changes in the condition – a method that has now been introduced in Sweden’s Southern Healthcare Region. Head and neck cancer is a collective term for several types of cancer that ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

Confused by the doctor's questionnaire? U of A study suggests it's common

Imagine sitting down for an appointment with a therapist – or any care provider. Perhaps it's the first time you've seen this provider, or the first time in a while. You'll likely need to fill out a form with a set of questions to ensure they know why you're there or how you're doing. Now imagine that the symptom questionnaire is quite confusing, to the point where you need to ask someone to clarify what the questions are asking. Many people don't have to imagine – this confusion is common, according to a study led by a University of Arizona psychologist. Questionnaires like these have been the standard since the 1990s. The Patient Health ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

How do spinal cord injuries heal?

Cedars-Sinai investigators have discovered a healing mechanism that could one day be harnessed to help treat patients with spinal cord injuries, stroke, and neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Their study, published in Nature, describes a previously unknown function of astrocytes, a type of cell in the central nervous system. “Astrocytes are critical responders to disease and disorders of the central nervous system—the brain and spinal cord,” said neuroscientist Joshua Burda, PhD, assistant professor of Biomedical Sciences ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

A new study reveals how embryos and the uterus “talk” during implantation

A new study shows that the embryo and the uterine lining conduct an active “conversation” from the very earliest stages of implantation. They engage in a back and forth of tiny packages called extracellular vesicles and lipid droplets, which carry metabolites and signals. Hormones determine what the uterus sends, and one signalling pathway (related to aryl hydrocarbon receptor, [AhR]) appears to assist in determining how hospitable the uterine environment is. When this pathway is blocked, embryos attach more strongly. These packages are taken up quickly; ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

PolyU develops ultra-stable, mucus-inspired hydrogel to boost gastrointestinal wound healing

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed an acid-resistant “ultra-stable mucus-inspired hydrogel” (UMIH), marking a breakthrough in the field of gastrointestinal medicine. Traditional hydrogels—gelatin-like materials that absorb and retain water—are widely used to aid wound healing and extend drug release. However, they usually break down in acidic environments like the stomach. Inspired by the natural properties of gastric mucus, a PolyU research team has developed UMIH, a hydrogel that adheres 15 times more strongly than conventional gastric mucosal protectants, showing considerable potential for wound repair and targeted drug delivery ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

Can a retinal implant reverse macular degeneration?

LOS ANGELES — Age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision loss and blindness for Americans 65 and older, is a progressive disease affecting central vision. Over time, faces, book pages and anything directly in front of a person become obscured by blurry, dark or blind spots. Now, a novel clinical trial offers hope for patients with advanced “dry” age-related macular degeneration. Dry age-related macular degeneration is the most common form of the disease. Researchers at the USC Roski Eye Institute, part of Keck Medicine of USC, are launching a phase 2b clinical trial examining if stem cells ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

New tech reduces false positives from breast ultrasounds

New ultrasound technology developed at Johns Hopkins can distinguish fluid from solid breast masses with near perfect accuracy, an advance that could save patients, especially those with dense breast tissue, from unnecessary follow-up exams, painful procedures and anxiety. In initial tests with real patients, doctors working with the new method accurately identified masses 96% of the time—they were right just 67% of the time analyzing the same masses with their regular tools. “This is important because the benefits of ultrasound in breast cancer detection can be limited by the similar appearance of benign fluid masses and solid masses, which can be ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

Short, light-intensity exercise boosts executive function and elevates mood in children

In modern society, physical inactivity and sedentary behavior have become common issues globally. This trend is also growing among children, raising concerns for their mental and physical health. Sedentary behavior in children can affect the development of executive function (EF), higher-order cognitive processes that govern goal-oriented behavior and self-control, necessary for daily life. Strong EF during childhood forms the foundation for self-regulation and social functioning, academic achievement, and emotional well-being throughout childhood and adolescence. Previous studies have shown that both acute and chronic exercises can enhance EF. While ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

Tyrosinase drives hydroquinone-induced exogenous ochronosis: not HGD inhibition

Hydroquinone has long been used as the gold standard treatment for hyperpigmentation, yet despite its effectiveness, it has been associated with a severe adverse reaction known as exogenous ochronosis, where blue-black discoloration develops after long-term topical use. For decades, this condition was believed to occur through the same mechanism as endogenous ochronosis seen in alkaptonuria, a genetic disorder caused by mutations in homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD) that lead to the accumulation of homogentisic acid. However, a new international collaborative study made available online on ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

Spot the males: New gene-editing method could transform mosquito control

Researchers have developed a new “color-coded” genetic method that makes it easy to distinguish male and female mosquitoes. This innovation can help solve a major bottleneck in mosquito control strategies that rely on releasing only sterile males. The approach uses gene editing to produce dark males and pale females, offering a practical and safer alternative to current sex-separation techniques. A new study led by Doron Zaada and Prof. Philippos Papathanos from the Department of Entomology at Hebrew University, introduces a powerful genetic approach for separating male and female mosquitoes, an essential step for ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

Do natural disasters have long-term impacts on mortality in older adults?

Severe weather events have long-term health consequences for vulnerable older adults, according to a study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society based on data following Hurricane Harvey. When they analyzed Medicare claims data for nearly 1.8 million fee-for-service beneficiaries aged ≥65 years in Texas and Louisiana, investigators found that older adults who lived through high rainfall during Hurricane Harvey had a 3% elevated risk of dying within 1 year of the hurricane. Mortality risk was highest among those with chronic health conditions ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

Parasports provide a range of benefits for people with cerebral palsy

A review in Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology summarizes the multiple benefits of sport participation for people with cerebral palsy. The authors present a summary of available sports, as well as adaptations, to help clinicians discuss parasport participation with patients and families with cerebral palsy and related conditions. The review provides a practical, evidence-informed resource that can help families, clinicians, and community leaders understand the wide-ranging value of parasports. By reframing engagement in sport ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

Why are there so many Nordic mediators?

People from the Nordic countries are often selected as international mediators in wars and armed conflicts. In a new book, peace researchers at Uppsala University describe what makes mediators specifically from the Nordic countries so popular. Where do they come from, why do they take on these missions and what sort of mandate do they have? The Nordic countries have a long history of mediating in peace processes. Dag Hammarskjöld, Anna Lindh and Staffan de Mistura are three examples. Hans Grundberg is acting as mediator in the current negotiations on Yemen. History offers many examples of mediation initiatives and processes aimed at alleviating ...

Read the release

Science17 Dec 2025

Not everyone reads the room the same. A new study examines why.

Are you a social savant who easily reads people’s emotions? Or are you someone who leaves an interaction with an unclear understanding of another person’s emotional state? New UC Berkeley research suggests those differences stem from a fundamental way our brains compute facial and contextual details, potentially explaining why some people are better at reading the room than others — sometimes, much better. Human brains use information from faces and background context, such as the location or expressions ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

Category ‘6’ tropical cyclone hot spots are growing

NEW ORLEANS — The oceanic conditions that churn up the very strongest of hurricanes and typhoons are heating up in the North Atlantic and Western Pacific, fueled by warm water that extends well below the surface. Human-caused climate change may be responsible for up to 70% of the growth of storm-brewing hotspots there, according to new research. These hot spots are making it more likely that stronger Category ‘6’ tropical cyclones may hit landfall in highly populated areas. “The hot spot regions ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

Video: Drivers struggle to multitask when using dashboard touch screens, study finds

Once the domain of buttons and knobs, car dashboards are increasingly home to large touch screens. While that makes following a mapping app easier, it also means drivers can’t feel their way to a control; they have to look. But how does that visual component affect driving? New research from the University of Washington and Toyota Research Institute, or TRI, explores how drivers balance driving and using touch screens while distracted. In the study, participants drove in a vehicle simulator, ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

Study links seabird nesting to shark turf wars in Hawai‘i

A new study led by scientists from the University of Hawaiʻi (UH) Mānoa Hawaiʻi Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) Shark Lab reveals a critical link between seasonal seabird nesting and the movements of top marine predators in the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The research, published this month in the journal Ecosphere, found that the annual summer arrival of fledgling seabirds at French Frigate Shoals (FFS) concentrates tiger sharks in specific areas, forcing other species, including gray reef and Galapagos sharks, to drastically shift their own habitat use to avoid predation and competition. The discovery highlights a profound, indirect connection between terrestrial ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

Legal sports betting linked to sharp increases in violent crime, study finds

Legalized sports betting comes with a hidden public safety cost: a measurable rise in violent and impulsive crime on game days––even in states without gambling, according to new research led by the University of Michigan. Researchers from U-M and Rice University analyzed crime incident data from 2017 to 2021 and found that states that legalized sports betting after the 2018 Supreme Court decision in Murphy v. NCAA saw significant increases in assaults, larceny and vehicle theft during and immediately following professional sports games. Crime levels ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

Empress cicada wings help illuminate molecular structure

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2025 — Zoom in far enough on an empress cicada wing, and a strange landscape materializes. At the nanoscale, densely packed spires rise from the surface, covering the wing in an endless grove of bowling pins. These spires, though, are more than just an eerie sight. The highly ordered, evenly spaced spikes can be modified to act as an optical metamaterial, using their tiny geometry to modify interactions between light waves and matter. In AIP Advances, by AIP Publishing, researchers from China Medical University and National Taiwan University showed that these natural nanostructures can be tuned to amplify signals in molecular ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

Using sound waves to detect helium

WASHINGTON, Dec. 16, 2025 — Helium leaks are hard to detect. Helium is odorless, colorless, tasteless, and does not react with other chemical substances. Not only can we not see or smell it, but traditional gas sensors have trouble detecting the element because they rely on chemical reactions. Despite this, identifying a helium leak is still crucial, because excess helium can displace oxygen in a confined space, leaving less oxygen for people to breathe. In Applied Physics Letters, by AIP Publishing, researchers from Nanjing University developed a device that utilizes ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

MASTER 2nd Open Call: Execution period kick-off

In April 2025, the MASTER project launched its 2nd Open Call, inviting educational institutions, content creation services engaging students in XR application testing, and SMEs or large companies (as challenge providers only) from EU Member States, associated overseas countries and territories, and third countries linked to Horizon Europe. Applicants were asked to address specific challenges and submit proposals for evaluation. Following a rigorous assessment process conducted by both internal and external experts, 24 projects were selected for funding, ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

The Intimate Animal, a new book from Kinsey Institute Executive Director Dr. Justin Garcia

Why do we love who we love? Why do we stay in unfulfilling relationships and stray from rewarding ones? Is it ever a good idea to open a relationship? How has the digital age affected courtship? And why do some longtime couples crash and burn while others stay madly in love? These are just some of the questions Kinsey Institute Executive Director Dr. Justin Garcia explores in his highly anticipated new book, The Intimate Animal. Drawing on decades of interdisciplinary research in evolutionary biology, psychology, neuroscience, anthropology, and social science, Dr. Garcia reveals the surprising science ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

When blue-collar workers lose union protection, they try self-employment

In U.S. states with anti-union labor environments, workers are up to 53% more likely to start their own businesses—and blue-collar workers are more likely to do it out of necessity. A study in Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal examines how the labor environment in states with “right-to-work” (RTW) laws compared with that in neighboring states with stronger union bargaining power. “We found that the enactment of stringent anti-union laws reduces employees’ incentives to stay ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

Study documents potentially hazardous flame retardants in firefighter gear

Some firefighter gear is manufactured with chemicals called brominated flame retardants that could pose a risk to firefighter health, according to a new study published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters on Dec. 16. The study is the first published research in the U.S. to investigate and document the use of brominated flame retardants in firefighter turnout gear, worn for protection on the job. The findings could inform fire department decision-making when it comes to keeping or replacing gear. Structural firefighters — those working in the built environment — wear turnout gear consisting of three layers: a flame-resistant outer shell; a ...

Read the release

Science16 Dec 2025

There are fewer online trolls than people think

Americans overestimate online toxicity, believing 43% of Reddit users post severely toxic comments when only 3% actually do, and this misperception inculcates pessimism about society. Angela Y. Lee, Eric Neumann, and colleagues surveyed 1,090 American adults via the online platform CloudResearch Connect to compare people’s perceptions of harmful online behavior with platform-level data from past research. Participants overestimated the prevalence of Reddit users posting toxic content by 13-fold and overestimated the prevalence of Facebook users sharing false news by 5-fold, guessing 47% of users post false news while only 8.5% actually do. Even when participants ...

Read the release