Science
press releases.

Science14 Oct 2025

Domestic abusers forge ‘trauma bonds’ with victims before violence begins

Study outlines tactical playbook deployed by male abusers to “weaponise love” based on in-depth interviews with victims. Current therapeutic approaches should move away from “victim pathology” and focus on “perpetrator strategy”, argues researcher. Before going on to commit violence, domestic abusers use a mix of intense affection and emotional cruelty, combined with tales of their own childhood trauma, to generate a deep psychological hold that can feel like an “addiction” according to some victims. A new study by a University of Cambridge criminologist ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

UK food needs radical transformation on scale not seen since Second World War, new report finds

Rapid and urgent action on food is needed if the UK is to reboot its flagging economy, save the NHS billions, ensure national food security, and meet climate commitments, according to a new report. The Roadmap for Resilience: A UK Food Plan for 2050, calls for radical transformation, at a scale and pace not seen since the Second World War. It says if we do not act now, change will be forced upon us by increasing pressures and the UK will lurch from crisis to crisis, including from food price shocks, climate disasters and weakening economic productivity. Acting now however, allows the UK to decide its own future, and must include ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Generative art enhances virtual shopping experience

ITHACA, N.Y. – Art infusion theory – the idea that displaying art in retail settings can positively impact consumer behavior – can be applied to the metaverse with similar results, a Cornell design researcher has shown. Employing algorithm-fueled generative art, So-Yeon Yoon, professor of human centered design at Cornell University, found that the installation in a virtual store enhanced perceptions of exclusivity and aesthetic pleasure for both mass-market and luxury retailers. “When we think about art, we think it’s more closely aligned with the luxury market,” ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Does hiding author names make science fairer?

Catonsville, MD, Oct. 10, 2025 — A new study has tested whether hiding authors’ identities in the peer review process makes academic evaluations more fair, reliable and valid. The answer: it’s complicated. The research was published in the INFORMS journal Management Science in an article entitled, “Blinded versus Unblinded Review: A Field Study on the Equity of Peer-Review Processes.” The study was conducted by Timothy Pleskac of Indiana University; Ellie Kyung of Babson College; Gretchen Chapman of Carnegie Mellon University; and Oleg Urminsky of the University ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Chickening out – why some birds fear novelty

The largest-ever study on neophobia, or fear of novelty, has discovered the key reasons why some bird species are more fearful of new things than others. Published in the journal PLOS Biology, the global multi-species study was led by Dr Rachael Miller while at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and the University of Cambridge – with ARU funding the publication of the research – alongside a core leadership team from the ManyBirds Project. Neophobia plays a crucial role in how animals balance risk and opportunity. While caution can protect individuals from potential threats, it can also limit their ability to adapt to new nesting sites, foods ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Study links wind-blown dust from receding Salton Sea to reduced lung function in area children

Irvine, Calif., Oct. 14, 2025 – Children living near the Salton Sea, in Southern California’s desert region of Imperial County, are experiencing poorer lung function than children exposed to less wind-blown dust, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Irvine’s Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health. They found that higher dust exposure – measured in hours per year – was linked to lower lung function, with the negative effects most pronounced among children living closest to the lake. The work, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, marks one of the ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Rapid vs standard induction to injectable extended-release buprenorphine

About The Study: In this multicenter randomized clinical trial, rapid induction had higher retention than standard induction overall and in patients who tested positive for fentanyl through extended-release buprenorphine injection 2. Administration of injection 2 after 1 week was well tolerated and minimized time below target therapeutic levels of 2 ng/mL or greater compared with injection after 1 month. Corresponding author: To contact the corresponding author, Robert L. Dobbins, M.D., Ph.D., email robert.dobbins@indivior.com. To ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Outfoxed: New research reveals Australia’s rapid red fox invasion

One of Australia’s most devastating invasive predators took just 60 years to colonise the whole continent, according to new Curtin-led research that offers vital clues to help prevent future extinctions of native animals from foxes. Reconstructing the invasion patterns of foxes using new statistical simulation tools, the new paper has uncovered critical data needed to disentangle the role of foxes in the demise of Australia’s native animals. Lead author Dr Sean Tomlinson, from Curtin’s School of Molecular and Life Sciences, said researchers used hundreds ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Wetland plant-fungus combo cleans up ‘forever chemicals’ in a pilot study

Wetlands act as nature’s kidneys: They trap sediments, absorb excess nutrients and turn pollutants into less harmful substances. Now, the list of pollutants wetland plants can remove includes per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). From a greenhouse study, researchers in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology report that moisture-loving yellow flag irises and fungi on their roots are a promising combination for PFAS removal. As part of a constructed wetland, this pair could effectively treat contaminated wastewater. “Our study shows that a type of fungus ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

APS and SPR honor Dr. Wendy K. Chung with the 2026 Mary Ellen Avery Neonatal Research Award

HOUSTON, October 14, 2025 – The American Pediatric Society (APS) and the Society for Pediatric Research (SPR) are pleased to announce Wendy K. Chung, MD, PhD, as the 2026 Mary Ellen Avery Neonatal Research Award recipient. This award honors a pediatric investigator who has made important contributions to neonatal health through basic or translational research. Dr. Wendy Chung, MD, PhD, is the Mary Ellen Avery Professor of Pediatrics, Chief of Pediatrics, and Pediatrician-in-Chief at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. An internationally recognized ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

The Gabriella Miller Kids First Data Resource Center (Kids First DRC) has launched the Variant Workbench

The Gabriella Miller Kids First Data Resource Center (Kids First DRC) has launched the Variant Workbench, an innovative tool designed to dramatically accelerate research into childhood diseases. For researchers studying genetic diseases, this new resource shifts the focus from the complex, time-consuming task of managing massive datasets to the core work of scientific exploration. The Variant Workbench functions as an interactive research environment within the cloud-based CAVATICA platform, essentially serving as a virtual lab bench for discovery. Previously, ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Yeast survives Martian conditions

Any life on Mars in the past, present, or future would have to contend with challenging conditions including, among others, shock waves from meteorite impacts and soil perchlorates—highly oxidizing salts that destabilize hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Purusharth I. Rajyaguru and colleagues subjected Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is a widely used model yeast, to shock waves and perchlorates. The authors chose the yeast in part because it has already been studied in space. When stressed, yeast, humans, and many other organisms form ribonucleoprotein ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Calcium could be key to solving stability issues in sodium-ion batteries

Rechargeable batteries are a fundamental part of today's technological landscape, powering everything from our personal devices to large-scale infrastructure. While many types of rechargeable batteries exist, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are by far the most ubiquitous, owing to their outstanding energy density, long life cycle, and low self-discharge rate. However, lithium is rather a scarce element with a very uneven distribution throughout the world, prompting research into batteries made from other materials. Over the past ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Genetics pioneer transforms global depression research through multi-omics discoveries

OXFORD, Oxfordshire, UK, 14 October 2025 -- In a compelling Genomic Press Interview published today in Genomic Psychiatry, Dr. Najaf Amin unveils transformative insights that fundamentally reshape international understanding of depression genetics. The Oxford University Associate Professor, ranked among the top scientists globally in genetics and the top women in science worldwide, shares ground breaking discoveries that promise to revolutionize how researchers across continents approach major depression. With over 350 peer-reviewed publications and an exceptional h-index of 125, Dr. Amin has positioned herself at the vanguard of molecular epidemiology, challenging long-held ...

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Science14 Oct 2025

Measles immunity 90% in BC’s Lower Mainland

In British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, 90% of people have detectable antibodies against measles, indicating high vaccine coverage and population protection, according to a new study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.250788. Measles has been on the rise in North America, with more than 4000 cases reported in Canada as of August 2025, a fivefold increase over any full-year tally since Canada achieved measles elimination status in 1998. Measles is highly ...

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Science13 Oct 2025

Flipping the switch on sperm motility offers new hope for male infertility

Osaka, Japan – Infertility affects about one in six couples, and male factors account for roughly half of all cases—often because sperm don’t swim well. Researchers from the University of Osaka uncovered a key component of the “switch” that keeps the movement signal strong, offering a promising new avenue for both diagnosis and treatment. When this switch is absent, sperm slow down, and fertilization fails. By restoring that signal in the lab, the team rescued swimming and achieved healthy births in mice. For sperm to successfully fertilize an egg, they must be able to swim, a process driven by their tail. This movement is activated by an ...

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Science13 Oct 2025

Drip by drip: The hidden blueprint for stalagmite growth

Deep inside caves, water dripping from the ceiling creates one of nature’s most iconic formations: stalagmites. These pillars of calcite, ranging from centimeters to many meters in height, rise from the cave floor as drip after drip of mineral-rich water deposits a tiny layer of stone. Beyond their beauty—echoed in fanciful nicknames like the “Minaret” or the “Wedding Cake”—stalagmites are also natural archives, recording ancient climatic changes in their layered growth, much like tree rings. But what determines the shape of a stalagmite? Why do some grow into slender cones, others into massive columns, and still others into curious flat-topped forms? ...

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Science13 Oct 2025

Exploring the therapeutic potential of hypothermia

Hypothermia can preserve neuron health following brain injury, but complications from external cooling make it less promising therapeutically. Recent evidence suggests that activating a specific neuron population triggers a reversible, hibernation-like hypothermic state without external cooling, but does this form of hypothermia still preserve neuron health? In a new JNeurosci paper, researchers led by Takeshi Sakurai at the University of Tsukuba explored this question using male mice. The researchers found that triggering this specific hypothermic state in mice improved motor performance ...

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Science13 Oct 2025

Life after near death: Research reveals how to improve support for near-death experiencers

Near-death experiences can have lasting, life-changing effects, and new University of Virginia School of Medicine research sheds light on the types of counseling and support that can best help people cope. The research, from UVA’s Division of Perceptual Studies, is believed to be the first to explore the most common and effective ways to assist people grappling with potentially profound changes to their world view. For most, near-death experiences, or NDEs, have a positive effect; the brush with ...

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Science13 Oct 2025

FAU receives $3M federal grant to prevent substance use in at-risk youth

Florida Atlantic University has received a $3 million, five-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, to lead a transformative community initiative designed to prevent substance use among South Florida’s youth. The new program, “Rising Strong: Empowering Youth for Substance-Free Futures,” will implement evidence-based, trauma-informed prevention strategies to reach more than 3,000 youth across Palm Beach and Broward counties ...

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Science13 Oct 2025

New report shows action to improve gender equity linked to career gains and better business performance

A new report out today shows that companies taking action for gender equality see lower staff turnover, more women in leadership and better shareholder value. The 10th report in the Gender Equity Insights Series from Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC) and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) also warns Australian businesses could fall behind their competitors if they don’t take strong action to address gender balance. The report investigates what drives gender balance. Gender balance means having at least ...

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Science13 Oct 2025

Kiwis could help manage chronic constipation

Kiwifruits, rye bread and high mineral-content water could all help alleviate chronic constipation. That’s according to the first ever evidence-based dietary guidelines for adults with chronic constipation, led by researchers at King’s College London. The new guidelines also show that taking psyllium fibre supplements, certain probiotic strains and magnesium oxide supplements can help to improve constipation. In contrast, other widely recommended approaches, including generic “high-fibre diets,” and senna supplements (a type of laxative) were found to lack strong evidence ...

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Science12 Oct 2025

Cesarean delivery linked to higher risk of pain and sleep problems after childbirth

SAN ANTONIO — New mothers are more likely to experience severe pain that disrupts sleep and activities of daily living, as well as develop sleep disorders, if they give birth by cesarean delivery (C-section), suggests research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025 annual meeting. “Sleep is often overlooked in postpartum recovery, but it is central to a mother’s physical and mental health,” said Moe Takenoshita, M.B.B.Ch., lead author of the study and a postdoctoral scholar in the department of anesthesia at Stanford University Center for Academic Medicine, Palo Alto, California. “Cesarean delivery in particular appears to increase ...

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Science11 Oct 2025

American Society of Anesthesiologists honors John M. Zerwas, M.D., FASA, with Distinguished Service Award

SAN ANTONIO — The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) today presented John M. Zerwas, M.D., FASA, with its 2024 Distinguished Service Award in recognition of his enduring contributions to the specialty as an accomplished advocate, mentor and teacher, successfully blending a career in medicine with a career in politics for more than four decades. The award is the highest honor ASA bestows and is presented annually to a member who has transformed the specialty of anesthesiology. Dr. Zerwas is chancellor of The University of Texas (UT) System in Austin, Texas, leading a system of public higher education, composed ...

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Science10 Oct 2025

Study confirms that people with ADHD can be more creative. The reason may be that they let their mind wander

New research confirms that ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can be linked to increased creativity and suggests that this creativity is associated with a greater tendency to let your mind wander. This first study to explain the link between ADHD and creativity, is presented at the ECNP congress in Amsterdam. Lead researcher Han Fang (from the Radboud University Medical Centre, the Netherlands) said: “Previous research pointed to mind wandering as a possible factor linking ADHD and creativity, but until now no study has directly examined ...

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