Science
press releases.

Science29 Aug 2025

Capturing language change through the genes

Throughout human history, there have been many instances where two populations came into contact – especially in the past few thousand years because of large-scale migrations as a consequence of conquests, colonialization, and, more recently, globalization. During these encounters, not only did populations exchange genetic material, but also cultural elements. When populations interact, they may borrow technologies, beliefs, practices, and also, crucially, aspects of language. With this, sounds, words or grammatical patterns can be exchanged ...

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Science29 Aug 2025

Public trust in elections increases with clear facts

With control of Congress and a check on the Trump administration at issue in the 2026 midterm elections, the upcoming election cycle may again see claims of voter fraud. But warning voters beforehand that there may be false claims about the election, and providing them with information on election security measures through "prebunking," can increase confidence in the results and decrease beliefs in voter fraud, according to a new study published in Science Advances. "Prebunking is effective because it provides people with novel facts about how elections are ...

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Science29 Aug 2025

Retinitis pigmentosa mouse models reflect pathobiology of human RP59

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Retinitis pigmentosa retinal degeneration is caused by a family of hereditary mutations in nearly 100 genes that slowly lead to blindness over years or decades. One of those genes encodes the enzyme DHDDS, part of the pathway that glycosylates proteins in higher cells. Retinitis pigmentosa from DHDDS mutations is called RP59. This is a recessive genetic disease, meaning mutations must be present on both copies of the DHDDS gene to cause disease. To better understand and potentially treat RP59, Steven Pittler, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have created novel mouse models with mutations in the mouse gene for DHDDS. Their first model, ...

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Science29 Aug 2025

2026 Hertz Fellowship Application Now Open

The Hertz Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing American scientific and technological leadership, today announced that the application for the 2026 Hertz Fellowship is now open. The Hertz Fellowship is one of the most competitive and coveted awards for doctoral students in applied sciences, engineering and mathematics. Hertz Fellows receive up to five years of funding, giving them freedom from the traditional constraints of graduate training and the independence needed to pursue groundbreaking research. They also gain lifelong professional support, including mentoring, events and networking opportunities. Hertz Fellows join ...

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Science29 Aug 2025

Extreme heat linked to spike in domestic violence calls in New Orleans, study finds

Prolonged extreme heat in New Orleans was linked to a measurable increase in domestic violence-related emergency calls, according to new research in JAMA Open Network co-authored by the Tulane University’s Newcomb Institute. The study analyzed more than 150,000 domestic violence (DV) calls made to the New Orleans Police Department from 2011 to 2021. Researchers found that when “feels-like” temperatures factoring in heat and humidity stayed in the city’s top 10% for at least five straight days, domestic violence ...

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Science29 Aug 2025

Understanding the profound yet hidden effects of neglect on white matter structures

When we think of child abuse, physical violence or emotional cruelty often comes to mind first. However, the most common form of maltreatment is actually much quieter: neglect. Affecting three out of four children in substantiated abuse cases worldwide, child neglect involves the failure to provide basic necessities like adequate food, shelter, supervision, or protection. Despite causing documented long-term mental health problems and developmental issues, this ‘invisible’ form of maltreatment has received surprisingly little ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

Yellowstone’s free roaming bison drive grassland resilience

Yellowstone’s roaming bison herds enhance nutrient cycles and boost ecosystem health at landscape scales, according to a new study. The findings, which challenge conventional grazing wisdom, suggest that restoring large-scale migrations could unlock the species’ full ecological power. Historically, North America supported tens of millions of bison whose seasonal migrations transformed the continent’s vast grassland ecosystems. Today, these once massive herds of wild, free roaming bison are no more; only about 400,000 bison remain, and almost all exist in small managed herds on private land or within parks and reserves. ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

Revealed: Genetic shifts that helped tame horses and made them rideable

A study of ancient horse genomes reveals the genetic changes that contributed to making the animals tame, strong, and rideable by humans thousands of years ago. The domestication of horses, which occurred at least 4,500 years ago, had a transformative effect on the evolution of human society, altering mobility, farming, and warfare. Across much of the world, horses served as a primary mode of human transportation until the rise of the combustion engine in the late 19th century. However, despite ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

Placebo pain relief works differently across human body, study finds

New research finds the human brain has a built-in pain map that activates in different areas when relieving face, arm or leg pain. But placebo pain relief only works where the brain expects it. Further research may help to unlock safer, targeted pain treatments. Researchers from the University of Sydney have used placebo pain relief to uncover a map-like system in the brainstem that controls pain differently depending on where it’s felt in the body. The findings may pave the way for safer, more targeted treatments for chronic pain that don’t rely on opioids. Like a highway, the brainstem connects the brain to the spinal cord and manages all signals ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

MERIT grant awarded to study cure for HIV

Nearly 20 years ago, a man named Timothy Ray Brown who was living with HIV and cancer, underwent two courses of stem cell transplantation to treat his acute myeloid leukemia. By using donor cells that lacked a key molecule needed for HIV to enter and infect immune cells, the procedures not only led to remission of his cancer, but also cured him of HIV. Now, a scientific team co-led by Dr. Lishomwa Ndhlovu at Weill Cornell Medicine and Dr. Jonah Sacha at Oregon Health & Science University have received an NIH MERIT Award to ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and risk of uveitis

About The Study: This cohort study found that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) prescriptions were associated with a lower risk of uveitis compared with controls. These findings suggest potential anti-inflammatory benefits beyond glycemic control, warranting further investigation into their role in ocular inflammatory diseases. Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Sumit Sharma, MD, email sumitsharma.md@gmail.com. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2025.2822) Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

Study proposes new, more personalized methadone restart approach for opioid use disorder

AURORA, Colo. (August 28, 2025) – A new study from University of Colorado Anschutz and Denver Health researchers, published today in JAMA Network Open, introduces a more individualized approach to restarting methadone treatment for people with opioid use disorder. The findings suggest that tailoring methadone doses to each patient’s unique circumstances can improve care without compromising safety. Methadone is a proven medication that can cut the risk of death from opioid use disorder by about 50%. The researchers considered that current treatment protocols ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

People who skip breakfast and eat late dinners may have a higher risk of osteoporosis

WASHINGTON—People who skip breakfast and eat late dinners may have an increased risk of developing osteoporosis, according to a new study published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society. Lifestyle habits, such as exercise, alcohol consumption and smoking, are known to increase people’s risk of osteoporosis, however little is known about the association between osteoporotic fracture and diet. “This study aimed to examine the association between lifestyle habits such as diet, and the risk of osteoporotic fracture,” ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

Pertussis resurgence in Tuscany outlines importance of timely vaccination in Italy

Pertussis, commonly known as whooping cough, is a vaccine-preventable disease which continues to circulate even in areas where vaccination coverage is high, and outbreaks may still occur. A study published in Eurosurveillance and conducted at Meyer Children’s Hospital in Florence, Italy, has found a sharp increase in hospitalisations for pertussis among children and adolescents (patients aged 16 years or under) in 2024. The findings highlight the critical role of not only adhering to vaccination schedules but also administering doses at the earliest opportunity to ensure a further reduction in cases and hospitalisations ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

We must develop thinkers, not crammers and fact experts

Hilde Storrøsæter is worried about the teaching of geography in schools. Geography as a school subject is under pressure. There aren't enough qualified teachers and it loses out to other subjects in school. In many countries, important aspects are left out of the geography curricula. "Alarm bells should be ringing, both in the field and among teachers in schools. The development we are seeing in geography as a subject is critical. This failure affects the students' ability to understand how things are connected in a troubled and confusing world," she said. Storrøsæter is a geographer and assistant professor at the Norwegian University ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

How plants rot: New method decodes hidden decomposers of wood and leaves

FRANKFURT. When a tree dies, it forms the foundation for new life: In a slow, invisible process, leaves, wood and roots are gradually decomposed – not by wind or weather but by millions and millions of tiny organisms. Fungi thread their way through the dead wood and degrade cell walls. Tiny animals such as insect larvae and mites gnaw through the tissue. And something very important happens in the process: The carbon stored in the plant is released, ultimately placing it at the disposal of plants again for the purpose of photosynthesis. But what exactly is responsible for performing this task in the global ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

In search of the perfect raspberry

One of our most popular summer soft fruits could last longer in the fridge thanks to pioneering new research conducted at Cranfield University. Researchers have recently published a new method to edit the DNA of raspberries, with the goal of creating more sustainable raspberry production and less food waste. A first for gene editing in raspberry The new study details a novel method for the isolation of single cells (protoplasts) from the leaf tissue of raspberry microplants grown in sterile tissue culture. The protoplasts were then gene edited with CRISPR-Cas9, a revolutionary biotechnology ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

Food for thought: Using food delivery services to provide rapid cardiac arrest response and potentially save lives

Inspired by an urgent need to improve timely defibrillation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) in dense urban settings, a team of investigators developed a simulation that explored the potential of leveraging an existing food delivery network in Taipei City, Taiwan, to help address this challenge. Their findings in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, published by Elsevier, suggest that deploying food delivery riders to deliver defibrillation may reduce automated external defibrillator (AED) response times by approximately three minutes—about 50% faster than a traditional emergency medical system (EMS)—and might be particularly beneficial during peak ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

Spider uses trapped fireflies as glowing bait to attract more prey

Ecologists have observed a species of nocturnal spider attracting prey to its web using the bioluminescent beacons of already trapped fireflies. This rare example of a predator exploiting its prey’s mating signal for its own gain is documented in the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Animal Ecology. Researchers at Tunghai University, Taiwan have observed sheet web spiders Psechrus clavis capturing fireflies in their webs and leaving them there while they emitted bioluminescent light for up to an hour. The researchers even observed the spiders going to check on the captured fireflies from time to time. Intrigued ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

Strong, evidence-based leadership at CDC essential in wake of director’s exit, says SHEA

SHEA is deeply disappointed by the sudden departure of the CDC Director so soon after her confirmation, at a time when the agency most needs stability and authority to carry out its vital mission of protecting the health and safety of all Americans. The United States stands at a critical crossroads, where strong, trusted public health leadership is essential to restoring confidence through evidence-based practices and guidance. In an era marked by increasing assaults on science and public health, CDC must be empowered to rise above politics and remain focused on their core purpose: safeguarding ...

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Science28 Aug 2025

Birdwatching tourism is booming. Some countries are benefiting, while others are left behind

Deep in a forest in the Andes, high atop a tall tree, there’s a quick, colorful flash of plumage in vivid shades of yellow, green, and blue. A high-pitched musical chirp rings out. Through a carefully trained pair of binoculars, a beautiful little bird comes into view. It’s a multicolored tanager, a species that lives only in the mountains of Colombia. Seeing it in person for the first time feels like the thrill of discovery. Watching it search for fruit across the treetops brings a sense of peace and connection to nature. Experiences like these are what motivate birdwatchers to travel the globe, in hopes ...

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Science27 Aug 2025

New research reveals longevity gains slowing, life expectancy of 100 unlikely

MADISON, Wis. – A new study co-authored by a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor finds that life expectancy gains made by high-income countries in the first half of the 20th century have slowed significantly, and that none of the generations born after 1939 will reach 100 years of age on average. Published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study by Héctor Pifarré i Arolas of the La Follette School of Public Affairs, José Andrade ...

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Science27 Aug 2025

Wheat that makes its own fertilizer

Scientists at the University of California, Davis, have developed wheat plants that stimulate the production of their own fertilizer, opening the path toward less air and water pollution worldwide and lower costs for farmers. The technology was pioneered by a team led by Eduardo Blumwald, a distinguished professor in the Department of Plant Sciences. The team used the gene-editing tool CRIPSR to get wheat plants to produce more of one of their own naturally occurring chemicals. When the plant releases the excess chemical into the soil, the chemical helps certain bacteria in the soil convert nitrogen from the air into ...

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Science27 Aug 2025

Stroke risk highest among Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander people

MINNEAPOLIS — A new study found that Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander people had the highest rate of stroke among people from other race and ethnic groups, with a rate more than three times higher than that of white people. The study is published on August 27, 2025, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. “Multiple studies have shown racial and ethnic disparities in the rate of stroke in the United States, but there is little information on the rate among Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander people, especially ...

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Science27 Aug 2025

Intrusive distracting thoughts may be associated with anxiety and linked to lower well-being, and occur more often when alone than in company

Intrusive distracting thoughts may be associated with anxiety and linked to lower well-being, and occur more often when alone than in company, per experience of sampling survey of students. Article URL: https://plos.io/4lBYjWu Article Title: Patterns of ongoing thought in the real world and their links to mental health and well-being Author Countries: Canada, England, United States Funding: This research was supported by (i) a National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) graduate fellowship (author: BM), (ii) an award from the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (grant ID: NFRF-2021-00183, ...

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