The gut microbiome — made up of trillions of microbes in the digestive tract — is vital for digestion and overall health. Diet and medication shape these microbial ecosystems, but the contribution of genetics has been more difficult to ascertain. Now, a new study of rats — a model organism for understanding the human gut — has found that the composition of the rat gut microbiome is shaped not only by a rat’s own genes but also by the genes of  those it lives with.  The discovery reveals a novel way in which genes and social interactions intertwine: through the exchange of commensal ...

When most of us think of DNA, we have a vague idea it’s made up of genes that give us our physical features, our behavioural quirks, and keep our cells and organs running. But only a tiny percentage of our DNA – around 2% – contains our 20,000-odd genes. The remaining 98% – long known as the non-coding genome, or so-called ‘junk’ DNA – includes many of the switches that control when and how strongly genes are expressed. Now researchers from UNSW Sydney have identified ...

A research team led by Félix Viana, co-director of the Sensory Transduction and Nociception laboratory at the Institute for Neurosciences (IN), a joint research centre of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH), has demonstrated that the body uses different molecular mechanisms to detect cold in the skin and in internal organs. These findings represent a significant advance in understanding thermal homeostasis and certain pathologies associated ...

With a Kobe University-developed procedure, induced pluripotent stem cells can now be frozen directly in their dishes without losing their viability or undifferentiated state after thawing. This marks a significant step for research automation, personalized medicine and drug discovery research. Induced pluripotent stem cells, also widely known as iPS cells, can be created from any tissue in the human body and possess the ability to transform into a wide range of tissues. As such, they are essential for regenerative medicine and drug discovery research. Kobe University biochemical ...

Background and Motivation Accurately pricing American-style options, which allow early exercise at any time before expiry, remains a significant challenge in quantitative finance. This task becomes even more complex under realistic market conditions where asset volatility is not constant but fluctuates randomly, as described by stochastic volatility models like Heston's. Traditional numerical methods, often mesh-based, can be computationally intensive and struggle with high-dimensional problems. With the exponential growth of derivatives trading and the critical need for effective risk management, evidenced by billions of contracts ...

Background and Motivation Systemic financial risk remains a critical challenge for modern economies, underscored by recurring crises such as the 2008 global financial meltdown, the 2015 Chinese stock market crash, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditional research has often examined sectors in isolation or focused on pairwise risk spillovers, overlooking the complex, multi-sector dependencies that can amplify systemic threats. This study addresses that gap by exploring higher-order interactions—where risks resonate ...

Background and Motivation As climate change intensifies globally, national policies aimed at mitigation and adaptation have become a significant, yet volatile, factor influencing financial markets. In China—the world's second-largest economy and a key player in global climate governance—the path toward carbon neutrality involves substantial policy adjustments, creating what researchers term Climate Policy Uncertainty (CPU). While CPU is recognised as an emerging source of financial risk, its specific impact on the systemic risk contributions of different economic sectors within ...

Background In the field of biomedicine and public health, continuous viral mutation and evolution may enable viruses to cross species barriers, infect non-natural hosts, and subsequently trigger human-to-human transmission or even global pandemics. Historically, multiple major outbreaks, such as COVID-19 and influenza pandemics, have been caused by zoonotic viruses. Therefore, in the face of potential threats from unknown viruses, developing intelligent models capable of rapidly assessing their adaptability and transmission risks at the genotypic level has become a forefront challenge in infectious disease prevention and control. Traditional experimental methods for ...

Antibiotic resistance genes are often portrayed as a modern medical problem driven by the overuse of antibiotics in hospitals and farms. A new comprehensive review published in Biocontaminant reveals a much deeper and more complex story. Antibiotic resistance is an ancient feature of microbial life, shaped by millions of years of evolution and strongly influenced by today’s human activities that connect natural environments, animals, and people. The study, led by researchers at Hohai University in China, examines where antibiotic resistance genes come from, why they ...

Nicotine is toxic to the heart and blood vessels, regardless of whether it is consumed via a vape, a pouch, a shisha or a cigarette, according to an expert consensus report published in the European Heart Journal [1] today (Thursday). The report brings together the results of the entire literature in the field and is the first to consider the harms of all nicotine products, rather than smoking only. The report highlights a dramatic rise in the use of vapes, heated tobacco and nicotine pouches, particularly among adolescents and young adults, with evidence that three-quarters of young adult vapers have never smoked before. The authors ...

What if the factories building tomorrow’s aerospace components, medical devices, and clean energy systems could do so without fueling the climate crisis? That future is now within reach—thanks to groundbreaking research from Dr. Giulia Colombini at the Department of Engineering “Enzo Ferrari,” University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Laser powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M) has long been celebrated for its extraordinary precision and near-zero material waste. By selectively melting fine metal powder with a high-powered laser, it creates complex, high-performance ...

Kyoto, Japan -- Superconductors are materials that can conduct electricity with zero resistance, usually only at very low temperatures. Most superconductors behave according to well-established rules, but strontium ruthenate, Sr₂RuO₄, has defied clear understanding since its superconducting properties were discovered in 1994. It is considered one of the cleanest and best-studied unconventional superconductors, yet scientists still debate the precise structure and symmetry of the electron pairing that gives rise to its remarkable ...

A pre-school diet and physical activity programme does not improve children’s calorie intake or overall physical activity levels in nursery settings, a new University of Bristol-led study has found.  The research published in The Lancet Regional Health - Europe today [17 December] highlights the need for policy-led rather than intervention-led approaches to improving young children’s health. The NAP SACC UK programme (Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care), funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), adapted from an established US model, aimed to improve nutrition and physical activity policies, ...

The week after the autumn clock change is associated with a reduction in demand for NHS services for sleep disorders, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, and psychiatric conditions in England, finds a study in the Christmas issue of The BMJ. However, there is little evidence that the spring clock change has any short term effect on the number of health conditions, say the researchers. Daylight saving time was introduced during the first world war and involves moving the clocks one hour forward in spring and one ...

AI generated images of doctors have the potential to exaggerate and reinforce existing stereotypes relating to sex, gender, race, and ethnicity, suggests a small analysis in the Christmas issue of The BMJ. Sati Heer-Stavert, GP and associate clinical professor at the University of Warwick, says AI generated images of doctors “should be carefully prompted and aligned against workforce statistics to reduce disparity between the real and the rendered.” Inaccurate portrayals of doctors in the media and everyday imagery ...

Playing soothing live music in intensive care units not only helps parents bond with their baby but also provides a moment’s respite from an uncertain and stressful situation, says a senior doctor in the Christmas issue of The BMJ. In 2025, Music in Hospitals & Care has delivered more than 90 hours of live music to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the UK, reaching more than 1000 seriously ill babies. The charity has been providing soothing tunes for babies and parents through its Lullaby Hour sessions since 2017, ...

The only reasonable stance on conscious AI is “agnosticism”: that we won’t, and may never, be able to tell, says a philosophy-of-consciousness expert.    This gulf in our knowledge could be exploited by a tech industry intent on selling the “next level of AI cleverness”, argues Dr Tom McClelland.   “If you have an emotional connection with something premised on it being conscious and it’s not, that has the potential to be existentially toxic.” A University of Cambridge philosopher argues that our evidence for what constitutes consciousness is far too limited to tell if or when artificial intelligence has made the leap ...

AI video translation is not yet a perfect substitute for human translation, according to new research from the University of East Anglia. A new study shows that AI tools can be useful when speed and clarity are priorities. But human translators remain crucial for tone, cultural nuance and for sounding natural. Jiseon Han, a lecturer in digital marketing at UEA’s Norwich Business School, said: “As brands race to reach global consumers on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, a new question has emerged - can generative AI truly replace humans in video translation? “We decided to put it to ...

Stanford researchers have uncovered evidence that deep underwater earthquakes can spur the growth of massive phytoplankton blooms at the ocean surface. Phytoplankton are microscopic, plant-like organisms that float in upper ocean layers and serve as the foundation of the oceanic food chain. They also store carbon dioxide pulled from the air and supply a large amount of the planet’s oxygen. The new findings, published Dec. 9 in Nature Geoscience, point to a previously unknown relationship ...

Key takeaways Dark-eyed juncos, a bird that typically live in mountain forests, have established thriving populations in Southern California cities, where they eat food people leave behind. A UCLA biologist studying the biological adaptations that help them survive an urban environment has found that the bill shape of this species became more like that of their non-urban counterparts in the absence of people during the pandemic closures at UCLA. After campus re-opened, the bills gradually returned to their previous shape, suggesting that the presence of people and their trash is driving the evolution ...

Each year, 11 million people worldwide develop tuberculosis, and about 1.4 million die from it. Meningitis occurs in 1–2% of patients and is the most severe complication of tuberculosis, arising when the bacteria reach the brain. Despite antibiotic treatment, about half of patients with TB meningitis die or suffer permanent damage such as deafness or paralysis. Hospital pharmacist, clinical pharmacologist, and professor Rob Aarnoutse explains: 'In previous studies, we saw that very little rifampicin—the most important antibiotic against tuberculosis—reaches the brain. That means the bacteria are not effectively cleared there. But those studies also ...

Around 100 trillion insects fly in the skies above the USA on a summer's day, according to estimates by researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) and the USA. Using weather radar, they have for the first time estimated the number of flying insects above the contiguous US. •    Researchers used data from 140 weather radars to estimate the number of insects across the US. •    The number of insects has remained stable there over the last ten years, but there have been significant regional increases and decreases. •    The ...

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4:00 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2025 Highlights: A new study links eating more high-fat cheese and cream to a lower risk of developing dementia. High-fat cheeses have more than 20% fat and include cheddar, Brie and Gouda. People who ate 50 grams or more of high-fat cheese daily had a 13% lower risk of dementia than those eating less than 15 grams daily. People who consumed 20 grams or more of high-fat cream daily had a 16% lower risk of dementia than those who consumed none. No association was found for low-fat dairy products, fermented milk, milk or butter. More research ...

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE UNTIL 4 P.M. ET, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2025 Highlights: A new study has found that within the year following a stroke, female participants had more difficulty than male participants with doing daily tasks. Daily tasks include eating, dressing, driving and cooking. The differences remained even after considering age, education and insurance. The study authors suggest that early and repeated checks on daily abilities after stroke, especially for female individuals, could help improve recovery. MINNEAPOLIS — When examining recovery during the first ...

New data confirm that the titanic collisions of galaxies ignite the most powerful active galactic nuclei.  Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are phases in which supermassive black holes at the centre of galaxies actively feed on matter and gas, beaming out light as they do so. Our own Milky Way has a supermassive black hole at its centre, but it is currently inactive.  Mergers and interactions  But we still don’t really understand how supermassive black holes form and evolve. Previous studies have shown that galaxy mergers could be part of the equation. Now, new high-quality data gathered by the Euclid satellite provide ...