Inspired by how nature blends toughness and flexibility, such as the rigid structure of bone surrounded by pliable cartilage, all with elegant and precise geometric properties, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a fast, precise new 3D printing method that seamlessly merges soft and hard properties into a single object using different colors of light. This advance could pave the way for next-generation prosthetics, flexible medical devices and stretchable electronics that move naturally with the body, much like a human joint or ligament. The process is described in a paper out today in Nature Materials. “What really motivated ...

BCI robotic hand control reaches new finger-level milestone Robotic systems have the potential to greatly enhance daily living for the over one billion individuals worldwide who experience some form of disability. Brain-computer interfaces or BCIs present a compelling option by enabling direct communication between the brain and external devices, bypassing traditional muscle-based control. While invasive BCIs have demonstrated the ability to control robotic systems with high precision, their reliance on risky surgical ...

A new study from scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging has revealed a surprising player in the battle against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia: brain sugar metabolism. Published in Nature Metabolism, the research uncovers how breaking down glycogen—a stored form of glucose—in neurons may protect the brain from toxic protein buildup and degeneration. Glycogen is typically thought of as a reserve energy source stored in the liver and muscles. While small amounts ...

CHICAGO --- In radiation therapy, precision can save lives. Oncologists must carefully map the size and location of a tumor before delivering high-dose radiation to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. But this process, called tumor segmentation, is still done manually, takes time, varies between doctors — and can lead to critical tumor areas being overlooked. Now, a team of Northwestern Medicine scientists has developed an AI tool called iSeg that not only matches doctors in accurately outlining lung tumors on CT scans but can also identify areas that some doctors may miss, reports ...

To the point Hansen’s Disease (leprosy) is thought to have originated in Eurasia: previous studies on Mycobacterium leprae, the dominant form of leprosy, suggest the disease originated in Eurasia.  Ancient pathogen genomes from old bones: a team of scientists from Germany and Argentina have reconstructed two genomes of Mycobacterium lepromatosis in 4000-year-old human skeletons from Chile. This pathogen is regarded as a second, less common, cause of Hansen’s Disease. A new American chapter for Hansen’s Disease: two pathogens that are responsible for the same disease ...

A new study by the Genomics and Microbial Evolution Group at the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) together with the Department of Host-Microbe Interactions at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, USA, sheds light on one of the great enigmas of microbiology: why only certain strains of common bacteria become pandemic pathogens. The work, published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), focuses on Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera. It reveals that its most dangerous form arises from a specific combination ...

PISCATAWAY, NJ – For years now, U.S. police departments have employed officers who are trained to be experts in detecting “drugged driving.” The problem is, however, that the methods those officers use are not based on science, according to a new editorial in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.  With marijuana now legal in many U.S. states, the need for reliable tests for marijuana impairment is more pressing than ever. Police can evaluate alcohol-intoxicated drivers by using an objective measure of breath ...

Anaerobic bacteria – masters of survival without oxygen Anaerobic bacteria were among the first life forms on earth and existed at a time when there was no oxygen in the atmosphere. While many organisms depend on an oxygen-rich environment to survive, anaerobes thrive in places where others cannot – in completely oxygen-free habitats such as the human gut or the ocean floor. The enzymes of these bacteria are even sensitive to oxygen. Their remarkable adaptability is increasingly attracting the attention of researchers. Anaerobic bacteria often produce unusual substances. This makes ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Studies show that the average attention span is now only eight seconds. That’s about as much time as it takes to read a few sentences before being distracted.  A new national survey of 1,000 American adults commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine finds that stress and anxiety contribute most to a     short attention span (43%), followed by lack of sleep (39%) and digital devices (35%).  Other contributing factors include boredom or lack of interest (31%); multitasking (23%); lack of physical activity (21%); poor diet/hydration (20%) and medical conditions such as ADHD ...

In documenting and recording society’s collective data on an unprecedented scale, artificial intelligence is becoming humanity’s historian – changing the way we record information for posterity. But AI’s inadvertent role as memory-keeper raises profound concerns for today’s historians. Unlike human historians who explicitly document their methodologies, AI systems are creating the historical archives of the future without crucial transparency around how sources are selected, weighted, and interpreted. This undermines a fundamental principle of historical scholarship, that methodologies should be visible and contestable. In the new book ...

(Paris, France, Monday, 30 June 2025) A new international study presented today at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) reveals that IVF cycles involving male partners over the age of 45 carry significantly increased miscarriage risks and lower live birth rates – even when young donor eggs are used.[1] By isolating paternal age from female reproductive factors through the exclusive use of donor eggs from young women, the study provides robust evidence that male age plays a critical role in reproductive success, challenging the common assumption ...

(Monday 30 June 2025, London, United Kingdom) A pioneering study has provided unprecedented insights into the immune response following pig-to-human kidney xenotransplantation.1 The findings, presented today at the ESOT Congress 2025, mark a significant step forward in overcoming the biggest challenge in xenotransplantation: rejection by the human immune system. Using cutting-edge spatial molecular imaging, researchers mapped how human immune cells interact with pig kidney tissue in transplanted organs, revealing critical ...

(Paris, France, Monday, 30 June 2025) A new study presented today at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) reveals that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have distinct gut microbiota and metabolic signatures linked to premature endometrial ageing and a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.[1]  The research highlights a sharp reduction in the beneficial gut bacterium Parabacteroides merdae (P. merdae), alongside elevated levels of branched-chain amino ...

(Paris, France, Monday, 30 June 2025) A simple blood test taken in the first trimester of pregnancy could accurately identify women at risk of developing preeclampsia five months before clinical diagnosis, according to new research presented today at the 41st Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE).[1] Using a cell-free RNA (cfRNA) “liquid biopsy” of maternal plasma, researchers at the Carlos Simon Foundation and iPremom enrolled 9,586 pregnant women from 14 hospitals across Spain between September 2021 and June 2024. In a nested case-control analysis of 216 participants, they successfully predicted both early-onset and late-onset ...

(Monday, 30 June 2025, London, United Kingdom) A team of international scientists has made a major leap forward in diabetes research by successfully 3D printing functional human islets using a novel bioink. Presented today at the ESOT Congress 2025, the new technology could pave the way for more effective and less invasive treatment options for people living with type 1 diabetes (T1D).1 The breakthrough involved printing human islets – the insulin-producing clusters of cells in the pancreas – using a customised bioink made from alginate and decellularised human pancreatic tissue. This approach produced durable, high-density islet structures that remained alive and functional ...

Even small drops in national income can significantly increase the risk of various forms of childhood malnutrition- not only undernutrition but also overweight and obesity, shows a study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), an institution supported by “la Caixa” Foundation. The study, published in Lancet Global Health, identifies pregnancy and the first 1,000 days of life as especially vulnerable periods where targeted interventions can make a big difference. One in four children worldwide lives in severe food poverty. And many low- and middle-income countries ...

A study by the Center for Redox Processes in Biomedicine (Redoxoma) led by Marilene Demasi from the Butantan Institute (São Paulo, Brazil) presents a valuable new experimental model for investigating the interaction between the proteasome and mitochondrial function. In eukaryotic cells, the proteasome is a protein complex responsible for eliminating damaged and nonfunctional proteins, thereby helping to maintain cellular balance and proper functioning. In recent years, studies have revealed that the proteasome ...

Spinal cord injuries are currently incurable with devastating effects on people’s lives, but now a trial at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland offers hope for an effective treatment. Spinal cord injuries shatter the signal between the brain and body, often resulting in a loss of function.“Unlike a cut on the skin, which typically heals on its own, the spinal cord does not regenerate effectively, making these injuries devastating and currently incurable,” says lead researcher Dr Bruce Harland, a senior research fellow in the School of Pharmacy at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland. Before birth, and to a lesser extent afterwards, ...

Urea is one of the most important industrial chemicals produced worldwide. It is used as a fertiliser, for the production of synthetic resins and explosives and as a fuel additive for cleaning car exhaust gases. Urea is also believed to be a potential key building block for the formation of biological molecules such as RNA and DNA in connection with the question of the origin of life (see ETH News from 28 June 2023). Until now, the origin of urea itself on Early Earth has not been conclusively clarified. A research team led by Ruth Signorell, Professor of Physical Chemistry ...

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that helps clinicians identify brain activity patterns linked to nine types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, using a single, widely available scan — a transformative advance in early, accurate diagnosis.  The tool, StateViewer, helped researchers identify the dementia type in 88% of cases, according to research published online on June 27, 2025, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. It also enabled clinicians to interpret brain scans ...

(MEMPHIS, Tenn. – June 27, 2025) Gene therapy for sickle cell disease may help improve a major contributing factor to stroke risk in patients, reports a new study from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Many people with sickle cell disease experience increased brain ischemia, where oxygen is not delivered properly to brain tissues, potentially leading to strokes. A part of the risk for these events comes from increased blood flow speed in the brain. Findings from three patients in a gene therapy clinical trial showed ...

Human breast milk is uniquely adapted to meet an infant’s nutritional needs. Surprisingly, we still know very little about how milk is even made in the breast. A team of ETH Zurich researchers led by Marcy Zenobi-Wong, Professor of Tissue Engineering and Biofabrication, want to change that. In the lab, Zenobi-Wong and her team developed tiny replicas of lactating breast tissue. This involved isolating cells from human breast milk that are naturally found in milk. Some of the cells from lactating breast tissue and the so-called lactocytes – the cells in breast tissue that produce milk – end up in ...

COLUMBUS, Ohio – While emerging evidence suggests pesticides can be toxic to the mix of microorganisms in the digestive system, a new study is the first to map changes to specific gut bacteria based on interactions between human microbes and insect-killing chemicals observed in the lab and an animal model. The analysis showed that over a dozen pesticides influence human gut bacteria growth patterns, affect how gut microorganisms process nutrients and camp out inside some bacteria. Researchers say the resulting “atlas” ...

New findings show that the stage of normal cell development at which B cells transform into leukemic cells impacts treatment outcomes for pediatric patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and University Health Network’s Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, developed a robust single-cell reference atlas of normal human B-cell development and cross-referenced single-cell B-ALL data with it, as well as outcomes data. The study, ...

Roberto Morandotti Wins Prestigious IEEE Photonics Society Quantum Electronics Award    Congratulations to Professor Roberto Morandotti, the first researcher at INRS to receive this prestigious award in the field of quantum electronics    VARENNES, QC, June 27, 2025 – Professor Roberto Morandotti, a globally recognized leader in quantum optics and photonics at the Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), has won the 2025 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Photonic Society Quantum Electronics Award. This award pays ...