AMHERST, Mass. — Physicists have long believed that black holes explode at the end of their lives, and that such explosions happen—at most—only once every 100,000 years. But new research published in Physical Review Letters by physicists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has found a more than 90% probability that one of these black-hole explosions might be seen within the decade, and that, if we are prepared, our current fleet of space and earthbound telescopes could witness the event. Such an explosion would be strong evidence of a theorized but never observed kind of black hole, called a “primordial black hole,” ...

The university stage, particularly its beginning, is a time of tension and emotional stress for young students—many of whom are under the age of 20. This is a group in which suicidal ideation has increased significantly in recent years, surpassing the general population. Now, a study led by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute has quantified the prevalence of suicidal thoughts among university students and identified the main associated risk factors. The study, part of the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative (WMH-ICS) led by Harvard University in the United States, ...

University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have received a $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to test whether a cutting-edge magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner can identify now-undetectable brain injuries in soldiers exposed to blasts. Previous research studies have shown blast exposures may create distinct brain scarring caused by nervous system cells called astrocytes, said James R. Stone, MD, PhD, the UVA Health radiologist leading the research team. However, this scarring can only be seen after a patient’s ...

For patients who have mobility impairments or other conditions that require inpatient rehabilitation, Mount Sinai Health System has opened a new, modern, high-tech facility at Mount Sinai Morningside on the West Side of Manhattan at 1111 Amsterdam Avenue (at 114th Street). All inpatient services formerly housed at The Mount Sinai Hospital on the East Side have relocated to this newly renovated space with enhanced equipment and technology, still called the Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Center. It aims to enhance care to patients with a wide range of rehabilitative needs, including brain and spinal cord injuries, stroke, ...

Washington, D.C.:  Today, Breakthrough Discoveries for thriving with Bipolar Disorder (BD²) announced the opening of a fourth round of funding opportunities for the Discovery Research program. BD² invites scientists across all disciplines to apply for up to $4.5 million per grant. Successful teams will undertake groundbreaking research into the genetic, molecular, cellular, circuit, and behavioral mechanisms of bipolar disorder, especially applications that address the following: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of mood-state switching; Biological ...

Household waste constitutes 30–40% of municipal solid waste globally. Separating waste at the household level into compostable, recyclable, and non-recyclable is a crucial first step for local governments to process solid waste effectively. However, large gaps between a person’s willingness to separate waste and actually separating waste have been seen across the world. Understanding the factors that affect people’s intention and behavior of separating household waste can help create more effective policies regarding household-level waste separation.   However, ...

Flexible pressure sensors can detect subtle mechanical stimuli, making them suitable for use in wearable sensors for human health monitoring and motion analysis. However, current sensors suffer from insufficient sensitivity, poor durability, and subpar stability. In a new study, taking inspiration from cat whiskers, researchers developed novel biomass fiber/sodium alginate aerogel (BFA)-based sensors that demonstrated excellent pressure sensitivity, durability, and rapid response, while being suitable for human physiological monitoring and motion analysis. The rapid development of wearable electronic sensors for use in health monitoring, ...

Osaka, Japan – There are many potential causes of infertility, and it can be challenging to pin down just what the problem is when a couple is having trouble getting pregnant. Now, researchers show that a few key proteins have a major effect on sperm development, and therefore male fertility. In a study published this month in Nature Communications, researchers from The University of Osaka have revealed that proteins forming a specialized structure are required for correct sperm function. Sperm are propelled by flagella, which are like long ...

A new poll of 2,143 California adults conducted by University of California, Irvine researchers reveals overwhelming bipartisan support for stricter regulations on children's use of digital technology, including school smartphone restrictions and social media age limits. “There are very few issues with this level of bipartisan support in today’s polarized policy environment, but the message from parents and other adults in our poll was clear and crossed party lines. Adults are worried about the impacts of smartphones and social media on children’s learning and mental health,” said the survey’s authors, Kelli ...

A new study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has uncovered that shark meat sold in U.S. grocery stores, seafood markets, and online vendors often comes from endangered species and is frequently mislabeled. Researchers purchased and DNA barcoded 29 shark meat products to determine their species identity, finding that 93% of samples were ambiguously labeled and included meat from 11 different shark species.  Among the species identified were the great hammerhead and scalloped hammerhead, both listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Despite global ...

Sharks have been around for more than 450 million years, but these days they are in deep trouble. Since the 1970s, shark populations have gone down by more than 70% due to unsustainable practices such as shark finning, bycatch, and overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has estimated that of the approximately 550 species of sharks in existence, 14% are vulnerable, 11% endangered, and 12% critically endangered. As a result, 74 species of shark are considered at risk by the  Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), meaning that ...

Peer-reviewed, literature review Scientists warn that powerful industries are quietly shaping laws, research and public messaging in ways that delay environmental and health action Study brings together real-world examples - from fossil fuel-funded museums to biased science conferences - to expose how ‘capture strategies’ work The study calls for stronger conflict of interest rules and greater transparency in funding For over 80 years, researchers have documented how powerful industries can exert influence over the very institutions meant to regulate them - a phenomenon known as ‘corporate capture’. From oil ...

CLEVELAND, Ohio (September 10, 2025)—Despite evidence suggesting the safety of hormone therapy for patients with a history of low-grade endometrial or epithelial ovarian cancer, a new survey shows that many gynecologists and some gynecologic oncologists are still uncomfortable prescribing the therapy for this patient population. This indicates a need for more clinician education to help overcome lingering misconceptions. Results of the survey are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society. Although ...

Planetary scientists believe they can now predict the green glow of an aurora in the night sky above Mars, and they have the images to prove it. The first observations of a visible-light aurora from the surface of the Red Planet were made by NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover in 2024. Now, presenting at the Europlanet Science Congress–Division of Planetary Science (EPSC–DPS) joint meeting in Helsinki this week, Dr Elise Wright Knutsen of the University of Oslo will reveal a second snapshot of the aurora by Perseverance and, more importantly, the tools to predict when an aurora will occur on Mars. "The fact that we captured the aurora again demonstrates that our method ...

Researchers including those at the University of Tokyo have made a surprising discovery hiding in people’s mouths: Inocles, giant DNA elements that had previously escaped detection. These appear to play a central role in helping bacteria adapt to the constantly changing environment of the mouth. The findings provide fresh insight into how oral bacteria colonize and persist in humans, with potential implications for health, disease and microbiome research. You might think that modern medical science knows everything there is to know about ...

Children lose muscle during early cancer treatment — new ECU study warns of a hidden danger to recovery    New research from the Exercise Medicine Research Institute at Edith Cowan University (ECU) has highlighted that children undergoing cancer treatment often lose skeletal muscle at a time when they should be rapidly gaining it, a loss that could increase treatment complications and raise the risk of long-term health problems.  “Both the cancer itself and the cancer treatment can cause muscle loss in ...

World-first koala chlamydia vaccine approved In a world first, a vaccine has been approved to protect Australia’s endangered koalas from infection and death caused by chlamydia. Developed by the University of the Sunshine Coast, the vaccine’s approval by Australia’s veterinary medicine regulator is a major step in the fight against one of the greatest threats to the long-term survival of the nation’s iconic marsupial.  Led by Professor of Microbiology Peter Timms,  University of the Sunshine Coast researchers have spent more than 10 years developing the vaccine to protect ...

HONG KONG (9 September 2025)—Advancing digital healthcare innovation across the region is the key driver behind Digital Health Asia 2025, organised by Times Higher Education (THE) in partnership with City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and the Institute of Digital Medicine (IDM).   Digital Health Asia, from 8 to 10 September, has brought together over 420 delegates from 17 regions, including leaders from academia, healthcare, government, and industry, to foster collaboration and drive progress in digital health.   “Digital Health Asia 2025 is more than just a conference. It is a celebration of the spirit of collaboration,” ...

It is not only premature babies and children with underlying diseases who suffer from serious respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections. Even healthy, full-term babies are at significant risk of intensive care or prolonged hospitalisation – especially during the first three months of life. This is according to a comprehensive registry study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden published in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe. RSV is a common cause of respiratory infections in young children and accounts for around 245,000 ...

[Embargoed until 8 p.m. ET Sept. 9, 2025 (1 a.m. UK Sept. 10, 2025), coinciding with publication in Translational Psychiatry] COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new study shows an association between at least 10 weeks of following a well-formulated ketogenic diet and a roughly 70% decrease in depression symptoms among a small group of college students. Beyond the reduction in self-reported and clinician rated depression, the students’ global well-being increased nearly three-fold and their performance improved on several cognitive tasks. All but one participant ...

Human papilloma virus (HPV) causes around 70% of head and neck cancers in the United States, making it the most common cancer caused by the virus, with rates increasing each year. Unlike cervical cancers caused by HPV, there is no screening test for HPV-associated head and neck cancers. This means that patients are usually diagnosed after a tumor has grown to billions of cells in size, causing symptoms and spreading to lymph nodes. Screening methods that can detect these cancers much earlier could mean earlier treatment interventions for patients.  In a new federally funded study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Mass General Brigham researchers ...

The odds of developing dementia are strongly linked to the number of co-existing mental health disorders, rising from twice as high for one disorder to 11 times as high for four or more, finds research published in the open access journal BMJ Mental Health. In particular, the combination of concurrent mood and anxiety disorders is linked to odds of  dementia of up to 90%, the findings indicate. Psychiatric disorders, such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder, have been individually associated with an increased risk ...

Large social and economic inequalities persist among UK doctors, with those from a professional background 6 times more likely to become a medical practitioner than those from a working class background, reveals a 10 year study, published in the open access journal BMJ Open. Greater efforts are needed to boost the social mobility of medical school applicants and better understand the effects of these inequalities on patient care, say the researchers. National data from 2014 show that only 4% of practising doctors came from lower-income working class backgrounds. And despite concerted efforts over the past 20 years to ...

Critical wildlife habitats are exposed to pollution risk in the seas off the southern United States, with implications for human health and food security. “Most of the pollution comes from rivers and not from wastewater treatment plants,” says CMCC scientist Annalisa Bracco, co-author of the study that used advanced computer models to track tiny plastic particles across three years. The Gulf of Mexico is facing a growing threat from microplastic pollution, with new research revealing how tiny plastic particles are accumulating in areas crucial to marine life including sea turtles, red snapper, and dolphins. A comprehensive study ...

A new AI-powered tool has reduced astronomers’ workload by 85% - filtering through thousands of data alerts to identify the few genuine signals caused by supernovae (powerful explosions from dying stars). The findings have been published today (10 Sept) in The Astrophysical Journal.  Lead researcher Dr Héloïse Stevance (Department of Physics, University of Oxford) said: “The surprising thing is how little data it took. With just 15,000 examples and the computing power of my laptop, I could train smart algorithms to do the heavy lifting and automate what used to take a human beings hours to do each day. This demonstrates that ...