While the current generation of artificial intelligence chatbots still flub basic facts, the systems answer with such confidence that they’re often more persuasive than humans. Adults, even those such as lawyers with deep domain knowledge, still regularly fall for this. But spotting errors in text is especially difficult for children, since they often don’t have the contextual knowledge to sniff out falsehoods. University of Washington researchers developed the game AI Puzzlers to show kids an area where AI systems still typically and blatantly ...

By Greg Watry, UC Davis Archaeologists have long thought that monumental architecture — large, human-built structures that emphasize visibility — were products of societies with power structures, including social hierarchy, inequality and controlled labor forces. But this notion is being questioned as researchers uncover evidence that hunter-gatherer groups also built such structures. In new research published June 24 in the journal Antiquity, University of California researchers report evidence of monumental structures built by hunter-gatherer groups at Kaillachuro, a collection of burial mounds located in the Titicaca Basin of the ...

The strength of certain neural connections can predict how well someone can learn math, and mild electrically stimulating these networks can boost learning, according to a study published on July 1st in the open-access journal PLOS Biology by Roi Cohen Kadosh from University of Surrey, United Kingdom, and colleagues. When it comes to cognitive skills like reading and math, early advantages tend to compound over time. Mathematical abilities, however, seem to plateau from childhood to adulthood, raising the possibility that innate brain characteristics ...

Putting the brakes on an enzyme might rescue neurons that are dying due to a type of Parkinson’s disease that’s caused by a single genetic mutation, according to a new Stanford Medicine-led study conducted in mice. The genetic mutation causes an enzyme called leucine-rich repeat kinase 2, or LRRK2, to be overactive. Too much LRRK2 enzyme activity changes the structure of brain cells in a way that disrupts crucial communication between neurons that make the neurotransmitter dopamine and cells in the striatum, ...

Safe, painless, and non-invasive brain stimulation could help people who are at risk of falling behind in maths, according to a new study led by the University of Surrey.  The study, published in PLoS Biology, found that applying safe electrical currents to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) – a region involved in learning and memory, focus, and problem-solving – helped people aged 18 to 30 solve maths problems more efficiently.  Seventy-two healthy adults took part in a five-day maths training programme – 24 received a form of brain stimulation known as transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) to the dlPFC, ...

Under embargo until July 1, 2025 at 11am PST / 2pm EST / 7pm GMT)  Neurotechnology reverses biological disadvantage in maths learning    Safe, painless, and non-invasive brain stimulation could help people who are at risk of falling behind in maths, according to a new study led by the University of Surrey.    The study, published in PLoS Biology, found that applying safe electrical currents to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) – a region involved in learning and memory, focus, and problem-solving – helped people aged 18 to ...

Scientists have studied a new target for antibiotics in the greatest detail yet – in the fight against antibiotic resistance. The ‘molecular machine’ flagellum is essential for bacteria to cause infection, allowing bacteria to ‘swim’ around the bloodstream until finding something to infect. But it could also be a target for antibiotics. Impairing the flagellum would deliver a critical, but not fatal, blow to bacteria. This is a new approach and contrasts to traditional antibiotics, which are designed to kill all bacteria ...

In recent years, deep learning methods have been increasingly applied in atmospheric and oceanic forecasting, showing superior forecast skills. Unlike time-stepping numerical models, deep learning forecasting models (DLMs) typically adopt a “multi-time-slice input” structure. This structure breaks the deterministic causality in the time dimension that exists in the numerical models. In this case, the forecast errors in DLMs should be attributed to all input slices, rather than any single one. This fundamental difference limits the applicability of the classical conditional nonlinear optimal perturbation (CNOP) method, ...

Dr Katie Edwards studied the feeding practices of parents of children with ‘avid’ eating traits, which can lead to obesity Focusing on health or deciding when it is time for a meal or snack helps parents to use supportive feeding practices. Supportive feeding practices could include involving children in decisions about food, or sitting together for mealtimes New research from Aston University has shone a light on the best ways for parents to encourage healthy eating in their children. The ...

Trees in tropical forests are dying at an increased rate, with consequences for biodiversity, carbon storage, and the global climate. While deforestation is the primary cause of forest loss, intact forests are also experiencing a rise in tree death. Drought, higher temperatures, and fires have been the leading suspects, but a new paper led by Evan Gora, a forest ecologist at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, identifies an underappreciated threat: thunderstorms, which are becoming more frequent with climate change. Not to be confused with hurricanes or cyclones, these convective storms ...

ST. LOUIS, MO, July 1, 2025– The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center today announced two new faculty members. Justin Conover, PhD, joined as assistant member and Erin Sparks, PhD, joined as associate member at the Danforth Center and associate professor at the University of Missouri – Columbia (MU) a joint hire between the Danforth Center and MU. “We’re excited to welcome two exceptional scientists who will add new expertise and complement several research areas at the Danforth Center,” ...

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2025 — In blinding bright light or pitch-black dark, our eyes can adjust to extreme lighting conditions within a few minutes. The human vision system, including the eyes, neurons, and brain, can also learn and memorize settings to adapt faster the next time we encounter similar lighting challenges. In an article published this week in Applied Physics Letters, by AIP Publishing, researchers at Fuzhou University in China created a machine vision sensor that uses quantum dots to adapt to extreme changes in light far faster than the human eye can ...

About The Study: This cross-sectional study found that racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 treatment are substantial and partially explainable by encounter-level factors, particularly differences in diagnostic test type, virtual care access, and site of care. These findings suggest that targeted interventions, including expanding rapid test access and virtual care, may improve equity in outpatient COVID-19 treatment.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Rebecca Bromley-Dulfano, MS, email rbromleydulfano@g.harvard.edu. To ...

About The Study: The results of this study suggest that structural racism embedded in neighborhood conditions contributes to lung cancer development and provides evidence for policymakers and public health leaders working to reduce disparities.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Loretta Erhunmwunsee, MD, email LorettaE@coh.org. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.18481) Editor’s ...

 JUPITER, Fla. — A potential treatment for glioblastoma crafted by scientists at The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute renders the deadly brain cancer newly sensitive to both radiation and chemotherapy drugs, and blocks the cancer’s ability to invade other tissue, a new study shows. The experimental medication, called MT-125, has received approval from the FDA to move to clinical trials as a possible first-line treatment for the most aggressive form of the brain cancer. Each year, 14,000 people in the United States receive the devastating news that they have glioblastoma. It is a cancer with an average survival of just 14 to 16 months. ...

In the guidance law capturability analysis, the differential game theory is complemented by considering the optimal situation for both the evader and the pursuer as the capture boundary, and it is commonly used to derive the necessary and sufficient conditions of capture zones. However, in previous studies, capturability was analyzed for continuous guidance laws. Still, pulsed guidance laws, which are sometimes used in reality, such as pulsed orbital thrust control for exo-atmospheric vehicles, have different capture zones and influence factors.   To address the above-mentioned challenge, a team of automation scientists led ...

Glenview, Illinois – On World Bronchiectasis Day (July 1), the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) is announcing the launch of Bridging Specialties®: Timely Diagnosis for NTM Disease and Bronchiectasis. Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) disease and bronchiectasis are complex, often underrecognized lung conditions that can mimic more common respiratory diseases, such as chronic bronchitis or TB. This can lead to delays in diagnosis and treatment. To address these delays, pulmonary and primary care professionals ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Researchers using cardiac MRI have found that long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with early signs of heart damage, according to a study that was published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The research indicates that fine particulate matter in the air may contribute to diffuse myocardial fibrosis, a form of scarring in the heart muscle that can precede heart failure. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. There is a large body of evidence linking poor air quality with cardiovascular disease. However, the underlying changes in the heart ...

SAN ANTONIO — July 1, 2025 —Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) will receive a $500,000 award from NASA’s TechLeap Prize program to flight test novel electrolyzer technology designed to improve the production of propellants and life-support compounds on the Moon, Mars or near-Earth asteroids. The project, known as the Mars Atmospheric Reactor for Synthesis of Consumables (MARS-C), is led by SwRI’s Kevin Supak and Dr. Eugene Hoffman and UTSA’s Dr. Shrihari “Shri” Sankarasubramanian. TechLeap prizes are designed to support future missions by advancing transformative solutions that address NASA’s ...

GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is an amino acid functioning as the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter that can act on the brain to slow or stop the reception of certain signals to the brain, leading to a calmer and more relaxed state. Low GABA levels in the brain have been associated with neurological disorders and diseases like depression, Alzheimer's or epilepsy. Recently, there has been a push towards understanding more about the gut’s influence on mood, behavior and mental health, as well as what foods ...

A recent study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has found that children born in October, November or December are statistically more often identified as having a mental health diagnosis than their classmates born earlier in the year. The findings apply to both boys and girls, and regardless of whether they were born full term or prematurely. Extensive research material The researchers have followed over one million Norwegians aged 4 to 17 years (all born between 1991 and 2012) through Norwegian health registries. The aim of the study was to identify what are known as ‘relative age ...

DALLAS, July 1, 2025 — The American Heart Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, has named its volunteer leadership for fiscal year 2025-26. Beginning July 1, Lee A. Shapiro, J.D., a Florida-based financial expert in health technology, will start the first of a two-year term as volunteer board chairperson and Stacey E. Rosen, M.D., FAHA, a New York City-based cardiologist, will start a one-year term as the new volunteer president. Both are long-time volunteer leaders for the American Heart Association and have served on numerous ...

Highlights: Gestational diabetes significantly increases the risk of complications during pregnancy. A new study has linked gut microbiota dysbiosis to the onset and progression of gestational diabetes. Early detection and intervention can help reduce pregnancy complications.   Washington, D.C.—A new study has identified early-pregnancy gut microbiota signatures associated with the development of gestational diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disorder that carries substantial risks to both maternal and fetal health. The study, published in the American Society for Microbiology journal ...

Paulina DeVito, a Ph.D. candidate in the College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University, has been awarded the prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship. This nationally competitive fellowship, widely regarded as one of the most esteemed honors for graduate students in STEM fields, supports outstanding scholars pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees across the United States. The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program provides three years of financial support over a five-year period, including an annual stipend of $37,000 and a cost-of-education allowance to the institution. ...

NEW YORK, NY – July 1, 2025 – Research has always been critical to improving patient lives. That is why the American Thoracic Society (ATS), a Coalition to Transform Clinical Trial Engagement Steering Committee (CTCTE) member, is proud to be one of seven organizations partnering with the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research (FSR) to make it easier for patients, including those with chronic lung disease, to join research. The Champions for Change – Paid Time Off (PTO) Initiative is a national ...