In a major step toward securing global food supplies and advancing sustainable agriculture, a team of scientists has proposed an integrated framework that combines biotechnology and artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionize crop breeding. Published in Nature on July 24, the review was co-corresponding authored by Prof. GAO Caixia from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Prof. LI Guotian of Huazhong Agricultural University, with contributions from ...

PHILADELPHIA (July 23, 2025) – A new Penn Nursing initiative explores the impact of federally funded international bioethics training programs. The collaborative initiative, published in the Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, highlights both the significant achievements and ongoing challenges in building bioethics research capacity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The collaboration, led by Connie M. Ulrich, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Lillian S. Brunner Chair in Medical and Surgical Nursing in Penn Nursing’s Department of Biobehavioral ...

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a fraction of blood plasma; its concentration of platelets is of great value in regenerative medicine as they are essential in accelerating healing and repairing tissue. Until now, obtaining them has been based on centrifugation techniques which, in addition to being expensive, could activate the platelets prematurely and reduce their effectiveness. “We realised that our device not only separated the plasma, but also obtained very high-quality PRP, with functional and minimally activated platelets,” explained ...

Scientists discover brain switch that controls freeze-or-flight survival instincts Leuven, Belgium, 23 July 2025 – Researchers have identified a key neural switch that controls whether animals instinctively flee from a threat or freeze in place. By comparing two closely related deer-mouse species, they found that this switch is calibrated by evolution to match the animal's habitat. This neural circuit is hypersensitive in mice living in densely vegetated environments, causing instant escape, but less responsive in their open-field cousins, who are more likely to freeze. In doing so, the research team uncovered an important way in which evolution fine-tunes the brain for survival. Flee ...

  Genome assemblies from 65 individuals, representing a variety of the world’s populations, are advancing the scientific exploration of complex genetic structural variation. Structural variations are genetic code alterations that span more than 50 base pairs, the rungs on the DNA ladder. These changes were hard to detect until the recent advent of newer sequencing technologies and analytical algorithms, as well as larger collections of more complete, diverse genomes. Results from the latest work in this area, conducted by the Human Genome Structural Variation Consortium with participants ...

An international team of scientists has decoded some of the most stubborn, overlooked regions of the human genome using complete sequences from 65 individuals across diverse ancestries. The study, published online today in Nature and co-led by The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), reveals how hidden DNA variations that influence everything from digestion and immune response to muscle control—and could explain why certain diseases strike some populations harder than others. This milestone builds on two foundational studies that reshaped the field of genomics. In 2022, ...

Body coverings such as hair and feathers have played a central role in evolution. They enabled warm-bloodedness by insulating the body, and were used for courtship, display, deterrence of enemies and, in the case of feathers, flight. Their structure is characterised by longer and more complex skin outgrowths that differ significantly from the simple and flat scales of reptiles. Complex skin outgrowths have previously only been observed in mammals in the form of hair and in birds and their closest fossil relatives, dinosaurs and pterosaurs, in the form of feathers. An international team led by palaeontologists Dr Stephan Spiekman and Prof Dr Rainer Schoch from the State ...

While current treatments for schizophrenia — a mental illness affecting 1% of the world’s population — can reduce certain symptoms, they have little effect on the cognitive deficits affecting the daily life of patients. Scientists at the Institute of Functional Genomics (CNRS/Inserm/Université de Montpellier) have just designed a nanobody made from llama antibodies that can specifically activate a glutamate receptor involved in regulating neural activity. Administered peripherally via veins or muscles, this new molecule has demonstrated its capacity to break the blood-brain barrier and effectively reach brain receptors. The therapeutic effect of these nanobodies ...

The Best-Laid Plans of Mice Study shows how evolution sent deer mice scurrying down two different paths of escape   For a mouse, survival often boils down to one urgent question: flee or freeze? But the best strategy to avoid being snatched and eaten depends on which mouse you are asking. According to a new study by Harvard biologists, two closely-related species of deer mice have evolved very different responses to aerial predators thanks to tweaks in brain circuitry. One species that dwells in densely-vegetated areas instinctively darts for cover while a cousin living in open ...

by Shantell Kirkendoll In a breakthrough that reimagines the way the gut and brain communicate, researchers have uncovered what they call a “neurobiotic sense,” a newly identified system that lets the brain respond in real time to signals from microbes living in our gut. The new research, led by Duke University School of Medicine neuroscientists Diego Bohórquez, PhD, and M. Maya Kaelberer, PhD, and published in Nature, centers on neuropods, tiny sensor cells lining the colon’s epithelium. These cells detect a common microbial protein and send rapid messages to the brain that help curb appetite. But this ...

About The Study: In this cohort and nested case-control study among CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults; a prospective study) participants, moderate to vigorous–intensity physical activity (MVPA) declined from early adulthood to midlife then plateaued, with notable demographic differences; cases experienced steep declines before cardiovascular disease (CVD), and gaps compared to controls persisted afterward. Black women had the lowest MVPA across adulthood and the highest risk of low MVPA post-CVD, underscoring the need to support lifelong physical activity and address group differences. Corresponding ...

About The Study: In this contemporary cohort of women diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 or younger, risk of isolated locoregional recurrence was relatively low (5.6%) at a median follow-up of 10.1 years, and significant differences were not seen by tumor subtype. Concerns for long-term risk of locoregional recurrence should not influence surgical decision-making with young women, irrespective of molecular subtype.  Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Laura Dominici, MD, email ldominici@bwh.harvard.edu. To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/ (doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2025.2324) Editor’s ...

Mosquitoes kill more people each year than any other animal. In 2023, the blood-sucking insects infected a reported 263 million people with malaria, leading to nearly 600,000 deaths, 80% of which were children. Recent efforts to block the transmission of malaria have been stalled because mosquitoes have adapted resistance to insecticides and the parasites within mosquitoes that cause malaria have become resistant to drugs. These setbacks have been amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which impeded ongoing anti-malarial efforts. Now, researchers at the University of California San Diego, Johns Hopkins University, UC Berkeley and the University of São Paulo have ...

Quantum confinement is a physical effect that occurs when the size of a material—usually a semiconductor or conductor—is reduced to the nanoscale thereby restricting the movement of electrons or holes. This is useful because confinement of electrons to very small spaces causes their energy levels to become discrete rather than continuous, altering the material's electronic and optical properties. For example, the photoluminescence (PL) performance of semiconductors can be improved by reducing their size or effective conjugation length—the distance ...

In a new study, Northwestern University neurobiologists found the brain’s internal GPS changes each time we navigate a familiar, static environment. This means that if someone walks the same path every day — and the path and surrounding conditions remain identical — each walk still activates different “map-making” brain cells, or neurons. Not only does this discovery shed light on the fundamental mystery of how the brain processes and stores spatial memories, but it also could have profound implications for scientists’ understanding of memory, learning and even aging. The study will publish on Wednesday (July 23) in the journal Nature. “Our ...

A world-first study led by Museums Victoria Research Institute has revealed that beneath the cold, dark, pressurised world of the deep sea, marine life is far more globally connected than previously imagined.  Published today in Nature, this landmark study maps the global distribution and evolutionary relationships of brittle stars (Ophiuroidea), the ancient, spiny animals found from shallow coastal waters to the deepest abyssal plains, and from the equator to the poles.  By analysing the DNA of thousands of specimens collected on hundreds of research voyages and preserved in natural ...

LOS ANGELES — Americans who drink heavily are more than twice as likely to develop significant liver disease compared to 20 years ago, according to a new Keck Medicine of USC study published today in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.   “Alcohol-related liver disease is the main cause of liver-related death and these results are a major wakeup call to the dangers of drinking,” said Brian P. Lee, MD, MAS, a hepatologist and liver transplant specialist with Keck Medicine and lead author of the study.   The ...

A $1.1 million grant from the parent-caregiver-led Rare Bird Foundation to Weill Cornell Medicine is supporting the launch of a natural history study for a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that causes developmental delays and seizures called MEF2C Haploinsufficiency syndrome (MCHS). Currently, there are no specific therapies for MCHS, which affects about 400 people worldwide. Patients with the condition may experience developmental delays, difficulties communicating, and frequent seizures. The goal of the study, coined the Volāre Study, is to collect vital information about the ...

Tokyo, Japan - Megathrust earthquakes are large earthquakes that occur on faults found along the boundaries between tectonic plates. The Nankai Trough is a megathrust earthquake zone lying off the southwestern coast of Japan, and experts estimate that this zone could generate a potentially devastating (magnitude 8 or 9) large earthquake sometime in the next 30 years. In addition to the direct catastrophic impact of such powerful ground shaking, a seismic event of this magnitude could trigger cascading ...

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS, President Lee Ho Seong) has successfully developed a length measurement system that achieves a level of precision approaching the theoretical limit allowed by quantum physics. The system boasts world-leading measurement accuracy while maintaining a compact and robust design suitable for field deployment, making it a strong candidate to serve as the new benchmark for next-generation length metrology. Currently, the most precise instruments for measuring length are national length ...

Biologging – an innovative, non-invasive method of tracking animals in the wild – is transforming how scientists study movement, behavior and social interactions. Using compact electronic devices that can remain attached for hours or even months, researchers can now gather detailed data with minimal disruption to the animals’ natural lives. Although biologging has been widely applied to marine mammals such as turtles and sharks, skates and stingrays (batoids) have been overlooked. This oversight is concerning, as many batoid species are increasingly at risk of extinction yet play ...

A visionary $100 million matching grant from the Weill Family Foundation is bringing together two leading cancer centers to launch the Weill Cancer Hub West -– an innovative collaboration among some of the nation’s most talented scientists that will transform cancer research and care in the next decade.  The initiative will harness the expertise and resources of two world-class institutions -– the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Stanford Cancer Institute -– to lead cross-specialty collaborations that accelerate new discoveries and speed the development of innovative ...

Temporary tattoos aren’t just for kids anymore — semi-permanent versions have become a favorite among adults who don’t want the commitment of the real thing. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Sensors have created their own temporary tattoo sticker that has a hidden, but possibly lifesaving, purpose: detecting the presence of one drug used to “spike” alcoholic beverages and facilitate sexual assault. The sticker responds within 1 second to even low concentrations of the drug γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB). Unfortunately, consuming a drink spiked with drugs including Rohypnol (commonly known as ...

DALLAS, July 23, 2025 — Elevated lipoprotein(a), also known as Lp(a), is an independent, inherited and causal risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death and disability worldwide.[1] Lp(a) is similar to low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad” cholesterol, yet is caused by genetics and is not impacted by lifestyle modifications. While it is estimated that 1 in 5 Americans have high Lp(a) levels, many people are not aware of their risk. Research has found less than 1% of people with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), which is caused by plaque buildup in the arteries, ...

New research from the University of Waterloo’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute demonstrates that any artificial intelligence (AI) image watermark can be removed, without the attacker needing to know the design of the watermark, or even whether an image is watermarked to begin with.  As AI-generated images and videos became more realistic, citizens and legislators are increasingly concerned about the potential impact of “deepfakes” across politics, the legal system and everyday life.  “People want a way ...