The world’s largest review of opioid pain relievers prescribed for acute pain found these medicines provide only small, short-term relief for some acute conditions and are ineffective for some others.   Led by researchers from the University of Sydney, the study set out to review the efficacy and harms of opioid pain relievers (eg codeine, morphine, oxycodone, tramadol) compared with placebo for acute pain. The review includes ...

Astronomers have captured the central region of our Milky Way in a striking new image, unveiling a complex network of filaments of cosmic gas in unprecedented detail. Obtained with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), this rich dataset — the largest ALMA image to date — will allow astronomers to probe the lives of stars in the most extreme region of our galaxy, next to the supermassive black hole at its centre. “It’s a place of extremes, invisible to our eyes, but now revealed in extraordinary detail,” says Ashley Barnes, an astronomer ...

Pyrochlore oxides - a class of advanced dielectric materials - represent a promising next-generation approach to efficient energy storage. Their structural flexibility and tunable chemical composition make them prime candidates for dielectric energy storage applications. In a new study, a team of researchers from Republic of Korea and the USA, led by Professor Chang Kyu Jeong from the Division of Advanced Materials Engineering, the Department of Energy Storage/Conversion Engineering of Graduate School (BK21 FOUR) & Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Center, and the Department of JBNU-KIST Industry-Academia Convergence Research, all at Jeonbuk National University ...

Over the years, cell biology has built a detailed picture of how cells compartmentalize their internal functions. Central to this organization is the nucleus, which houses the genetic material and is separated from the cytoplasm by a robust nuclear envelope. Traditionally, the nuclear membrane has been considered a strict barrier, maintaining nuclear integrity except during carefully controlled processes such as mitosis. As a result, the release of nuclear material has largely been associated with cellular damage or ...

Wearable sensors are rapidly advancing, becoming smaller yet more capable than ever of tracking physiological signals in real time. Recent studies have focused on developing skin patches that analyze sweat to monitor the concentration of important compounds, such as lactate and glucose. Sweat-based sensing is particularly attractive because it offers a noninvasive way to assess changes in metabolism. However, these devices require external batteries to function. Interestingly, to avoid relying on batteries, scientists have come up with self-powered alternatives. Enzymatic ...

Statement Highlights: Over the next 25 years, the number of women living with cardiovascular disease is expected to rise sharply, as nearly 60% of women in the U.S. could have high blood pressure by 2050, up from about 5 in 10 previously reported for 2020, according to projections outlined in a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Nearly a third of all women 22-44 years of age will have some type of cardiovascular disease, compared to less than 1 in 4 currently. The rise in cardiovascular disease will also be fueled ...

Living in a poorer neighbourhood in the UK could impact the make-up of your gut microbiome, potentially leading to worse health.  New research, led by King’s College London and the University of Nottingham, found that people living in areas of higher social deprivation have a less diverse range of bacteria in their gut.  The study, published in npj biofilms and microbiomes, also found people in these ...

Embargoed copy of the research paper available on request While air-conditioning protects people from dangerous heat, it also significantly worsens global warming – by 2050 potentially producing more carbon dioxide than the current annual emissions of the United States, a new study reveals. Scientists have combined climate science, energy modelling, and inequality analysis to create a unique framework using a set of well‑established global ‘storylines’ — Shared Socioeconomic Pathways and Representative Concentration Pathways (SSP and RCP scenarios) — a set of ‘futures’ ranging from strong climate action to high emissions. The study reveals ...

To be healthy, conventional wisdom tells us to exercise and limit fatty foods. Exercise helps us lose weight and build muscle. It makes our hearts stronger and boosts how we take in and use oxygen for energy — one of the strongest predictors of health and longevity. But people with high blood sugar often don’t achieve those benefits from exercise, especially the ability to use oxygen efficiently. They’re at higher risk for heart and kidney disease, but high blood sugar can prevent their muscles from taking up oxygen more effectively in response to exercise.  For them, a new study ...

Solutions to the plastic waste crisis are often pitched using words that can skew value judgements, new research argues. The paper, authored by the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub at The University of Manchester, explores the consequences of terminology choices on end-of-life solutions for plastic waste.  While recycling has long been touted as a solution for plastic sustainability - it comes in many forms, and can sometimes serve as a smokescreen for genuine discussions around sustainability. The researchers, Seiztinger, Lahive, and Shaver, ...

MIAMI — A new study provides a comprehensive global synthesis of how vessel traffic affects large marine wildlife, including whales, dolphins, seals, manatees, sea turtles, sharks and rays. Drawing on over four decades of published scientific research, the meta-analysis combined findings from more than 200 peer-reviewed studies conducted around the world. In total, nearly 1,900 comparisons were compiled between scenarios with and without vessel presence, allowing for a robust assessment of how vessels impact marine wildlife. The analysis examined documented responses to vessel activity across various ...

Researchers at IMDEA Networks Institute, together with European partners, have found that tire pressure sensors in modern cars can unintentionally expose drivers to tracking. Over a ten-week study, they collected signals from more than 20,000 vehicles, revealing a hidden privacy risk and highlighting the need for stronger security measures in future vehicle sensor systems. Most modern cars are equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), mandatory since the late 2000s in many countries for their contribution to road safety. This system uses ...

According to a new study by the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC) and the National University of Colombia, chronic ocean warming is driving a nearly 20% annual decline in fish biomass. However, the researchers found that extreme marine heatwaves can sometimes mask this trend by causing temporary population increases in certain areas. The research, conducted in the waters of the Mediterranean, the North Atlantic, and the Northeastern Pacific, is based on the analysis of 702,037 estimates of biomass change from 33,990 fish populations recorded between 1993 and 2021 in the Northern ...

Green hydrogen is considered to be an important part of the global climate transition, especially as a fuel and energy carrier for heavy transport and industry. However, large-scale green hydrogen production requires sustainable ways of managing water resources to avoid giving rise to water shortages and conflicts with agriculture over access. This has been shown in a unique study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, that connects local water supply with a range of scenarios for future hydrogen needs in Europe. Replacing fossil fuels with hydrogen ...

Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have developed a new, easy-to-use blood test score that can help identify when fatty liver disease is being driven by excessive alcohol use, an important distinction that often goes unrecognized in routine care. The study results, published in the February 25, 2026 online edition of Gastroenterology, found that a new blood test score could help clinicians determine when liver injury is likely driven by alcohol rather than metabolic factors, providing clearer guidance on when additional alcohol testing may be needed. The tool, called the MetALD-ALD Prediction Index (MAPI), uses five standard lab values that are ...

Almost half of patients hospitalised for acute heart failure in Europe are readmitted within a year, according to a new study led by researchers at Karolinska Institutet and published in the European Heart Journal. The risk of death also remains high, especially for those with more severely reduced heart function. Heart failure is a common condition affecting over 64 million people worldwide. The new study, conducted by an international team and coordinated by Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, analysed data from more than 10,000 patients ...

ECMWF is throwing down the gauntlet on a brand-new set of data challenges waiting to be solved as part of its Code for Earth programme. Improving rapid decision-making during wildfires, exploring flood forecast data from 10,000 stations globally and detecting implausible behaviour in machine learning are just some of the aims of this year’s challenges. Every year the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) invites individuals or groups to deliver solutions to given problem statements, so called challenges, that ...

24 February 2026 – London — The Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences tonight announced the three 2026 Laureates of the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the United Kingdom, who each receive £100,000 – the nation’s largest unrestricted prize for science. The Laureates were announced tonight at a gala dinner and awards ceremony held at the historic Banqueting House in London. The recipients, selected from nine outstanding Finalists, are recognised for exceptional early-career achievements across ...

A study in Health Economics uncovers a major unintended consequence of abortion‐related regulations: a measurable decline in the availability of obstetricians and gynecologists. Since 2010, increasing numbers of states across the US have enacted Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) laws that require abortion clinics to adhere to stringent and often medically unnecessary standards. By analyzing 2010–2021 data, investigators found that TRAP laws significantly reduced the supply of obstetricians and gynecologists—particularly older and newly trained doctors—without corresponding increases in midwives, nurse practitioners, and physician ...

Muscle loss, or atrophy, due to inactivity is common after illness, injury, hospitalization or falls, and becomes increasingly frequent with aging. New research published in Advanced Science shows that skeletal muscle retains a “molecular memory” of repeated disuse—and that this memory differs markedly between young and old muscles. For the study, researchers combined repeated lower‑limb immobilization in young adults with an aged‑rat model to enable age comparisons. In young adults, repeated disuse resulted in a similar amount of muscle atrophy during both periods; however, the molecular response showed a protective memory. Oxidative and mitochondrial ...

Research in Aging Cell indicates that blood levels of particular small non-coding RNAs, which regulate gene expression, may influence how long a person lives. Investigators evaluated 828 small non-coding RNAs in blood samples from 1,271 community-dwelling older adults 71 years of age and older who were participating in an ongoing study. They then used machine learning to develop a model that could predict survival at 2, 5, and 10 years based on baseline small non-coding RNAs, age, and clinical variables (demographics, lifestyle, mood, physical function, standard clinical laboratory ...

Prenatal magnesium sulfate and steroids can reduce the risks of cerebral palsy and respiratory complications in preterm infants. A review in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics found that despite being recommended internationally for pregnant women at risk of preterm delivery, these medications are used variably between and within countries. When they analyzed 2012–2024 information on 45,619 babies born at 24–32 weeks' gestation at 1,111 hospitals in an international network, along with information from the UK National Neonatal Research Database and a literature ...

DURHAM, N.C. – As people age, it becomes harder to know who is on track for healthy years ahead and who may be at higher risk for serious decline. A new study suggests that part of the answer may already be circulating in the bloodstream. Research led by Duke Health, in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, has found that small RNA molecules known as piRNAs can accurately predict whether older adults are likely to survive at least two more years. The findings, published February 25 in Aging Cell, suggest that a simple blood test could ...

A new global analysis of two antenatal treatments that reduce the risk of cerebral palsy and respiratory complications in premature babies reveals significant international variation in implementation. The University of Bristol-led study, published in the International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology today [25 February], examined neonatal data from over 300,000 premature births across ten countries. When a baby is born before 30 weeks of gestation, they have a higher risk of death or serious health challenges, including stroke, respiratory problems, and disabilities like cerebral palsy. Magnesium sulphate is a cost-effective treatment that, when given ...

Research from the University of Warwick has revealed that butterfly caterpillars use sophisticated rhythmic signals to communicate with ants, helping them gain protection, food, and access to ant nests.  Some butterfly species rely on ants for survival during their early life stages as caterpillars. The ants treat the baby caterpillars like colony members, carrying them into nests, protecting them from predators, and even feeding them. In exchange, caterpillars provide sugary secretions to ants or behave in ways that mimic ant behaviour to integrate with the colony.  While ...