More than 99% of the world’s 7.7 billion people have one or more of their environmental rights threatened, according to new research. In the most comprehensive analysis of inequality in environmental conditions to date, CU Boulder researchers revealed that nearly half of the global population lives in regions facing three or more environmental problems. Those include polluted air, unsafe water, extreme heat, food insecurity and biodiversity loss. The analysis was published September 25 in Environmental Research Communications. It provides strong ...

A hormone produced in the thyroid gland can play a key role in the development of prostate cancer. This is shown in a new study by an international research group led by Umeå University, Sweden, and the Medical University of Vienna, Austria. By blocking a receptor for the hormone, the growth of tumour cells in the prostate was inhibited. In the long term, the discovery may open up a new way of attacking certain types of aggressive prostate cancer. "The results indicate that the receptor in question is a driving force in the growth of cancer. Substances that block it could thus be a target for future drugs against prostate cancer," ...

New Curtin University research has found invasive cane toads are on track to reach Western Australia’s Pilbara region within the next 10 to 20 years, threatening to cause widespread losses among native species and significant cultural and economic harm. The study, published in Scientific Reports, predicts that without containment efforts, the toxic amphibians will colonise up to 75 per cent of the Pilbara within three decades, putting 25 native species at risk of serious population declines. These include several species of native marsupial predators like northern quolls, ghost bat and kaluta, as well as frog-eating snakes, blue-tongue skinks and goannas. Of ...

As world leaders begin COP30 climate negotiations in Brazil this week, an international team co-led by a University of Sydney researcher has warned of a hidden crisis undermining global biodiversity and carbon targets: the quiet abandonment of conservation projects. The comment paper, ‘Conservation abandonment is a policy blind spot’, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, was co-led by Dr Matthew Clark, a postdoctoral researcher in the Thriving Oceans Research Hub at the University of Sydney and an honorary research associate in the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College ...

Iron deficiency is globally widespread. Women are particularly affected, with one in five in Europe suffering from iron deficiency. The consequences are anaemia, constant fatigue, chronic headaches and a weakened immune system. Researchers led by ETH professor Raffaele Mezzenga have now developed a new dietary supplement that could efficiently treat iron deficiency and anaemia. This development is being co-led by Michael B. Zimmermann, professor emeritus at ETH Zurich. The preparation consists of edible oat protein ...

Understanding the properties of different materials is an important step in material design. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is an important technique for this, as it reveals detailed insights about a material’s composition, structure, and functional characteristics. The technique works by directing a beam of high-energy X-rays at a sample and recording how X-rays of different energy levels are absorbed. Similar to how white light splits into a rainbow after passing through a prism, XAS produces a spectrum of X-rays with different energies. This spectrum is called as spectral data, which acts like an unique fingerprint of a material, ...

Portable genetic sequencers used around the world to sequence DNA have critical, previously unreported security vulnerabilities that could reveal or alter genetic information without detection, according to a new study. Researchers from the University of Florida have, for the first time, exposed these security risks in devices from Oxford Nanopore Technologies, which produces nearly all the portable genetic sequencers in the world. Alerted by the security researchers, Oxford Nanopore Technologies has rolled out updated software to patch the vulnerabilities. But out-of-date software, or unsecured internet systems, could still leave some DNA sequencers vulnerable ...

ITHACA, N.Y. - As the everyday use of AI has exploded in recent years, so have the energy demands of the computing infrastructure that supports it. But the environmental toll of these large data centers, which suck up gigawatts of power and require vast amounts of water for cooling, has been too diffuse and difficult to quantify. Now, Cornell researchers have used advanced data analytics – and, naturally, some AI, too – to create a state-by-state look at that environmental impact. The team found that, by 2030, the current rate of AI growth would annually put 24 to 44 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the ...

Chameleons’ wandering eyes have fascinated and puzzled scientists since the days of ancient Greece. Now, after millennia of study, modern imaging has revealed the secret of their nearly 360-degree view and uncanny ability to look in two different directions at once. Behind their bulging eyes lie two long, coiled optic nerves — a structure not seen in any other lizard. “Chameleon eyes are like security cameras, moving in all directions,” explained Juan Daza, associate professor at Sam Houston State University and author of a new study describing the trait. “They ...

AURORA, Colo. (November 10, 2025) – Scientists have uncovered a surprising connection between sugar metabolism and alcohol addiction, identifying a potential new therapeutic target for treating alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD). In a new study, out today in Nature Metabolism, University of Colorado Anschutz researchers found that alcohol triggers a metabolic pathway in the body that leads to the internal production of fructose, the same type of sugar commonly ...

Every human face is unique, allowing us to distinguish between individuals. We know little about how facial features are encoded in our DNA, but we may be able to learn more about how our faces develop by looking at our ancient relatives, the Neanderthals. Neanderthal faces were quite distinctive from our own, with large noses, pronounced brows and a robust lower jaw. Now, scientists from the MRC Human Genetics Unit in the Institute of Genetics and Cancer at the University of Edinburgh, UK, are using the DNA of our extinct ...

A research team from Trinity College Dublin has unveiled a groundbreaking new approach to vaccination that could redefine how we protect against respiratory infections. In a landmark study published in Nature Microbiology, the team demonstrated that their nasally-delivered, antibiotic-inactivated Bordetella pertussis (AIBP) vaccine not only prevents severe disease but also curbs bacterial transmission — an achievement long sought by vaccine developers worldwide. The work, led by Professor Kingston Mills and Dr Davoud Jazayeri of Trinity’s School of Biochemistry ...

What makes some plastics stick to metal without any glue? Osaka Metropolitan University scientists peered into the invisible adhesive zone that forms between certain plastics and metals — one atom at a time — to uncover how chemistry and molecular structure determine whether such bonds bend or break. Their insights clarify metal–plastic bonding mechanisms and offer guidelines for designing durable, lightweight, and more sustainable hybrid materials for use in transportation. Combining the strength of metal with the lightness and flexibility of plastic, polymer–metal hybrid structures are emerging as key elements for building lighter, more fuel-efficient vehicles. ...

A new study reveals that the impact humans are having on the Amazon rainforest is so profound it is even changing the evolutionary history and functionality of the forests. As the world gathers at COP30 to discuss climate in the world’s largest rainforest, the focus is often on the carbon that these forests either store or sequester. However, tropical forests are much more than just carbon: they are among the biggest reservoirs of biodiversity on the planet. For example, the Amazon holds up to 16,000 species of tree alone, with a single hectare frequently holding more than 300 species. In comparison, the UK has just 32 species of ...

Routine screening is limited to only a few cancer types. New research indicates that routine liquid biopsy testing (multi-cancer early detection testing) could substantially reduce late-stage cancer diagnoses, allowing patients to receive treatment at earlier cancer stages, which are more likely to respond to interventions. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Currently, routine screening is only recommended for four types of cancer, leaving approximately 70% of new cancer cases to be detected only after symptoms appear, often at an advanced stage when survival ...

Chronic fatigue syndrome leaves patients exhausted and struggling with brain fog — and it typically gets worse after mental or physical exercise, a phenomenon called post-exertional malaise. Now scientists investigating shortness of breath in chronic fatigue patients have discovered that they are highly likely to experience dysfunctional breathing, which could be caused by dysautonomia, abnormal control of innervation to blood vessels and muscles. Targeting treatments towards these breathing problems ...

New Zealand — particularly the South Island/Te Waipounamu — is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. For this reason, the country has acknowledged the importance of building awareness and preparedness. In this kind of disaster communication, emotions — whether conscious or not — play a crucial role. Caroline Rowe, researcher at the Centre for Sustainability Research, University of Otago, New Zealand, explored this dimension, showing how risk communication can balance fear and anxiety with positive emotions such as fascination and confidence, using vivid imagery, ...

“People tend to joke about mood swings, saying ‘my mood swings throughout the day, I’m already a bit bipolar,’ or joke with each other saying ‘everything is bipolar.’ And it’s not quite like that, as bipolar disorder has a biological component.” This is one of the statements featured in a short trailer on YouTube about bipolar disorder. The video is connected to the play Oxímoro, entre Solstícios e Equinócios (Oxymoron, Between Solstices and Equinoxes) by Marionet, a Portuguese theatre company that brings scientific research topics to the stage. The play was developed through an in-depth collaboration with doctors, ...

A major study has found that people with eczema are able to bathe either daily or weekly, without any impact to their symptoms. The findings of the new study, which are published in the British Journal of Dermatology, are great news for people living with eczema, as it will mean they will have the freedom to choose how often to bathe without fear it will worsen their symptoms. People with eczema often have questions about how best to bathe including how often to have a bath or shower. The ‘Eczema Bathing study’, was prioritised and developed by people living with eczema, in partnership with researchers from ...

Children's access to NHS dentists and rates of tooth decay remain very poor despite improvements from national government interventions, oral health experts say.  Analysis of the latest government data by the Child of the North initiative gives cause for cautious optimism, they say, but the schemes need to be scaled up and strengthened to meet the needs of young people across the country.  The latest update, titled Improving Children’s Oral Health Update: Integrated Health and Education Solutions, is the seventh to be released ...

The risk of dying is six times higher among patients who become short of breath after being admitted to hospital, according to research published today (Monday) in ERJ Open Research [1]. Patients who were in pain were not more likely to die.   The study of nearly 10,000 people suggests that asking patients if they are feeling short of breath could help doctors and nurses to focus care on those who need it most.   The study is the first of its kind and was led by Associate Professor Robert Banzett from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, ...

Existing evidence does not clearly link paracetamol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy with autism or ADHD in children, finds an in-depth evidence review published by The BMJ today, in direct response to recent announcements around the safety of using paracetamol in pregnancy. The researchers say confidence in the findings of existing evidence reviews and studies on this topic is low to critically low, and suggest that any apparent effect seen in previous studies may be driven by shared genetic and environmental factors within families. Regulatory bodies, clinicians, pregnant women, parents, and those affected by autism and ADHD should be informed ...

Nov. 9, 2025--In the United States, one in every 250 people has inherited a genetic variant that leads to dangerously high cholesterol levels from birth.   If high cholesterol isn’t lowered early, people with this genetic condition, called familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), have a high risk of having a heart attack or stroke as early as their 30s or 40s. But only about 1 in 10 of people living with FH (1.5 million Americans) is aware of their condition.  A new modeling study conducted by researchers at Columbia and Harvard Universities finds ...

In a major new study, researchers from Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City have found that weight loss drugs used by patients who have high triglycerides do not increase their risk of pancreatitis or adverse cardiac events. Since the first GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP1RAs), more commonly known now as weight loss drugs, were approved in 2005, some clinicians have been hesitant to prescribe them to people who have very high triglycerides. That’s because these patients are typically at high risk of pancreatitis, and the drugs interact with the pancreas.  In the new study, Intermountain researchers found that ...

A major analysis led by the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), in collaboration with international institutions, has pooled data from 17,801 myocardial infarction survivors with preserved cardiac function enrolled in five global clinical trials. The study concludes that beta-blockers offer no clinical benefit for this patient group, which today represents the majority of infarction survivors. The study was made possible by close collaboration between CNIC researchers and the ...