Highlights: Dyslipidemia, an imbalance of lipids, often precedes cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. The gut microbiota may help regulate lipids in the blood, but the details aren’t clear. Using metagenomic sequencing, a new study reports a gut microbiome signature associated with dyslipidemia. The work suggests potential future roles for microbiome-informed risk stratification or preventive strategies in heart health.  Washington, D.C.—Before the onset of cardiovascular ...

Plant growth is supported by millions of tiny soil microbes competing and cooperating with each other as they perform important roles at the plant root, including improving access to nutrients and protecting against pathogens. As a byproduct of their metabolism, soil microbes can also produce nitrous oxide, or N2O, a potent greenhouse gas that has mostly been studied for its impact on the climate. While some N2O occurs naturally, its production can spike due to fertilizer application and other factors.  While it has long been believed that nitrous oxide doesn’t meaningfully interact with living organisms, a new paper by two MIT researchers shows that it ...

The  College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University has received an in-kind grant for a United States Air Force T-1A Jayhawk Mixed Reality (MR) and 3D Motion flight simulator valued at approximately $4.5 million. Awarded by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research to FAU’s Center for Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (CA-AI), this acquisition marks a key expansion of the university’s research infrastructure in artificial intelligence, autonomy and aerospace systems. The simulator will be made available to the broader FAU research ...

Biological tactile perception is closely intertwined with morphological structures. Complex biological structures such as human fingers, cat paws, and elephant trunks endow organisms with rich environmental interaction capabilities. However, existing vision-based tactile sensors in robotics are mostly limited to simple planar geometries, and biomorphic design remains underexplored. Traditional tactile sensors suffer from insufficient shape adaptability and limited precision in capturing intricate contact details. Developing vision-based tactile sensors with biomorphic forms through ...

A new study from Hiroshima University showed that, among university students just entering the workforce, those with optimism about the future better manage 'reality shock' through formation of an career-related identity.  ‘Reality shock’ is a widely recognized psychological phenomenon in which new graduates become distressed upon entering the workplace and finding that the reality of working life doesn’t match their expectations. This can lead to disappointment, confusion, depression, and anxiety, and can lower employment ...

PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State University researchers have developed a 3D-printed model of the left side of the heart that contracts and beats, offering the chance for surgeons and medical students to rehearse important heart surgeries on a model that acts like the real thing. The WSU researchers, in fact, did a valve repair on their heart model, using ultrasound imaging and customized sensors attached to the model to show a successful repair. They report on their work in the journal, Advanced Materials Technologies. “It’s very useful for doctors and surgeons to practice when the heart is still beating, ...

People and animals create lots of waste that is usually sent to landfills, incinerated or stored in engineered ponds such as manure lagoons. Now, researchers publishing in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters report a potential removal method using insects, specifically black soldier fly larvae. In experiments, the larvae ate spoiled food, sewage sludge or livestock manure, and removed most human-pathogenic viruses. The researchers say this demonstrates a step toward simple, environmentally friendly waste management. "Viruses ...

Miami (March 4, 2026) – Medication nonadherence among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a result of affordability and lack of knowledge about medications, among other factors, and leads to increased exacerbations and faster lung function decline, according to two new studies. The studies are published in the January 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open access journal. COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, affects more than 30 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. It can be caused by genetics and irritants ...

Periodontitis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the gums, affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and is increasingly linked to systemic disorders beyond the oral cavity. Epidemiological studies have long suggested an association between periodontitis and osteoporosis, particularly in postmenopausal women, yet the biological mechanisms connecting these conditions have remained unclear. Growing evidence indicates that microbial communities play a central role in regulating immune responses and metabolism across distant organs, raising the possibility that oral microbes ...

Mitochondria, also known as the powerhouses of the cell, are essential for cell survival, repair, and adaptation. Not only do they generate most of the energy needed during a cell’s life, but they also regulate cell death, calcium balance, and responses to stress. When mitochondria fail, which is a common feature of neurodegenerative diseases and many inflammatory and metabolic disorders, cells lose their ability to meet energy demands and maintain internal stability. To tackle such problems, researchers are currently exploring therapies that aim to directly ...

Capitalising on greater climate change, nature and sustainability education in the national curriculum will need a detailed programme of support to make the changes a reality, according to a new report published today (Wednesday, 4 March).  The report, produced following discussions with more than 40 professional bodies and teaching organisations, sets out ten priority areas for improving climate education following the government's Curriculum and Assessment Review.  The experts argue that while the curriculum review is a welcome step, real change will require coordinated support across the whole education system. It also urges ...

A global, interdisciplinary team of researchers led by Ludmil Alexandrov, PhD, professor of cellular and molecular medicine and bioengineering at the University of California San Diego, has been selected to receive a Cancer Grand Challenges award of up to $25 million over approximately five years to reveal the underlying mechanisms of mutational signatures, unique patterns of DNA damage caused by environmental exposures or natural cellular processes. By understanding the underlying causes of these signatures, Team CAUSE, which brings together experts from the U.S., the Netherlands ...

A new study suggests that decades of reported gains in crop yields from plant breeding may be significantly overstated, challenging a common method used worldwide to measure genetic progress. The international research team includes five University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientists. Researchers examined long-term trends in wheat improvement, finding that the standard, decades-old approach — growing older and newer wheat varieties side by side and comparing their yields — cannot clearly separate two different types of breeding gains: increases in inherent yield potential and ongoing “maintenance breeding” that keeps varieties adapted ...

Cerebral palsy is a condition usually caused by brain damage before or during birth, resulting in impaired posture and movement. Early symptoms are typically subtle, which may delay diagnosis until more obvious signs appear as the child grows. Recent animal studies show that stem cell therapy may help restore neurological function when initiated in the acute or subacute phase, typically within a few weeks after birth. While some clinical research suggests possible benefits even in later stages, confirmatory clinical trials have not yet been published. Now, a Japanese ...

Crystals have repeatedly been found at archaeological sites alongside Homo remains. Evidence shows hominins have been collecting these stones for as long as 780,000 years. Yet, we know that our ancestors did not use them as weapons, tools, or even jewelry. So why did they collect them at all? Now, in a new Frontiers in Psychology study, scientists in Spain investigated which characteristics of crystals may have made them so fascinating to our ancestors. They designed experiments with chimpanzees – one of the two great ape species most closely related to modern humans – to identify the physical properties ...

CLEVELAND, Ohio (March 4, 2026)—Despite the increased incidence of endometrial cancer in younger women, there is limited research regarding the safety of local, low-dose vaginal estrogen therapy (ET) for survivors. A new study suggests that this form of estrogen is not only effective in relieving numerous menopause symptoms but also does not seem to increase a woman’s risk of cancer recurrence. Study results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society. Until recently, all forms of hormone therapy, including ...

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects more than one billion people worldwide and is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. For decades, researchers have observed that premenopausal women are less likely to develop high blood pressure than men or postmenopausal women. Researchers have known for years that estrogen is the deciding factor, but exactly how it offers this protection has remained unclear.   New research from the University of Waterloo helps answer ...

As the global push for renewable energy accelerates, capturing the full spectrum of solar energy remains a significant challenge. Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert light into electricity most efficiently at low temperatures, while photothermal (PT) and thermophotovoltaic (TPV) systems require high temperatures to function. Balancing these opposing thermal requirements in a single system has long hindered the development of hybrid solar harvesters.   In a study published in the journal ENGINEERING Energy, a research team from the State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization at Zhejiang University has proposed a ...

As time unfolds, new chapters emerge. In January 2026, Frontiers in Energy will officially be renamed ENGINEERING Energy. As a member of the Engineering journal family published by the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the journal embarks on a new chapter in academic communication in the energy field with a renewed identity. With the inaugural issue under its new title, we take this opportunity to reflect briefly on our journey, express our gratitude to our colleagues, and look ahead together toward the ...

As the global transition to renewable energy intensifies, the search for high-performance batteries and efficient electrocatalysts has become a critical race against time. Traditionally, discovering these materials required years of "trial-and-error" laboratory experiments. Now, a comprehensive review published in the journal ENGINEERING Energy by researchers from Tongji University reveals how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is fundamentally shifting this paradigm. The study, led by Professor Menghao Yang’s team at the Institute of New Energy for Vehicles, Tongji University, provides a systematic roadmap of ...

A University of the Sunshine Coast study of young teenagers has identified a vicious cycle of loneliness linked to the fear of embarrassment or judgement by peers. The study of more than 170 children aged 13 to 15 found that those staying under the radar socially to avoid judgement reported greater loneliness, as well as lower trust, connection and participation in friendships. “It explored why some teens feel lonely even when surrounded by their peers, and identified the key pattern of social avoidance,” said ...

The Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) launched the MOH–NUS Postgraduate Fellowship in Biomedical Ethics, a postgraduate programme to advance the understanding and translation of the practice of ethics in healthcare settings, and to equip healthcare professionals and leaders with the frameworks and tools to address real-world ethical challenges in everyday healthcare practice. The first awardee of the Fellowship is Ms Kwek Shi Qi, a registered nurse at the National University Hospital (NUH), and alumna of the Alice Lee Centre for ...

Sungkyunkwan University (President: Jibeom Yoo) announced that a joint research team led by Professors Han-Ki Kim and Bo Ram Lee from the School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering has developed a next-generation transparent electrode technology that completely eliminates the use of the rare metal indium, while maintaining high performance and significantly extending device lifetime. Perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs), which have recently attracted considerable attention as a key technology for next-generation ...

Quantum computers work by applying quantum operations, such as quantum gates, to delicate quantum states. Ideally, quantum computers can solve complex equations at staggeringly fast speeds that vastly outpace regular computers. In real hardware, the operations of quantum computers often deviate from the ideal behavior because of device imperfections and unwanted noise from the environment. To build reliable quantum machines, researchers need a way to accurately determine what a quantum device is actually doing. Quantum process tomography (QPT) ...

In a dry riverbed in Brazil, in a dense forest near the Amazon, a team of paleontologists found a fossilized jawbone from an ancient animal. Over the course of their fieldwork, they found eight similar bones, each around six inches long—but no other bones that they could confidently use to complete a skeleton for one of these mystery animals. However, the jawbones alone were enough to reveal that they belonged to a species that would have been a “living fossil” for its time, 275 million years ago when it lived. What’s more, the jawbones were oddly twisted, with some ...