On the heels of one of the coldest winters in memory for large swaths of the country, new research highlights an often overlooked cost of cold weather: months with lower temperatures see significantly greater rates of death from heart attacks, strokes and coronary artery disease than milder months. According to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26), hotter temperatures were also associated with increases in cardiovascular deaths, but at a more modest rate. Previous studies have linked temperature extremes with ...

Medicare beneficiaries with heart disease or major cardiovascular risk factors reported less cost-related medication non-adherence—skipping or reducing doses, delaying prescription fills or foregoing medications due to cost—after new provisions went into effect limiting out-of-pocket drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session (ACC.26) and simultaneously published in JACC, the flagship journal ...

Can using a large language model (LLM) make a person more creative? Prior work has shown that using LLMs can make creative outputs more homogeneous,but this homogenization could stem from the specific LLM used or from widespread use of the same model. Emily Wenger and Yoed N. Kenett asked humans recruited from the Prolific platform and a broad range of LLMs to complete multiple tasks designed to measure different facets of creativity. For example, one task asked participants to come up with as many uses as possible for an item like a fork or a pair of pants. Another task asked participants to think of 10 nouns that are as different from one another ...

Every plant cell is the product of a biological merger billions of years ago. Chloroplasts are key structures in plants and algae that capture sunlight, but originally they were free-living bacteria that took up residence inside another cell. Over time, these partners became more closely integrated by sharing genes, proteins, and roles. To understand how this process happened, scientists look for organisms that display similar processes. A tiny predator named Rapaza viridis may offer a glimpse of some of the early steps involved in that ancient transformation. R. viridis is a single-celled ...

A rare form of leukemia known as TCF3::HLF-positive B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) sits among the most aggressive blood cancers seen in children. The disease causes a rapid buildup of abnormal blood cells, but unlike other types of leukemia, it also severely damages bones and causes pain. To make things worse, patients with TCF3::HLF-positive B-ALL tend to relapse quickly after treatment, with survival rates remaining low. Despite decades of research, progress against this aggressive leukemia has been slow and unremarkable. ...

When we learn something new, that information does not exist in isolation. It integrates into the complex landscape of our knowledge, forging connections with existing ideas and opening up possibilities for new learning. In a new study in Nature Communications, Dartmouth researchers report a mathematical technique for mapping the unique landscape of a student's conceptual knowledge from their performance on short multiple-choice quizzes. Their framework turns a traditional quiz into a detailed topography that captures the peaks of a student's conceptual mastery and the valleys where they struggle.  According ...

ATLANTA, March 24, 2026 — Deep cuts from accidents or surgeries require stitches, typically followed by oral anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen. While these medications help with pain, they don’t act specifically on the wounds. Consequently, the site of the stitches can get inflamed, which could slow healing and lead to scarring. Now, researchers at Ouachita Baptist University are creating stitches loaded with anti-inflammatory drugs to deliver the medication directly to the injury. Mieya Kirby, an undergraduate researcher working with chemist Sharon K. Hamilton, will present her results at the spring meeting of the American Chemical Society ...

Visible to the naked eye in the constellation Cassiopeia, the star γ Cas has puzzled astrophysicists for half a century. It emits X-rays of an intensity and temperature incompatible with what one would expect from an ordinary massive star. Observations, carried out using the Resolve instrument aboard the Japanese XRISM telescope, now allow us to attribute this emission to the white dwarf orbiting γ Cas. This also confirms the existence of a family of binary systems long predicted to exist but never identified. The results of this study, led by astronomers from the University ...

Researchers from Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in China have developed a streamlined process that makes it easier to produce tiny therapeutic particles released by cells, called exosomes, which are being explored as a new type of medical treatment. Using a nanoparticle-based system, the researchers were able to overcome a major barrier that has slowed the medical and industrial deployment of these therapies. Their findings were published in the journal Advanced Science. Exosomes are naturally released by cells and carry signals that can help repair tissues ...

An invisible companion consuming material from the naked-eye star gamma-Cas has been revealed as the culprit for curious X-rays coming from the stellar system. This closes the case on a mystery that has puzzled astronomers for more than fifty years.  Unique high-resolution observations made by the X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) revealed that the X-rays are linked to the orbital motion of a companion white dwarf star, enabling astronomers to finally solve the mystery. The observations are detailed in a new paper led by Yaël Nazé of the University of Liège, ...

Barcelona, March 24th, 2026-. According to a study published in the journal Atmospheric Environment: X, the implementation of the low emission zone (LEZ) in the Barcelona metropolitan area significantly reduced concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) between 2020 and 2022. However, it had a more limited effect on particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), which is more closely related to pollution sources other than traffic. The results indicate that the LEZ contributes to improving air quality, although additional measures are needed to mitigate air ...

Maize, rice and cassava drive more deforestation than major export-oriented crops like cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This has been shown by researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, in the most comprehensive global survey of how different commodities are causing deforestation. The study confirms the major impact of meat production, but reveals several overlooked drivers of deforestation. Food production is the main cause of deforestation in the world, but until now there has not been any detailed mapping of which crops affect deforestation in which countries. Chandrakant Singh, researcher ...

Each year, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is responsible for an estimated 1.1 to 1.4 million deaths worldwide. Now, scientists have found evidence that the spread of AMR isn’t always driven by bacteria evolving to resist the antibiotics themselves: rather, certain weedkillers can have the same effect. “Here we show that the most common species of multidrug-resistant bacteria from hospitals are not only resistant to multiple antibiotic classes, but also to high concentrations of the weedkiller glyphosate,” said Dr Daniela Centrón, a ...

Diet, microbes, and metabolic adaptation White adipose tissue stores energy, while brown and beige fat burn energy through thermogenesis. Under certain environmental conditions, white fat can transition into beige fat in a process known as browning. This transformation increases energy expenditure potentially influencing metabolic health and aiding in weight management It has been previously shown that low protein diets can stimulate this browning process, however, this current research has showed that this metabolic shift is largely microbiome dependent, and identified the microbial pathways responsible for transmitting dietary signals to the host. One of these ...

Researchers introduce a novel generative AI-driven framework, MMCN (Memory-aware Multi-Conditional generation Network), for forecasting future urban layouts by jointly considering building density, building height, transportation networks, and historical development patterns. Leveraging a generative architecture-enhanced diffusion model with multi-conditional control, semantic prompt fusion, and spatial memory embedding, MMCN offers a novel approach to modeling complex urban evolution. This framework provides a powerful ...

# A novel catalyst design enables simultaneous control of lattice structure and oxygen vacancies in molybdenum oxide through iron (Fe) substitution, with the study selected as a cover article in a leading international journal. # Achieves high water electrolysis performance using low-cost, non-precious metal-based catalysts, with strong potential for applications in eco-friendly hydrogen production and the hydrogen economy. CHANGWON, South Korea — Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), led by President Chuljin ...

The number one research priority chosen by children with experience of cancer – making hospitals a better experience – has recently received no dedicated UK funding, according to a new report from CCLG: The Children & Young People’s Cancer Association. The report mapped childhood cancer research spending against the priorities that matter most to patients, families and professionals.  The report, led by researchers at the University of Surrey, reviewed 452 studies funded by 30 UK organisations between January 2020 and July 2025. Total funding across ...

Doctors often struggle to distinguish early dementia with Lewy bodies from early Parkinson’s disease. The two neurological conditions share many symptoms, including changes in movement, and are frequently misdiagnosed in their early stages. New research from the University of Waterloo suggests that quantifying walking behaviour might be a useful way to tell these diseases apart.  The study found that people with early dementia with Lewy bodies walk more slowly, take shorter steps and have a lower walking rhythm ...

A new study by Chinese scientists reveals that the honey bee waggle dance—one of the most famous examples of animal communication—is not a one-way communication but, in fact, a dynamic, two-way interaction shaped by its audience. These findings challenge the traditional view that information flows unidirectionally from dancers to passive followers. The study, conducted by researchers from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and their collaborators, was published in PNAS on March 23. To test whether the content of the waggle ...

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) achieved recognition at the 51st International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, held from 11 to 15 March 2026. Demonstrating its strong research and innovation excellence on the global stage, HKU secured total of 46 awards. Research teams from the Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine (HKUMed), School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Computing and Data Science, and five HKU’s InnoHK Research Laboratories: Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation ...

Microscopic sensors that are as thin as a strand of hair but capable of taking multiple measurements simultaneously could revolutionise the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases like cancer.  Researchers from Adelaide University’s Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing and the University of Stuttgart in Germany worked together to develop the tiny sensors using state of the art, ultrafast 3D micro-printing technology.  The unique sensors target specific biomarkers and are printed directly onto the tip of optical fibres. ...

New satellite driven model provides “more realistic and reliable” predictions of sand and dust storm emissions Cardiff-led team tackles decades-long problem of overestimating when and where sediment transport occurs   The technology used to predict sand and dust storm (SDS) severity has for decades systematically over-estimated when and where sediment is transported across the Earth’s surface, a new study shows. Existing models, which draw on satellite, surface, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and weather data, make emission predictions and underpin early warning systems to try and reduce the health and climate impacts of SDS events globally. However, ...

Australia has almost doubled the size of its national parks and reserves since 2010, but an analysis shows the expansion has not been where it’s needed to protect threatened species and ecosystems. The study led by Professor James Watson at The University of Queensland found the amount of land gazetted for protection jumped from 12.8 per cent of the country to 22.3 per cent between 2010 and 2022. Professor Watson said while the headline numbers were important to recognise, there was a critical problem underneath. “Despite thousands of square kilometres ...

Eating large amounts of ultra-processed food (UPF) is linked not only to reduced fertility in men, but also to slower growth in early embryos, and smaller yolk sacs, which are essential for early embryonic development, according to new research. The authors of the study, which is published today (Tuesday) in Human Reproduction [1], one of the world’s leading reproductive medicine journals, say their findings suggest that reducing the consumption of UPFs, especially around the time of conception and pregnancy, is better for both parents ...

A technique that transforms immune cells into cancer-seeking bloodhounds may overcome a roadblock that has hampered immunotherapy for solid tumors, according to a new study by Stanford Medicine researchers. The approach equips certain types of immune cells with proteins on their surfaces that can recognize byproducts of cancer cells’ abnormal metabolism diffusing in the spaces between cells and stimulates the immune cells to migrate toward the tumor. It differs from another common immunotherapy, called CAR-T cell therapy, in that CAR-T cells are engineered to have receptors that recognize ...