Microbes often display cooperative behaviour in which individual cells put in work and sacrifice resources to collectively benefit the group. But sometimes, “cheater” cells in the group may reap the benefits of this cooperation without incurring any cost themselves. Scientists have suggested that in such cases, population bottlenecks – reduction in the total number of individuals – can help stabilise cooperative behaviour in the group. A new study in PLOS Biology reveals that population bottlenecks can fundamentally reshape how cooperation ...

These findings suggest that current monitoring strategies, which rely heavily on bacterial indicators alone, may miss critical viral-driven risks and opportunities for safer wastewater reuse. Viruses are among the most abundant biological entities in engineered water systems, including wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). They interact intimately with microbial hosts, altering microbial metabolism, community structure, and ecological functions. In recent years, wastewater-based surveillance has gained attention for tracking pathogens and public health threats. However, most ...

The study reveals that environmental stressors do not merely kill bacteria; they can also prime surviving cells to take up resistance genes more efficiently, raising concerns about how antibiotic-resistant bacteria may spread in aquatic environments. Antibiotic resistance genes and antibiotic-resistant bacteria are now recognized as emerging environmental contaminants, widely detected in rivers, lakes, wastewater, and even oceans. Aquatic systems provide ideal conditions for resistance genes to persist, interact, and spread among microorganisms. ...

Up to 75% of Australian women report concerns about their body image after giving birth, with many feeling intense pressure to “bounce back” to their pre-pregnancy shape, a pressure that can even trigger eating disorders for the first time, warn Flinders University researchers. A major review published in Body Image shows these struggles are not just personal - they are shaped by partners, families, and cultural expectations. The analysis of 36 studies found that social and interpersonal factors can either protect against or worsen body dissatisfaction and disordered eating ...

‘Dancing molecules’ were delivered intravenously without surgery or direct injection into the brain Therapy significantly reduced brain damage and showed no signs of side effects Could one day complement existing stroke treatments by limiting secondary brain injury CHICAGO --- When a person suffers a stroke, physicians must restore blood flow to the brain as quickly as possible to save their life. But, ironically, that life-saving rush of blood can also trigger a second wave of damage — killing brain cells, fueling inflammation and increasing the odds of long-term disability. Now, Northwestern University scientists have developed an injectable regenerative ...

January 7, 2026 –A new study from UCLA Health shows that a cardiovascular risk score already used routinely in primary care can predict who will develop serious eye diseases years later. Researchers found that people with higher cardiovascular risk scores were significantly more likely to develop conditions including age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, retinal vein occlusion, and hypertensive retinopathy. The study appears in Ophthalmology. Why it matters Millions of Americans lose vision to eye diseases that often go undetected until significant damage has occurred. Early identification of at-risk individuals could ...

In early 2025, around 4.9 million British adults — almost one in ten — are estimated to have recently used, or expressed interest in using, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) or dual GLP-1/glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptor agonist medications to support weight loss. The findings, which are based on a nationally representative household survey of 5,260 British adults, are published in BMC Medicine. GLP-1 and GLP-1/GIP medications help lower blood sugar, support weight loss, and reduce the risk ...

Exercise may reduce symptoms of depression to a similar extent as psychological therapy, according to an updated Cochrane review. When compared with antidepressant medication, exercise also showed a similar effect, but the evidence was of low certainty.   Depression is a leading cause of ill health and disability, affecting over 280 million people worldwide. Exercise is low-cost, widely available, and comes with additional health benefits, making it an attractive option for patients and healthcare providers.  The review, conducted by researchers from the University of Lancashire, examined 73 randomized ...

Vaccinating women during pregnancy leads to the transfer of antibodies to their newborns. These antibodies were detected not only in blood, but also in the nasal mucosa, the site where whooping cough bacteria enter the body. This has been shown by international research led by Radboud university medical center. ‘The fact that these antibodies reach the nasal mucosa has not been demonstrated before and highlights how effective this vaccination is’. Since 2019, pregnant women in the Netherlands have been offered a vaccination against whooping cough (pertussis) for their unborn child, known as the 22-week ...

The scale-up of HIV treatment and prevention programs has led to remarkable declines in orphanhood rates in Rakai, Uganda, according to a new study at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) availability has been the primary driver of these improvements, underscoring the critical importance of sustained investment in HIV programs. Findings from the study, " Incidence and prevalence of orphanhood in Rakai, Uganda: a population-based cohort study, 1995–2022" are published in The Lancet Global Health.    Using data from the Rakai Community ...

Stopping weight loss drugs is followed by weight regain and reversal of beneficial effects on heart and metabolic health markers such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, finds a study published by The BMJ today. It shows that the average rate of weight regain is 0.4kg/month after stopping treatment, with weight and risk markers for diabetes and heart disease predicted to return to pre-treatment levels in less than two years. It also finds that the rate of weight regain after stopping weight loss drugs is almost 4 times faster than after diet and physical activity ...

Higher intake of food preservatives, widely used in industrially processed foods and beverages to extend shelf-life, is associated with a modestly increased risk of cancer, finds a study from France published by The BMJ today.   While further research is needed to better understand these links, the researchers say these new data call for the re-evaluation of regulations governing the use of these additives by the food industry to improve consumer protection.   Preservatives are substances added to packaged foods to extend shelf life. Some experimental studies have shown that certain preservatives ...

Clinical trial shows promising results for PanChol, a single-dose oral vaccine aimed at the up to 4 million annual cholera cases worldwide A team of scientists and physicians at Mass General Brigham has developed a single-dose oral cholera vaccine and tested it in a phase 1 clinical trial, with results published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. “The devastating cholera outbreak in Haiti in 2010 triggered my desire to create a new oral live-attenuated cholera vaccine,” said co–senior author Matthew ...

Overview 　Anthracene—a hydrocarbon known for its strong luminescence and high photo-reactivity—has long been considered one of the most iconic and widely studied organic molecules. Its [4+4] photocycloaddition reaction, first reported in 1867, has underpinned the development of countless photo-functional materials, including actuators, adhesives, and chromic systems. 　Despite being a textbook reaction, the structural changes during this photoreaction occur in an extremely short time window (10⁻⁸–10⁻⁶ s), placing the process beyond direct experimental observation for more than a century. Consequently, controlling and visualizing ...

People prescribed the new generation of weight loss drugs may not receive sufficient nutritional guidance to support safe and sustainable weight loss, leaving them vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies and muscle loss, say experts at UCL and the University of Cambridge. In research published today in Obesity Reviews, the team, led by Dr Marie Spreckley from the University of Cambridge, found a lack of robust evidence surrounding nutritional advice and support and the impact this has on factors such as calorie intake, body composition, protein adequacy, and patient experiences. Weight ...

Dogs fed on premium, meat-rich pet food can have a bigger dietary carbon pawprint than their owners, according to the largest study into dog food’s climate impact. In particular, wet, raw and meat-rich products are associated with substantially higher greenhouse gas emissions than dry dog food. Overall, the production of ingredients used in UK dog food is estimated to contribute around one per cent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The findings highlight the need for greater transparency and better labelling of dog food ingredients to help consumers make informed choices, as pet ownership continues to rise, experts say. Scientists ...

Millions of Britons could be ready to swap imported fish for home‑caught favourites like sardines, sprats and anchovies – according to a new study from the University of East Anglia (UEA). A new report reveals that more than 40 per cent of consumers are willing to experiment with fish they’ve never tried before. The study suggests the UK is overlooking a major opportunity to improve national health and bolster local economies by embracing its own rich stocks of small, nutritious fish. The study was led by researchers at UEA’s Centre for Social and Economic Research ...

An estimated 1.6 million adults in England, Wales and Scotland used drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro to help lose weight between early 2024 and early 2025, according to a new study by UCL (University College London) researchers. The research, published in BMC Medicine and funded by Cancer Research UK, found that an additional 3.3 million people said they would be interested in using weight loss drugs over the next year. The team looked at data from 5,260 people who were representative of the general population ...

American College of Cardiology President Christopher M. Kramer, MD, FACC, issued the following statement on the release of new Dietary Guidelines for Americans by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and U.S. Department of Agriculture. “The ACC acknowledges and appreciates the release of new federal nutrition guidance and remains committed to helping clinicians and patients use it to support heart health,” said ACC President Christopher M. Kramer, MD, FACC. “We welcome the inclusion of several important science-based recommendations, ...

MILWAUKEE, WI and CAMBRIDGE, MA – January 7, 2026 – The American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT), the leading professional organization for the advancement of cell and gene therapies (CGTs), and the Orphan Therapeutics Accelerator (OTXL), a non-profit biotech focused on completing development and enabling access to stalled rare disease treatments, today announced a partnership to establish CGTxchange, a jointly owned entity that will serve as a clearinghouse and marketplace for deprioritized CGTs. The new joint venture will address a growing and urgent challenge facing the CGT field: policy and economic shifts in ...

Two new studies published in Anaesthesia (the journal of the Association of Anaesthetists) analysing pain and other factors connected with day surgery in the UK show that around 1 in 8 patients having day-case surgery end up not going home and instead are admitted to hospital for various complications. Furthermore, one in 14 go on to develop chronic pain at the operative site after the procedure. The studies are by Dr Martha Belete, Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Torbay, Devon, UK and Dr Adam Brayne, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, ...

Violent crime has fallen to historic lows in Chicago, although gun violence continues to plague neighborhoods with concentrated poverty. A 2023 study of five major cities showed that more than 55% of shootings occurred in just 9% of total census tracts, and that small increases in things like poverty, unemployment, or limited access to health care are associated with large increases in firearm violence. Yet not every neighborhood that struggles with these challenges also has high rates of violence. ...

In a surprising twist amid rising climate concerns, new research shows that scorching soil temperatures during extreme heatwaves do not necessarily boost the uptake of toxic elements like arsenic in rice crops. This finding, from a real world experiment during China's record breaking 2022 heatwaves, challenges fears that global warming will poison staple foods. "Our study reveals that soil warming alone, decoupled from air temperature rises, does not inevitably ramp up arsenic or heavy metal accumulation in rice grains," said Sha Zhang, ...

A new study shows how digital building models can be used to pinpoint where carbon emissions occur across a building’s entire life cycle, offering designers and policymakers a powerful tool to reduce the climate footprint of the construction industry. Researchers developed an integrated method that combines Building Information Modeling and Life Cycle Assessment to calculate carbon emissions from the earliest design stage through construction, operation, and eventual demolition. Using a real office building in China as a case study, the team demonstrated how emissions can be quantified in detail and how targeted reduction ...

Researchers at the University of Delaware have transformed discarded corn cobs and other agricultural byproducts into high performance biochar filters that capture both ammonia and tiny plastic particles from water. In laboratory tests, optimized biochar removed up to 64 percent of dissolved ammonia and more than 97 percent of polystyrene micro and nanoplastics without leaching harmful chemicals back into the water. The study points to a practical way to clean polluted water while recycling agricultural waste and locking ...